2,500 cabriolets were made in the 993 Carrera 4. The 993 Carrera 4, sold between 1995 and 1998, uses the same powerplant as the standard 993 Carrera, but puts power down to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission. A “Carrera 4” badge on the tail, along with silver-painted brake calipers and clear front and side turn signals, help distinguish the all-wheel drive C4 from the C2 sibling.
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The 993 Carrera 4, sold between 1995 and 1998, uses the same powerplant as the standard 993 Carrera, but puts power down to all four wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission. A “Carrera 4” badge on the tail, along with silver-painted brake calipers and clear front and side turn signals, help distinguish the all-wheel drive C4 from the C2 sibling. Approximately 4,700 coupes and 2,500 cabriolets were made. It was replaced by the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (996 generation) in 1999.
Introduced in 1994 the Porsche 911 Cabriolet was more of a Grand Tourismo vehicle than a sports car. The 911 Cabrio featured the same cues as its coupe version, but with a few differences apart from the lack of a fixed roof, of course. The 3.6-liter engine was offered in two versions, with 275 hp and 285 hp. The latter featured the VarioCam system. Both versions were mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic.
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‘Scary’ is not an adjective uttered often by seasoned racing drivers in the company of their peers, but it tripped easily from the lips of the small band of heroes who drove Porsche’s first 12-cylinder Type 917 sports cars. Few racing cars since the hairy-chested Mercedes-Benz and Auto Union Grand...
Porsche 917/30-003 1975 Team Penske In 1976 Penske sold the chassis to privateer Otis Chandler. Pictured Riverside, 1979. Porsche 917/30-003 test drives ...
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The 911 GT America was based on the 991 GT3 Cup. It was built exclusively for the United Sports Car Racing (USRC) series and its GT Daytona class for 2014. While the GT3 Cup had a 3.8-litre engine at the time, the GT America was fitted with a 4.0-litre unit developing 351 kW. The main visual difference is the rear spoiler made to fit the USRC rules. Like the GT3 Cup, the GT America has 380 mm steel brake rotors at the front axle with 6-piston fixed calipers.
Introduced in late 1994 the standard 911 Carrera of the 993 generation was fitted with a development of the M64 3.6-liter flat six that had been found in the prior 964 generation. With a redesigned exhaust system and new hydraulic lifters, the engine produced 272 horsepower. For the 1996 model year, a Targa variant was introduced, and a variable intake runner system (called VarioRam) was added to the entire Carrera lineup, bumping horsepower to 285. Approximately 23,000 coupes were built, 15,500 cabriolets, and 4,500 Targa's, in both manual and automatic (Tiptronic) transmission. Overlapping with the last year of production, it was replaced by the 911 Carrera of the 996 generation for model year 1998.
This isn't technically a Speedster, but the Type 540 (Typ 540 K/9-1 to be very precise) - known more commonly as the America Roadster - started the idea. The American Roadster was the direct predecessor of the Speedster. U.S. importer Max Hoffman convinced Porsche it needed a lightweight convertible to compete. It only had an emergency folding roof and could keep up with larger sports cars of the era. But the production methods used to create the America Roadster’s aluminum body proved to be too expensive, and in 1952 Porsche built only 21 units before its discontinuation in 1953.
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For those who want more extreme performance, handling and track-day bragging rights, the RS is it. It's far from practical and may be too extreme for some, especially on the street, but on track it is exceptional. Only marginally quicker than the 991 GT3 that it is based on, but it delivers that performance with a different character. Massive grip, massive downforce and more extreme than the GT3. It delivers 80 per cent of the downforce of the full-on GT3 R race car, and with a carbon fibre bonnet and wings, a magnesium roof and polycarbonate rear windows and screen, it’s also light, weighing in at just 1,420kg.
Everything you need to know about the 991.1 Turbo S Cab comes from Car and Driver test results. "Launch control puts the computer in charge and sends the 3741-pound Turbo S Cab to the far side of 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. A quarter-mile that nearly breaks into the 10s—11.1 seconds at 124 mph—attests to how serious this car gets when provoked. We saw 1.0 g on the skidpad and a stopping distance of 151 feet, both strong numbers abetted by the hilariously staggered Pirelli P Zeros (245/35 in front, 305/30 in back)". This is in a comfortable, all-wheel drive, grand touring convertible.
