50 Years of the Porsche 911

By James Tate of MSN Autos

 

 

From its debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show to the presentation of the 2014 GT3 at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the Porsche 911 has earned its place as one of the best "driver's cars" ever produced. In an era when words such as "epic," "iconic" and "legendary" are as lazily tossed out as pickles on a Quarter Pounder, the 911 continues to demonstrate what a sports car is all about. Let's look at milestones in the 911's 50-year history and ponder how a single car model can evolve so relentlessly yet remain so connected to its roots.

 

 

1963 Porsche 901

The original 911 was revealed to press and public at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show as the 901. Peugeot objected to another manufacturer using a three-digit code with a zero in the middle — the French automaker had decided that this was its "thing," as in the Peugeot 404 — so Porsche devised the simple solution of making the middle digit the number "1" instead. Eighty-two 901s were built and designated as prototypes never to be sold to the public, although some have ended up in collections of the privileged few. The 901 is immediately recognizable to 911 fans, with its classic, sweeping roofline and long nose.

1964 Porsche 911

The first production version of the 911, the 1964 model hit the road with a 2.0-liter 130-horsepower flat-6 boxer engine mounted behind the rear axle. Reviews vacillated between praise for the 911's handling and its 5-speed manual gearbox and exasperation over its unusual engine placement and the amount of effort put into what was seen at the time as a souped-up Beetle. The first-run 911 is an elegant snapshot of what it meant to be a sports car in the mid-'60s: stylish lines with fair but not jaw-dropping performance. Every 911 since can trace its heritage to the '64, whose design holds to this day.

1966 Porsche 911S

The 911S variant introduced in 1966 heralded the era of the 911 as a competitive racer and performance driving machine. Internally, the 911S 2.0-liter engine was boosted by 30 horsepower for a total of 160, along with a stiffened chassis and bigger brakes. On the outside, the most recognizable change for 911 enthusiasts was the introduction of the Fuchs 5-spoke wheels, which shaved a not-insubstantial 20 pounds off the 911S.

1967 Porsche 911L, 911T

For the 1967 model year, Porsche expanded the 911 lineup, creating what's now known as the A series. In addition to the performance-minded 911S, Porsche introduced the 911T and 911L. The 911L was a luxury variant that shared many features with the S but retained the standard 130-horsepower engine and larger brakes, along with various changes to trim pieces. The 911T was added as an entry-level 911. Although producing only 110 horsepower from the same 2.0-liter displacement as its siblings, the 911T is a fine performer compared with the L, and enjoys its own dedicated fan base.

 

 

1967 Porsche 911 Targa

With the looming possibility of the United States government banning the production of convertibles because of safety concerns, Porsche responded with a master stroke: the 911 Targa. The Targa integrated a steel roll bar into the design of the 911, with a removable roof panel and fold-down plastic rear window. Despite the U.S. deciding against the convertible ban, the unique open-air experience of the 911 Targa proved popular enough that it remains to this day.

1969 Porsche 911E

Porsche made its first set of major adjustments to the 911 with the 1969 B-series models. The 911E became the new standard 911, replacing the 911L. New features included a longer wheelbase to optimize weight distribution and fuel injection on the 2.0-liter version -- the E stands for "einspritz," or "injection" -- which raised the horsepower to 140. The B-series 911S kept a conventional setup and produced 170 horsepower. The B-series 911's design stands out mostly for the slight flare in its rear fenders, as larger tires were beginning to find their way aboard to further improve handling.

1970-1972 Porsche 911 C- and D-series

The first displacement increase in the 911 came with the 2.2-liter engines found in the C-series models, beginning with the 1970 version. The output of the 911E jumped to 155 horsepower, the 911T increased to 125 horsepower, and the sportier 911S got a robust 180 horsepower. The S kept the torque curve of the previous versions, while for the T and E, power became more even through the rev range, so drivers didn't have to keep their engines fully revved at all times to optimize response.

