Innehållsförteckning för No. 138 från Total 911

“The R is the 991 that we have all been waiting for” It would have been easy for Porsche not to make the new 911R. Immense resources, both financially speaking and in terms of development hours, would have to be dedicated to a sports car that will only realise a very small production run, and whose performance figures will not break new ground over models already gracing showrooms internationally. However, data sheets and analytics were ditched in favour of that immeasurable paradox of pure human emotion, thereby creating arguably the most exhilarating 911 since the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 in 2010. The R is the 991 that we have all been waiting for. Not only is it the first limited-run 911 in three years but the car also seeks to…

“The promise of a six-speed manual with a Carrera GTS-style ergonomics already has us salivating” It’s no secret that, despite the praises of the motoring press, the philosophy underpinning the latest renditions of the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS has not resonated with some of Zuffenhausen’s faithful enthusiasts. The mandatory PDK gearbox, increased weight and focus on outright lap times around the Nürburgring Nordschleife has born two phenomenally capable sports cars, but Porsche has long championed that its road-going offerings are about how you get there, not how fast. That is why, for 53 years, the tachometer has continually found itself at the centre of the iconic five-dial dashboard. The protestations of the so-called purists have not fallen on deaf ears at Porscheplatz though; it has been no secret that…

‘L’ must be one of the least exhilarating letters in the automotive world – and especially for those who appreciate Porsche 911s. After all, ‘L’ usually refers to long-wheelbase models, but letters such as S, R, RS, GT or GTS, well, enthusiasts pay more notice to those! There has been one L in the 911 range and, as it happens, it adorned a car with pride of place in the 911 lineage. In the days leading up to our drive in the 911L, social media was abuzz as the world’s motoring media descended on the new, improved Kyalami circuit in Johannesburg, South Africa, to attend the international launch of the 991.2 Turbo and Turbo S (see issue 137). This morning, before Porsche’s fastest production 911s set off on their hot…

“It certainly looked the part, but it’s what was hidden beneath that composite engine cover that really captured the imagination” You have to head back a little over a decade, to 2004 in fact, to find the first GT3 to benefit from the legendary RS suffix. Then, it was attached to the rump of the 996 with around 680 lucky buyers getting to experience the delights of a 381bhp flat six allied to a useful weight reduction. It would hardly come as a surprise, then, when Porsche announced that the 997 GT3 would also get the Rennsport treatment, although this time both models would arrive together in August 2006. 996 buyers had to wait five years or so for the same development. Even with an eye-watering £94,280 price tag, this…

1. Rear main seal The RMS is situated between the crankcase and the clutch housing. On most mass production engines, where crankshaft and crankcase are cast and machined together, the RMS rarely causes problems. However, as its new water-cooled engine was very high power by 1997 standards (300bhp from 3.4-litres), Porsche employed a much higher-tech approach by basing the crankshaft in special alloy inserts to give the crankcase greater rigidity. This entailed machining the case and the crank individually, rather than together, which meant that alignment of the bolt threads was not always micron-perfect. Distortion of the rubber seal over time could then cause an oil leak. Both RPM Technik’s Darren Anderson and Hartech’s Barry Hart emphasise this is not serious and provided the leak does not worsen, it can…

During the 1974 and 1975 seasons, Porsche’s 3.0-litre 911 Carrera RSR reigned supreme in international GT competitions, helping Weissach to titles on both sides of the Atlantic. During each year of its tenure as the top racing 911, the 3.0 RSR secured both World Championship and European GT honours, while Stateside a similar feat was achieved in the Trans-Am and IMSA GT series. The naturally aspirated car was, therefore, no slouch in the hands of both seasoned professionals and the numerous privateers who campaigned them around the world. However, for the 1976 season, Porsche had a new ace up its sleeve: the 934. In January, Weissach’s valued customers were invited to the Nürburgring to watch Porsche’s latest GT contender in action. At the helm of the prototype was test driver,…

Over the last few years, the stratospheric rise of the Porsche 911 market has been driven predominantly by the influx of investors choosing to buy classic cars rather than keeping their money in the bank. Greig Daly, sales director of RPM Technik explains how collectors often “make the market”, pointing out that “if there is a car that is priced a little more expensively than anything else and they buy it, that then dictates what that car is worth.” Surely, these blue-chip buyers are good news for specialists? Both Daly and Mikey Wastie of Autofarm believe that the situation is not that simple. At a simplistic level, collectors are good for the sales side of the business because, as Daly bluntly puts it, “they buy cars.” Wastie agrees, explaining that…

