This 1974 Porsche 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo, filmed by Belgian Motorsport on YouTube, is a milestone in Porsche history as the first turbocharged 911 and the first turbo Porsche at Le Mans. Debuting with Gijs van Lennep and Herbert Müller at the Le Mans 4-Hours, it retired early but later finished 3rd overall at the Spa 1000 km.
After its final race in June 1974, Porsche retained it, and it eventually joined the museum collection. Restored from long-term inactivity, it returned for Porsche’s 70th anniversary in 2018 and was demonstrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, again with Van Lennep at the wheel.
Developed from the 2.8-liter Carrera RSR and alongside the 2.7-liter Carrera RS, the turbocharged 2.1-liter Type 911/78 SOHC flat-six was designed to comply with Group 6 rules limiting supercharged engines.
The original engine produced 450 hp at 8,000 rpm, but in the RSR 2.1 it made 500 hp at 7,600 rpm and 405 lb-ft of torque at 5,400 rpm, with Bosch mechanical fuel injection, a KKK turbocharger, and intercooler. Power went through a five-speed transaxle with its own oil cooler, an 80% locking differential, and robust 917-type half-shafts, making it a pioneering and potent racecar.
Source: Belgian Motorsport
