During the 1960s and 1970s, Porsche was experimenting with the 911 platform. At that time, the people at Porsche were yet to realize what an icon the rear-engine sports car would become, and decided to experiment with a sportier version that featured a one-piece canopy. The only issue was that Porsche did not really want to bother making the car. As a result, Porsche sent a 911 to the Technical University in Aachen and asked the bright minds there to have a go at it. They obliged, and one of the weirdest, one-off Porsche models was born.

Work on the Porsche 911 HLS began in 1966, just three years after the inception of the original Porsche 911. A mock-up along with technical drawings were finished before the university’s body department began work on a completely new body. As it was meant to be a more performance-oriented version, lightness was key. Many of the parts were made of aluminum, including the Targa-style rollover bar and louvers behind it.

The highlight of the design study was, without a doubt, the canopy that provided access to the motorsport-inspired cockpit. The cockpit itself featured the traditional for a 911, five-gauge cluster, which in the HLS, was positioned to the right of the driver. The 911 HLS took some inspiration from the Porsche 904, despite being rear-engine rather than mid-engine. With that said, many jokingly refer to it as “the child of a Saab Sonnet and a Volkswagen SP2 (you can see why). After being completely assembled, the 911 HLS concept was sent to a paint shop in Würselen where it got its bright green exterior finish.

Having been based on an early Porsche 911, the 911 HLS was powered by a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six engine that produced 130 horsepower (96 kilowatts) at 6,000 RPM and 129 pound-feet (175 Nm) at 4,200 RPM. Power went to the rear through a five-speed manual transmission. An early 911 tipped the scales at 2,381 pounds (1,080 kg). While official figures were never released, the 911 HLS was built to be much lighter than the 1966 Porsche 911.


Engine

2.0-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six

Power

130 HP @ 6,000 RPM

Torque

129 LB-FT @ 4,200 RPM

Transmission

five-speed manual

Weight

2,381 lbs (1,080 kg)


Every story deserves a happy ending and the Porsche 911 HLS got it. The one-off prototype was fully-restored and showcased at the 2015 Techno Classic. According to the latest reports (from 2015), the unique Porsche is still under the custodianship of 911 expert, Manfred Hering, although you will likely never see or hear from it again unless it goes on sale. Still, it’s [the rarest 911 models, } as well as one of the rarest 911 models, and now, you know about it.