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Almost eight years ago now, Porsche showed the world a new 935<\/a>, built from a 991 GT2 RS and evoking one of the most famous 911-derived race cars of all time. Now the concept has been taken one step further, both in terms of performance and nostalgia: this is the Porsche Flachbau RS.\u00a0<\/p>\n Once more built from the 700hp GT2 RS and representing one customer\u2019s vision of a modernised Moby Dick, the Flachbau brings back the slantnose 911 look not seen since the ’80s. Back then it allowed 911 Turbo customers to get a look like the 935, and almost a thousand people took Sonderwunsch up on the offer 40 years ago.\u00a0 Now, with Special Wishes churning out one offs like they\u2019re going out of busin\u2026 with Sonderwunsch demand increasing of late – think cars like the Carrera GT<\/a> restoration, the GT3 956 homage<\/a> and the Classic Club Coupe<\/a> – there was only one place to turn for a customer who wanted \u201ceven greater performance and a Flachbau look, combined with a rear wing \u00e0 la 911 GT3 R rennsport, please.\u201d<\/p>\n Or, as it turned out, in more than one place; Sonderwunsch collaborating with Manthey, Porsche Motorsport and Style Porsche over three years to create the Flachbau. Enough time was invested, in fact, for the designer Grant Larson to have retired. As well as the flatter front wings that any Flachbau Porsche must have, he has pointed to staggered headlights as a \u201ckey feature\u201d. See despite the vibe, this is a fully road legal Porsche just like the family Macan, and as such needs lights – tricky with the slantnose. So the LEDs for low beam and high beam are just four centimetres thick, the DRLs less than an inch. So probably not coming to the configurator anytime soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n What\u2019s also interesting given the look (and the Flachbau RS moniker) is the fact that this 911 is mechanically unchanged. Sure, that still means a 700hp flat six and seven-speed PDK, if a little unexpected for a factory-built one-off. Instead, the RS vibes come from a weight loss programme, taking more than 30 kilos from a GT2 RS with the removal of the infotainment, a lot of sound deadening and some floor coverings. Even surplus wires have now been taken. Which doesn\u2019t sound great for covering miles in roadgoing 911, but then this isn\u2019t likely to see the A14 anytime soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n And despite so much having been taken out, there\u2019s definitely new kit of interest as well. Note the \u2018Flachbau RS\u2019 embroidery, gold Sonderwunsch badge and \u2018emergency box\u2019 with the warning triangle and towing eyes in. Because the normal mounting points have been removed. Which sounds a lot like making work for the sake of it, but such is the way.<\/p>\n And while it might be easy to dismiss the Flachbau as a Grand Prix White elephant, there\u2019s some proper substance behind the retro style as well. The front splitter works in conjunction with some Manthey magic underneath to smooth out airflow towards the diffuser, with aerodiscs – wouldn\u2019t be a racy 911 without those – also reducing drag. It\u2019s the spoiler that\u2019s the real star attraction, though, design aping that seen on the latest GT3 R rennsport<\/a> but towering five centimetres taller on its S-shaped mounts.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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