OVERVIEW
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One of 15 lightweight Clubsport editions, only 55 total street-legal examples produced, available only in 1993
Rare example painted in black, believed one of 5
Extreme weight savings – 2,668lbs
Factory-developed 3.8-liter engine producing 300 horsepower
Documented maintenance from new
Includes original Fahrzeugbrief, books and tools
Considered by many to be the ultimate driving 964 ever created
German-delivered car, then imported into Japan
27,143 miles (43,683km)
January of 1989 marked when Porsche revealed its newest 911 platform, the Porsche 964. Claiming that the car was over 85% new, the 964’s unibody was completed reengineered to accept the new all-wheel drive system from the development of the 959 and 961. Named the Carrera 4, Porsche would introduce the less-complicated rear-wheel drive Carrera 2 a few months after and would provide the foundation for the higher-performance variants for both street and racing applications. In 1992 Porsche created the RS 3.6, naturally aspirated with a twin-plug engine breathed on by Porsche Motorsport to pump power up. Porsche then one upped themselves in 1993, introducing the Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8.
Per Roland Kussmaul, the project manager for the Carrera RS 3.8, the first car was built in 1991 on a pre-production 964 for testing purposes. The RS 3.8 would be based on the Turbo bodywork, complete with the same bumpers and wider fenders for improved handling characteristics. Although Porsche was feeling the downturn of the global economy, the project was given the go ahead and was soon redeemed by wins in the 1993 ADAC GT Cup and the 1994 BPR series.
While the Carrera RS 3.8 resembles its Turbo sibling, the cars were easily spotted by its large rear wing with a special “3.8” embossed into each side. Weight reduction was taken to the extreme. Aluminum body panels were employed instead of steel in numerous areas, such as the doors and front hood, while the door glass and rear quarter windows were thinner than usual. The carpeting was thinner and lighter, the rear seats removed, and power options on the windows, seats and power locks were removed in favor of lighter components. The door cards were made from a lightweight design with simple strap pulls and no arm rests. Air conditioning was removed and power steering was ditched in favor of a lighter, non-assisted rack. Even the undercoating was not sprayed onto the bottom in the name of weight savings. This focus on weight reduction produced real results, as it saved close to 600 pounds vs. a standard street car.
Despite losing close to 600 pounds of weight in pursuit of lightness, the cars were still very civilized for street or track use. Transmission gearing for the RS 3.8 was changed, with first, second and third gears being slighter higher. Gear synchronizer gears were made of resilient steel, shorter shifter throws, and a limited-slip differential came as standard. These host of upgrades, along with the massive weight loss, resulted in brutal acceleration and top speeds closing in on 170 miles an hour.
Only 55 street cars were produced in order to meet the FIA homologation requirement, with only 15 Clubsport editions produced like this example. According to Jürgen Barth, 52 were left hand drive and 3 others were right hand drive. While built to be excellent driving cars, most of the cars were purchased and stashed away into private collections, used occasionally by their lucky owners. While the most common color leaving the factory was Speed Yellow, there were other colors that were much less common and some even customer specific. Due to being a street-legal race car barely disguised as a street car, bracing in the front trunk was added along with a trunk-mounted ignition-kill switch. Fitted to the Carrera RS 3.8s standard were 9” and 11” Speedline wheels with an 18” diameter, fitting the large ventilated and cross-drilled brakes, aided by ABS. This left-hand drive example began life as a German-delivered Carrera RS 3.8, sent to a Dr. Walter Reichhart and believed to be only one of 5 cars that was painted black. Reichhart would keep the car well maintained, having the car at serviced at its required intervals. In June of 2002 he would sell the car to Helmut Koch of Schopfheim. Like Reichhart before him, he would take the car to be serviced at its required interval. In March of 2005 the car was then sold to Silke Koch, showing 26,646 miles on the odometer (42,882km) on August 22, 2008, and would be the last German owner. In approximately 2010 the 964 RS 3.8 was exported to Japan where it stayed with the same owner the entire time until being imported to the U.S. in late 2018.
Upon arriving at Canepa, the car was carefully inspected from front to rear. With only 27,143 miles (43,683km), the car presents as if it only has a quarter of its indicated mileage. Once a full report was completed, the car was entered into Canepa’s system and went through the “Canepa Difference” process. This consists of a full top-to-bottom concours-level detail and mechanical inspection so that nothing is left to question. The car was thoroughly cleaned underneath in order to remove the factory cosmoline, revealing the factory finishes in excellent condition. Once done, the car was given a full exterior hand wash, along with a complete polish of its rare black paint finish, using only foam pads and light compound in order to preserve the surface. With its deep black finish now done, the trunk, interior and engine bay were also given attention, cleaning out each and every crevice to ensure nothing was left unturned and untouched. When finished and rolled into the Canepa showroom, this exceptional 964 Carrera RS 3.8 steals the show. From its signature wing with “3.8” embossed or the stance with its 18” Speedline wheels, this car presents a unique opportunity for a serious enthusiast looking for the ultra-rare and ultra-capable Porsche 911.
