Innehållsförteckning för No. 162 från Total 911

For some, it’s the ultimate generation of the Neunelfer: melding that classic 911 design with modern-day performance and sophistication, the 997 has it covered. While the earlier Gen1 cars brought back equilibrium for the 911’s aesthetics and build quality after six divisive years of 996, the arrival of the Gen2 in 2008 improved on reliability, usability and performance. Gone was the troublesome IMS bearing and bore scoring that had plagued the M96 and M97 engines. The new 9A1 engines had direct fuel injection, which offered better power with economy. Porsche also said goodbye to the Tiptronic gearbox, an archaic transmission by this point, replaced by the swift and intelligent dual-clutch PDK transmission still utilised in 911s with two pedals today. Revered by enthusiasts and automotive journalists, the 997.2 has forever…

History of the 964 C2 It’s worth a reminder of just what a step change this particular Neunelfer represented. It was certainly a brave move by Porsche, cutting many of the ties that had made its immediate predecessor - the 3.2 Carrera – so loved, but it was a necessary move all the same if the 911 was to flourish. It had been launched for the 1989 model year, and somewhat unusually in four-wheel drive, with the C2 featured here arriving in 1990. Claimed to be 85 per cent new, buyers couldn’t have missed the smoother, more aerodynamic appearance that boasted sleek polyurethane bumpers and the debut of an electronically controlled pop-up rear spoiler. It was also the first 911 to be fitted with underbody trays that contributed to an…

There’s a school of thought that brilliant though the 991 generation is as an all-rounder, it’s slipped too far into the realms of being an able grand tourer rather than an out-and-out sports car. Compared to its 997 predecessor, today’s 911 is longer, wider and fatter – turbocharged 991 Carreras weigh up to 20 kilograms more than their 997.2 rivals. What’s more, they’re now equipped with an overload of technology: while this does prove beneficial in terms of performance, safety and economy, it largely comes with a caveat of alienating from the overall driving experience. For some, the 911 had lost its way of late but predictably, Porsche fought back – as it has so often done in the past – with emphatic results. This ensuing crusade for the engaging,…

“I said they were out of their minds. Bespoke bodywork, running gear and everything else that goes along with building a custom car in that short a time. ‘We’re not a TV show, we’ll not do it in a week’”. That was owner of Rothsport Racing, Jeff Gamroth’s response when the call came from Peter Nam at Gunther Werks. They didn’t do it in a week – as Gamroth said, this was not a TV show – but the sheer persistence of Peter Nam and his team saw the 400R go from concept to the car I’m sitting in today in just six months. I stumbled across the project mid-summer: Gunther Werks drip-feeding a Facebook group some details of what would become the 400R. If you’ve never heard of the…

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 2018 Q2 will be April. The review for 2018 Q1 was January. Ratings Each model is rated out of five in ourhalf-star system according to their performance, handling, appearance and desirability.…

GT3 V RIVALS How does Porsche’s 991.2 GT3 stack up against its in-house rivals from Flacht? PORSCHE INDEX: 996 TURBO Still the best value super sports car you can buy, even with rising values RARE COLOURS Zanzibar red? Ipanema blue? Learn all about the 911’s wackier non-PTS colour choices through the years DESIGN ICONS: ACTIVE SPOILER The 964 brought much change to the 911 platform, including active aero Contents may be subject to change…

Competition launched for early 911s Exciting new 2.0-litre Cup announced for short-wheelbase Porsche Peter Auto has announced it is to run a specially formed historic racing championship for short-wheelbase Porsche 911s. Launching later this year in association with Lee Maxted Page and James Turner, the competition is reserved for 2.0-litre Porsche 911s compliant with FIA pre-66 regulations and will make for one of the most exciting historic racing categories on the planet. Peter Auto, creators of historic racing events including the biannual Le Mans Classic, says this new discipline, called the ‘2.0L Cup’, will feature in three of its meetings in 2018: Spa-Classic (18-20th May), Grand Prix de l’Age d’Or (8-10 June) and the Dix Mille Tours (31st August-2nd September). Drivers will have a 30-minute practice session, 30 minutes of…

