The Sport Classic is more than a special edition with a new splash of paint and a commemorative plaque. Its retro design cues resurrect the ghost of the greatest 911 ever, while power and performance upgrades take it into the league of serious supercars. The inflated price tag, £70,000 more than the standard Carrera S, is hard to swallow, but you can’t put a price on exclusivity, and Porsche will have no problems shifting its 250 examples. Undoubtedly an icon in the making.

It’s the newest and rarest addition to Porsche’s line-up, and already the 911 Sport Classic is facing its toughest test! We’ve pitted the newcomer against the greatest 911 of all time, and the car that inspired its retro styling, the 2.7 RS.

Bringing these performance powerhouses together in the same place highlights how much larger the modern Porsche is. But don’t think this battle is a foregone conclusion – the 1973 model punches well above its weight.

Obvious styling clues carried over from the old car include the fixed ‘ducktail’ rear spoiler pointing into the air. The 19-inch wheels, too, are a resurrection of the Fuchs-style rims designed for Porsche in the Sixties, and used on the 2.7 RS, with centre sections painted to match the decals.

The Sport Classic features individual design statements, too. A double-dome roof, inspired by the Carrera GT, gives a unique feel to the bodywork. For an even racier feel, a pair of dark grey stripes run the length of the car, adding punch to the Sport Classic Grey paint. Despite being based on a Carrera S, it uses the wider rear shape of the four-wheel-drive models, as well as side sills and a prominent front lip spoiler for added visual impact.

Although decades apart, these two icons do have some common ground. Both feature engines upgraded for more power. The 2.7 RS had its engine capacity and power output hiked – to 210bhp. An impressive figure in its day and enough for a 0-60mph time of 5.5 seconds.

The Sport Classic uses an uprated version of the direct-injection 3.8-litre flat-six from the Carrera S. Power climbs 23bhp to 402bhp, dropping the 0-60mph sprint by two tenths to 4.6 seconds. Incredibly, though, its CO2 emissions and fuel economy figures remain the same as the standard model.But where these cars differ is the philosophies behind them. The 2.7 RS road car was created to satify motorsport regulations, which stipulated 500 race cars for the road needed to be built and sold if the RS was to be allowed to compete – hence its stripped-out cabin and hardcore demeanour.

The 911 Sport Classic, on the other hand, includes nearly every creature comfort and optional extra imaginable. Bi-xenon directional headlights, a limited slip differential and adjustable and lowered sports suspension are all included as standard, not to mention fade-free ceramic brakes (a £5,235 option on the Carrera S). Inside, the focus is on luxury, with woven leather on the seats and hand-stitched natural hide on virtually every surface. A specially-developed 13-speaker BOSE stereo is also included. Limited to 250 units, and costing a hefty £140,049, the Sport Classic will be a rare sight. However, back in the Seventies, the 2.7 RS was extended from a run of 500 to 1,500 units due to demand. Let’s hope history repeats itself.

Rival: Lambo LP550-2
Built to honour test driver Valentino Balboni, this special edition 542bhp rear-wheel-drive supercar is the most dynamic Lambo for a decade.