Since that mid-year reveal, the car not only made the pilgrimage to Le Sarthe (Le Mans), the inspiration for its very existence, but also the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the Silverstone Classic race in quick succession. However, the finished car is only part of the story and a new video shows the tale behind the scene of how one man’s vision could be the catalyst for a truly inspirational machine.
A strictly limited run of ten Le Mans Classic Clubsport cars, made by Paul Stephens and his team, has turned a dream into reality for several people. Back home at the firm’s Essex HQ and reflecting on the brand’s journey to where it is today, owner Paul Stephens looks back on his own voyage to create the Le Mans Classic Clubsport in the brand-new video (link below). (The rights-free video is available to download and share using the YouTube link but absolutely no repurposing or re-editing is permitted.)
A dyed-in-the-wool car fanatic, Paul grew up on a farm, and first experienced the charms of driving a 911 when he was nine years old (on a private road). Having topped out at 100 mph, while barely able to see over the steering wheel, the seed was planted. Paul owned his first 911 when he was 21 and attended his first Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1984, little did he know at the time that he would, one day, race on the hallowed French track himself.
Without ruining the plot, or giving away too many spoilers, the film shows how Paul’s trip to Le Mans to watch the Porsche 956B win the 1984 24 Hours race was the start of something special, leading to him making the first officially licenced Le Mans Classic car, with event organisers Peter Auto and the ACO. A stickler for detail, Paul has poured everything he knows from working with Porsches for two decades and racing 911s all over the world, to create a limited-edition run of Le Mans Classic Clubsport models.
Just ten are being made; all available in either Lightweight, or Touring, variants, weighing as little as 970 kg. A nod to the 1973 Porsche 911 RS, the Paul Stephens Le Mans Classic Clubsport is built to be light, bright and full of 911 charms with the commensurate blend of an air-cooled flat-six engine and a narrow-bodied 911 shell, as well as a state-of-the-art programmable ECU mapped in-house and combined with modern GT3 induction.
Renowned for its purity of purpose and attention to the smallest detail, Paul Stephens has over 25 years’ experience in the supply and curation of Porsche 911s to discerning buyers. In 2007, the Paul Stephens Clubsport was conceived, introducing a lightweight coupé, with an ethos that less should be so much more. An agile and formidable car, it was capable of besting far more modern machinery on fast twisty roads, or circuits.
Ten years later Paul Stephens introduced the new Clubsport Series II, which raised the bar. Inspired by the road-going high-performance derivatives of the Porsche 911, it takes the best styling and technical elements from all eras to deliver a truly special and bespoke car. Today, the company is renowned for its honesty, attention to detail and technical know-how. Through continuous enhancement and restoration of these iconic sportscars, Paul Stephens guarantees to maximise driving pleasure, while protecting the investment.
