Table of contents for No. 223 in Total 911

The 993’s historical journey is well known. Peter Falk, the famed Porsche engineer, produced a Lastenheft in the late 1980s that found the incoming 993 would have to achieve new levels of agility and responsiveness – not to mention refinement – and so the new 911 was born with its multi-link rear axle and six-speed transmission, among other improvements. That it was the last air-cooled Porsche 911 also ensured the car of its place in history and this, coupled with superior build quality over its water-cooled successor, is chiefly why values of the 993 never dipped. In recent years though, the 993 has been overshadowed in the marketplace by its 964 predecessor, which has found itself at the centre of a high-end restoration movement that’s seen values soar above the…

991 road trip The loudspeaker announces another delay in the departure of our shuttle to Calais, prompting drivers to clamber out of their cars, lazily soak up some of the early morning sun, and chat to their neighbours in the queue. The owner of a gorgeous E-type next to me asks about the 991, and is amazed to hear its age. “It looks like it was designed this year!” he comments. I know what he means. The 991 series has aged well. He tells me he’s heading to the south of France, and I reply that we’re attending a 10th birthday party in Stuttgart. He smiles, and wanders off in search of coffee. Birthday parties for 10-year-olds generally provoke nervous twitches in parents at memories of hyperactive children, ice cream…

Aerodynamicist and sage Norbert Singer recalls how every new Porsche boss was keen to make their mark as quickly as possible. When the ambitious Ulrich Bez returned to Porsche as head of engineering, changes were expected. And changes there were: Porsche’s limited motorsport budget would henceforth concentrate on F1. From his vantage point at BMW, Ulrich had been impressed by Porsche’s collaboration with McLaren, which had resulted in two manufacturers’ and three drivers’ championships. Porsche, he reasoned, could build another competitive GP engine, find an F1 partner and repeat its earlier success. To finance this, Ulrich abandoned the company’s three-year participation on the American CART series, which was led by Helmut Flegl. Ulrich assumed that Weissach’s expertise could again make an impact in GP racing. But F1 technology moves fast.…

Tuthill launches 993-based SC RS The Porsche specialist has revealed its first 993-based road car project, inspired by the 911 SC RS Group B rally car of the 1980s Hot off the heels of its striking 911K restomod project revealed just last month, Tuthill Porsche has launched its first 993-based road car. This latest offering bears all the hallmarks of previous Tuthill creations – namely engineering excellence with exceptional attention to detail. Inspired by the iconic Rothmans-sponsored 911 SC RS Group B rally car of the 1980s, the Tuthill Porsche SC RS project boasts an extensive list of modifications – all applied to the original Porsche template. “Why the SC RS body?” posed frontman Richard Tuthill. “Because our Porsche rallying began through involvement with the Rothmans Group B rally programme,…

The keen-eyed among you will have noted that the above image doesn’t correspond to the number that’s on the front of this publication. Yes, it’s a 959, but there’s a strong argument that the 959 is in effect a super 911. And because this car’s actually a 959 prototype that’s built off a 930’s underpinnings, hopefully you can indulge our classified trawling this month. Who here isn’t fascinated by the 959? Porsche’s expensive, technical tour-de-force signalled the direction the 911 would take, introducing revolutionary equipment that every 911 (and other Porsche) since has benefitted from. Sequential turbocharging, tyre pressure monitoring, all-wheel drive, adjustable suspension and more were all innovations that wouldn’t just dictate Porsche’s future model range, but would come to influence the entire automotive world. Commercially, the 959 might…

40 Porsche’s secret storage To get up-close to Stuttgart’s rarest and most significant models, the Porsche Museum and its 100-car display is the obvious destination. Yet just a couple of miles down the road lies an even greater treasure trove, one that feeds the Museum’s frequently rotated displays – and gives Porsche freedom to do so much more with its heritage. Offlimits to the public and referred to matter-of-factly as ‘the storage area’ by insiders, the former kitchen and furniture factory has been home to some 750 rare and prototype Porsches – as well as non-Porsches – for the last ten years. Total 911 is bussed into the unremarkable-looking car park on other business and given an impromptu tour with surprisingly little fanfare or no-photos-here-please caveats, but you don’t need…

Nick Jeffery Surrey, UK @npjeffery @npjeffery Model 991 GTSYear 2015Acquired AUGUST 2022 Model 997.1 GT3 Year 2007 Acquired NOVEMBER 2019 I bought my first Porsche in 2014. I’ve since purchased seven of Stuttgart’s finest in the past eight years. The first three were all 911s and four-wheel drive. A manual 996 Carrera 4S was quickly followed by a Tiptronic 996 Turbo, and then my 997 Carrera 4 GTS with the first-generation PDK gearbox. What followed next, though, was a direct result of those previous purchases. A manual 997 GT3, a 981 Cayman S with the second-generation PDK and finally my 987 Boxster Spyder fitted with the first-generation PDK. All rear-wheel-drive Porsches, two of which were mid-engined and all with a much lighter kerb weight than those I’d experienced before. Why…

As commutes go it’s not a bad one. Caffeine & Machine, the Warwickshire hub of all things wheeled, will be the base today and, handily, it’s about five minutes from my house. Two of the four 993s are already here when I arrive. Andy Brookes, owner of the red striped and duck-tailed example which you’ll likely recognise from the regular Living the Legend pages, says the other two are incoming. Andy’s had a lengthy run this morning up from the south coast, but he’s his usual effervescent self despite the early start. Toby Dyer, owner of the Rivera blue Carrera, took a more sensible and enjoyable approach: he overnighted in one of C&M’s rooms, so his commute’s been even shorter than mine today. The coffee’s hot and strong as we…

“I’m not a car guy. I don’t like to drive cars.” As an opening comment, this seems surprising coming from Manfred Hering, founder and CEO of the largest Porsche restoration business in the world, Early 911s. However, he’s keen to clarify: “I like designs, and I like the perfection of the 911 design.” Yet for a man who claims not to like cars, he has a lot of them. His collection of 911s numbers over 700, at least 300 of which are extremely rare models. About 100 are fully restored and available for purchase, the rest either in various stages of restoration, or donor cars waiting to become build projects. Since Manfred started the business, it’s delivered over 1,200 restored cars to delighted clients, yet many Porsche enthusiasts have never…

Data file Full specs, ratings and market values of every Porsche 911 model from 1963 to 2022, including all Rennsport models, can be found beginning on page 74 Plus Showroom Looking for a new 911? The classifieds from our independent specialist partners are the first place where you should start your search Servicing & tuning Get the very best from your Porsche 911 with the help of our selected performance and maintenance specialists Porsche lifestyle Helping you make the right lifestyle choices to complement you and your 911. Don’t just drive Porsche, live the brand Insurance & finance Get your Porsche covered with the best insurance deals for road and track to ensure happy, safe motoring…

What does the ‘SC’ stand for? It’s simple: Super Carrera. Like the 1978 Porsche 911SC Sunroof Delete Coupe that we have at Beverly Hills Car Club, an excellent original California car in its highly desirable factory colour code 275 (a Light green metallic to you or me). And the tad confusing ‘Sunroof Delete’? Well, despite having it down as an accessory, Porsche listed the sunroof as standard on the 911SC. But without it – as in the car we have – you get an unbroken roof with a gorgeous rolling look, and a firmer chassis. So now it’s all about the ride. In 1978 when it went on sale, powered by a 3.0-litre flat six, Porsche had sold some 190,000 cars in the USA; around 40,000 of these were 911s.…