It’s difficult to comprehend that when the idea of the original 997 Sport Classic was first presented, there was uncertainty within Porsche about how receptive the market would be to such a special, limited-series model. Thanks to such lingering doubts, a series of just 250 examples was proposed. That number proved to be conservative – such was the clamour for the Sport Classic, it could have sold many multiples of its tiny production run.
The car was conceived partly as a means of communicating a shift in Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur’s business model. It wanted to move from a specialist dream-fulfilment concern – building one-offs and bespoke cars – to that of a division able to produce limited-series models to complement the volume business. The Sport Classic presented a hitherto unseen glimpse into the skill-set of the once-clandestine department, with the car being revealed to the public at the Frankfurt motor show in 2009.
Finished in the exclusive colour of Sport Classic Grey with dark grey decals running from the leading edge of the bonnet and up and over a double-dome roof, it’s a distinctive look that’s instantly recognisable today. Those stripes would continue behind the rear window, over the ducktail spoiler and terminate just above the 911 Sport Classic badge on the rear.
Unlike the badges in the series production cars, the letters and numbers under that ducktail were chrome-plated metal rather than metallised plastic, which required Porsche to source them from jewellery suppliers. It’s just one of the many examples of the exacting
