Of all the 1580 Carrera RS 2.7s, only 200 were made were ordered with this lightweight ‘Sports’ trim which made the car more responsive and purposeful. In many ways these few cars were the ultimate road-going Porsche of the 1970s. Known as the Sports, Lightweight or even the M471 option code, these cars had improved the power-to-weight ratio. Reports of 75kg were stripped from the standard model by fitting lightweight body panels and lightweight glass. As a result, the Lightweight was a nimble 900kg car compared to its Touring counterpart at 975 kg.
The RS ‘Sport’ or ‘Lightweight’ (conversion M471) took an RSH and added bigger wheels, carpet in the luggage compartment and a better passenger seat. What all Lightweights lack, compared to Touring RSs, are items like front bumper trim and decorative chrome strips that run the length of the sill beneath the Carrera script. For the first series of Lightweights, the Porsche crest was a weight-saving sticker instead of a metal badge. On the rear decklid, simple rubber hooks took the place of a metal catch and cable.
