Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG (shortened to Porsche or Porsche AG), is a German sports car manufacturer, founded in 1931 by Ferdinand Porsche, the engineer who also created the first Volkswagen. Dr Porsche was financially supported by count Sasha Kolowrat, a Czech aristocrat. The company is located in Zuffenhausen, a city district of Stuttgart. The company slogan is: (Porsche,) There Is No Substitute.
In a May 2006 survey, Porsche was awarded first place as the most prestigious luxury automobile brand by Luxury Institute, New York; it questioned more than 500 households with a gross annual income of at least $200,000 and a net worth of at least $750,000 ([1]). The current Porsche lineup includes sports cars from the Boxster roadster to their most famous product, the 911. The Cayman is a hard top car similar to the Boxster. The Cayman features a slightly higher price range. The Cayenne is Porsche's mid-size luxury SUV. The Carrera GT supercar recently was phased out in May 2006. Future plans include a high performance luxury saloon/sedan, the Panamera. Also, Porsche is a leader in modern turbocharging technology, being the first to use a variable geometry turbocharger in a gasoline powered production automobile.
Porsche was awarded the 2006 J.D. Power award for highest initial quality of automobile brands.
As a company, Porsche is known for weathering changing market conditions with great financial stability, while retaining most production in Germany during an age when most other German car manufacturers have moved at least partly to Eastern Europe or overseas.[citation needed] The headquarters and main factory are still at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, but the Cayenne (and formerly the Carrera GT) is produced at Leipzig, in former East Germany. Most Boxster and Cayman production is outsourced to Valmet Automotive in Finland. The company has been highly successful in recent times, and indeed claims to be the most profitable car company in the world (in terms of profit margin per unit sold; its absolute profits would be dwarfed by Toyota) [2].
Porsche has for many years offered consultancy services to various other car manufacturers. Studebaker, SEAT, Daewoo, Subaru and Yugo have consulted Porsche on engineering for their cars or engines. Porsche also helped Harley-Davidson design their new engine in their newer V-Rod motorcycle.
Porsche's main rivalry is arguably from Italian specialty automaker Ferrari, though traditionally their vehicles appeal to quite different personalities, if similar demographics.[citation needed] Porsche's rivalry with Ferrari is primarily because of both companies' storied racing heritage and the fact that some of their vehicles are of comparable performance, not because of competition between models. Other rivals include coupes from Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, and BMW.
2005 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S
History
Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the Porsche firm.
The first Porsche, the Porsche 64 from 1938, used many components from the Volkswagen Beetle. The second Porsche model and first production car, the Porsche 356 sports car of 1948, was initially built in Gmünd, Austria, where the company was evacuated to during war times, but after building 49 cars the company relocated back to Zuffenhausen. Many people regard the 356 as the first Porsche simply because it was the first model sold by the fledgling company. Ferdinand Porsche worked with his son Ferry Porsche in designing the 356 but died soon after the first prototype was built. Again, the car used components from the Beetle including its engine, gearbox and suspension. However, the 356 had several evolutions while in production and many VW parts were replaced by Porsche-made parts. The last 356s were powered by 100% Porsche designed engines. The sleek bodywork was designed by Erwin Komenda who had also designed the body of the Beetle.
Porsche factory and headquarters at Zuffenhausen (where 911s are manufactured). Left: Porsche Center Zuffenhausen; Behind left: Body Shell Assembly Plant; Right: Vehicle Assembly Plant.