SPORT CLASSIC MAX HP: 408HP @ 7,300RPM MAX TORQUE: 420NM @ 4,200-5,600RPM 0-62MPH: 4.6 SECONDS TOP SPEED: 187MPH 911 RARITY /10: 10 COLLECTIBLE FACTOR /10: 10 TOTAL 911 DRIVE VERDICT /10: 8.5 SPEEDSTER MAX HP: 408HP @ 7,300RPM MAX TORQUE: 420NM @ 4,400-5,600RPM 0-62MPH: 4.2 SECONDS TOP SPEED: 189MPH 911 RARITY /10: 10 COLLECTIBLE FACTOR /10: 10 TOTAL911 DRIVE VERDICT /10: 7 GT2 RS MAX HP: 620HP @ 6,500RPM MAX TORQUE: 700NM @ 2,500-5,500RPM 0-62MPH: 3.5 SECONDS TOP SPEED: 205MPH 911 RARITY /10: 9 COLLECTIBLE FACTOR /10: 10 TOTAL 911 DRIVE VERDICT /10: 10 TURBO S MAX HP: 530HP @ 6,250RPM-6,750RPM MAX TORQUE: 700NM @ 2,100RPM-4,250RPM 0-62MPH: 3.3 SECONDS TOP SPEED: 195MPH 911 RARITY /10: 7 COLLECTIBLE FACTOR /10: 7 TOTAL911 DRIVE VERDICT /10: 7.5 GT3 RS 4.0 MAX HP:…

Over 40 years of development has changed the Turbo in many ways. Total 911 takes a tour through its iterations… 1974 Launched at the 1973 Frankfurt Motor Show, it took a further year before Porsche’s first turbocharged production car was ready to be unleashed. Costing £14,479 on UK launch, the addition of a KKK blower and 11psi of boost pressure resulted in 260hp, some 60bhp more than the normally aspirated 3.0 model. Peak torque was equally impressive at 343Nm, though a four-speed gearbox meant managing this could prove tricky to the uninitiated. 1978 The larger 3,299cc engine was strengthened and a raised compression ratio and the addition of an intercooler beneath the ‘teatray’ rear wing (lowering intake temperature by around 60 degrees) resulted in notable increases in power and torque.…

Weight saved Measures to save weight include thinner rear glass, rear seat delete, use of only basic Sport Tex-covered electric seats and door pull straps PSE & Sport Chrono Switchable exhaust resonates a fiery flat-six note, Sport Chrono gives Sport Plus mode and dynamic engine mounts PASM Sport Lowers Carrera T by 10mm and optimises contact with the road surface GT steering wheel Smaller-diameter, fatter wheel feels more direct to driver and offers a firm hold Shorter final drive ratio Shorter final drive ratio taken from Carrera S improves acceleration but reduces top speed Stubby shifter Shorter shifter gives the sensation of a better shift for the seven-speed ‘box Limited slip differential Available when specced with manual only, LSD maximises traction by shuffling torque between rear wheels for faster cornering…

The directive was clear: to build one of the strongest and fastest circuit-racing Porsche in the world. So states Cobus Jonker, chief engineer and team manager at Scribante Racing. Team principal and driver Franco Scribante defines the reasoning behind this extreme 911 GT3 R: “While campaigning our Chevron B26 at the International Kyalami Raceway Motoring Show Festival, we realised we needed to liven up our game! Nothing at the time seemed more exciting than the G&H Transport Extreme Supercars. Top-end cars going wheel-to-wheel in an exhilarating nine-round national championship. We just needed the right weapon to do battle at the sharp end of this tightly contested championship.” Thus the Scribante Racing’s 1,000bhp version of the 2013 Porsche GT3 R was born – developed within just seven months. It is a…

Gina Purcell Oxford, UK Model 911 SC Year 1982 Acquired April 2014 Model 964 Carrera 4 Year 1989 Acquired September 2004 Our third 911 restoration project is under way and I’m super excited. It’s also tinged with sadness as it’s something we’re never likely to repeat, so I’ve been visiting Riviera Autobody nearly every other day to take photos, chat with the guys and keep them supplied with doughnuts. The upshot of morale-boosting snacks is that progress has been rapid! We’re four weeks in and the car sits sans interior, front wings, doors, bonnet, bumpers, every scrap of exterior paint and all the big welding completed. Due to Steffi the SC’s age it was decided to go deeper into the restoration process, so the interior was ripped out. It was…

It’s a time-honoured debate: can you over-restore a Porsche 911? There are nearly half a million air-cooled models of 911 rolling around planet Earth, and, due to their age, most of those models either have or will soon need a restoration of some sort in order to bring their condition back up to scratch. Indeed, as a consequence of the 911 turning 50 back in 2013, and the general rocketing of values that ensued, many owners of classics decided to invest in a thorough restoration of their coveted Neunelfer. Simply put, owners could afford to spend tens of thousands on a restoration, as the vastly appreciating value of the car in question often merited it. Some restorations were sympathetic to the original car, while others were back-to-bare-metal projects where, come…

