Porsche unveils new 992 911 Sport Classic

Like the 997, this new 992 variant is grey with a stripe, retro wheels and spoiler. That, however, is where the similarities end, given the new car borrows more from the Turbo than the Carrera S that the last Sport Classic was based on.

Making the Sport Classic unique to the current 911 lineup is, for the first time since the 2010 997 GT2 RS, the combination of a ‘Turbo’ engine, a manual transmission and rear-wheel-drive. Yes, this is effectively a rear-drive, seven-speed manual 550PS (405kW) 3.7-litre 911 Turbo, in retro drag. A scintillating, if slightly terrifying prospect. With Turbo power comes Turbo/GTS suspension hardware and calibration as well as bigger brakes, while the sports exhaust has been specially tuned.

Okay, now that we’re (not quite) over all that, we can drink in the details of the Sport Classic. The Turbo-esque body is something of a giveaway as to the fundamentals discussed above, albeit sans haunch-mounted intakes or an active wing. The Sport Classic is smooth-shouldered and possessed of a delightfully retro 2.7 RS-aping ‘ducktail’ wing, as well as a ‘double bubble’ roof and ‘fuchs’ style wheels.

Sport Grey Metallic is a new colour for the Sport Classic, though it’ll also be available in Solid Black, Agate Grey Metallic or Gentian Blue Metallic. Twin Sports Grey stripes straddle the bonnet, roof and spoiler to be the biggest giveaway that it’s a Sport Classic from a distance. Get up close and you might also note the gold ‘911 Sport Classic’ badging and the Porsche Heritage badge on the deck lid, joining Exclusive Manufaktur badging elsewhere on the car.

On the inside, the Pepita houndstooth fabric pattern is back and in satisfying abundance, covering the door panels and seat centres. It’s fabulously old-school in combination with the black/cognac leather. Adorning the wood trim is a delightful numbered 911 Sport Classic badge matching the gold on the exterior badging.

Porsche plan to build 1,250 examples of the Sport Classic with deliveries beginning in Europe in July. The price? A sturdy £209,540 in the UK. If you want one, you’d better be pally with your Porsche dealer and you’d better be on the phone sharpish. We can’t see slots for these hanging around for long.

That said, given the Sport Classic is part of a family of four special limited models that began with the Heritage Design Targa 4S, with two still to come, it shouldn’t be your last chance of owning a special edition 911. Rumour has it a jacked-up ‘Safari’ is on the way… Could the new 911 Sport Classic be the perfect 911? Let us know your thoughts.