By the late 1950s it was obvious to Porsche that the 356,
which had started as basically a heavily modified Volkswagen Beetle in 1948,
was small and not particularly powerful in comparison to other sports cars at
its lofty price level. But it was also the car upon which the company was built
and was essentially Porsche's sole product. Replacing it was necessary, yet
perilous. Who knew that the eventual replacement for the 356, the 911, would
surpass its predecessor in sales, longevity and glory? Or that it would be so
fanatically cherished by its owners that Porsche hasn't been allowed to replace
it — despite trying a couple of times?
Almost immediately after it went on sale in September 1964
(as a 1965 model) the 911 established itself as an icon of '60s cool. Then it
segued gracefully into being an icon of '70s performance, then an icon of
sophistication and affluence in the '80s, then an icon of athleticism and power
in the '90s and is now simply an icon of all that's right with Germany and
automobiles.
It has also been an incredibly successful racecar. Almost as
soon as it went into production, buyers were using it in hill climbs and
autocrosses and Porsche itself has come up with dozens of racing variations,
including the legendary RSRs, 935s and Paris-to-Dakar winning 959s. To keep
this story down to a somewhat manageable length, untangling the tale of 911
racing will have to be left for other venues.
The 911's evolution through the decades has often been
incremental but occasionally radical. While other cars have been around as long
as the 911, none have so unwaveringly sustained such a singular personality. Or
had more racing success. And if you ask most engineers, the 911's engine has
always been in the wrong place.
First Generation (1965-1969)
With Porsche's limited resources and the enormous
consequences for the company in getting the 356's replacement right, the
gestation of the 911 was a long one. Development of a 356 replacement was
instigated by Ferry Porsche (son of the firm's founder, Dr. Ferdinand Porsche)
way back in 1956. He was assisted by 1960 stylist Butzi Porsche (Ferry's son),
body engineer Edwin Komenda and powertrain engineer Ing Hans Tomala who had
developed the "Type 7" prototype with styling that obviously led to the
911.
Like the 356, the Type 7 was built as a 2+2 with useful rear
seats and a fastback shape. However, the front end was an obvious precursor to
the 911. What the Type 7 retained from the 356, and this was supposedly
unquestioned within Porsche, was a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine with
horizontally opposed cylinders. The 2.0-liter engine in the Type 7 had six
cylinders (two more than the 356's) but was otherwise similar in that it used
pushrod valve actuation and two valves per cylinder.
It was the decision to build an all-new flat six with
overhead camshafts in place of the pushrods that defined the direction of 911
development after the Type 7. The new engine not only had more efficient valve
actuation, but also was physically hefty enough that it could accommodate
future displacement increases. Through its life the engine would prove
amazingly flexible and grow from its original 2.0 liters to as much as 3.6
liters. It was also turbocharged for both production and racing purposes.
By early 1963 the new engine, along with a decision to cut
back on the rear-seat accommodations, resulted in what was then called the Type
901 and shown publicly by Porsche. The wheelbase had been slashed to a mere
87.0 inches, which was 4.4 inches longer than the 356's, but 16.1 inches less
than the wheelbase of a 2003
Honda Civic coupe. Prototype and preproduction 901s were such common sights
in Germany during 1963 and 1964 that many consider these cars the first of
their type. But French carmaker Peugeot claimed the right to any car names with
a numeral zero in the middle, so when the 901 went into regular production in
the fall of 1964, its name was changed to 911.
The 1965 911 was a tiny machine packed with
high-tech pieces. In an era where most sports cars offered a four-speed manual
transmission as standard equipment, the 911 had five forward gears. Most '65
cars used solid rear axles suspended on leaf springs. The 911 had a
sophisticated semitrailing arm and torsion-bar-sprung independent rear
suspension that was also a big step forward from the swingarms used on the 356.
Up front, the 911 used MacPherson struts (at a time when practically no one
knew what they were) and a precise ZF rack-and-pinion steering gear in an era
when steering was typically by recirculating ball. The first 911 also carried
four Dunlop disc brakes and rode on P165HR15 radial tires.