In 1963, after some success in motor-racing (namely with the Porsche 550 Spyder), the company launched the Porsche 911, another air-cooled, rear-engined sports car, this time with a 6-cylinder "boxer" engine. The team to lay out the bodyshell design was led by Ferry Porsche's eldest son Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (F.A.). The design phase for the 911 caused internal problems with Erwin Komenda who led the body design department until then. F.A. Porsche complained Komenda made changes to the design not being approved by him. Company leader Ferry Porsche took his son's drawings to neighbouring bodyshell manufacturer Reuter bringing the design to the 1963 state. Reuter's workshop was later acquired by Porsche (so-called Werk II). Afterwards Reuter became a seat manufacturer, today known as Keiper-Recaro. The 911 has become Porsche's most well-known model, successful on the race-track, in rallies, and in terms of sales. Far more than any other model, the Porsche brand is defined by the 911. It remains in production; however, after several generations of revision, current-model 911s share only the basic mechanical concept of a rear-engined, six-cylinder coupe, and basic styling cues with the original car. A cost-reduced model with the same body but 356-derived running gear (including its four-cylinder engine) was sold as the 912.
Another view of the facility
The company has always had a close relationship with Volkswagen, and as already mentioned, the first Porsche cars used many Volkswagen components. The two companies collaborated in 1969 to make the VW-Porsche 914 and 914-6, in 1976 with the Porsche 912E (USA only) and the Porsche 924, which used many Audi components and was built at an Audi Neckarsulm factory. Most 944s were also built there even though they used many fewer VW components. The Porsche Cayenne, introduced in 2002, shares its entire chassis with VW Touareg, which are built at the Škoda factory in Bratislava. Both Audi and Škoda are wholly-owned subsidiaries of VW. In late 2005, Porsche took an 18.65% stake in VW, further cementing their relationship and preventing a takeover of VW, which was rumored at the time. Speculated suitors included DaimlerChrysler, BMW and Renault.
The Porsche 912, a Porsche of the 1960s
In 1972 the company's legal form was changed from limited partnership to private limited company (german AG), because Ferry Porsche and his sister Louise Piëch felt their succeeding generation did not team up well. This led to the foundation of an executive board whose members came from outside the Porsche family, and a supervisory board consisting mostly of family members. With this change, no family members were in operational charge of the company. F.A. Porsche founded his own design company, Porsche Design, which is renowned for exclusive sunglasses, watches, furniture and many other luxury articles. Ferdinand Piëch who was responsible for mechanical development of Porsche's serial and racing cars before founded his own engineering bureau and developed a 5-cylinder-inline Diesel engine for Mercedes-Benz. Short time later he changed to Audi and made his career through the whole company including the Volkswagen Group boards.
First CEO of Porsche AG was Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann who had been working at Porsche's engine development before. Fuhrmann (being responsible for the so-called Fuhrmann-engine used in the 356 Carrera models and the 550 Spyder having four ohc-camshafts instead of a central camshaft in the Volkswagen-derived serial engines) planned to cease the 911 during the 70s and replace it with the V8-front engined grand sportswagon 928. As we know today the 911 outlived the 928 by far. Fuhrmann was replaced in the early 80s by Peter W. Schutz, an American manager and self-proclaimed 911 aficionado. He was replaced in 1988 by the former manager of German computer company Nixdorf Computer AG, Arno Bohn, who made some expensive misdecisions leading to his dismissal soon after along with that of development director Dr. Ulrich Bez, formely responsible for BMW's Z1 model and today CEO of Aston Martin. The interim CEO was longtime Porsche employee Heinz Branitzki before Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking became CEO in 1993. Wiedeking took over the board's chair at a point in time when Porsche appeared vulnerable to a takeover by a bigger company. During his nearly 14-year tenure, Wiedeking has remade Porsche into a very efficient and profitable company.
Wendelin Wiedeking, Current President and CEO of Porsche.
In 1990, Porsche had a memorandum of understanding with Toyota to learn and benefit from Japanese production methods. Currently Toyota is assisting Porsche with Hybrid technology, rumored to be making its way into a Hybrid Cayenne SUV.
Ferdinand Porsche's grandson, Ferdinand Piëch, was chairman and CEO of the Volkswagen Group from 1993 to 2002. Today he is chairman of the supervisory board. With 12.8 per cent of the Porsche voting shares, he also remains the second largest individual shareholder of Porsche AG after his cousin F.A. Porsche (13.6 per cent).
