Porsche specialist Paul Stephens has unveiled a special Le Mans Classic Clubsport at an exclusive pre-launch event in London.

In honing the limited-edition model, which is based on the standard Clubsport, the established independent company has tailored a unique livery in keeping with the heritage of the Le Mans Classic event. The special new car is priced around £250,000 depending on final specification.

The reveal, which took place at Pall Mall-based Apsley Tailors, precedes the official launch during this year’s Le Mans Classic race at Circuit de la Sarthe.

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Conceived in collaboration Peter Auto, the organiser of Le Mans Classic 2018, the car’s next showing will be at the French event on July 6-8 ahead of delivery to lucky owners in 2020.

However, the handover process will be a little different from buyers simply collecting the car from the showroom. Each owner will be invited to parade their Clubsport and partake in the coveted Le Mans start ritual before eager crowds in two years’ time.

How did Paul Stephens create the Porsche?

Paul Stephens started with an original 911 body tub, which was then restored and comprehensively rebuilt to as-new condition ahead of conversion into its Clubsport guise.

The company’s `less-is-more ethos’ was employed, incorporating lightweight de-seamed roof panels (including sunroof delete), composite bumpers and engine cover, aluminium bonnet and soundproofing, plus aerodynamically designed lightweight external mirrors.

Offered in Touring specification or a raw Lightweight guise, only ten of these hand-finished and numbered examples will be released for sale. Why that number? It marks the ten Le Mans Classic events so far.

How powerful is it?

There’s 300bhp coming from a 3.4-litre air-cooled flat-six. Zero to 60mph takes only 4.4 seconds and top speed is in excess of 175mph. For innovation’s sake, there are a few new details, too:

New cross shaft-less ITB injection system with GT3 RS plenum

Programmable ECU mapped in-house

RS-specification camshafts

Lightened and balanced crankshaft

Lightweight con rods

Lightweight flywheel mated with a Getrag G50 gearbox

Limited-slip differential

The kerbweight is a low 970kg in Lightweight specification and 1075kg in Clubsport guise. Not that the spartan interior points to the insane number of man hours that have gone into creating the cabin.

The full-leather ST-style touring seats are trimmed in black leather with unique Le Mans Classic houndstooth inserts in green, black and white. These features are mirrored by the fully trimmed and hand-stitched leather interior panels, houndstooth door pockets, green bouclé floor mats and aluminium foot plates.

Each car features a luggage box mounted where the rear seats would traditionally be located – but that’s not the best part. As a finishing flourish, each of the ten models comes complete with a specially commissioned Le Mans Classic luggage set and hand-painted Le Mans Classic bodywork detailing. There’s something to brag about down at the pub…

What’s the difference with a Lightweight model?

Forgoing some of the more luxurious attributes, the Lightweight further pares back the car through the use of:

Lightweight carpets

Removal of sound proofing

Lexan rear windows

Installation of manual front windows

Deletion of central locking

Use of no-tilting lightweight seat frames

Even the glovebox door has been removed, and the car is fitted with just a single sun visor.

‘To have teamed up with [event organiser] Peter Auto in naming this unique Le Mans Classic Clubsport is an honour,’ said company founder and managing director Paul Stephens the day after the launch.

‘The passion of the event, from the organisers through to the enthusiasts attending, reflects our own devotion to the finest classic cars. To be able to dedicate a bespoke version of our Clubsport model feels like an ideal match.’

He continued: ‘It was a real pleasure to hold the memorable London pre-launch of the car at Apsley Tailors last night. I’m looking forward to showing the car at the Le Mans Classic race later this week even more now.’

More details on the Paul Stephens website.