Best of All, 911 Sport Classic Is Stick Shift

By Michele Lupini - April 29, 2022

Porsche’s new 911 Sport Classic is the strongest manual you can get.

So, you reckon a real Porsche must have a clutch and a stick? Well, we have good news for you. The Zufferhausen sportscar maker has trotted out the latest member of its Heritage Design collection. Meet the 911 Turbo-based Porsche 911 Sport Classic.

But while it stars on retro-inspired styling cues paying homage to the 1972 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7, the big news is that this 543 HP 442 lb.-ft turbo drives the rear axle via a seven-speed manual transmission.

Sacrifices Straight Line for Driving Experience

Powered by a slightly detuned 3.7-litre turbocharged flat six compared to the 911 Turbo, Sport Classic sacrifices a little Turbo straight-line performance in favor of a more involving driving experience. It will still be the most powerful manual 911 on sale when it hits the road later in the year. Until now, the 911 Turbo has only come as a PDK double-clutch automatic. But its manual transmission is by no means 911 Sport Classic’s only party trick.

It also gets rear-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars, and Porsche Active Suspension Management Sport active dampers. To lower ride height by 0.4 inch. Add ceramic brakes, a sports suspension and traditional 911 Turbo staggered 20-inch front and 21″ rear center-lock wheels as standard. Stopping power comes courtesy of black-painted 10-piston front and four-piston rear calipers. They clamp 16.5-inch front and 15.4-inch rear carbon-ceramic rotors.

Featuring ’70s-style Fuchs alloy wheels and that telltale ducktail rear spoiler to differentiate it from he rest of the range. The 911 Sport Classic is a clear salute to that RS, which remains among the most collectable 911s ever produced. 70 kg lighter than the standard 911 Turbo at 1570 kg the Sport Classic sits between the GTS and the Turbo in performance. Fettled on the Nurburgring. Porsche remains coy on the new car’s performance, but expect sub-3 second 0-60 mph and 195-ish mph.

Sport Classic Second of Four Heritage 911s

911 Sport Classic is the second of four planned heritage-inspired models after the 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design edition revealed last year. Its bespoke Fashion Grey hue is inspired by a Porsche 356 color. Its lighter-colored, hand-painted racing stripes and customizable, numbered decals on the sides add to the effect. Step inside to two-tone upholstered door panels and seats are finished in Porsche’s classic Pepita houndstooth design.

“We have combined these features with each other, but all the systems also have to be adapted, such as the suspension, the Porsche Stability Management and other technical features and programs,” Porsche Exclusive director Boris Apenbrink pointed out. “Compared to the Targa 4S Heritage, this car was a much bigger project for us. “Our pre-production cars were tested on the Nordschleife and in different climates across the world until our engineers were satisfied.”

“Our Heritage Design models represent the more emotionally driven concepts of the Porsche product strategy,” Porsche customization and classic boss Alexander Fabig concluded. “This unique approach sees the Style Porsche design department working with Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur to reinterpret iconic 911 models and equipment from the 1950s through to the 1980s and to revive design features from those decades.”

Porsche Will Only Build 1,250 911 Sport Classics

Most importantly, the new Sport Classic answers many a call for a powerful, manual 911. US pricing is yet to be confirmed, but expect it to cost more than a stock 911 Turbo. Orders are open and production is limited to just 1,250 units. So you’d better be quick!

Photos: Porsche