Porsche's 2002 introduction of the Cayenne also marked the unveiling of a new production facility in Leipzig, Saxony, which once accounted for nearly half of Porsche's annual output. The Cayenne Turbo S has the second most powerful production engine in Porsche's history (with the most powerful belonging to the Carrera GT).
In 2004, production of the 605 horsepower Carrera GT commenced in Leipzig, and at EUR 450,000 ($440,000 in the United States) it was the most expensive production model Porsche ever built.
As of 2005, the extended Porsche and Piech families controlled all of Porsche AG's voting shares. In early October 2005 the company announced acquisition of an 18.53% stake in Volkswagen AG and disclosed intentions to acquire additional VW shares in the future. As of June 2006, Porsche AG's stake in Volkswagen had risen to 25.1%, giving Porsche a blocking minority, whereby Porsche can veto large corporate decisions undertaken by VW.
In mid-2006, after years of the Boxster (and later the Cayenne) as the top-selling Porsche in North America, the 911 regained its position as Porsche's backbone. In fact, Cayenne sales have declined and 911 sales are high. The 911 currently takes up just under two fifths of Porsche's sales. Cayenne sales take up just under a third, slightly over a tenth of Porsche's sales consist of the Boxster, and the Cayman take up more than a fifth (the Cayman's high sales can be explained by the recent expansion of the line). Total Porsche sales in the United States and Canada hover around 3,000 a month.
Motor-racing
Porsche leads in the number of overall wins at the 24 hours of Le Mans race with 16.
Porsche has been successful in many branches of motor-racing, scoring a total of more than 28,000 victories. As Porsche offered only small capacity cars in the 1950s and 1960s, they scored many wins in their classes, and occasionally also overall victories against bigger cars. Most notably winning the 1964 Road America 500 in an under 2 litre rs-60 driven by Bill Wuesthoff and Augie Pabst. Particular success has been in sports car racing, notably the Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio, races which were later used in the naming of street cars. Also, they did well in the Mille Miglia and especially 24 hours of Le Mans where they have won 16 times overall (more than any other company), plus many class wins. The Porsche 917 is considered one of the most iconic sports racing cars of all time and gave Porsche their first Le Mans win, while open-top versions of it came to utterly dominate Can-Am racing. After dominating Group 4, 5 and 6 racing in the 1970s with the 911-based 934 and 935, and the prototype 936, Porsche moved on to dominate Group C and IMSA GTP in the 1980s with the Porsche 956/962C: one of the most prolific and successful sports prototype racers ever produced. Many Porsche race cars are run successfully by customer teams, financed and run without any factory support - often they have beaten the factory itself. Recently, 996-generation 911 GT3s have dominated their class at Le Mans and similar endurance and GT races.
The various versions of the 911 also proved to be serious competitor in Rally as long as the regulations allowed them to compete. Porsche official team was only present in seldom occasion in Rally, but the best private 911s were often close to other brand works cars. Jean-Pierre Nicolas even managed to win the 1978 Monte Carlo Rally with a private 911 SC. The Paris Dakar Rally was won twice, too using the 911 derived Porsche 959 Group B supercar.
Porsche has also participated in single seater racing with mixed results; Formula Two cars initially based on the RSK sports racer first appeared in the late 1950s and enjoyed some success; these cars moved up to Formula One in 1961 and in 1962 a flat-eight powered 804 produced Porsche's only win as a constructor in a championship race, claimed by Dan Gurney at the 1962 French Grand Prix. One week later, he repeated the success in front of Porsche's home crowd on Stuttgart's Solitude in a non-championship race. At the end of the season, Porsche retired from F1 due to the high costs and lack of success. Privateers continued to enter out-dated Porsche 718 in F1 until 1964.
Porsche returned in 1983 after nearly two decades away, supplying engines badged as TAG units for the McLaren Team. The TAG engine was designed to very tight requirements issued by McLaren's John Barnard - he specified the physical layout of the engine to match the design of his proposed car. The engine was funded by TAG who retained the naming rights to it, although the engines bore "made by Porsche" identification. TAG-Porsche-powered cars took two constructor championships in 1984 and 1985 and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986. Porsche returned to F1 again in 1991 as an engine supplier, however this time with disastrous results: Porsche-powered Footwork cars failed to score a single point, and failed to even qualify for over half the races that year; Porsche has not participated in Formula One since.