Porsche offered the 991 Turbo S from the start of the production of the 991 Turbo. The unique features of the Turbo S were the GT3 mirrors, slightly different front spoiler grilles and interior features. As before, the Turbo S was a heavily equipped version of the Turbo. The powerkit added 29 KW of power and the following equipment came as standard: PDCC hydraulic rollbar system, Sport Chrono (Launch control and 0.15 bar overboost functions), dynamic engine mounts, PCCB Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, central lock wheels, full LED dynamic headlights, 18-way Sport Plus seats with memory.
Porsche introduced the 991 GT3 for the 2014 model year, as follow up to the multiple 997 GT3 variants. The 991 GT3 featured a new 3.8 litre direct fuel injection (DFI) flat-six engine developing 475 hp (354 kW; 482 PS) at 8,250 rpm, Porsche's Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch gearbox, and rear-wheel steering. The 911 GT3 is claimed to be able to accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.1 seconds or less, and the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds at 126 mph (203 km/h). It evolved into the 991.2 GT3 for model year 2018.
The 2014 50th Anniversary Edition 911 was built by Porsche to commemorate the 911’s birthday, 50 years after its production launch in 1964. In homage to 1963, the year the 911 debuted at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show, production was limited to 1,963 units. The 50th Anniversary uses the wider body from a Carrera 4S (but remains only rear-wheel-drive) and is lower than a standard Carrera by 10mm. The 20 inch-alloys are a modern take on the original Fuchs wheels, and the seats are finished in “Pepita” cloth. Includes Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), sports exhaust and powerkit tickled 430 hp flat six.
In 1988, Porsche produced 875 examples of the CE or Commemorative Edition 911 Carrera in coupe, targa and cabriolet variants to mark the production of the 250,000th 911. Distinguishing features include special diamond blue metallic paint with color-matched Fuchs wheels, front and rear spoilers, and interior carpets and leather. These cars also featured Dr. Ferdinand Porsche's signature embroidered on the seats in the headrest area.
Just 50 ‘C16’ cars were manufactured for the UK-market, initially equipped with an uprated engine of 330bhp (from 300) mated to a 4-speed transmission. However, at the end of 1988, the uprated 5-Speed G50 gearbox was introduced, dramatically easing the peaks in power delivery by reducing the effects of ‘turbo-lag’. The factory SE also benefited from a dual-exit exhaust system, limited-slip differential, heated front seats and a sunroof.
The 911 Carrera Club Sport was Porsche refocusing on what they do best – high performance, lightweight motoring. This is probably the most underrated Porsche ever made. Manufactured between August 1987 and September 1989 only 340 cars. It had a blueprinted, high revving engine mated to a modified short-shift, close-ratio G50 gearbox. It had track-bias suspension modifications too.
Porsche introduced a new wide-body package option. Known as the M491 option it was commonly known as the "Turbo-Look". It gave the naturally aspirated cars the look and style of the 930 Turbo with wide wheel arches and the distinctive "tea tray" tail. It wasn't just about looks however, because M491 also got you the stiffer suspension shared with the Turbo and the superior Turbo braking system as well as the wider Turbo wheels. It was available on the Coupe, Cab and Targa.
Finally, in 1982 the model 911 SP 'Ferry Porsche' was introduced as a special edition to celebrate 50 years of Porsche. This special edition was finished in Meteor metallic paint with burgundy leather interior and a 'Ferry Porsche' signature on the headrests. Only 200 of these now-classic special cars were built (130 Coupes and 70 Targas). The 911 SC “Jubilee” or “Ferry Porsche” is the first “limited series” sold in Europe.
Beginning in 1954, a new version of the Pre A 356 was introduced that is now known as the Porsche 356 Pre-A Carrera, with a powerful engine that was available in coupe, cabriolet, and Speedster variants. Highly desirable today, the Carrera name denotes the race inspired 1500 cc four cam motor that produced an astounding 110 hp. Approximately 97 of these motors were produced sometime between 1954 and early 1955. The Carrera versions would continue in the next generation 356 as the Porsche 356 A Carrera.
Slantnosed and based on that of the 935 racecars, with pop-up headlamps. The front spoiler was made deeper in order to accommodate the extra oil cooler, while intakes in the rear wings fed air to the brakes. The larger turbocharger and four-outlet exhaust gave 30bhp of extra power. Porsche began their “special order program” offering a Flachbau option (Slantnose) for the 930 in very limited production. All of this at a cost of nearly 2 times the standard 930S.
In 1980, a true limited edition model 911SC was produced for the American market. The 'Weissach' edition was a standard SC with special paint. It was built in 1980 to honor the Porsche Motorsport team working in Weissach Germany. 468 units were made and half were painted Metallic Black, the other half in Platinum Metallic. The interiors were wrapped in Doric Grey leather with burgundy piping. Additional body and mechanical specs included whale tail spoiler, Bilstein dampers and Fuchs wheels.
