Photography by Federico Bajetti
Some say that best compliment that one can make to anything…is to copy it.
Musicians “steal” other musician’s licks, chefs copy recipes, and car enthusiasts replicate the cars they love the most. While many of us are satisfied with having a scale model on the desk, there are a few who will do anything to own the car of their dreams. Failing that, a copy of the car of their dreams. As the saying goes: if you can’t buy it, build it.
Replicas are often deemed a sacrilegious offense against the originals, but there are, however, remarkable exceptions that hardly fail to convey the same feelings as their factory-born relatives.
Take this 1974 911 RSR: it is not part of the 100 that left the factory in the same year, and it wasn’t raced in period. In fact, this Porsche was converted as an RSR in 1980 to compete in the “historic” category, which at the time was reserved for cars that could no longer be homologated for racing.
Seeing this car real life is truly breathtaking. It has a great accuracy in the details, it is equipped with an original RSR fuel tank, has a properly modified 3-liter engine, and of course: it sounds like everyone’s favorite racing car.
The way it’s been set up could be one of the biggest compliments to Porsche’s driving philosophy: it’s purely about essential beauty, lightness, and oversteer. Forget about the history records and think about the uncompromising nature of any 911: replica or not, it will give you shivers down your spine. But moreso if you’re a bit sideways.
When the heart speaks, the brain is always silent: as a Porsche maniac I should not fall in love for a replica of one of the most gorgeous Porsches ever made. Yet this RSR is a proper driving machine to delight each of your senses—there’s simply no way to ignore this fact.