Porsche attempted an Indianapolis 500 entry in the late 1970s with a turbocharged 911-based engine in a bespoke car for Danny Ongais and the Interscope team; failure to agree turbo boost levels with USAC meant that this was shelved (though the engine later became the basis of that used in the 956 and 962). They returned to CART in the 1980s with a turbo V8 in their own 2708 chassis, but this did not enjoy any success and a March chassis scored their only successes.
Porsche has sponsored the Carrera Cup and Supercup racing series by providing cars and support since 1990.
Stock and lightly-modified Porsches are raced in many competitions around the world; some of these are primarily amateur classes for enthusiasts, but the Porsche Michelin Supercup is a wholly professional category raced as a support category for European Formula One rounds.
Porsche dropped its factory motorsports programs during the turn of the century (preferring to support privateers) for financial reasons and has only recently made a comeback with the new RS Spyder prototype. Based on LMP2 homologation regulations, the RS Spyder made its debut at Laguna Seca during the final race of the 2005 ALMS season and immediately garnering a class win in the LMP2 class and finishing 5th overall.
Major Victories and Championships
Porsche cars :
14 Makes and Team World Championship (1964, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1994)
8 Long Distance World Championship
3 IMSA Supercar-Series (1991, 1992, 1993)
6 German Racing Championship (1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
20 European Hill Climbing Championship
20 Daytona 24 Hour (1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2003)
15 IMSA Supercar-Race (USA)
16 Le Mans 24 Hour (1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998)
17 Sebring 12 Hour (1960, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988)
11 Targa Florio (1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973)
4 Rallye Monte Carlo (1968, 1969, 1970, 1978)
2 Paris-Dakar Rallye (1984, 1986)
1 Formula 1 victories (1962)
TAG-Porsche engine in McLaren cars :
3 Formula 1 Driver World Championship (1984, 1985, 1986)
2 Formula 1 Constructor World Championship (1984, 1985)
25 Formula 1 victories (1984, 12 wins; 1985, 6 wins; 1986, 4 wins; 1987, 3 wins)
Famous owners
Joshua Bell - owns a 911 turbo
Miles Collier, Jr. - grandson to Barron Collier, purchased the renowned seventy-one car collection of Briggs Cunningham and combined some of it with his own, that includes about twenty Porsche race cars—including their class winners at Sebring, the Porsche 904GT in 1964 and Porsche 917K (Kurzheck) in 1970—when he created a museum dedicated to his father Miles, and uncles, Sam and Barron Jr., who founded the 1933 Automobile Racing Club of America that metamorphosed in 1944 into the Sports Car Club of America
James Dean - died on the way to a hospital after a crash in his pearl-grey Porsche 550 Spyder, caused when he was cut off by another driver, in September 1955 near Cholame, California
Bill Gates - briefly was jailed in Albuquerque for racing his Porsche 911 in the New Mexico desert; imported a Porsche 959 which was impounded by U.S. Customs
Janis Joplin - owned a Porsche 356-C Cabriolet that was extravagantly and psychedelically painted for her by Dave Richards to match her public persona
Steve McQueen - raced Porsche prototypes, owned a Porsche 356 Speedster, a Porsche 908, a Porsche 917, and made a movie dedicated to the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Carl Sagan - astronomer, astrobiologist, scientist, and a highly successful science popularizer—remembered for his articulate explanations of astronomical and cosmological research while commenting upon space exploration to the public—whose Porsche license plate bore the name of a moon of another planet in our solar system
Jerry Seinfeld - rumoured to own one of the largest collections of Porsche automobiles in the world
Lake Underwood - Porsche's Quiet Giant —so named by Excellence magazine (the magazine about Porsche)— has several historic Porsches among his collection
Pronunciation of "Porsche"
"Porsche" is pronounced correctly as, PORSH-uh (IPA /ˈpɔɹʃə/) (correct pronunciation (help·info)) which is how members of the Porsche family pronounce their name.
