Table of contents for No. 229 in Total 911

I ’ve recently published a gigantic, air-cooled 911 Turbo group test via 9WERKS TV on YouTube. It was so detailed that I’ve had to run it in two parts, first documenting the 930 ‘impact bumper’ years, before the final instalment looking at the 964 and 993 era. Driving each of these classic 911 Turbos back-to-back (we also showcased this in print in issue 217) provided a surreal experience where I got to sample the 911 Turbo’s evolution from 1974 to 1998. It had come a long way in that time: from a primitive yet hilarious RWD, lag-heavy beast in the 930 3.0 into a refined, AWD and all-conquering machine in the 993 Turbo. You, of course, will have your own favourite among the air-cooled Turbo line-up, and while that early…

We can’t deny that a lot of our aimless searches are the result of too much time on social media, and that’s the case with this month’s Spotted. A reminder popped up that it’s been over two years since we drove a 993 GT R for these very pages, and it got us searching. Not for a racer, as we’ve covered a lot of those lately here, but a 993 GT2. DK Engineering, which is just north of London, sated our appetites with a car – and not a regular one, either. The one it has in stock is a one-of-one PTS example finished in Iris blue metallic. The POA that’s associated with the car might irk some, but if you’re in the ‘need to ask’ category then you’re unlikely…

How the Dakar was made “From the very start it’s been a car developed by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts” We started with the car around 10 years ago,” says Achim Lamparter, general project manager, 911 Dakar. Back then Porsche’s marketing people thought there wasn’t any demand for it, but Achim and some others disagreed. The first project featured 991-based Dakar prototypes using a Carrera 4S as opposed to the 992 Carrera GTS-based production car. While it was eventually shelved, the idea never really went away. “There was a new spirit in the company, and we made another prototype,” says Achim. The Carrera GTS base was used because of its torque production. The high-revving, naturally aspirated, motorsport engine at the heart of Porsche’s GT products wasn’t suited to the Dakar’s proposed off-road…

A history of Porsche brakes Its brakes are the unsung heroes of the 911’s dynamics yet, surprisingly, Porsche was a reluctant convert to disc brakes, persisting with drums on the 356 as late as 1964. Back then, drum brakes were significantly lighter than the original steel disc combinations. In the company’s eyes, drums were justified because low unsprung weight contributed to those essential Porsche qualities: agility and control. However, Zuffenhausen also recognised that the 911 would be heavier and more powerful than the 356 and opted for all-round disc brakes from the outset of the new model. The 911’s system was developed with Alfred Teves Break Systems (ATE) and comprised two-piston iron calipers on solid discs. The rear calipers were slightly smaller to reflect the greater work carried out by…

911s in the data file are organised in rows according to release date, beginning with the very first model in 1964. Many models were available in Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet forms, with the option of automatic transmission. Here, data has been provided from the Coupe variants unless stated. All data here has been compiled, where possible, from Porsche’s own figures. General valuations This reflects the general market trend for a model’s used value compared to the previous financial quarter. The review for 2023 Q3 will be July. The review for 2023 Q2 was April. Ratings Each model is rated out of five in our half-star system according to their performance, handling, appearance and desirability. Sales debate Is inflation making customers think twice about a Porsche purchase? With the past year…

992 GT2 RS set for electrification Rumours suggest the next Porsche 911 GT2 RS will be the first Rennsport Porsche with hybrid power, making it the most powerful version yet A newly developed hybrid drivetrain will power the upcoming Porsche 911 GT2 RS, producing significantly more power and torque than its 700hp predecessor. According to widely publicised reports based on a source from inside Porsche, the Rennsport halo car is expected in 2026. It will be the most powerful 911 RS yet and the first to be electrified. At its heart is a petrol engine mated to a mild hybrid system. This will be based on technology developed for the 919 Hybrid and finessed for use in its replacement, the new Porsche 963 endurance racer. The news contradicts earlier speculation…

