Retro Designs has introduced its latest project, a 1974 Porsche RSR reimagined in the style of George Follmer’s racer from the 1974 International Race of Champions (IROC) series, the company announced.
The IROC series brought the world’s best drivers from different branches of racing together to compete in identical modified vehicles for multiple rounds. As a result, the races birthed world famous collectable vehicles that still to this day spark fond memories of racers such as Follmer while also cementing Porsche as a dominant force in the racing scene.
“The 1974 RSR IROC edition presented our team with an interesting set of challenges, because we wanted to stay true to the vehicle’s grand racing lineage while also making it suitable for today’s driving conditions and comfortable enough for driver and passenger to take longer trips than just a few laps around the track. I’m extremely proud of the work that the Retro Designs team put in to completely reimagine this racing machine while properly honoring the racing bona fides behind the RSR’s design,” said Retro Designs Owner Daniel Valjevac. “Even though we upgraded the vehicle in several key areas, the driver can still feel like they are getting behind the wheel of a proper vintage racing machine that was truly groundbreaking in motorsports at the time in the 1970’s.”
Photographed at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the race-inspired RSR features bright colors and accents associated with the 1970s series, the company said, and is painted in Bahama Blue with white accents inspired by George Follmer’s 1974 IROC livery. The recreation features an engine and transaxle engineered by Heights Auto Imports in Tampa, Florida, who worked with Retro Designs to build a twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six-cylinder engine producing 300 hp working alongside a 915 transmission.
The new Retro Designs 1974 RSR incorporates Bilstein Coilovers, as well as newly installed front tower struts, adjustable sway bars, rear strut tower reinforcement braces, and a strut tower bracing system to improve the ride, Retro Designs said.
Big Red Brake calipers and 930 turbo rotors cover all four corners of the RSR to provide stopping power. Riding on high-performance Fikse wheels and incorporating ExtremeContact Sport tires, the custom 1974 Retro Designs RSR presents a fantastic race-ready vintage 911. Retro Designs also fabricated an exclusive RSR exhaust tip onto the exhaust system to create a sharper motorsports growl to the engine note.
Inside, Retro Designs installed period-correct 917 Lollipop seats to go along with a Momo Prototipo steering wheel. The Retro Designs team also engineered a heated front windscreen, an electro cooler, and a 74 RSR IROC roll bar for added protection. An RS carpet kit was supplied by FVD and RS door cards were added by Retro Designs.