1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS, 2.8 RSR

Considered by many to be the ideal 911, the 1973 Carrera RS was a special production run of 500 cars to fulfill the requirements needed to participate in GT racing. With a "duck-tail" rear spoiler and a bored-out version of the F-series 911S engine churning out 210 horsepower, the Carrera RS was a force of nature. The 2.8 RSR was a full-bore race car, and proved its merit almost immediately after debuting at the 1973 24 Hours at Daytona. The 2.8 would go on to win the 1973 European GT Championship and many races, establishing itself and its road-going 2.7 counterpart as the Holy Grail for 911 fans everywhere.

1974-75 Porsche 911 Carrera

The popularity of the limited Carrera RS model inspired Porsche to keep the Carrera name as the designation for its high-performance model. The 1974 911 Carrera kept the 2.7-liter 210-horsepower engine from the RS without the lightened body panels for most of the world markets; with the U.S. tightening emissions regulations, American-bound Carreras used the 175-horsepower 911S engine instead. The 1974-1975 Carrera also saw the introduction of some now-iconic design elements: the "whale-tail" rear spoiler and impact-absorbing front and rear bumpers.

1975 Porsche 911 3.0-liter Turbo

After the uproar over the Carrera RS, Porsche pushed to outdo itself once again. The result was one of the most recognizable vehicles of its era: the 911 Turbo. Featuring a turbocharged version of the 3.0-liter engine from the Carrera RS race car, the 911 Turbo combined 260 horsepower with a weight of just over 2,600 pounds to send heart rates skyrocketing. The only aspect of the car's performance as legendary as its turbo lag was its tendency to punish drivers who drove it with less than total concentration. The design of the Turbo with the whale-tail spoiler and flared fenders, however, influenced the look of the 911 for decades to come.

Porsche 935

The Porsche 935 racers grew out of the original 911 Turbo program, winning races and championships to become some of the most successful race cars of their era. Varying between 560 and nearly 800 horsepower, 935s tormented all comers at Le Mans in the late 1970s, placing multiple times and winning the 1979 overall title. Through 1984, the 935 fleet won 150 races, including multiple wins at the 24 Hours at Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 1,000-kilometer Nürburgring events. The 935-era liveries are still proudly celebrated and worn by race fans the world over.

1978 Porsche 911 3.3-liter Turbo

The higher-displacement 3.3-liter 911 Turbo that debuted in 1978 corrected the shortcomings of the 3.0-liter version with a vengeance. Not only did the new engine raise the horsepower to 300, but the new Turbo had an intercooler that necessitated an entirely new spoiler to contain it -- the "tea tray" -- as well as an indicator light inside to better prepare drivers for the turbo kick that awaited them. The brakes, taken from the 917 race car, were to remain on the Turbo essentially unchanged through the late 1980s.

1978 Porsche 911SC

The 911SC carried over much of the 3.0-liter Carrera that came before it, and would be the standard 911 model for the next five years. Emissions-control equipment dropped the horsepower to 180 from 200 in U.S. cars, but a flatter torque curve improved low-end capability. Available as a Targa or with a whale-tail spoiler and 16-inch Fuchs wheels in Sport trim, many SCs survive today as relatively inexpensive, tough and dependable daily-driver 911s.

1984 Porsche Carrera 3.2

The 911 standard of the 1980s, the Carrera 3.2 was very similar to the 911SC it replaced, save for a new 3.2-liter engine good for 231 horsepower and with better fuel efficiency, thanks to the first electronic control unit featured in a production 911. Later on, the 915 5-speed gearbox that the Carrera inherited from the SC was replaced with a Getrag G50 unit. Made from 1987 on, the Getrag-equipped Carreras are among the most "common" 911s sought after by enthusiasts.

