Innehållsförteckning för No. 219 från Total 911

It’s outrageous to think that Porsche’s 911 Rennsport is now half a century old. The reality is the RS models have accelerated in tech nearly as much in the past decade as in the entirety of the 40 years prior, but this is to be expected. What is remarkable, though, is that textbook RS DNA is still very much present, no matter which generation you drive: think high-revving, emotive engines, taut suspension, and razor-sharp responses to throttle, steering and shift inputs. “That textbook RS DNA is still very much present, no matter which generation you drive” I mentioned that rapid acceleration of tech in recent Rennsports (excuse the pun), but the Holy Grail of 911 RS lineage lies somewhere in the air-cooled classics. They’re the pinnacle of a glorious era…

The ducktail or bürzel spoiler might look like a finishing touch on the back of a 911 Carrera RS 2.7, which launched 50 years ago this year at the Paris Motor Show, but it was the first step in creating one of the most iconic sports cars of all time. Today, we’re in Stuttgart to meet Tilman Brodbeck, the man who developed the ducktail, and drive examples not only of the original RS in both Touring and Sport trim from Porsche’s own collection, but enjoy back-to-back comparisons with their air-cooled successors from the 964 and 993 generations. Later, we’ll also chat with August Achleitner, the former head of 911 development, to get some context on those later models. Tilman’s waiting to meet us at Porsche’s incredible storage facility in Kallenberg,…

Scottsdale, Arizona is the unlikely epicentre of America’s car culture. For 50 years it’s hosted the week-long Barrett-Jackson Auto Show, which regularly sees around 1,700 classic cars up for auction. The city’s many Cars & Coffee meets also spill over with tyre-smokin’ US muscle and brand new supercars, yet Gregor Mina’s 26-year-old 911 still turns hundreds of heads. Indeed, with a supercharged engine built by Scottsdale’s own Patrick Motorsports, this tribute to a 993 RSR is something of a local hero. Gregor has made Arizona his home, but his accent swiftly betrays that he isn’t so local. The 44-year-old marketing consultant hails from Edinburgh, Scotland, and most of his memories of growing up there involve cars. “My dad always bought What Car? magazine and I would memorise all the facts…

It would be naive to think that global lockdowns and disruptions from a pandemic wouldn’t bring with it some changes, but has it left a mark on the used 911 buyer? Two respected specialists concur it has. “Yes, buyers’ habits certainly changed,” says Jamie Tyler of Paragon. “A lot more people are buying remotely now; this has continued from the days of only being able to buy cars via ‘click and collect’.” For that to thrive, stock must be of a quality to support worry-free purchase. “We have a powerful reputation, so we’re lucky that people have the confidence to buy cars unseen, knowing it to be a good example,” explains Jamie. Jonathan Ostroff of Hexagon Classics agrees, but adds that the post-lockdown free-for-all has altered. “The early excitement of…

It’s a pleasant late summer’s afternoon and a small group of cyclists look as if their race has recently finished, judging from the lengthening shadows and generally relaxed atmosphere. This was essentially a social event, arranged annually at the Weissach track by Porsche’s inventive PR boss, Manfred Jantke. Very much a sportsman himself, Manfred – whose tall figure is seen in conversation with managing director Ernst Fuhrmann – came up with the idea of an annual bike race between Porsche employees who wanted to have a go, and Porsche motorsport customers and racing drivers. Also present in the foreground is Helmuth Bott, another of Porsche’s typically hands-on senior managers who was always ready to muck in for the good of the company. Standing just behind Helmuth, partially obscured, is Rolf…

New 911 ST spied at the ‘Ring The rumoured 911 ST has been spotted in testing at the Nürburgring, in what could be a new Motorsport department special Talk of a forthcoming 911 ST model has been building up for some time. Now, thanks to Total 911’s eagle-eyed photographers, we can bring you the first visual of a test mule spotted at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. The prototype provides some clues on what we can expect from the new model. Some industry observers are tipping it as the third Heritage Design model from Porsche Exclusive, following in the tyre tracks of the 911 Targa and Sport Classic. However, this ST development car appears to be based on the 992 GT3 Touring. This fits with the notion that the car will utilise…

“Internally there was concern that these 500 911s would not sell out so easily” Newly appointed Porsche CEO Ernst Fuhrmann was watching the racing at Hockenheim in the spring of 1972. A keen motorsport fan, Ernst needed no professional excuse to spend a Sunday at the track. But not for the first time he could see that the V6 Cologne Capris and turbocharged BMWs were quicker than the 911s. He turned to the fellow standing next to him who happened to be Wolfgang Berger, a young, rather self-effacing chassis engineer working in Norbert Singer’s group. “Why are the Capris so much faster?” Ernst demanded. “It’s because manufacturers like Ford have a dedicated racing department for clients that prepares the cars so that they are as light and fast as possible…

