- A six-speed manual is expected, but an optional PDK might also be available.

- Likely to be more toned-down compared to the previous 997 Sport Classic which had a lot of distinctive features.

It seems Porsche is really counting on the 992 to be a successful model. Now that pretty much all versions of the latest 911 are accounted for, the German brand might also be bringing back the limited edition Sport Classic. A possible candidate for a new Sport Classic was caught testing at the Nurburgring quite recently. The Sport Classic first appeared with the 997 generation and was a throwback to the iconic Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. Judging by the design cues, this might be the return of the limited version.

When the 911 (997) Sport Classic was introduced, it featured a 3.8-litre normally-aspirated flat-six from the 911 GTS. This meant 408 horsepower at 7,300 RPM and 420Nm at 4,200 RPM, going to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. This allowed for a 0 to 100 kmph sprint in 4.3 seconds and a top speed of 302kmph.

There is a pattern to what carmakers do. Since the previous 911 Sport Classic had the GTS power plant, we can safely assume, the 992 Sport Classic will have the same performance stats as the upcoming 992 GTS. We are talking about the 3-litre twin-turbo flat-six that is expected to make around 475 horsepower and more than 556Nm. As the 992 GTS is not out yet, we cannot confirm the numbers, but we do know they will be close to these estimated figures. The important thing is that the upcoming 911 Sport Classic is expected to use that same engine in GTS trim.

With that being said, the Sport Classic is a throwback to the Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS – a no-nonsense race car from the early 1970s – which is why the 997 Sport Classic had a normally aspirated engine and a six-speed manual transmission. With this in mind, there is a possibility that the next Sport Classic might have a de-tuned version of the 4-litre normally-aspirated flat-six. A six-speed manual is expected, but an optional PDK might also be available. With the latter, we are expecting a 0 to 100 kmph time of around 3.3 seconds. At first glance, the 992 Sport Classic seems to be more toned-down, compared to the previous 997 SC, which had more distinctive features. The test car seems to have a front bumper straight off the 992 Turbo S. The new Sport Classic will also get centre-lock wheels, but they will be different than the ones on the GTS. The double-bubble roof will be one of the distinctive features of the car, as well as the signature for classic performance 911 versions ducktail spoiler.

It’s worth noting that some 992 Turbo prototypes also featured the ducktail. This, however, is definitely not a Turbo, since it’s missing the side air intakes in the rear fenders and the rear bumper of the test car also seems to be borrowed from the Turbo S. The car is still being tested and many of the details we see on the prototype might be changed. If this is the next 911 Sport Classic, we expect the final version to have a more distinctive body kit, just like the 997 version had.

With the new 911 Sport Classic, Porsche is once again capitalizing on the heritage of their iconic rear-engine car. Moreover, the 911 SC is like a GTS with a fresh breath of nostalgia to it, as it is once again commemorating one of the most notable 1970s performance 911s. The 997 Sport Classic had a limited production of 250 units, so expect the same to be true for the upcoming model. The Porsche 992 Sport Classic is expected to arrive later this year or in the first half of 2022.