A study of the Porsche 911.
Looking at the fascinating life of the Porcshe 911, one of the most recognisable car models on the planet.
As it approaches its 50th year of production the Porsche 911 has established itself as one of the most famous car models in the World with everyone from businessmen to rock stars having owned a 911, often using the model as a status symbol. Originally designed from the blueprints of Ferdinand ‘Butzi’ Porsche in 1959, the vehicle first saw the light of day in 1963 as a larger and more powerful car designed to replace the Porsche 356.
The car was intended to be called the 901 but as French firm Peugeot held copyright over the zero in a car’s name across France, Porsche opted to change the middle digit for its global range rather than cause unrest in Franco-German relations for the second time in 20 years. Besides its obvious style, the 911 was renowned for its air cooling engines and offered four and five automatic transmission, with the engines increasing in power as the car’s development progressed.
Known as the Porsche 911 Classic, the original car production line ran until 1989 and during the intervening years the javascript:mctmp(0);Baden-Wurttemburg firm launched upgrades and variants of the existing 911. The 911 Carrera RS is regarded as a collector’s edition as it is thought to be the greatest classic car of all time, meanwhile the 2.7 Series saw some significant changes to the car’s torque, the addition of impact bumpers and CIS Bosch fuel injection provided.
Also called the 911 Turbo, the Porsche 930 was introduced in the mid 1970s and regularly participated in the Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Races, whilst the 911SC (released in the late 1970s) was Porsche’s first major attempt at a convertible car for the 911 range. The return of the Carrera Series between 1984 and 1989 which was offered as both a coupé car and a cabriolet, allowing customers the choice of which they preferred for the first time.
Now relaunched as the 991 Series with a completely new platform, Porsche have ensured that their 911 range has constantly evolved, making the Porsche 911 as exciting today as it always has been. With each new design the car’s handling, suspension and braking system becoming forever improving, it is easy to see why the Porsche 911 is so popular with drivers of all persuasions.