Limited-run 911 Sport Classic fuses the powertrain from the Turbo S with a manual and rear-wheel drive. With the 911 Turbo S stuck with an automatic transmission as the only option, this special edition is the only chance to enjoy the power of the twin turbo 3.7L flat 6 engine with a 7-speed manual transmission. That coupled with the exterior design and interior materials position this as one of the most intriguing 911’s in a while.
Peak power and torque are rated quite a bit lower than the full-blooded Turbo S with 543 hp and 442 lb-ft respectively. That’s a drop from 641 hp and 590 lb-ft, a penalty it seems for the manual transmission’s reliability limits. It is however still the most powerful manual 911 in the line-up.
Alfa Romeo’s homologation special GTA was a lightweight race version of the Giulia Sprint GT road car. The extra “A” in the name stood for Alleggerita, the Italian word for lightweight. This was very appropriate as Alfa utilised light aluminium external body panels, thinner gauge inner steel panels, magnesium cam cover, wheels, bell housing, sump, and timing cover, and Perspex instead of glass.
The 1.6L inline 4 engine was overseen by the racing division of Alfa Romeo, Autodelta. They added a new twin spark high-flow head, high compression pistons, bigger cams, a larger oil sump with oil cooler, lightweight flywheel, a limited slip differential and shorter ratio gearing. 500 examples were produced by Alfa Romeo in total, with many going on to spend some time on the track partaking in races. As a result the amount of surviving GTA’s is a much smaller number.
The 3.0 CSL was raced in the IMSA GT Championship in 1975, with Sam Posey, Brian Redman, and Ronnie Peterson winning races during the season.
Icon of cool.