The first 911 coupe (the only body style) was almost
delicate-looking, with chrome accents around the windows and bumpers along with
chrome steel wheels with flat hubcaps similar to the 356's. The Porsche name
was spelled out across the tail in block letters with 911 in script just above
and to the right of the maker's name, and below a large single air intake at
the top of the lid.
Breathing in through twin Solex carburetors, the original
2.0-liter 911 flat-six made an impressive SAE gross 148 horsepower, which was
enough, claimed Road & Track, to push the 2,360-pound car to 60 mph in
9.0 seconds and to a top speed of 134 mph. But it wasn't cheap at $5,990. A '65
Cadillac Coupe DeVille was, for comparison, $5,408 and a base '65 Chevrolet
Corvette coupe went for just $4,321.
There's essentially no difference between a1966 911 and
the '65 edition. In fact, the best way to tell the two apart is by referencing
the serial numbers. In mid-'66 however, Porsche did replace the troublesome
Solex carbs with new Webers and fitted booted constant-velocity joints to the
rear half-shafts in place of U-joints.
The big news for '66 was the introduction of the 912,
essentially a 911 fitted with the 1.6-liter, four-cylinder motor from the
just-discontinued 356 1600 SC with a price tag over $1,400 cheaper. The 912 may
be unloved today, but back in '66 Porsche sold almost twice as many of them as
911s.
Just about a year after showing it in prototype form,
Porsche put the 911 Targa into production in the fall of '66 as a 1967 model.
Using a roll bar under a stainless steel cover, the Targa featured a removable,
foldable top from that bar forward to the windshield header and a soft canvas
cover with a flexible plastic window that could be unzipped from the car and
removed. The first Targas were miserable; the tops leaked and the rear windows
were distorted when new and quickly yellowed after being exposed to the sun.
But the Targa would improve.
For enthusiasts, even more exciting news for '67 came with
the introduction of the 911S — for Super — available as both a coupe and a
Targa. Porsche threw some spark curve and timing changes into the regular 911
engine, bumped the compression ratio up from 9.0 to 1 to 9.8 to 1 and the
result was an output jump to 180 horsepower in the 911S. The S also came with a
new set of gears in the five-speed transmission; a set of gorgeous,
unmistakably Porsche, Fuchs five-spoke alloy wheels; a rear anti-sway bar; and
ventilated disc brakes. There was also, in a fit of inelegant engineering, a
24.2-pound weight fitted to the front of the S in an attempt to help the car's
weight balance.
Worth a mention were 20 911 "R" models built
during the '67 model year with stripped interiors (no carpet, for instance),
thin-skinned aluminum doors, fiberglass deck lids, taillights swiped from a
Fiat, oversize carbs, a magnesium engine case, dual spark plug cylinder heads
and much more. With about 210 horsepower on board, these race-ready,
lightweight rockets were the start of the 911 racing legend.
New emissions regulations knocked the 911S out of America
for 1968, so Porsche instead shipped over a 911S with the regular 911
drivetrain and called it the 911L to sell alongside the regular 911 and 912
(both carrying new emissions equipment). Both the 911S and a new, lighter 911T
were offered in Europe during '68. Around the middle of the year customer
complaints about the Targa's crummy rear window persuaded Porsche to offer a
neat wraparound piece of glass as an alternative. Beyond that, the wheels were
widened an inch, the door handles were new, the engine case switched at midyear
to magnesium construction and the four-speed "Sportomatic"
semiautomatic transmission was offered — and for the most part promptly
ignored. The widened wheels brought with them slight fender flares as well.
Porsche made major improvements to the 911 for 1969.
First by increasing the wheelbase 2.25 inches by shifting the rear wheels back,
thus improving weight distribution, and then by bringing back the S and
equipping it with fuel injection. The company also introduced a new injected
911E model and brought over the 911T as an entry-level 911 (the 912 carried
forward almost unchanged).
Rated at 125 horsepower, the 911T's 2.0-liter engine used a
low 8.6-to-1 compression ratio and carburetors and fed a four-speed
transmission. The 911E's 2.0-liter had a 9.1-to-1 compression ratio and Bosch
mechanical fuel injection and put 158 horsepower through its five-speed. The
911S was again the ultimate Porsche and used a stout 9.9-to-1 compression ratio
to knock out a thrilling 190 horsepower that it piped through its own aggressively
geared five-speed transmission. The Sportomatic was needlessly offered on the
911T and 911E and all three were available as Targas.