1986 Porsche 930S

Any minimal design change to the 911 can set off heated arguments among fans, so you can imagine what happened when the world got a look at the "slant nose." Borrowing its distinctive front end from the 935 racers of the late 1970s, the 930S was the next evolution of the 911 Turbo. The 930S had a larger turbocharger than the 911 Turbo, large enough to gain 30 horsepower for a total of 330. The 930S was all angles, attitude and grunt — and its fans wouldn't have it any other way.

1986 Porsche 959

The 1986 959 threw down the gauntlet to the world: The modern era of supercars was upon us, and everyone else was going to have to play catch-up. The twin-turbocharged flat-6 engine pushed 450 horsepower through an all-wheel-drive system that — combined with the low, 3,200-pound curb weight provided by the use of carbon-fiber body panels — allowed the 959 to hit 60 mph in less than four seconds and reach a top speed just under 200 mph. The 959 won the Paris-Dakar rally in 1986. Porsche decided to retire the 959 while it was on top, building an endurance racing version known as the 961, which won the experimental class in the 1986 24 Hours at Le Mans, the first all-wheel-drive car to win at Le Mans in any category.

1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 (964)

The 911 Carrera received a major update for the 1989 model year. For the first time, all-wheel drive was offered in a 911; also a first were standard anti-lock brakes. The Carrera 4's engine displacement was increased to 3.6 liters, generating 250 horsepower. The 964, as it came to be known, was available for only a few years before being replaced by the 993 models, but its features signaled a new era for the 911, and as such it is still looked at today as a benchmark in Porsche history.

1995 Porsche 911 Carrera (993)

The 993-model Porsche 911 fulfilled the changes and updates begun with the previous 964. With a redesigned take on the 911 body, the 993 Carrera brought the car fully into the modern era. The 993 is revered among 911 fans for its handling and styling; the 282 base horsepower didn't hurt, either. Moreover, the 993 was the last of the air-cooled 911 models, marking a canyon-like divide in the minds of Porsche aficionados everywhere. Values on 993s have held strong on the market, with some variants already well on the rise.

1996 Porsche 911 Turbo (993)

The 993-era 911 Turbo is a modern legend. The flared rear fenders, redesigned tea-tray spoiler, and larger front and rear bumpers combined with elegant body lines to make for a car straight out of any 911 fanatic's dreams. The 993 Turbo's performance lived up to expectations: With twin turbochargers mounted to the 3.6-liter flat-6 engine of the time, it delivered a massive 408 horsepower, sent to all four wheels through the first all-wheel-drive system ever fitted to a 911 Turbo model. Some consider the 993 911 Turbo to be the best 911 ever made; most see it as the last triumph of the air-cooled era.

1999 Porsche 911 Carrera (996)

With horsepower numbers climbing higher and expectations rising in an ever-expanding worldwide sports-car market, Porsche made the move to water-cooled engines with the 996. Purists were outraged over not only this change, but also the new 911's more nondescript body lines and easier-going, daily-driver approachability. The 996 was immediately welcomed on the open market, but for some the bloom was off the rose and no 911 would ever be immediately acceptable again.

2013 Porsche 911 GT3 (991)

Fast forward to today, when water-cooled 911s are still infuriating diehard old-schoolers and Porsche continues to chug along building massively impressive dream machines that defy expectations, pre-judgment and the laws of physics themselves. Just unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, the new 991-code 911 GT3 takes the electrically assisted steering of the 991 and adds rear-wheel steering and Porsche's PDK dual-clutch transmission as the only transmission available. The 3.8-liter flat-6 powerplant rates at 468 horsepower, redlines in the neighborhood of 9000 rpm and propels the new GT3 to 60 mph from a standing stop in 3.5 seconds.

James Tate cut his teeth in the business as a race team crew member before moving to the editorial side as
Senior Editor of Sport Compact Car, and his work has appeared in Popular Mechanics, Automobile, Motor Trend and European Car. When not writing, Tate is usually fantasizing about a vintage Porsche 911.