1984 Porsche 911 SC/RS

To satisfy FIA Group B homologation requirements, Porsche built 20 examples of the 911 SC/RS with Rothmans providing sponsorship, a role they were happy to play following the success of Porsche's Group C racing program. Among the 911 SC/RS accolades were winning the 1984 and 1985 Middle East Rally Championship and finishing second in the 1984 European Rally Championship.

Group B specifications were for rally cars based on two-seat production sports cars. The 911 SC/RS, internally known as the 953, was an evolution of the production 911 SC rear-engined coupe. It was given a stiffened production 930 shells with the doors, deck, trunk lids, and fenders made from lightweight aluminum. The bumpers and rear wing were made of fiberglass. The suspension was comprised of torsion bars; in 1985, the FIA allowed coil helper springs. The engine powering the SC/RS was based on the 3.0-liter 911 SC with a higher compression ratio of 10.3:1 and a Bosch mechanical fuel injection system. In road specifications, the engine offered 250 horsepower. In race trim, that figure rose to 280 bhp.

Six of the 20 911 SC/RS were sent to David Richards Autosports in the United Kingdom. The team would eventually become very successful in rally and sports car racing teams, known as Prodrive. With funding by Rothmans and in collaboration with Porsche's motorsports department in Weissach, these 911 SC/RS cars were prepared and used in international rally events starting in 1984. Modifications from factory SC/RS specifications included steel fenders, fiberglass doors and lids, and unique dashboards and door panels. These changes were made to help improve the vehicle's durability.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019