There are so many variations of Porsche’s 911 that, by now, you probably just tune out whenever a “new” one is announced. You probably figure that it’s merely the latest of an established 911 model, like the new GTS or Carrera S or Turbo S—or one of the other models lacking an “S” in their names. The 2023 Porsche 911 Sport Classic is the rare new variant, one that offers up a unique assemblage of 911 components you couldn’t otherwise order together. What do we mean? Well, underneath its retrotastic styling, the Sport Classic is essentially a rear-wheel-drive 911 Turbo with a manual transmission.

Contextualizing that requires pointing out that the 911 Turbo, like its more powerful Turbo S sibling, is only available with all-wheel drive. The Turbos similarly aren’t otherwise offered with a manual transmission; they’re only sold with Porsche’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, the PDK. While normal 911 Turbos’ twin-turbo 3.7-liter flat-sixes pack 572 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, the Sport Classic’s 3.7-liter is detuned to 543 hp and 442 lb-ft to play nicer with the manual transmission. Still, those figures make this the most powerful manual-transmission 911 you can buy, surpassing even the 911 GT3 (502 hp).

Forget the Sport Classic treatment for a second, and this 911 is desirable on its oddball specs alone. But of course, there’s more to it than just an unlikely powertrain and body combination. This is the second “Heritage Design” model from Porsche, the first of which was the 911 Targa 4S Heritage Design Edition from 2020, and it’s also sort of similar to the 911 Sport Classic Porsche offered in 2010, at least visually.

Anyway, the idea with this ongoing thread of Heritage Design models is to loosely follow notable eras in Porsche’s history; while the Targa 4S-based model was an homage to late ’50s and early ’60s Porschedom, the new Sport Classic aims at the late ’60s and early ’70s, specifically blending together elements of Americana—hence the California dreamin’ vibes of the photos here—and racier Porsche 911 models that began cropping up around that period such as the classic Carrera 2.7 RS (an example of which can be seen peeking out of the background of some of these same photos).

Don’t worry about getting hung up on justifying why the 911 Sport Classic is laid out like a later-era Porsche 930, the original Turbo, and just let yourself chill out to the cool retro feels this limited-edition model gives off. Like the last Sport Classic, there is the ducktail spoiler, some stripes, and those Fuchs-lookin’ wheels (20-inchers up front, 21s in the rear), plus a (deletable) number dot on each door (customers can even specify the number). Gold badges, including the 1963 variation on Porsche’s hood crest, are scattered throughout.

Inside is a gorgeous color scheme of nougat-colored leather (last used on the 918 Spyder!) and black-and-white “Pepita” checkered cloth inserts, and Porsche really leaned into the old-school theme with green-backlit gauges and dials. Fans of the weirder depths of Porsche’s option catalog rejoice: The Sport Classic gets the 911’s available leather wrapping for its sun visors, steering column—not the wheel, the column—and air vent slats.

Underneath all this throwback window dressing is some serious design work that can easily go unnoticed by the uninitiated. At first blush, you might not realize the Sport Classic is based on the mighty Turbo because a few Turbo design cues are missing—namely the oblong intakes that typically live on the front side of each rear fender bulge. You might be thinking “sure, Porsche just covered up the hole, right?” Wrong. “Or maybe they just chose not to cut the hole out of the regular Turbo’s stamping?” Wrong again.

The automaker designed an entirely new quarter panel—as in, the stamping that runs from just behind the front wheel, under the door, and all the way to the taillights, rear bumper, and decklid cutlines. No other 911 uses this part, and as any engineer will tell you, that bit is one of the more complex, deeper-draw pieces on most any car. That Porsche rejiggered its factory and made new tooling to produce that new piece just to cover up a hole for what will be a relatively limited run of cars is staggering.

As for those now-closed-off cooling tracts? Porsche says the intakes were relocated under the ducktail spoiler, out of view. Other body mods include a carbon-fiber hood that isn’t otherwise available on Turbos and a “double-bubble” roof panel.

Those wondering whether the intake shuffling has any impact on performance should know that Porsche says it doesn’t, but the company also stresses this isn’t a track car. Instead, it’s more of a tactile experience, something that sounds good, feels quick, and will tear up a back road in style.

The Sport Classic gets carbon ceramic brake rotors with subtle black-painted calipers, the 911’s available Sport Chrono package, and the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) with a 0.4-inch-lower ride height. The Turbo’s rear-axle steering remains in place, though Porsche does soften the front spring rates to adjust for the rear-drive setup.

While there is almost no way every single one of these Sport Classics isn’t already spoken for or being snapped up by people richer than you, we’ll mention that 1,250 will be built worldwide, and the order books will be open to Americans (they weren’t on the old Sport Classic).

Those lucky enough to snag one can select from among four colors or go ham with Porsche’s paint to sample custom program; the stripes are likewise optional; and for those with no sense of fun or style, the amazing Pepita-and-tan interior can be swapped for an all-black affair. Oh, and there’s a matching Porsche Design watch available, too.

How much will all this cost? Well, given the level of changes employed, and the fact that the starting point is a 911 Turbo is $176,650, figure on somewhere north of a quarter of a million dollars when the Sport Classic lands later this year. To make you feel better and put you in the Sport Classic’s sixties state of mind, that’s “just” $32,000 in 1969 money.