16 993 Carrera vs RSR It’s always an unforgettable experience, driving the Alpha and Omega of a specific car range. Be it the Cayenne e-Hybrid and the Cayenne Turbo GT, or from the current 911 range in the form of a standard Carrera and GT3 RS. Back in the ’90s, Porsche’s 911 range was simpler. Apart from the Carrera, the 993 range offered the S models, Turbo (and Turbo S), as well as the much-loved and highly respected GT2. Rarely do we see one of the most sought-after 993 models in public, though: the very special 993 Carrera RSR. It is, after all, a race car, so you’re unlikely to see one on the road at all. However, when you consider what this car represents, it stands head and shoulders…

HISTORY & TECH On the water-cooled cars, where the GT3 had taken over the RS role, the RS was reintroduced as the homologation version. Porsche’s first foray was the 996 GT3 RS that revived the tradition of lighter body panels, harder suspension and a more powerful engine. It also used the wider Carrera 4 body. This, in Andreas Preuninger’s words, was a parts-bin exercise “to see what we could do.” Today, Andreas – the director of GT Cars at Weissach – admits that the 996 GT3 RS needed more development, but the car covered its costs and the exercise provided the template for the more sophisticated 997 GT3 RS, the first generation of which would appear in spring 2007. The 996 GT3 used Herbert Ampferer’s 3.6, a development of the…

They were called telephone dial wheels at the time. It’s a description that might baffle the smart phone generation. But such was the geometric shape – the cast-alloy module with five holes around the centre – that kept the Porsche Carrera rolling. These were just one of several variants invoked by Peter Schutz, the German-American from a German subsidiary of truck manufacturer Caterpillar Tractor, who at the end of 1981 replaced Dr Ernst Fuhrmann as Porsche boss. As much as Dr Fuhrmann had been reluctant to prolong the life of the 911, so the marketing-minded Peter was eager to retain the model. His reasoning? Quite simply: that while the sales of Porsche 924 and 928 were slipping and a cause for concern, the 911 continued to enjoy steady financial success.…

996 Turbo S There’s always a defining point in a drive, a moment of clarity, and today it’s a tight hairpin climbing out of a valley. A few runs through it, in both directions for Ali Cusick’s camera, is revealing. The Turbo S feels light, deft, agile and, yes, monstrously quick. There’s the briefest of pauses as I push the accelerator, before the 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat six really digs in and delivers its power and torque to the wheels best suited to exploiting it. The potential is huge, which could be a concern on such a small road, but the 996 – even here with the shapely, wider hips of the Turbo S – feels compact, which only adds to its effectiveness. Four hundred and fifty horsepower shouldn’t feel as…

Data file Full specs, ratings and market values of every Porsche 911 model from 1963 to 2023, including all Rennsport models, can be found starting on page 76 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…

WALTER RÖHRL The legendary rally supremo and development driver speaks to Total 911 about his fascinating motorsport career 3.2 TARGA ROAD TRIP We celebrate half a century of impact bumpers with a top-down drive THE ART OF NOISE Charting the evolution of the 911’s distinctive flat six sound 997 GT2 BUYER’S GUIDE All you need to know about Porsche’s rear-drive, turbocharged, manual 997 *Contents may be subject to change…

One of Porsche’s strengths is anniversaries: its historical calendar abounds with red-letter days. Of course, when you’re the maker of the 911, there’s always something to celebrate. Indeed, we seem only just to have got over the 911’s 50th, yet mere months away is the 60th. However, some celebrations are on a more modest scale. Here, for example, is the presentation of the millionth 911 that took place in Zuffenhausen one afternoon in May 2017 before the press and an appropriate trio of Porsche bigwigs. The Irish green 991 Carrera S duly went straight into the museum, although the unusual colour scheme, complete with houndstooth check seat inserts, had the magazines talking for some time afterwards. The three gentlemen in Glen Smale’s photograph are Wolfgang Porsche, a familiar figure; managing…