The '69 is the best of the 2.0-liter 911s (Car and Driver had
a 911S rip to 60 mph in just 6.5 seconds). But the best was yet to come for the
911.
Second Generation (1970-1971)
Porsche pushed the 911 into the '70s with a slightly larger
2.2-liter version of its flat six. Otherwise the 1970 911 lineup
varied little from 1969. However, the 912 was killed off as Porsche was now
selling the midengine, Volkswagen-powered 914.
The extra displacement boosted output of the
Zenith-carbureted 911T to 142 horsepower, the injected 911E to 175 horsepower
and the injected, high-compression 911S to a full 200 horsepower. Not only was
the new engine larger, but it also used new aluminum cylinder heads with larger
valves for better respiration. Also for the first time, a limited-slip
differential was offered as an option.
With a myriad of other detail changes like new undercoating
and a buzzer that went off if the driver left the ignition key in, the 1970
911s were easily the best ever. So good that they continued through 1971 basically
unchanged.
Third Generation (1972-1973)
Building on the success of the 2.2-liter engine, Porsche
bumped the 911's six to 2.3 liters (actually 2,341 cubic centimeters, which
Porsche badged as a "2.4") for 1972 by bumping the stroke
up to 70.4 millimeters from 66 millimeters while keeping the bore at 84
millimeters. This pushed output of the 911T engine (now with Bosch fuel
injection) to 157 horsepower, the 911E to 185 horsepower and the 911S to a
potent 210 horsepower. The new power led Porsche to install a new, stronger
five-speed transaxle and a new, more robust version of the still ludicrous
Sportomatic.
Except for a small chin spoiler on the 911S (offered as an
option on the other two models) and the "2.4" badge on the deck lid's
air intake, the '72 911s were visually almost indistinguishable from the '71s.
Porsche applied the name "Carrera" to the 911 for
the first time during the 1973 model year. The RS Carrera was a
homologation special for racing and as such featured more radically flared
fenders, larger (185/70VR15 front and 215/60VR15 rear) tires on appropriate
wheels, a big 2.7-liter version of the 911 engine (achieved by blowing the bore
up to 90 millimeters) making 200 "net" (more conservative than
"gross") horsepower and, of course, the classic ducktail rear
spoiler. Not surprisingly, this lightweight car was too good to sell in the
United States, but 1,800 were built for the rest of the world.
Meanwhile, over here, the '73 911s had their "2.4"
engines also rerated using net figures to 135 horsepower for the 911T, 159
horsepower for the 911E and 181 horsepower for the 911S. Otherwise, if you
could perceive a difference between them and the '72s, you were a Porsche
fanatic of the highest order. Midway through the year, Bosch electronic fuel
injection replaced the mechanical unit on the 911T and that engine was rated
down a single pony to 134 horsepower, but drivability soared.
Fourth Generation (1974-1977)
Both the 911T and 911E disappeared from the1974 lineup
as the 911 got its most serious makeover yet. Taking their place were a
letter-free 911 and, finally in America, a Carrera. All featured versions of
the 2.7-liter engine introduced on the Carrera RS and new styling to
accommodate energy-absorbing bumpers mandated by U.S. regulations.
The new body-colored bumpers made the '74 911s look more
contemporary and featured black rubber boots at the ends that looked like
bellows. All the engines also adopted electronic fuel injection as emissions
regulations grew even tighter. That put the output of the 911's 8.0-to-1 engine
at 143 horsepower, and the 911S' and Carrera's 8.5-to-1 power plant at 167
horsepower.
The U.S. Carrera carried the same bodywork, wheels and tires
as the European Carrera RS, but had to stay with the 911S engine to meet
emissions. Other changes to all 911s included new aluminum and magnesium
suspension components, new front seats with integrated head restraints, some other
interior revisions and a rigid fiberglass top for the Targa.