Generally speaking the early models or so called ‘Pre A 356′ models are more desirable than the later models. At the top of the pyramid and the most exclusive is the Carrera version which carries the legendary 4 cam ‘Fuhrman’ engine. But just below that comes the ‘Super’ speedster. The ‘super’ version had more horsepower (75 vs the standard 60) and the powerful ‘type 528 engine’ for the 1500 Super version.
An export hit, built in response to customer demand: the American importer Max Hoffman requested a Porsche costing less than 3,000 dollars for his market. The 356 Speedster was the answer, naturally with a spartan equipment specification. But the lightweight car was a big hit in the USA. It was used mainly for motor racing and soon became a regular feature of the motor sport scene.
The 'Martini' edition of 1978, was identifiable by a set of side stripes similar to those that appeared on the 1976 British Motor Show 911 Turbo which was clad with the stripes to celebrate victories in the World Manufacturers Championship and the World Sports Car Championship, as well as the fourth consecutive racing season with sponsors Martini & Rossi. The stripes were so popular that Porsche quickly made them an option available to any owner as a factory or retro fit.
In 1953, the 1300 S or "Super" was introduced, and the 1,100 cc engine was dropped. The 360 1300 Super boasts a power improvement to 60 BHP with Porsche's "Super" engine in the Porsche 356 model range. Minor visual differences were implemented such as front indicators integrated with the horn grilles and bumpers protrude from the body with over-riders. In June 1954, the plain-bearing 1300cc engine switched over to the same block as the 4cc larger roller-bearing variant.
Commemorating 25 years of Porsche sports car production, the 911S Silver Anniversary Edition is distinguished by unique Diamond Silver Metallic paint and a special black leatherette and tweed interior. The first of Porsche’s commemorative ‘celebration’ cars, this Silver Anniversary was produced in a limited run of 1,063 examples, of which approximately 500 are reported to have made their way to the United States.
Towards the end of 1951 Porsche introduced a larger version of the flat four engine. It was offered alongside the original 1.1 litre engine. It took a lot more effort to develop the third variation on the four cylinder theme; the '1500.' Introduced in the 356 1500 during 1952, the engine produced 55 bhp. Porsche's competition department reworked the 1500 engine with hotter cams and bigger Carburetors, boosting power to 70 bhp. In 1952 this engine found its way into a new road car; the 356 Super.
The 1500 was Porsche’s newest engine which was quickly fitted with 40 PIBC Solex carburetors to produce 60 bhp @ 5000 rpm in 1952. These retained the Hirth roller-bearing crankshafts which gave Porsche enough clearance to enlarge their engine to 1500cc. Most cars from 1952 until the 356A of 1956 were powered by the 1500 engine but some left the factory with the smaller 1.1 and 1.3-liter engines. At the request of American importer Max Hoffman, 356s for the 1955 model year were badged as Continentals before reaching the U.S
Commemorating 25 years of Porsche sports car production, the 911S Silver Anniversary Edition is distinguished by unique Diamond Silver Metallic paint and a special black leatherette and tweed interior. The first of Porsche’s commemorative ‘celebration’ cars, this Silver Anniversary was produced in a limited run of 1,063 examples, of which approximately 500 are reported to have made their way to the United States.
The first road-going 911 Turbo was not the familiar 930 that entered production in February 1975. Nor was it the engine-less prototype that had appeared at the Paris Motor Show in October 1973. Instead, it was a one-off narrow-bodied mule that was subsequently gifted to Ferry Porsche’s sister, Louise, on her 70th birthday in August 1974. Built on chassis 9115600042, this 2.7 Carrera Turbo also pre-dated the prototype 930 that was shown in almost production-ready at Frankfurt show in 1974.
The Porsche 356 Pre A Coupe and Cabriolet were introduced in 1950 and was available through mid-1955. Beginning in 1950 it was offered with a 1100 cc flat four that produced 40 hp. In 1951, a bigger 1.3-litre Type 506 engine was announced. It marked the first significant move away from the original Volkswagen unit. Bored from 73.5mm to 80mm (stroke was unchanged at 64mm), displacement rose from 1086cc to 1286cc. Further enhancements included lightweight alloy cylinder barrels and nosed pistons. Output rose from 40 bhp to 44 bhp and torque increased from 51 lb-ft to 60 lb-ft.
