Porsche is a master of producing limited and special edition 911s to keep its core fans constantly engaged and their latest offering, the new 911 Sport Classic, is betting on nostalgia to get those bank accounts rolling. Some of you may remember the original 997-generation Porsche 911 Sport Classic from 2009 that was made in a mere 250 units, all sold within 48 hours of its debut. The fresh incarnation of the Sport Classic series follows the same path, though you might have a few more chances of acquiring one, as Porsche will build 1,250 examples of the 992-based model. This is also the first time that a Sport Classic model will be offered for sale in the USA.
While the 997 Sport Classic was built
around the Carrera S of the time producing 402 hp, Porsche went ballistic with
the new version basing it off the wide-body 992 Turbo S using the same
3.7-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six. However, whereas the Turbo has 572 hp and
553 lb-ft, and the Turbo S, 640 hp and 590 lb-ft, both offered exclusively with
AWD and an 8-speed dual clutch automatic, the Sport Classic’s flat-six is
de-tuned to 542 hp and 442 lb.-ft with a 7-speed manual gearbox driving the rear
wheels only. That makes it the most powerful manual gearbox model in the 911’s
range.
Porsche says that it revised the engine
mapping to deliver output compatible with the Sport Classic’s layout. No other
performance figures were released but given the setup, it’s safe to assume that
it will lag behind the 911 Turbo’s 2.7 second 0-60mph (96km/h) sprint time,
despite weighing around 70kg or 154 pounds less. In essence, the Sport Classic
slots between the GTS and the Turbo model in terms of performance. Other
standard performance features include a tweaked version of the Porsche Active
Suspension Management (PASM), ceramic composite brakes, Porsche Dynamic Chassis
Control (PDCC), Rear Axle Steering, the Sport Chrono Package, and a specially
modified Sport Exhaust system that should sound louder inside as Porsche has
removed some insulation from the cabin.
When it comes to appearance, it’s all
about those retro vibes from the brand’s storied past. But before we get into
the details, it’s worth noting that while the Sport Classic retains the 911
Turbo’s wide hips, oddly, it ditches the latter’s rear air inlets. The most
evident changes on the outside begin with the throwback ducktail spoiler that
takes inspiration from the 1973 Carrera 2.7 RS, and the 20-inch front and
21-inch rear five-spoke alloys with black trimmings that pay hommage to the
1967 911S – but which aren’t near as cool as the black-center Fuchs-style rims
worn by the 997 Sport Classic. The special edition is painted in a similar,
model-exclusive Sport Grey Metallic color to the last car, with two lighter
grey stripes running across the top. If you don’t fancy that color, solid
Black, Agate Grey Metallic, and Gentian Blue Metallic will also be available.
And then there’s the ‘Porsche’ and racing-style number scripts on the sides,
but at least Porsche’s designers avoided going full ‘Herbie the Love Bug’
restricting their placement on the doors. The other good news is that beyond
being able to specify the digits between 1 and 99 (insert adolescent Elon Musk
Twitter joke here), those graphics are intentionally applied as decals rather
than paint so you can remove them any time you wish.
Other design elements that are unique to
the limited model include a fixed spoiler lip, gold-colored badges and a carbon
fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) hood that’s not offered on the 911 Turbo models
and which dips in the center. That indentation matches the carbon double-bubble
roof that is also special to this edition. The real treat, however, is once you
step inside the 911 Sport Classic as Porsche went with a Houndstooth pattern
known as the Pepita design for the seats contrasted by light Classic Cognac
leather that also adorns the bottom half of the dashboard and door panels. If
you squint at the photos, you may also see that there’s a very thin piece of
dark Paldao wood trim running across the dashboard. Stuttgart’s designers have
planted several other little details throughout the cabin to set this model
apart including a white needle and scale markings alongside green numbers and
accents on the digital instrument panel and Sport Chrono clock, embossed
headrests and a badge with the serial number on the passenger side. Furthermore,
along with owning a limited-edition model, 911 Sport Classic owners will be
able to purchase a unique watch from Porsche Design to go with their car at an
additional cost, of course.
Porsche said that the first examples will
arrive in North America in late 2022 with pricing information to be announced
closer to market arrival. However, we already know that in Germany, where it
goes on sale in July, the new 911 Sport Classic is priced from € 274,714 (US$ 290,000), or around € 80,000
(US$ 85,000) more than the 911 Turbo. In the States, the Turbo starts from US$ 174,300 (if you can find one at MSRP, that is), so the Sport Classic should be
priced in the neighborhood of US$ 260,000. But you better hurry up and get your
Porsche dealer onboard ASAP as used examples of the older 911 Sport Classic
have sold for multiple times their MSRP in recent years and there’s no reason
not to believe that this won’t happen again.