Porsche eliminated the base 911 for 1975, narrowing the
line to just the 911S and Carrera with one engine. More modifications were made
to deal with emissions regulations and that hacked the output of the 2.7-liter
six down to 157 horsepower in every state except California, where it was rated
at just 152 hp. These were not the quickest 911s ever.
Except for a new rubber-rimmed "whale tail" rear
spoiler on the Carrera, the '75s looked much like the '74s. But there were
1,500 special "silver anniversary" edition 911s created to celebrate
the company's first quarter century. All the silver anniversary cars were
painted, well, silver.
But the big news for '75 was taking place in Europe with the
introduction of the fabulous Turbo Carrera that didn't quite make it to the
United States that year. But it would for 1976.
The 911S was the only normally aspirated 911 for '76 and,
virtually unchanged from '75, it was easy to overlook. In fact it was a joy to
overlook as all eyes fixated on the 234-horsepower 930 (Porsche's internal
model number) Turbo, which had one real, live turbocharger blowing into its big
3.0-liter engine.
With even bigger fender flares over humongous (for the time)
215/60VR15 front and 225/50VR15 rear tires, a deep chin spoiler, headlamp
washers and that whale tail spoiler, the 930 was an instant classic.
Surprisingly, because of the Turbo's torque output, the only transmission
aboard it was a four-speed manual. Car and Driver had the $25,850
Turbo blitzing to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds and topping out at 156 mph —
simply astounding performance for a time when most cars were strangled by primitive
emissions controls. The 911 Turbo Carrera is one of the few great performance
machines of the 1970s.
Except for a move of the Turbo from 15- to 16-inch wheels
and tires, the 1977 911s were very much carryovers from '76. The
front quarter windows no longer opened, the ventilation system was revised for
more output, and there were new vacuum brake boosters, but otherwise status quo
was maintained.
Fifth Generation (1978-1983)
In 1978, with emissions regulations threatening engine
outputs, Porsche upped the displacement of all naturally aspirated 911 engines
to 3.0 liters, switched back to aluminum engine cases and reworked the 911S
into the new 911SC. The injected 911SC engine was now making a healthy 180
horsepower (172 in California) and 16-inch wheels were optional.
The Turbo's engine swelled to 3.3 liters and now featured an
intercooler to boost output to a stunning 253 horsepower. The intercooler put
the whale tail spoiler atop a large box covering most of the rear deck lid.
But '78 was supposed to be the beginning of the end for the
911 as Porsche introduced the front-engine, water-cooled, V8-powered 928 as its
replacement. The 928 was at least interesting when it was introduced and it
matured into a fine touring machine.
So Porsche didn't change much on the 911 for 1979.
After all, the '80s would belong to the 928. Or would they?
Inauspiciously, Porsche started the 1980s by canceling the
Turbo in the United States. While the most powerful 911 continued to be sold
across Europe during 1980, North America made do with just the 911SC,
which was now equipped with a catalytic converter and rated at 172 horsepower
in all 50 states and Canada. Air conditioning and electric windows were made
standard for the first time and all the window trim was now black, eliminating
chrome from the 911 completely.
If there was any compensation for the loss of the Turbo, it
was the special "Weissach" model offered with larger wheels and
tires, special paint, specific interior trim and the whale tail spoiler. Hey,
it was something.
Canada got the Turbo back for 1981 (with the
special order option of the 935-like flat-nose bodywork available), but the
U.S. went forward with just a barely changed 911SC. If you had always wanted
halogen headlights on your 911SC, '81 was the year for you! And the '81 was so
popular they almost completely left it alone for 1982.
Big news for 1983 came in the form of the first
911 full convertible, the Cabriolet. Based on the Targa body shell, the
Cabriolet featured a manually operated canvas top with a zip-out rear window.
But otherwise, the 911SC was virtually unchanged. The introduction of the
Cabriolet devastated sales of the Targa.
