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Rennsport Collective 2020 – the best of the best Porsches

1995 Porsche 993 Carrera RS Clubsport at Rennsport Collective at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, on 1 November 2020

View from the entrance at Stowe House at Rennsport Collective, Buckinghamshire, UK, on 1 November 2020

Under normal circumstances, this year’s Rennsport Collective would have taken place at the beginning of August, when the weather was a good deal warmer and perhaps slightly more predictable. As it happens, with the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic, many smaller and some really big international events have been summarily cancelled, leaving spectators and enthusiasts searching the internet for reruns of older races or car shows. It has been a dismal year, and you would not be blamed for feeling that cabin fever might be setting in.

Rennsport Collective at Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, on 1 November 2020

Porsche 993 GT2 (1995)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This Porsche 993 GT2 (1995) raced in the Le Mans 24 Hours and is still fully road legal

But the good folk in the Rennsport Collective office were determined to find an alternative date for their relatively new event. Having held their first Rennsport Collective event last year, the last thing they wanted was to be beaten by a pesky virus, and for enthusiasts to think that the 2019 event was a ‘one-hit wonder.’ Battling a crowded fourth-quarter motorsport calendar and the onset of unpredictable autumn weather, the team fixed the rescheduled date for Sunday 1st November, and the venue, the sprawling lawns of Stowe House in Buckinghamshire.

1975 Porsche 911 3.0 RSR
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This Porsche 911 3.0 RSR was a competitor in the 1975 Tour de France, also competing in the 1976 and 1978 editions of this race

1995 Porsche 993 Carrera RS Clubsport
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: One of just 100 Porsche 993 Carrera RS Clubsports (1995) finished in fabulous Speed Yellow

1995 Porsche 993 RS
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This 1995 Porsche 993 RS is an old friend of PORSCHE ROAD & RACE’S and is finished in rare Riviera Blue

The odds were certainly stacked against the team and their proposed new date, as the weather lashed the UK with heavy rain the night before, and the forecast was for even heavier rain the afternoon of the event. So there was just a window of some hours, in which the well-behaved and brave assemblage of enthusiasts could enjoy the feast of Porsches that was set before us.

Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: A very special Porsche 911 Carrera RS 3.0 that competed in the Tour de France three times, twice in the Le Mans 24 Hours and once in the Monte Carlo Rally

1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS features the M472 Touring package with LSD

Porsche 996 GT3 Cup
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche 996 GT3 Cup

Although it was a smaller group of cars that greeted us, in the opinion of this writer, the team at Rennsport Collective deserve full marks for their preparedness in going ahead with the event. Congratulations are in order too, for the high quality of the cars assembled and for the superb location. The front lawns of Stowe House made for a magical spectacle and were it not for all the hurdles above that the team had to jump over, there would have been more cars and more spectators. But let us be grateful for what we have, as this last weekend certainly delivered the goods under trying circumstances.

#88 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR (2009)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This #88 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR (2009) was raced consistently in the ELMS and WEC, including five times in the Le Mans 24 Hours

1968 Porsche 911 T/R
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche 911 T/R (just 4 RHDs were built) – this car has competition history from 1968, competing in the Monza 1000 KM, Targa Florio and the Le Mans 24 Hours

VW Transporter with Porsche 550 Spyder
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: VW Transporter with Porsche 550 Spyder

And so, onto the display cars. With the present restrictions on travel from certain countries in Europe, it goes without saying that some prized vehicles were not able to make the journey. With this in mind, there was nevertheless a healthy mix of both current and some yesteryear models, including both road and race cars.

Porsche 911 Safari 3.0 SC Tribute
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This Porsche 911 Safari 3.0 SC Tribute is currently being developed for a Trans–Siberian Grand Tour by the owner

Porsche Carrera GT
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche Carrera GT – fewer than 100 of the 1270 production run were finished in Fayence Yellow. With a motorsport derived engine and gearbox, this is the ideal supercar

1993 Porsche 959
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: 1993 Porsche 959 – one of just eight cars produced in the 1992/93 production year making this one of the last to leave the assembly line. It is well used on European tours

Making your way through the building from front to back, you are confronted with a view that seems to go on forever, but as you approach the steps that lead onto the extensive lawns, you were greeted with a spectacle that would warm the heart of any Porschephile. To the left was a selection of 911 RS and RSR road and race cars, a 911 Safari Rothmans rally car, GT3 Cup, 911 T/R, RS 3.0 and more. To the right were more 911 RSRs, 993 GT2, 996 Cup, Carrera GT supercar, 959, 991 GT3 Clubsport (which starred in a film by Porsche), 911 S/T (the lightest 911 ever, and finished 3rd in the 1970 Tour de France), 964 RS, 911 Safari RS Tribute and much more.