“The fact that the design was also used by the revered GT1 race car did little to alleviate criticism” The 996 was a divisive Neunelfer for many, and one aspect came in for particular criticism: those headlights. Referred to as a ‘runny egg’ design, the large new units replaced the traditional shape that had been a feature of the 911 since its inception, and integrated the main lighting functions with indicators, parking lights and fog lamps. Some found the orange indicator lenses, which cut into the top of the bumper, particularly jarring, not least because they reinforced the fact that the new car was sharing components with the cheaper Boxster (the fact that the design was also used by the revered GT1 race car did little to alleviate criticism). The…

Four 991 RSRs to battle Le Mans Huge factory effort for 2018 race despite withdrawal of LMP1 team Porsche Motorsport has announced a comprehensive GT programme for the 2018 season, the highlight of which will be a four-fold factory effort in the GTE-Pro class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. In response to its LMP1 team withdrawing from the WEC, Weissach says that its two 911 RSR cars from the US-based IMSA WeatherTech Championship will cameo in France alongside two cars from its regular WEC GT team. No less than twelve Porsche works drivers will thus be spread among the four factory RSRs, with a third of those – Earl Bamber, Timo Bernhard, Nick Tandy and Romain Dumas – having previously won the prestigious race outright. Meanwhile,…

“Quite possibly the finest generation of all 911s? We think so” You might have thought that some light arguing would have taken place within the Total 911 office before we made such a pronouncement. Or at the very least many hours of firm debate late into the evening, surrounded by empty coffee mugs. But there was none of that. In fact, the decision to call the 997.2 possibly the sweetest of spots within the 911 range was a remarkably simple one to reach. We like the 991, and certainly admire its towering performance and impressive technology, but the 911 is no longer the lithe, compact sports car that many of us hanker after in this form. When it comes to traits like character, everyday practicality, stunning performance and driving purity,…

“Porsche’s bold approach was rightly considered a game changer” Put aside, for one moment, the cars sporting RS and GT badges – special as they are – because when it comes to the pinnacle of the respective 911 ranges, that honour has always belonged to the Turbo. For any buyer looking for the ultimate in performance and prestige (and price too, as often as not) it was to forced induction that they needed to turn. It’s been that way for more than 40 years, but even at the 930’s inception the idea of turbocharging wasn’t new, and companies such as Saab and BMW would soon bring the technology to the mass market. With Porsche having learnt its craft in the white heat of top-level motorsport it was no surprise that…

Human nature dictates that however much some think is enough, there are others who’ll always want more. With the 911 Turbo they can have it. We’ll rule out the air-cooled machines here, such is the way of the ‘classic’ car world that these days early forced-induction 911s are considered too precious to be fettled. The 996 and 997 Turbos, however, represent something of an opportunity for those 911 buyers wanting a modern, quick, capable 911 that they can modify to their desires. Some get a bit sniffy about tuning cars or one-off modifications, but originality be damned, especially when the potential power on tap is so persuasive. The 996 and 997 Turbo positively beg to be enhanced, doing so no different from all those back-date, retro-styled Carrera and evocations that…

Data file Full specs, ratings and market values of every 911, including all variants of 3.2 Carrera, can be found beginning on page 86 Plus Showroom Whether you’re after a classic or a modern supercar, our classifieds are the first place 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 it! Insurance & finance Get your Porsche covered with the best insurance deals for road and track to ensure happy, safe motoring…

Technically speaking, Sportomatic was never a true automatic transmission. Unlike the later Tiptronic and PDK units, the four-speed (and later three-speed) gearbox didn’t shift between gears itself. Instead, the Sportomatic gearbox – introduced by Zuffenhausen in 1967 and based on the 905 unit – was an effectively clutchless manual system that allowed the driver to change gear by simply pulling the gear lever through its standard H-pattern movement. In order to realise this, the gear lever featured a microswitch that activated whenever the gear knob was depressed slightly. When the gear lever was touched, the switch caused a solenoid to open a pneumatic valve. In turn, this caused a vacuum cylinder to disengage the clutch, allowing the syncromesh gears to be changed before the clutch is reengaged when the gear…