The bespoke division of UK specialist Paul Stephens has launched its latest creation at the London Classic Car Show: the Classic Touring 911 Series 2. Formed in 2005, PS Autoart’s 11 years of experience creating unique backdated Porsche 911s has been put to good use building the new car, with Paul Stephens feeling that the Series 2 is “the perfect fusion of original styling and modern technology.” Externally, the Classic Touring Series 2 eschews a widebody look, PS Autoart instead choosing to backdate the 3.2 Carrera donor 911 to the pure, narrow-shell appearance of the early 1970s Neunelfers. This is done by fitting genuine period body panels and trim, with PS Autoart’s Series 2 offered in two major trim levels: 1970 or 1973. Both use panels from their respective years,…

Porsche Centre Bolton – run by Pendragon Sabre Ltd, the UK’s largest independent car dealer group – has been forced to pay a customer £35,000 in damages after a judge at London’s Court of Appeal ruled that the dealership had broken a legally binding contract regarding the allocation of its 997 GT3 RS 4.0. On 18 March 2011, Kevin Hughes from Chorley paid a £10,000 deposit for the RS 4.0 – the first person to do so at Porsche Bolton – and was promised (via email) the first car allocated to the dealership. However, after only receiving one RS 4.0, Porsche Bolton ignored Hughes’ deposit and sold the car to another buyer. The dealership then lied to Hughes, telling him that they had not received any cars. Preston County Court…

“A car is a sum of a lot of technical, mechanical components and it should feel as such. This has got a little bit lost in the industry, that is my personal opinion. We are standing at a crossroads, we need a new niche, we need to make a new feel. I would say we are addressing the racers with the GT3 models but we have those purists and they have turned to the classic market. They don’t buy a modern car. And that’s why the R came about,” says Andreas Preuninger, responsible for the development of the 911 R. This is in stark contrast to 2013 and the launch of the 991 GT3, when Preuninger was repeating to us and other journalists, “It’s faster.” He was answering the inevitable…

Given the desirability of the car you see here, it’s no real surprise that the second-generation 997 range would include a GT3 RS. It was no mild refresh though, as the new model would receive some substantial changes, not least of which was a 3.8-litre motor that sat on active engine mounts. With power and torque both increased – to 450hp and 430Nm respectively – the 0-62mph time was cut by 0.2 seconds to 4.0 seconds dead, and both response and mid-range shove were boosted. VarioCam Plus and a higher 8,500rpm redline also featured. Further revisions included gorgeous new centre-lock wheels and suspension that featured stiffer spring rates and tweaks to the anti-roll bars. Externally, the new model boasted various subtle changes, including redesigned air intakes, and there was a…

You will have noticed that on any air-cooled Porsche 911 road car, at the back of the engine bay is a vertically mounted fan. Driven off the crankshaft via a belt, the sole function of this fan is to draw air into the back of the car and cool the engine. However, look under the decklid of a 934 or 935 and you will notice that the cooling fan is mounted horizontally, directly above the flat-six engine. Porsche’s horizontal fan design was first seen in the 2.2-litre, flat-eight version of the 907 sports prototype, before becoming famous atop the flat-12 motor of the Le Mans conquering 917. Like any air-cooled 911, the fan in the 934 still takes its initial drive from the crankshaft via a belt and pulley setup…

964 Turbo flatnose! Test drive in the ex-Sultan of Brunei’s Turbo with an alternative silhouette 997.2 GT3 BUYER’S GUIDE Everything you need to know about the last GT3 powered by a Mezger engine PORSCHE DESIGN PROFILED How does Ferry’s fashion company fit in with making cars at Zuffenhausen? HISTORY OF THE 911 SUSPENSION Know your LSA from your PASM with our look at suspension evolution Contents may be subject to change…

Independent US documentary maker, Derek Dodge, has been successful in his quest to raise the funds for a new film about Brumos Porsche, after exceeding his Kickstarter target by 22 per cent. Dodge, who wants to produce the untold story of late Brumos founder, Peter Gregg, and race driver, Hurley Haywood, had set out to raise $35,000 via the popular crowdfunding platform. However, with the help of 222 backers, the production budget for the documentary film now stands at $42,810. Three of those backers pledged $5,000 each making them co-executive producers of the movie and ensuring that the story of Gregg (himself a successful Porsche racer) and Haywood’s rise to fame, and Gregg’s subsequent tragic death, will come to a wider audience. The funds raised through the Kickstarter initiative have…

Six Porsche 991 RSRs confirmed for Le Mans 2016 Trio of updated 991 RSRs in the GTE-Pro class at 84th 24 Hours of Le Mans No fewer than six Porsche 911 RSRs will compete in the 84th running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans this year after the FIA/ACO confirmed the 2016 entry list at a press conference in Paris. On top of the no. 77 Dempsey Proton Racing 911 RSR (updated to 2016-specification and racing a full season in the FIA World Endurance Championship with Richard Lietz and Michael Christensen, as confirmed in issue 136), Porsche’s GTE-Pro class contingent will be bolstered by two extra latest evolution RSRs entered by the factory. The no. 91 car will be led by 2015 IMSA champion, Patrick Pilet, with the Frenchman…

