The ultra-rare Porsche from the 1970s that collectors have been coveting for decades

The 1970s were a pivotal time for Porsche, with several models proving just how dominant they were. When the Porsche 917 hit the market at the start of the decade and broadened our minds to how fast a car could be with its dominance at Le Mans, the company started the 1970s as a carmaker that had gone from underdog to giant. Then the 930 proved that supercars could appeal to a wider audience, and at the end of the decade the 928 gave the world a glimpse of the future. From Le Mans winner to accessible supercar to sci-fi supercar, this was an essential decade in which they proved how different they were from any other brand.

And then there is the subject of this article: the hardcore and yet extremely beautiful Carrera RS 2.7 from 1973. A car that in 2026 is one of the most sought-after Porsches of all. And with good reason. It contains all the different components that create the visceral response that a collector’s criteria demands. Scarcity, beauty, achievement and insight into times gone by.

The history of the Carrera RS 2.7 from 1973

This Carrera RS was born from Porsche’s hunger to have the best possible car in Group 4 racing. Despite the company’s success at Le Mans, they suffered in Group 4 against titans such as the Ferrari Daytona, which had a more capable engine with a larger displacement. Hungry to be on top, they started working on a vehicle with a larger engine. However, it wasn’t that simple; To qualify, Porsche had to produce 500 road vehicles.

What they did to make it legal

• Unique ducktail spoiler added for aerodynamics

• Emissions have only just disappeared in Europe, and not in the US

• Addition of standard safety equipment

• Street silencer for quieter operation

After selling 500 units within a week of the 1972 Paris Motor Show, Porsche went on to build around 1,000 more, despite their sales team initially thinking the RS was a bit too crazy and raw for people to enjoy on public roads. Being a homologation special, it was really viciously raw. With the lightest edition weighing just 2,116 pounds, it was clear that this vehicle, combined with the larger 2.7-liter engine, was an absolute beast.

The blueprint for modern Porsche GT3 RS models

These days, Porsche isn’t afraid of deep-rooted road racing cars. The GT3 RS relies on being the ultimate track weapon, focusing on raw, mechanical grip combined with Porsche’s modern technological wizardry. While the futuristic and automated elements of Porsche’s existence come from modern developments and more advanced models, such as the influence of the 928, the 1973 Carrera certainly feels like the beginning of the DNA that led them to the 21st century GT3 RS formula. Low weight, enormous grip and priority when cornering over comfort.

Porsche Carrera RS “Lightweight” specifications from 1973

Why collectors love them

Collectors are obsessed with this 1973 Carrera RS, and the increasing value of these cars proves it. In 2004 you could get one for $100,000. In 2015 around $500,000, and now in 2026 the RSR 2.8s will cost between $2 million and $5 million. This car is truly the holy grail among air-cooled Porsches; one of their most legendary eras, perfected and contained in one definitive model. In a modern landscape where Porsche pursues incremental upgrades through technological witchcraft, the beautiful nature of one of the purest representations of a 911 is a dreamlike idea for those seeking an experience, and the value of this car reflects that.

It is also seen as a safe investment. Every chassis and engine number is documented by Porsche experts, making them feel like a seriously valuable asset, as if they were destined to be collected. And then there’s the simple fact that people love the classic look of this era of the Carrera. From the iconic long hood to the ducktail silhouette: it is a completely timeless shape that transcends generations and radiates an indefinable mix of art and technology. These cars represent a middle ground between a road vehicle and a vehicle originally intended for a race track. Unfiltered and raw in a package of shining heritage, making the RS priceless.

Various editions of the Carrera RS from 1973

There are many choices to be made for collectors who want a piece of the Porsche pie. While they all fall under the 1973 Carrera RS, there are several editions to choose from, each with its own unique quirks and purposes. The most famous version was the M472 Touring, a common appearance from an extremely rare set. This was a softer, more marketable version of the homologation, with carpets, rear seats and steel bumpers as found in a more traditional car. While it doesn’t quite have the mystique of other editions, it is the most useful daily edition. The M471 Lightweight edition focused on the purity of driving. No luxury and no care for comfort; just a real, analog driving experience.

Editions broken down by quantities produced

• The M472 Touring: 1,308 units

• The M471 lightweight: 200 units

• The M491 RSR 2.8: 55 units

• The RSH: 17 units

The RSH homologation variants were all within the first 500 sales. These were the most untouched of the bunch, didn’t even have underbody protection or anti-roll bars, and acted as the lowest possible weight benchmark. Then there’s the M491 RSR edition: the race car Porsche dreamed of making to compete with the Daytona. With huge rear tires and enormous power, the RSR won the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and the Targa Florio in Sicily in 1973 alone, proving both its outright speed and agile grip.

The conclusion about the mythical Carerra

The 1973 Porsche Carrera RS proves in all its different versions that we long for what we no longer have, and that some cars have a timeless elegance. While the DNA of this Carrera era lives on in the form of GT3 RSs, there is no doubt that they are vastly different cars, even if they are equivalents of their respective eras.

With a serious rarity, especially on some models, a ducktail silhouette that has forever cemented itself in the mind of every Porsche fan, and is the full-fledged expression of what an analogue Porsche should be, there are no questions as to why collectors love it so much. Although these cars were born out of the company’s desire to compete with Ferrari, they also prove that Porsche was really only competing with itself: air-cooled, rear-wheel drive monsters on the track that combined art and science with a unique flavor unlike any other manufacturer.

Sources: Porsche, Classic.com, Bring a trailer