The Best-Driving Classic 911 Is One You Didn’t Know Existed

Modern Porsche knows that they can take a bog standard 911 then remove sound insulation, air-conditioning (which can be optioned back in), a few other creature comforts, stiff up the suspension and proceed to sell it for more than the normal car. They can do this because that only thickens the special sauce that makes a Carrera a driving joy. Less is more. There once was a time when Porsche didn’t know that they could charge more for cars with fewer features.

No fog lights on the the CS front-end

In 1987, Porsche started production of a car that fit this exact description, the Carrera Club Sport. Sold new for a few thousand dollars less than a standard 3.2 Carrera, the Club Sport had all of the luxury replaced with lightness. Only producing around 340 examples of these cars, they are far more exclusive than some other “rare” Porsches like a 2.7 RS (1.590) or a modern day Porsche Speedster (1,948).

Less Is More

Pinstripe cloth seats with senator-levels of grabbing bolsters replace standard leather units. No rear seats, and less sound deadening bring extra flat-six growl into the cabin. Even going so far as a lighter aluminum space saver wheel instead of a standard steel wheel. A slick top with no sunroof sheds a few pounds, saves a few centimeters for a helmet, and prevents hair-challenged drivers and passengers from exposing themselves to additional sun damage when they aren’t wearing their helmet. Thoughtful Porsche. In a bold move that throws all corrosion caution to the wind, Porsche also made it a standard Carrera Club Sport option to have no undercoating. An interesting strategy for saving a few pounds new, while also making it even more weight in a couple of decades when you have no floor pan! Only the most serious CS owners will bark hearing you optioned it back in.

Pinstripe for extra weight savings no doubt

The dead reliable 3.2 flat-six connected to G-50 box is a bit more special in the Club Sport as well. It was apparently built with a more accurate ruler as it is a blueprinted engine, with sodium-filled exhaust valves and hollow intake valves. Adding up to a touch more power with an extra 300-revs sprinkled on top of a sweet range.

From the outside, it looks like a standard 3.2 Liter with no air-conditioning

A Character Living In Every 911

Just like the RS America in the following 964 generation, the CS was less expensive than the standard Carrera. I don’t know whether to be happy that there was a period of time where the best-driving 911 was also the least expensive. Clearly there has been some evolution in terms of how Porsche markets their vehicles because in the modern era, lightness has become a feature.

While values of these hard-to-find Club Sport models has shot up well above the $150K mark (this one-of-one green example sold for over $330,000), there is good news for anyone who owns a 3.2 Carrera. While you can’t make your car as valuable as these race-day specials, you can extract all of the driving joy that it delivers. Take your standard 3.2 Carrera, remove fluff, add some Bilsteins and you will have a great smile on your face.