Rennsport relief Dear Sir, I enjoyed Josh and Lee’s report on the GT3 RS battle. I agree, you need both the 997.2 and the 991. I could not let my 997.2 RS go, even after I picked up my 991 RS from Stuttgart. I have just returned to the UK after 15 years in the US and brought my 997.2 RS over with me (and subscribed to Total 911). This RS followed a 997.1 GT3 that I ran for 30,000 miles as a commuter (and was well used on the North Texas tracks). I loved the 997.1, all its critical power delivery was between 6,000-8,000rpm and, once you learned to drive it like that, you could make serious progress. It was relatively frantic, very direct and tactile, and it didn’t…

If you’re like us, you’ll hate damaging the wheels of your Porsche 911. However, with the latest versions of the Neunelfer seeing ever larger alloy sizes – up to 21 inches at the rear of the 991 GT3 RS – it has never been easier to kerb your wheels, leading to unsightly scuffs and scars. Thankfully, there are now a number of companies offering ways of protecting your prized alloys, with UK company Rimsavers leading the way. Made from a flexible, rubberised plastic, the Rimsavers slot into the gap between the edge of each wheel and the tyre, using a high strength 3M adhesive to provide a secure, long lasting fit. Their flexibility allows them to fit around the lip shape on a wide range of alloy wheels (from both…

Considering that series production of the 911 began only in late 1964, it spoke much for Porsche’s reputation that by mid-1965, privateers were already racing and rallying it extensively. Porsche itself had set the ball rolling with an essentially standard 911 that achieved an unprecedented 5th place in that year’s Monte Carlo Rally, and by 1966, production 911s were winning championships in the US, Spain and Austria as well as the GT category of the European Hill climb; the factory-fit Sportpaket gave racers an off-the-shelf 150bhp. In the autumn, Porsche launched the 160bhp 911S and Elford’s Monte Carlo works 911T, homologated for Group 3, packing as many as 180 horses. But potent as these tuned 911s were, they were mere pussy cats compared to a highly modified Coupe that emerged…

Isn’t it remarkable how associations of certain cars and specific events in our lives become etched into our memories? The more impressive the car is, based on your experience of it at the time, the more vividly you remember it. My first experience of an air-cooled 993 Turbo was during the first year after I finished high school. I joined the Porsche Club in the Western Cape, South Africa (without having owned a car of any kind, whatsoever), and I recollect that I turned up at the national event in my parents’ 1977 Volkswagen Kombi. Fortunately, I shared a passion for air-cooled motors – and, at the very least, the Kombi’s engine position and layout, albeit a flat four, was reasonably the same as that of the 911’s! The highlight…

“With a 3.2 Carrera it truly is just you, the car and the wide-open road” It’s the archetypal classic Porsche, isn’t it? Think ‘911’ and, for many, an image will duly be conjured in one’s mind of a striking pre-impact bumper 3.2 Carrera – in Guards red, of course – resplendent in Fuchs wheels (with black painted centres) and that stupendous whaletail rear wing. The 3.2 Carrera’s flowing silhouette is a timeless classic of automotive design and, for many, the very staple of a ‘proper’ Porsche. However, that aforementioned image of the quintessential people’s 911 may never have come into being, had it not been for the exceptional foresight and steely determination of a certain Peter Schutz. With no plans in place to continue production of the 911 beyond 1981,…

2013 991 Carrera Ben Przekop Georgia, USA Date acquired: January 2016 I bought a new car! Before I tell you about my latest 911, a few words about why I made the decision to trade in my beloved 997.1 GT3. When I bought the GT3 over three years ago, I was starting to get serious about my on-track driving, and this incredible track-focused car fulfilled all of my expectations brilliantly. But after three years of intense trackdays, I was now driving at some very serious speeds among purpose-built race cars, and if I was to continue I would need to add important safety equipment to my car (roll bar, race seats, five-point harness, HANS device), which would involve significant expense as well as a reduction in the resale potential of…

Essential info LOCATION: Hawes, Yorkshire COORDINATES: 54.3033 -2.2061 TOTAL LENGTH OF DRIVE: 7 miles POINTS OF INTEREST: Hawes market (Tuesdays); Wensleydale Cheese Creamery; Aysgarth Falls; Ribbleshead Viaduct; Leeds-Settle-Carlisle railway FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION: The Garsdale luxury B&B, www.thegarsdale.com; Simonstone Hall, www.simonstonehall.com; The Moorcock Inn, Garsdale Head, www.moorcockinn.com We look at many types of roads in this series, each with seemingly different characters. While there are some that can carry a little speed thanks to open sight lines and a suitably smooth surface, from time to time we also look at the opposite; hills, twists, turns and summits. This entry is just one of those. We’re looking at the Buttertubs Pass in the Yorkshire Dales. Weaving north away from the market town of Hawes and heading to the rural village of Thwaite,…