The 911 R's existence was a direct result of the will of the people. With the 991 generation of the iconic 911, Porsche was continuing its diversification of the lineup to accommodate drivers of all kinds. There were two levels of the Carrera, the base and the S with extra power and chassis upgrades. There was the choice of rear wheel drive or all wheel drive, Turbo and Turbo S’s, and of course, the intensely focused GT3 lineup.

Starting with the 996 chassis of the 911 in 1999, Porsche began offering the GT3 variant to the world. This model was dedicated to the driving enthusiast who wanted the purest, most driver-focused street 911 they could buy, the theoretical street legal track car that could still be a cross country road car. The engine was naturally aspirated but high-revving, full aero body kit, big brakes and a stiffer suspension, and available in manual transmission only.

Then along came the 997 generation in 2005, and Porsche leaned even more into these more focused variants. Not only did they have the GT3, they added the GT3 RS - which took the GT3 setup and added Perspex plastic side windows, thinner rear window glass, rollcage, an even stiffer suspension, and deleted comfort and convenience features for less weight and more “focus”. As always, manual transmission was the only option.

That slow move towards more serious specifications only increased with the introduction of the 991 generation in 2013. The usual refining of the mission continued, with more power, better aero, stiffer chassis… and available in the dual clutch PDK transmission only. Two pedals, let the Porsche do the shifting, that’s it.

In terms of technical and race development, in isolation, the switch made sense. Dual clutch transmissions were demonstrably quicker than their strictly manual counterparts, and computer control ensured they were always in the right gear - and when you put your GT3’s transmission in PDK Sport mode, the downshifting and anticipation of the driver’s needs to run a quick lap were impeccable.

But all of those undeniable statistics of the efficacy of the setup didn’t matter to a substantial and very loud contingent of Porsche buyers, who were upset by the missing third pedal. Add to that the fact that the 991 era GT3’s were quite stiff riding, and while their owners agreed that you could feel the advantages, they still found themselves desiring a more engaging and “streetable” Porsche.

Enter the 911 R. With the R, Porsche decided to make a small run of coupes with the engine of the GT3, only featuring a narrower Carrera body, a more pliant suspension specification, no wing on the rear deck for a more subtle profile... and a six speed manual transmission. Porsche wasn’t sure how it would be received, so they decided on a total production run worldwide of 991 examples, hoping they would manage to get them all sold.

They didn’t need to worry. The 911 R was a smash, both with buyers and the motoring press, with many declaring it as being one of the best 911’s ever - all of the speed and poise of the GT cars, with a suspension better suited to street driving, and the more subtle look of a wingless classic 911 coupe.

It was so good, that values skyrocketed, and Porsche took notice. So many people clamored for the same thing that, although they stuck to limiting the R production to 991 units, they wound up offering a similar model called the GT3 Touring - still offering the same standard stiffer GT3 suspension, but deleting the rear wing, and bringing back the six speed transmission as an option. Even the fully bewinged GT3 was available with three pedals again, as Porsche acknowledged and responded to the innate emotional connection to a car with a manual.

Even the latest 911 GT3 continues to offer a manual transmission, and Porsche may well be one of the last car companies to keep the option alive. But the 911 R stands out as the car that brought it back, perfectly aimed at the Porsche enthusiast that enjoys the car’s heritage and modern capability - the Drivers Porsche, with all of their best attributes wrapped in one car.

This 2016 Porsche 911 R is finished in white with green stripes, over the Pepita checkered cloth interior scheme, with leather bolstering. It is powered by the 4.0 liter Porsche GT3 engine, naturally aspirated and producing 500hp with an 8500 rpm redline, running power to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual transaxle. As of this writing it has covered roughly 4000 km (about 2485 mi).

This is a German specification 911 R, where it is located, that was in a large Porsche collection before it became available this year.

For full details, please see listing at sbxcars.com