Sixth Generation (1984-1989)
The 3.0-liter 911SC was gone from Porsche's 1984 line
and replaced by the 911 Carrera as the sole 911 model sold in the United
States. A virtually all-new 3.2-liter version of the 911 flat six powered the
Carrera and knocked out an impressive 200 horsepower. That new engine, equipped
with Bosch's latest Motronic fuel injection, provided scintillating
performance. Motor Trend reported a 5.7-second 0-to-60-mph time for a
911 Carrera coupe with a 146-mph top speed and outstanding everyday
drivability. But if scintillating performance wasn't enough, Porsche also
offered the infamous "Turbo Look" body package for the 911 Carrera
coupes that mimicked the appearance of the Turbo — including the whale tail
spoiler — without that pesky turbocharger.
For 1985, Porsche added one-touch centralized locking
to the 911 Carrera (especially helpful to those who couldn't or wouldn't reach
across the narrow cockpit to the only other door to lock or unlock it).
Otherwise the 911 was unchanged.
Finally, the Turbo returned to the United States during the 1986 model
year thanks to new engine electronics that finally got the 282-horsepower,
3.3-liter engine through emissions compliance. However, the $48,000 Turbo was
still offered only as a coupe and with only a four-speed manual transmission.
The regular '86 911 Carrera soldiered forward through the year almost indistinguishable
from the '85.
Tweaking the engine electronics boosted output of the 911
Carrera's 3.2-liter six to 214 horsepower for 1987 and it fed a new
Getrag five-speed manual transmission. Also for the first time, the Turbo was
offered as a Cabriolet and Targa in addition to the coupe. And if you wanted
that "slant nose" look (at $23,244) on your $76,500 Turbo Cabriolet
and then picked just one more option, the result was the first factory 911 to
cost more than $100,000. But at least that Cabriolet, like all '87 Cabriolets,
would have a power-operated top.
One 911 that never made it to the United States (at least in
a legal road-going form) was the awesome 959. Delivered to its patient buyers
beginning in late '87, the 959 was a homologation special built to qualify the
car for FIA's Group B racing. The 959 featured wildly soft-edged bodywork,
electronically controlled all-wheel drive fed by a six-speed transmission and a
radical twin-turbocharged, 2.85-liter flat six with liquid-cooled DOHC cylinder
heads, four valves per cylinder and every other technology imaginable to
mid-'80s man. Porsche sold only 200 of the 450-horsepower, 197-mph 959s at
somewhere north of $240,000 apiece. Oh yeah, a 959 would blast to 60 mph in
just 3.7 seconds according to Auto Motor Und Sport.
What's most amazing about the 959 is that it presaged future
development of the 911. Much of what made the 959 exotic was normal 911 stuff
by the mid-'90s.
Exhausted by the 959 effort, Porsche could only tweak the
electronics on the regular 911 Carrera for 1988. That was good enough to
push output up to 231 horsepower, just three ponies less than that of the
original '76 930 Turbo. Also new for '88 was a "Club Sport" model of
the Carrera with a stripped-down interior to minimize weight — perfect if you
wanted a 911 but didn't want to be comfortable. And finally, the Turbo was now
equipped with a five-speed transmission.
The year 1989 brought forth few changes to the
regular 911 Carrera lineup as all the major mechanical pieces carried over
intact in both normally aspirated and turbo form. However there was one
significant addition to the line that year, the Speedster.
Inspired by the late-'50s 356 Speedster, the '89 version
used a cut-down windshield, lightweight convertible top and deleted the rear
seats. If you liked the styling, and could live with the impracticality, the
Speedster was available for $65,480, which was just about $9,000 more than a
regular 911 Cabriolet.
About halfway through the '89 model year, Porsche introduced
a heavily revised 911 known internally as the 964. While the 964 may have been
introduced as a 1989 1/2 model, it's more properly considered as the first 911
of the '90s.
Seventh Generation (1990-1994)
With new bumpers, new mirrors and other detail changes, the
911 sold during late '89 and into1990 was a definite break with
traditional 911 styling and incorporated a small spoiler that would rise
mechanically from the rear deck at speed. All that new styling was wrapped over
new engineering.
First, the new 911 Carrera was offered with both two- and
four-wheel drive for the first time, with the two-wheel drivers now known as
Carrera 2s and the four-wheelers known as, you guessed it, Carrera 4s. The
accommodation of the all-wheel-drive system meant the underside of the 911's
structure was heavily revised for the first time.
