1993 Porsche 911 RS 3.8

In the early 1990s, Jürgen Barth proposed an all-new 964-based racing car that would return the Porsche 911 to the pinnacle of GT racing. Unveiled in 1993, the Carrera RSR 3.8 was an instant success, capturing class wins at Le Mans, Daytona, and Sebring, along with overall victories in the 24-hour races at Nürburgring and Spa.

Homologation and Production

To homologate the RSR, Porsche built a limited number of road-going models sharing the general specifications of its race car. The result was the Carrera RS 3.8 – hand-assembled inside Porsche's racing department and engineered for maximum performance. Along with specialized suspension and braking components, the RS 3.8 featured a strengthened, seam-welded chassis, with lightweight glass and aluminum panels contributing to a curb weight of just 2,670 pounds. Other notable features included a 300 hp flat-six engine, wide Speedline wheels, and an aerodynamic package with a deep front spoiler and adjustable rear wing.

In total, Porsche built just 55 examples. Of these, 11 were ordered with the track-focused Clubsport package and three were specified in right-hand drive. Like its contemporaries, the Ferrari F40 and McLaren F1, the RS 3.8 is a genuine factory-built thoroughbred, constructed in extremely limited numbers and possessing a true motorsport pedigree.

This Example

The RS 3.8 presented here is arguably the finest example of this important Porsche sports car. According to factory records, this car was specified for German delivery – the single most important market for the model. One of only 10 originally ordered in Guards Red, the RS was built without air bags or power steering, keeping with a lightweight ethos. Special equipment included a 40/40 locking differential, 92-liter fuel tank, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and, significantly, a Matter half cage – an extremely rare and desirable factory option.

Provenance

As documented in the definitive book Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8, this car was delivered to its first owner through Porsche Zentrum Bremen on December 22, 1993. The RS remained in the care of its original owner until 2004, when it was sold to a collector in Osaka, Japan.

Over the years, rumor spread about the "Osaka 3.8" – an extremely original car with just a few thousand kilometers from new. Several collectors and dealers tried to find the owner and buy the RS, but it remained elusive. Finally, an American Porsche collector located the owner through a Japanese contact and learned that he had no interest in selling regardless of price. The owner explained the only way he would part with his prized RS is if he could replace it with his dream car – a Lamborghini Miura that had been owned by Miles Davis. Determined to acquire the Porsche, the American collector and his Japanese contact managed to find and obtain the Miles Davis Miura and structured a deal that released the RS from its long-term owner.

Condition and Documentation

Now in the hands of its third owner, the car remains in impeccable, original condition and is believed to be the lowest-mileage RS 3.8 extant. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer displayed exactly 4,253 km (2,642 miles), a figure supported by service records on file and inspection of the speedometer housing.

This pristine concours-quality RS 3.8 is offered with its tool roll, roadside accessories, spare keys, and leather handbook folio containing the original owner's manual, Carrera RS supplement, warranty book, and service directory. It is also accompanied by a Porsche Production Specifications sheet, a copy of the Porsche Motorsport Service Information binder, assorted Japanese service records, paint meter reading chart, and a new, unopened edition of Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8 bearing this car's serial number (102).

The inherent rarity of the RS 3.8, coupled with the acceptance of limited-production 964 variants as blue-chip classics, has made it one of the most collectible supercars of the 1990s. This sensational Guards Red example, with its ideal factory specification, superb three-owner provenance, and exceptional original condition, may well be the finest of its type.