Every now and again, something reminds us why we love doing what we do. This time, it was Richard Williams taking his Group 4–style 911 to a single-venue rally at Castle Combe—and returning with a grin that said everything.

In the UK, a 911 is a rare sight in competition. Among the Escorts, Subarus and four-wheel-drive turbocharged machinery, our Porsche stands out immediately. Wherever Richard competes, spectators and fellow competitors often admit it’s their favourite car in the entire field. But admiration is one thing. Performance is another. So, what’s it really like?

A Quiet Co-Driver and a Surprising Result

For this event, Richard was joined by a new and highly experienced co-driver, Robbie. After the first timed stage, he was unusually silent. Richard wondered if he had done something wrong—was the driving that poor? The truth was far more satisfying.

Robbie, reviewing the times, simply said quietly; “We’re in the top 15… I expected us to be in the 30s.”. He’d been amazed. On paper, the field was stacked with much faster Fords – slick, powerful, purpose-built rally weapons. Yet the 911 had held its own, and then some.

The 911 Way: No Drama, Just Pace

Those who haven’t competed in a 911 often imagine big slides, smoking tyres, and constant drama. The reality is completely different. A well-sorted 911 just gets on with the job. No theatrics. No shouting about it. Just calm, consistent forward motion.

I’m not saying Richard has nothing to do, because the lad can drive, but the efficiency and balance of a 911 in competition is something rarely experienced in the UK. In Europe, these cars are hugely popular on the stages. Here, most competitors overlook them…often because they simply don’t know what they’re capable of.

At Williams Crawford, we do. We know how they work, how to prepare them, and how to make them even better.

Scores on the Doors

At the end of the day, the results told the story clearly enough. Richard and Robbie finished 11th overall.

Now, that might sound modest until you look at the machinery above them: four-wheel-drive, turbocharged, modern rally weapons. Against that, an air-cooled, rear-wheel-drive 911 punching through the stages is nothing short of impressive.

The 911 works. Quietly. Efficiently. Relentlessly.

Watch the Run

Richard shares his report from the day, including in-car footage from Stages 2 and 7, in the video below.

If you’re curious what a well-sorted classic 911 can really do, this is your answer. And if you’d like to build, prepare or campaign one yourself…we’d be delighted to help.