Proudly emblazoned on the cap that Betim Berisha is wearing during our interview is “Support your local speedshop”. This should indicate, at least partly, what is undoubtedly one of his main interests: being the owner of California-based BBi Autosport. BBi Autosport needs little introduction. This performance and motorsport outfit has been responsible for some impressive successes at the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb. These successes have been with a long line-up of modern Porsche race cars. BBi took these cars and rebuilt them into devastating hillclimb racers, partly by having a wealth of knowledge of the track and general conditions in the USA’s Pike National Forest in Colorado. After a few years’ experience, a new idea surfaced. Betim explains: “We were already in discussions with Joe Scarbo of Scarbo Performance.…

Plus Showroom Looking for a new 911? The classifieds from our independent specialist partners 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 the brand Insurance & finance Get your Porsche covered with the best insurance deals for road and track to ensure happy, safe motoring Data file Full specs, ratings and market values of every Porsche 911 model from 1963 to 2022 can be found beginning…

We may live in an age of electronic everything on a 911, but that hasn’t always been the case. The direct fuel injection (DFI) of today is no different. Up to 1972, 911s used a carburettor for fuel delivery. The carburettor, or carb, controls air and fuel going into the engine to match demand from the throttle. Made of alloy, there are three main elements: the float chamber, the carb throat and the accelerator pump. First is the float chamber, which is nothing more than a fuel tank that supplies fuel to the emulsion tube. The fuel pump delivers fuel into the float chamber and as the level rises, a hinged float touches a needle valve, shutting off supply – like a toilet ballcock. As fuel is used, the level…

New Racing men’s polo shirt This new Porsche Racing polo shirt reflects the motorsport history of the brand with a modern twist. Badges inspired by the Porsche 959 in its iconic Rothmans livery are joined by large ‘Racing Porsche’ lettering on the back with further Rothmans colours picked up throughout. Have £65 at the ready and navigate your way to shop. porsche.com to purchase Porsche item number WAP45100M0NRTM. 1:18 911 GT3 Touring This detailed 1:18 scale model of the 991 GT3 Touring is perfect for any true Porsche collector’s desk. Painted in eye-catching Fish-Scale Silver grey, it measures 264x160x115mm and is priced at £290. It comes with gift packaging too, so we’d suggest that you leave this page of Total 911 open on the coffee table at home. Note down…

Possibly as a result of us poring over the specification of the new 992 Sport Classic, Total 911’s perusal of Porsche classifieds this month has had a bit of a Turbo theme. Special ones, too, or at least ones that stand out from the norm. Air-cooled first, which is special enough, but add Flachbau into the mix and we’re into a rarefied section of the market. Divisive, too, because not everyone’s a fan of Porsche’s slant-nosed special. However, if you’re like us then you can’t help but think there’s a bit of 935 racer cool about them. They’re rare, yes, but there are a few on the market. A Zinn metallic German example with 56,000km available in France at RSC Automobile appeals, not least because it’s had some contrasting grey…

An unsung success of Ulrich Bez’s controversial three-year stint as board member for engineering was the inauguration of the Porsche Cup. One-marque championships were nothing new, but an exclusively 911 event captured race organisers’ imaginations, in particular Porsche Cars North America (PCNA). This looked to be an obvious competition to mount in what had always been Porsche’s largest market. The Americans also recalled the success of the IROC (International Race of Champions) series run with the 911 3.0 RS in 1972/73. Just as two decades earlier it had sold specially prepared 3.0 RS to participating teams, in 1991 PCNA proposed a US Porsche Cup using the 964 RS as sold in Europe. However, a problem arose because Porsche AG had misgivings about how the US Department of Transport and Environmental…

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 2022 Q3 will be July. The review for 2022 Q2 was April. Ratings Each model is rated out of five in our half-star system according to their performance, handling, appearance and desirability.…

The name Targa came from the Targa Florio sports car road race in Sicily, in which Porsche had scored seven victories since 1956, with four more to come in 1973. The 911E Targa’s shape is unmistakable thanks to its iconic fly line and elegant roof. This design has characterised Porsche since 1963, and is part of the legend of the company’s sports cars. Yet despite that somewhat macho image, there’s something cute and charming about all Porsche 911s. And it goes far beyond a mere familiarity with the shape. It always seems there’s something beautifully primal in the appearance of Porsches. The Porsche 911E was the mid-range option in the E- and F-series 911s, with production running from 1969 to 1973. The model benefitted from the larger 2.4 that used…