Following the famous 1973 F-model 911 Carrera RS 2.7, Porsche built its successor based on the G-model and it was called the 911 Carrera RS 3.0. With its 172 kW engine, it was the most powerful series production street-legal Porsche made so far. With its new 3.0-liter engine, featuring mechanical fuel injection, it was capable of 230 hp. While 1,580 Carrera RS 2.7s were built for 1973, only 56 Carrera RS 3.0s were built for 1974.
The series production didn't allow the use of handmade aluminium body panels, so, the cars were made of stamped steel panels. The first Stuttgart-built 356 have later been called as 356 Pre-A. These cars have either two separate windscreen glasses like the 356 built in Austria, or a sharply bent windscreen glass! Introduced in 1948, the Porsche 356 Pre-A Coupe was the first variant available for the Porsche 356. The engine started as a 1100 cc flat four that produced 40 hp. It was available as a coupe and cabriolet body style.
Of the 52 cars made in Gmünd, only eight were built up as cabriolets. Each was outsourced for its body and interior construction. Six cars were sent to Beutler who constructed them with a slightly different shape than the factory coupes. Included was a kicked-up rear fender line which was used on several of the Buetler cabriolets.
With lessons learned from 356 No. 1, Porsche developed the 356/2 as a production-ready version. The biggest concession to useability was repositioning the engine back behind the rear wheels as the original VW design. Like 356 No. 1, 356/2 was built as two-seat roadster using VW parts.
The Porsche 356/1 was the first real car created by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche. This prototype car was a two-seater open roadster with a mid-mounted, air-cooled flat-4 engine of 1,131 cc displacement. While the body was an original design, most of the mechanicals were from the Volkswagen Beetle. Only one 356/1 was made.
Porsche is presenting the Panamera Sport Turismo concept car to show how amazingly intelligent and efficient drive technology might look in the design language of tomorrow. The Sport Turismo unites the next generation hybrid drive with new ideas for an evolutionary, sporty body concept; it combines Porsche performance with comprehensive everyday practicality.
The 996 Cabriolet was introduced in March 1998 at the Geneva Motor Show. The 996 Cabriolet was long ready (remember, it was tested already in 1995), but for marketing and production-related reasons it was launched in 1998 as a 1999 model. While the evolution with the 911 coupe was questionable from 993 to 996, the real evolution came with the cabriolet. In USA - the biggest market - 911 Cabriolets outsold the Coupés. The all-wheel-drive system provides between 5-40% of torque to the front wheels depending on the situation.
Since 1989, the rear-wheel-drive Carrera has always been accompanied by an all-wheel-drive Carrera 4, and the 996 was no different. Overlapping with the last year Carrera 993'S, the 996 Carrera 4 represented two major changes for the venerable 911 lineage: a water-cooled flat-6 engine replaced the air-cooled engine used in the previous 911 model, and the body shell received its first major re-design. Engine was 3.4 L and power was 296 hp featuring a change to an "integrated dry sump" design and variable valve timing.
The flat six in the Carrera 996 was a newly-developed flat-six engine that offered 300 hp. It was mated as standard with a six-speed manual. A 5-speed automatic (Tiptronic) with manual override to shift gears was on the options list. As always, the Carrera 2 was rear-wheel-drive. Designed as a grand tourer, the Porsche Carrera Cabriolet was the base version for the open-top 911 range in 1998. The retractable roof was able to be stowed away in 20 seconds at speeds of up to 50 kph (31 mph), like the rest of the 911 convertible range. With the roof up, the car was tested in the wind tunnel at speeds of up to 338 kph (210 mph).
The 996 series was a monumental update to the 911 story. The Type 996 introduced water-cooled engines and it also ushered in a new body design. The roof line with a windscreen which is around five degrees flatter gives the side view a more fluid look. Gone was the "classic" 911 design, the entire main body now much sleeker. The flat six in the Carrera 996 was a newly-developed flat-six engine that offered 300 hp. It was mated as standard with a six-speed manual. A 5-speed automatic (Tiptronic) with manual override to shift gears was on the options list. As always, the Carrera 2 was rear-wheel-drive.
Launched in August 1991 for the 1992 model year, the 968 was available in two body styles: a Coupe and a Cabriolet. Cabriolets came with reinforced bodyshells to compensate for the lack of a roof. Porsche quoted a weight of 1370kg for the Coupe and 1440kg for the Cabriolet. Cabriolet top speeds were slightly slower owing to their messier aerodynamics, but it was dynamically pretty impressive despite the non-coupe body.