When it comes to 1970s road racing events, there was Ferrari->ke252, Lamborghini->ke44, Porsche, then everybody else. One of these fine examples is heading off to auction on Saturday May 12th in Monaco, via RM Auctions. This example up for sale is the 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 chassis No. 930.670.0540.

The 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 was one of the most important years in road racing series, as in the years following, each of the large road-racing series implemented rule changes that would eliminate these cars being road legal. This 1976 Porsche is one of the last examples of a road-legal racecar, which means you can title it and drive it on any city street.

This model is also important, as its chassis number shows that this was the final model of 31 built of this type. This not only makes it a rare beast, but also a collectable one, being the final production model. The

only more desirable chassis would be the first one built.

Despite the fact that this model Porsche->ke1 was racing against non-road-legal models, it still pulled off some impressive races. By far its biggest success was its 4th overall finish in the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans. This makes it no surprise that this car also won many overall class championships between 1976 and 1977.

Want to own a true racing legend that was the last road-legal and top-level race-ready Porsche ever built? This is your model.

Click past the jump to read our complete review.

1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4
  • Engine/Motor: Flat-six
  • Horsepower: 485
  • Transmission: Four-Speed Manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Exterior

Despite the fact that the exterior of the 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 is completely un-restored and in its original condition, this model is in awesome shape for its age. Its Continental Orange paint still shines well and there is not a crack or dent in it. This is not to say it is completely blemish free, but it’s about as good as you can get from an un-restored 16-year-old racecar.

The body itself looks very similar to a standard 930, but is slightly wider, via wheel flares, to accept its massive racing tires. The front end is identical to a 1976 930, with the exception of an air dam-style spoiler bolted to the front bumper. It has the 930’s signature diving front end with protruding fender-mounted headlights. An interesting thing about the front clip is that it is made of fiberglass and is easily removable.

As best as we can tell, all of the glass, except the side door glass, remains from the factory vehicle. The glass does not appear to be replaced by Plexiglas. Down the side of the car, you have the popular-in-the-70s “PORSCHE” cutout sticker, adding to its production model look and feel.

On the rear end you have the signature 1970s Porsche whale-tail spoiler. You also get the standard rear lighting that includes a light bar that reads “PORSCHE,” just in case you forget what car you’re driving.

In all, with exception to the rims, massive tires, and hood and truck pins, this body looks identical to a 930 that you could snag up at the dealership. The fact that the entire exterior is just as it was in 1976 makes this Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 a true find for the ages, especially given the fact that so many 934s have been hacked to the point of needing a full-blown CSI team to find its original identity.

Interior

The interior is vastly different than the exterior, as from the inside it is obvious that this ride is setup to tackle the track. Inside you get a pair of racing seats, the driver’s seat definitely looking more worn, and a pair of four-point harnesses to keep you safe.

The floors, trim and dashboard have essentially been completely gutted to save some weight. Basically you are getting a steering wheel, what appears to be the factory Porsche gauges, pedals and a very basic gear shifter. On top of all of that, you get the obligatory roll cage that meets FIA regulations from its final racing season in 1979.

As expected, there are zero amenities inside this car. Besides, with the beautiful hum of its high-powered engine, who needs a high-quality stereo? Plus with it lacking side glass, you have permanent 2/65 air conditioning – two windows at 65 mph.

Engine and Drivetrain

The rear-mounted engine and drivetrain on this Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 is where all of the fun really happens. Its turbocharged 2,993 cc flat-six-cylinder SOHC engine pumps out an impressive 485 horsepower. Unlike many racecars of its era, this Porsche is fuel injected instead of carbureted. One thing we don’t personally care for is the fact that, like all Porsches of this style, it is an air-cooled engine. Then again, flying around a racetrack in excess of 100 mph will certainly keep enough airflow to cool off the engine.

Transferring the power to the rear wheels is a four-speed manual gearbox. Unfortunately, there is no information available on the gearing of the gearbox.

Renowned Porsche expert, Wayne Baker, performed a complete inspection of this Porsches engine and drivetrain. In addition ne removed the engine and drivetrain to verify that it was all in perfect operating condition and performed minor maintenance services to any components that required it. The items replaced or rebuilt at this time include: fuel lines, oil lines, intercooler, and water pump.

Likely the best thing about this car is that it only has registered 16,133 km (10,024 miles) on its odometer. This engine and drivetrain is poised to last a very long time.

Handling and Braking

We’ll start with the gigantic rims and tires on the corners. The rims look to be BBS, but that style has been mimicked so often it is hard to tell anymore. The front tires are a set of at 23.5 x 10.5 x 16 inches Goodyear Eagles, but the rear Goodyear Eagle tires do not have a legible size on them, but we would estimate them at 23.5 x 15 x 16 inches. That gives you plenty of rubber to keep this machine on the road.

Under the body you have a four-wheel independent suspension that includes coil springs and high-performance Bilstein shock absorbers. The independent suspension allows each of the four wheels to be at different angles and heights, while maintaining maximum tire contact.

It also features four-wheel disc brakes, which are designed using the same blueprints used to create the braking system in the famed “Type 917” Porsche Le Mans car.

With those fat hunks of rubber and its independent suspension, this Porsche is bound to handle like a dream.

Pricing

This type of vehicle won’t come cheap, regardless of its rarity. Add in the fact that it is the last in a 31-car production life and the last race-ready production Porsche, well, you could image that would increase the price slightly. This monster has an estimated auction price of €450,000 to €600,000 ($592,113 to $789,484).

Competition

If you can find something that can compete with the last production racing Porsche that just so happens to be 1 of 31 produced and is in its original condition without restoration, please let us know. We can’t think of any.

Conclusion

At a price of half-a-mill to three-quarters of a million bucks, this Porsche is definitely not in everyone’s budget. For a collector with that kind of money sitting around, however, this is the perfect car. It is not only flat out amazing looking, but it is also fast, original, and has hardly any mileage on it.

The 1976 Porsche 934 Turbo RSR FIA GR/4 would also work out well for a vintage racer, but some people may find it blasphemous to run this near-mint classic Porsche in anything but a car show. We tend to agree with that, but man it would be a fun thing to do.

Ultimately, we suggest snagging this bad boy up for any reason you like, given you have the extra money. You may even get lucky and get it for slightly lower than the anticipated auction pricing.