Pablo Escobar's Forgotten Passion: The Story of His Porsche 911 Carrera RSR
Read the full story on Modern Car Collector
Pablo Escobar is remembered as the notorious leader of the Medellín Cartel, one of history's most powerful and dangerous drug lords. However, beyond his empire of crime, Escobar had a little-known passion—racing cars. Among his most prized vehicles was a 1974 3.0 RSR IROC, a rare classic once driven by Emerson Fittipaldi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYAQnvYswaY
This Porsche, originally built for the first International Race of Champions (IROC) season, would later find its way into Escobar's hands. But like everything in his life, its journey was far from ordinary.
Before Escobar, this Porsche had already made a name for itself. The car was first owned by Roger Penske, who entered it into the inaugural IROC season in 1974. It was driven by Emerson Fittipaldi, one of the world's top racing drivers at the time.
After its IROC career, the car found its way into the hands of John Tunstall, who raced it in IMSA events, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Then, in a surprising turn, it was sold to Pablo Escobar in Colombia, where it would take on a new life under the drug lord's ownership.
Long before Escobar built his drug empire, he was obsessed with speed—not the kind he smuggled, but the kind he could feel behind the wheel. His racing career started in the Copa Renault 4 series in the 1970s, where he competed alongside Colombian drivers like Ricardo 'Cuchilla' Londoño.
When Escobar acquired the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR, he modified it to look like a Porsche 935 slant-nose, fitting it with Martini Racing livery. He raced it in hill climbs and road races across South America, even betting he could finish within 15 seconds of Londoño in a hill climb event—a bet he won, a moment he reportedly bragged about for years.
However, as his cartel empire grew in the 1980s, Escobar had less time for racing. His illegal fortune funded other drivers, including an unsuccessful attempt to place Londoño in Formula 1.
After Escobar's death in 1993, many of his cars were destroyed by rivals or seized by authorities. However, his Porsche 911 RSR survived. The car was eventually restored to its original 1974 IROC specifications, removing Escobar's modifications and returning it to its Sahara Beige paint and race decals.
In 2021, the Porsche made headlines again when it was listed for sale, reminding the world of its bizarre and historic journey—from IROC competition to the hands of the world's most infamous drug lord.
With only 15 examples of the 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RSR IROC ever built, this car was already a rare and valuable piece of racing history. But its connection to Emerson Fittipaldi, Roger Penske, and Pablo Escobar makes it truly one-of-a-kind.
It's not just a classic Porsche—it's a car that raced at the top level, became part of a cartel kingpin's personal collection, and ultimately returned to its rightful place among the world's most coveted race cars.
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