When it appeared, in 1972, the Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7 caused amazement by the option of a large “spoiler” at the rear, which earned it the nickname “duck tail”. More relevant, however, was its status as the fastest German production car of its era.
Initially conceived as a homologation special (a necessary condition for its use in some competitions), the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 was designed to respond to conditions such as low weight (having an interior reduced to the essentials, with lighter sports seats, for example) and dynamic efficiency, not lacking in exhaustive aerodynamic work so that the speed was as high as possible. One of the attributes that became iconic was the rear spoiler, starting a trend in the automotive industry among sports car manufacturers. Through several tests, the brand’s engineers realized that the extension of the rear spoiler increased the aerodynamic load at the rear (the way it was pushed towards the ground) without penalizing the drag. “Back then, I thought the spoiler was just a solution to a technical problem. It took me a long time to realize that we had created an icon,” explained Hermann Burst, co-creator of that device.
first race
Due to the connection with the tracks, it was the first to receive the name Carrera, being the “crown” of the Porsche range at the time of its launch, bringing to the road some of the lessons learned in racing. The initial plan called for the production of 500 examples, in order to homologate the 911 Carrera RS 2.7 as a Group 4 Special GT competition vehicle. However, after the presentation at the 1972 Paris Motor Show, the enthusiasm was so great that the 500 units planned sold out in just over a month. In total, given the demand, 1580 examples were built, divided between different specifications.
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