Also offered for the first time during the '90 model year
was the Tiptronic four-speed automatic transmission that could be shifted using
buttons on the steering wheel. It was better than the old Sportomatic, but
still not the transmission of choice for most Porsche lovers.
Both Carreras were powered by a new 3.6-liter, twin spark
plug version of the 911 engine making a stout 247 horsepower — that's 13
horsepower more than the first 911 Turbo. The suspension was also revised with
MacPherson struts retained up front and a new rear suspension using coil
springs instead of torsion bars with new trailing arms. Also part of the rear
suspension was Porsche's "Weissach" rear axle that added
self-steering elements to the rear end to minimize the chance of unwanted
oversteer. And with the "964," the 911 got front airbags for the
first time. Initially at least, there was no Turbo model, but the coupe, Targa
and Cabriolet all returned.
The 964-based Turbo emerged for the 1991 model
year with its turbo-inflated 3.3-liter engine whacking out an astounding 315
horsepower. Available only with rear-wheel drive and a five-speed transmission,
the new Turbo was the quickest 911 yet (outside the 959) with Motor Trendmeasuring
a 0-to-60-mph time of just 4.8 seconds. The other 911s went forward with few
changes.
For 1992 Porsche offered a 911 Turbo S2 with a
lofty $118,935 price (not including luxury tax) that had longer gearing and, to
many minds, somewhat disappointing performance. Also offered in '92 was a 911
Carrera 2 RS with a fixed whale tail rear wing. Other changes were slight.
Though technically a '94 model, Porsche introduced the
awesome Turbo 3.6 about halfway through the 1993 model year. While
otherwise similar to the previous 3.3-liter Turbo, the 3.6-liter Turbo blasted
forth with a jaw-dropping 355 horsepower.
Other models offered during '93 included an RS America coupe
and the America Roadster that mated a Turbo cabriolet body with the standard
3.6-liter, normally aspirated engine and deleted the rear seats.
While most 911 Carrera 2 and Carrera 4 models carried over
into 1994 almost unchanged, the chopped-top 911 Speedster did return
for a second appearance. But by the middle of the year, the new 911 was ready
and it is rightly considered the best air-cooled 911 of them all.
Eighth Generation (1995-1998)
With its distinctive laid-back headlamps and gracefully
rounded bumpers, the 1995 911 (known internally as the 993) wasn't
just a new-looking 911; under that new bodywork was a much better car in almost
every way.
A new A-arm rear suspension and thoroughly revised front
MacPherson strut suspension underpinned the 993. The 3.6-liter engine now made
a thrilling 270 horsepower in both Carrera 2 and Carrera 4 models and fed a new
six-speed transmission. The disc brakes were larger and controlled by a new ABS
system, and 17-inch wheels were now standard equipment. About the only things
missing from the new 1995 911 was the Turbo and, alas, the Targa.
The Turbo returned for 1996 with two compressors
now feeding its 3.6-liter maw and a six-speed and all-wheel drive delivering
the resulting 400 horsepower to the pavement. It was almost everything the 959
had been a decade earlier for the bargain price of just $105,000.
Also new for '96 was a heavily revised Targa, which used a
new Webasto-built roof with sliding glass panels on the 911 Cabriolet's body (a
body which in turn was based on the original Targa). However, as Motor
Trend noted, "Particularly at night, the reflections in the two
[overlapping] rear windows can be wacky."
The new Targa, like all normally aspirated 911 Carreras that
year, also benefited from engine revisions (new cylinder heads with 1-mm-larger
intake and exhaust valves, a revised camshaft and a new "Varioram" variable
induction system) that swelled output to 282 horsepower. Motor Trend's
six-speed Targa leapt from zero to 60 mph in just 5.0 seconds and gobbled up
the quarter-mile in only 13.5 seconds at 103 mph.
Also new in '96 was the Carrera 4S that featured the wide
body of the 911 Turbo (but not the rear spoiler) and the Carrera 4's normally
aspirated drivetrain.
For 1997 most 911s were barely changed from '96.
