What do you look for in a sports car? Ask that question to enthusiasts nowadays and they might reply manual transmission or rear-wheel drive. While there are quite a few cars out there that fit the bill, many would consider the Porsche 911 to be the holy grail for modern sports cars.

And if you’ve been a devout follower of the brand, you know that the current generation (992) offers a seven-speed manual transmission on the Carrera and the Carrera 4S as an option. But for those who want something a little more special, there’s a limited-run model called the 911 Sport Classic.

Before you say anything, yes, this looks like a 911 Turbo, because it uses the wide fenders normally reserved for that model. But it lacks the rear fender vents and has a “double-bubble” roof, a carbon-fiber hood, 20/21-inch Fuchs-style wheels, and a gorgeous rear ducktail spoiler (also made from carbon fiber) for a cleaner look.

To build on the heritage aspect, the car is finished in a new “Sport Gray Metallic” paint job with hand-painted double stripes, a racing number, and the Porsche script down at the side. To top it off, there are gold Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur plaques on the front fenders, and a Porsche Heritage seal found on the engine cover.

Porsche says that this color scheme was inspired by the Fashion Gray finish of the early Porsche 356s, but you can also get it in other colors.

The interior also has special throwbacks, like the green-and-white color scheme found in the gauges and Sport Chrono clock. These were the colors of the gauges used in Porsche cars up until 1967.

There’s also the iconic “Pepita” pattern found in the seat centers and the door cards, and the interior is lined in black and bright cognac leather with wood trim. There’s also a gold 911 plaque that shows the car’s limited-edition number on the dashboard. Alternatively, you could spec it out with a black interior if you prefer something a little more discreet.

But this is more than just another cosmetics package. You see, this is the most powerful manual-transmission 911 available. It uses the 911 Turbo’s 3.7-liter flat-six engine, but with a reduced power output of 542hp to allow for the seven-speed manual transmission to send power to the rear wheels. There’s an auto-blip function, but we reckon that most enthusiasts will be doing the good old heel-and-toe technique.

The suspension is based on the one found in the 911 Turbo and GTS, so it has the same Porsche Active Suspension Management system. It also has a ride height that’s 10mm lower than the standard vehicle.

A total of 1,250 units will be made, so you’d better act fast if you want your own. The car is expected to reach dealerships in late 2022, but there’s no price announced yet.