1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Rally Car

• C16/UK RHD example manufactured on 03/02/1976
• Matching-numbers; Porsche CoA and service/handbooks
• Transformed into a rally car in 1984 and successfully rallied in Group B European events
• Numerous Works parts utilised, seam welded shell, oil cooler in rear whale tail, adjustable front anti-roll bars, Works torsion bars, quick rack and light pod
• Other parts accompanying car include RSR front Bilstein struts, bag tank, torsion bars (2 x 7x16), Fuchs alloy wheels.
• The car's stripes are all painted not transfers

The interesting Carrera 3.0 is rightly regarded as somewhat of a special and rare model amongst the impact-bumper era, 911 model range. It was introduced in September 1975 for the 1976 model year and production only ran until 1977.

Following on after the MFI-engined Carrera 2.7, the 3.0 Carrera heralded the adoption of the newly developed Bosch K-Jetronic CIS fuel injection engine. This torque-rich, smooth and free-revving 3.0-litre engine, with a distinctive 'cam' effect from 4,000rpm, produced 200bhp and was effectively a naturally aspirated version of the 930 Turbo's drivetrain (using the same die-cast aluminium crankcase and gearbox housing for durability).

Although having slightly less power than the outgoing Carrera 2.7, it had considerably more torque (188 lb/ft at 4200 rpm) and with its new fuel injection system was one of the earliest Porsches to return economical fuel consumption figures without a significant performance loss. The Carrera 3.0 was able to accelerate from 0-60 mph and 0-100 mph in almost identical times to the original 2.7 RS and 2.7 Carrera.

This respectable performance was aided further by the relatively light weight (1093 kg) of the 3.0 Carrera compared to its successors. It is almost 6% lighter than the SC (1160kg), almost 10% lighter than the 3.2 (1210kg) and surprisingly, also weighs less than the later (1987-1989) stripped-down Carrera 3.2 Club Sport (1170kg).

During its short two-year life span, only 3,687 cars were built - a tiny amount compared to nearly 58,000 911 SCs and 76,500 3.2 Carreras produced. Of these, 2,564 were Coupés and 1,123 were Targas with only around 1,064 Coupés being manufactured in right-hand drive. Very few RHD cars reached the UK, and with just a two year production run, only 121 Carrera 3.0 Coupés (combined "Sport' and "Comfort' versions) are verified by their chassis numbers with the Porsche Club GB.

The Carrera 3.0 model was highly rated by Porsche gurus Michael Cotton, Lindsey Porter and Peter Morgan, and was the road car of choice of legendary British Rally champion Roger (Albert) Clark.

The car presented here started life as UK-market Carrera 3.0 before being enhanced for rally driving in 1984 by an established driver named Mervyn Coxon; we understand that he may have had a connection at Prodrive and was able to utilise some very special componentry for the car (possibly Works parts including Kevlar-covered rear trailing arms etc.), whilst also seam-welding the bodyshell. He ran the car in 'Group B' European events, including the Rallye International de Wallonie (in Belgium) and Carling Killarney Rally of the Lakes before it was subsequently sold in 1987 to Dr Graham Rood, a well-known engineer, classic aviation and motorsport enthusiast/driver. He is an authority on Sunbeam Tigers and has owned a highly original Sunbeam Tiger Mk1A ex-works rally car, amongst others. We understand he owned this Carrera 3.0 for approximately 25 years.

Our vendor, a well-known classic rally car driver, engineer and enthusiast, bought the car in 2013. He set about a thorough upgrade of it, including the fitting of modern, high-quality race seats, harnesses and a fire extinguisher. He fully restored the bodywork to the bare metal before professionally painting it, and adding the iconic 'Rothmans' livery, with the stripes being hand-painted (not stickers).

He has used the car in a number of road-based events and for fast-road driving trips, where he describes its handling set-up as 'remarkable', allowing the power to be put down whilst cornering and exit at astonishing speeds, whilst inspiring real confidence, which comes from the sheer quality of engineering and its clever set-up.

An attractively guided car with real provenance and abilities tested over many years, this is one for buyers who know their Porsches.