Autosportfoto

German engineering, Italian fashion, timeless style

History, fashion and racing achievements blend beautifully at Salute to Style at The Hurlingham Club, an elegant celebration of the best classics in life: the famous Porsche 3.0 Carrera RSR with its unusual and distinctive livery occupies a unique position both in the 1970s' Porsche racing history and the substantial display of classic cars, sportscar and racers at the summer garden party on 16-19 July.

Italian Giorgio Schön, son of renowned fashion designer Mila Schön, in partnership with his friend and co-driver Giovanni Borri, bought the brand new Porsche for the 1974 World Manufacturers' Championship.

The car, one of only 54 examples built specifically for Group 4 motorsport purposes in Stuttgart during 1974-1975, was painted in its distinctive blue, light green and white Harper's Bazaar livery (which had been designed by Mila Schön) the night it arrived from Porsche. It raced the very next day at Monza (in practice for the 1000kms), where it achieved fastest time in the GT Class.

In 1975, the light green was changed to turquoise and the car is extensively well-documented photographically in both liveries during the 1974, ‘75 and ‘76 racing seasons.

During Schön's ownership the car was prepared and run by Peppino Zonca of Tam Auto Tuning and in addition to circuit racing, the car was rallied in the 1974 Giro d'Italia, 1975 Targa Florio and 1976 Mugello Ronde Rallye.

In 1976, the car was sold to Patrick Pierron of Monaco, who was to keep it until 2013. Pierron also rallied the car in the Rallye du Var and Tour de Course and sent it for restoration in 2007-2009, when it was painted in its original lime green. It was recently returned to its 1974 Monza 1000kms livery by historic Porsche restoration specialists Maxted-Page and Prill Ltd.

"It is one of the most instantly recognisable and celebrated racers of its era and beyond," says Andy Prill, who has overseen the Carrera RSR's most recent work. "This is a Porsche which brings allure and evocative history onto The Hurlingham Club's idyllic surroundings. A real ‘Salute to Style' to the race track."