The major exception being the new Turbo S model that featured a power boost to
424 horsepower — something no one really needed, but was appreciated
nonetheless.
While Europe was already getting the all-new water-cooled
996 during the 1998 model year, the 993 marched on in the U.S. shorn
of its Turbo and Turbo S models and otherwise mostly unchanged.
Ninth Generation (1999-2003)
The first truly all-new 911 finally appeared for the 1999 model
year with the "996." Sharing no body panels, no underbody structure
and no major mechanical components with previous 911s, the 996 had more in
common with the Boxster than it did with any previous car that wore the 911
name. The 996 was 6.8 inches longer than the 993 overall (a total of 174.5
inches — just two-tenths of an inch shorter than a 2003 Civic Coupe) and rode on
a relatively long 92.6-inch wheelbase. The engine, however, was still in the
back where it "doesn't belong." The front suspension was again
MacPherson struts and the rear was held up by a new multilink system with coil
springs.
The 996's engine was a wholly new piece itself. Still a flat
six, it was now water-cooled and used DOHC heads with four valves per cylinder
and incorporated variable valve timing. Displacing 3.4 liters, the new engine
ripped out 296 horsepower while breathing through the latest Bosch Motronic
fuel injection.
The driving experience of the 996 is different than all
previous 911s. It's a more civilized ride, with less immediate reflexes and
more composure over bumps and road irregularities. Is it as good as the old
911? That's a subjective evaluation. Some like it more, some feel it to be a
betrayal of the car's air-cooled heritage.
There were no Turbo or Targa models available during '99 but
both two- and all-wheel drive were offered with either the coupe or Cabriolet.
That just gave Porsche a Turbo and Targa to develop during the 21st century.
The 2000 model naturally aspirated 911s were
carried over from '99 except that a new exhaust bumped output to 300
horsepower. And stability control, already standard on the Carrera 4, becomes
optional on Carrera 2 models. This was enough to impress Edmunds' own Karl
Brauer. However, in Europe, the Turbo was already back, and it would return
to America during 2001 with a vengeance. A 911 GT3 was offered during 1999 and
2000 in Europe with a 3.6-liter engine making 360 horsepower and featuring a
radical two-tier rear wing. It was mighty special and indicated to the world
that special-edition 911s would continue with the 996 generation.
The new 2001 911 Turbo used a twin-turbocharged,
water-cooled 3.6-liter flat six to make 415 horsepower which it distributed
through an all-wheel-drive system. Edmunds.com got its first taste of the 911
Turbo in 2001 with Senior Road Test Editor Brent Romans pronouncing, "This
car is the pinnacle. It is The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's, a bottle of Dunn
1980 Cabernet Sauvignon or Star Trek's Wrath of Khan." For the first
time, the Turbo could also be had with an automatic Tiptronic transmission. Why
anyone would want that remains open to speculation. Other updates for '01
included power releases for the engine cover and front luggage compartment, a new
audio system boasting a subwoofer, a redesigned (three-spoke) steering wheel
and "Turbo Look" wheels for non-turbo 911s.
For 2002, Porsche rolled out the most extreme 996-based
911 yet, the GT2. Weighing 200 pounds less than the mighty Turbo and with an
even more powerful engine, the 456 horsepower GT2 was not for the foolhardy or
inexperienced pilot — it sent all those restless horses to the rear wheels
(unlike the Turbo with its all-wheel drive) and couldn't be had with Porsche's
stability control system. The standard 911s got more power (now up to 320
horsepower) via a bump in displacement, from 3.4 liters to 3.6 liters). Other
big news included the return of the Targa model after a four-year vacation and
the fitment of a glass rear window to the Cabriolet. Detail changes included
the fitment of Turbo-style headlight clusters (that helped differentiate the
$70,000 911 from its $43,000 baby brother, the Boxster), the installation of a
real glovebox and a single cupholder along with the option of Bose audio and a
number of new wheel designs.
The 911 quietly rolled into 2003 with minor
changes including slightly revised front and rear fascias and gray-tinted
(versus the previous yellow) turn signal lenses.
source: http://www.edmunds.com/porsche/911/history.htmlhttp://www.boscheuropean.com
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