#139 Porsche 911 S/T Tour de France (1970)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This #139 Porsche 911 S/T is the lightest 911 ever made, and was made specifically for the 1970 Tour de France where it finished third overall in the hands of Gérard Larrousse

Porsche 991.2 GT3 Clubsport
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This Porsche 991.2 GT3 Clubsport featured in the launch film of the 992 series

1973 Porsche 911 Safari RS
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This 1973 Porsche 911 Safari RS is one of the three cars built to compete in the Safari Rally in Kenya which they did in ’73, ’74 and ’75

If your budget doesn’t stretch to the real thing, for the very young, there was even a half-scale 917K Junior model on display which would make one kid very happy this Christmas. Powered by a 9 hp 230 cc engine, this half-scale replica is capable of speeds of up to 28 mph, and it boasts rack-and-pinion steering and a hydraulic brake. They are available in Gulf Blue and Orange, Salzburg Red and White or Martini White and Blue, and only a few will be built each year making them very collectible.

#77 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR (2012)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This #77 Porsche 997 GT3 RSR finished fourth in class at Le Mans twice, and also won its class in the Sebring 12 Hours in 2012

#38 Porsche 996 Cup (2002)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This Porsche 996 Cup (2002) was raced in the SCCA Speed World Challenge by Randy Pobst, taking four victories in the 2002 season

Porsche 917K half-scale model
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche 917K half-scale model

Moving through to another display area, the visitor was confronted by a 991 GT3 Cup allegedly owned by a local Stowe matron, but we weren’t buying that story! Here you could also view a wide range of Porsches from a 356 to a 991 GT3 RS boasting the spec as chosen by Mark Webber after he won the 2015 World Endurance Championship. A very special 911 S/T upgraded by none other than Jo Siffert in 1970, from Group 4 to S/T and then raced by Andre Wicky. A really delicious red 993 GT2 Clubsport sat alone, no doubt highlighting the rarity of this model, as just 21 units were made.

2017 Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: 2017 Porsche 991.1 GT3 Cup – this car was driven by Dan Cammish to 8 wins and 2 second places in the Carrera Cup GB, also winning the support race at Le Mans in 2017

Porsche 993 GT2 Clubsport
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche 993 GT2 Clubsport, one of just 21 of this model were built

1970 Porsche 911 S/T
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: 1970 Porsche 911 S/T – a very special car owned and upgraded by Porsche works driver Jo Siffert

A short walk through an adjacent gate took viewers to a small enclosure where a 904 stood, this car raced only two weeks earlier at the Goodwood SpeedWeek. A 996 RS/R adorned in the Stars and Stripes livery and raced by Kelly-Moss Motorsports shared this space, along with a roadgoing 911 Carrera RS 2.7, making this a special and unique enclosure.

1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: This 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS is still raced regularly at Goodwood

#99 Porsche 996 RS/R
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: #99 Porsche 996 RS/R – this is one of 91 cars made and it competed in the Daytona 24 Hours, Sebring 12 Hours, Le Mans 1000 KM and the Spanish GT Championship

Out front of the building, there were loads more Porsches, from a 356, 914, 911 through to modern road cars. Everywhere you looked, there were just more Porsches parked with a healthy crowd of people wandering across the grounds all enjoying what was on offer.

Porsche 964 (Rubystone Red)
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: Porsche 964 (Rubystone Red) – a good crowd had come to see the Porsche event

This kind of event, a static display of special, limited number production vehicles and racing cars with a rich history, is just what the Porsche fraternity need. It’s not an all-comers, general Porsche car display, but rather an opportunity where owners are invited to bring their cars for a specific reason. The car might be a race winner or a car that has a unique history of some kind, either way, they are all hand-picked cars for their own special reason.

The latest in security devices...Teddy on guard!!
Rennsport Collective, Stowe House, Buckinghamshire, UK, 1 November 2020: The latest in security devices…Teddy on guard!!

We hope that you have enjoyed our brief selection of the best of the best from the Rennsport Collective 2020.
Written by: Glen Smale
Images by: Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale

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