Sean McFarland
Some of the most coveted editions of Porsche’s venerable sports car are the earliest examples.
Much like Florida’s Collier Collection, the rare museum that actually exercises its stock of classic metal, the owner in this video puts his original 911 through its paces without any reservation. Though it may seem like brutal punishment for such a beautiful classic, this Porsche has a secret: it’s not an early 911.
It’s a 1981 911 SC, modified to resemble one of the earlier models in the 911 lineage – and it’s the finely tuned creation of Bugatti’s head of design, Achim Anscheidt.
Videographer Christopher Kippenberger lavishes Anscheidt’s Porsche with lingering, languorous shots befitting an original early model 911.
Why, though, would anyone tamper with even an otherwise original ’81, no slouch in the desirability department? Anscheidt told multiple sources that he wanted his 911 to be the ideal minimalist sports car. That’s why he completely disassembled and rebuilt it with lighter body panels, a stripped interior and plastic windows. The result of this weight-saving regimen is a claimed 820kg (1,808lbs) curb weight, lighter than a Mazda Miata. Coupling this lightness with a 310-horsepower 3.2-litre flat six-cylinder engine translates to proper swiftness.
With all this in mind, the radical surgery seems less cruel. Anscheidt’s 911 becomes a perfect tool for a high-rpm sprint. And as your headphones will communicate, without the weight and muffled noise from the sound-deadening components of an unmodified 911, this Porsche is loud.
Sean McFarland 