Some Americans tend to over-compense the e, which results in their pronouncing it, as Por-SCHA (/pɔɹˈʃʌ/). Outside of this group however, the monosyllabic porsh (/pɔɹʃ/) is a common pronunciation.
The correct pronunciation of 'Porsche'
Tractors
Porsche Diesel Super
Porsche Type 110
Porsche AP Series
Porsche Junior (14 hp)
Porsche Standard (25 hp)
Porsche Super (38 hp)
Porsche Master (50 hp)
Porsche 312
Porsche 108F
Porsche R22
Porsche AP16
Consumer models
The 997, currently (as of June, 2006) the top selling model
The 987, the current Boxster model
356 (1948-1965)
550 Spyder (1953-1957)
911 (1964-Present)
911 (1964-1989)
930 (1975-1989)
964 (1989-1993)
993 (1993-1998)
996 (1998-2004)
997 (2004-Present)
912 (1965-1969)
914 (1969-1975)
924 (1976-1988)
928 (1978-1995)
944 (1982-1991)
959 (1986-1988)
968 (1992-1995)
Boxster (1996-Present)
986 (1996-2005)
987 (2005-Present)
Cayenne (2002-Present)
Carrera GT (2004-2006)
Cayman (2006-Present)
Panamera (2009-Unknown)
NOTE: models in bold are current models
North American Monthly Sales Chart (August 2006)
Model
Sales
Percent of Total Sales
911 (997)
990
39%
Boxster (987)
279
11%
Cayman
548
21%
Cayenne
735
29%
Total
2,554
100%
NOTE: this information is from an official Porsche document and is a record of Porsches sold in the United States and Canada during August 2006.
Racing models
64
360 Cisitalia
550 Spyder
718
804
904
906
907
908
909 Bergspyder
910
911
914
917
934
935
936
924
944
956
959
961
Porsche-March 89 P
WSC Joest Spyder
RS Spyder
NOTE: models in bold are current models
Prototypes and concept cars
Porsche 114
Porsche 356/1
Porsche 695 (911 prototype)
Porsche 901 (911 prototype)
Porsche 916 (flat-6 914)
Porsche 959 Prototype
Porsche 942
Porsche 969
Porsche Panamericana
Porsche 989
Porsche Varrera
Porsche Boxster Concept
Porsche Carrera GT Concept
Porsche E2
Associates
Porsche Museum at Porsche official website
Porsche Zuffenhausen at Porsche official website
Porsche Leipzig official website
Porsche Design Group official website
Valmet Automotive official website
Champion Motorsport official website
Christophorus Magazine at Porsche official website
WTA Tour Championships official website
Clubs
Porsche Club of America
Porsche Club of Norway
Porsche Club of NSW
Porsche Club of Great Britain
Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
1996–
Predecessor:
Porsche 968
Class:
Roadster
Body style:
2-door convertible
Porsche 986
Production:
1996–2004
Engine:
2.5 L flat-6 (1997-1999)2.7 L flat-6 (2000-2004)3.2 L flat-6 (2000-2004)
Similar:
Mercedes-Benz SLK-ClassBMW Z3Honda S2000
Porsche 987
Production:
2005–
Engine:
2.7 L flat-6 (2005-)3.2 L flat-6 (2005-2006)3.4 L flat-6 (2007-)
Related:
Porsche Cayman
Similar:
Mercedes-Benz SLK-ClassBMW Z4Chrysler Crossfire
The Boxster, internally known as the 986/987 and/or 986 Boxster/987 Boxster is a mid-engined roadster built by Porsche. Introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model, it is Porsche's smallest and least expensive vehicle, taking over from the 968. Early models were powered by a 201 horsepower 2.5 litre flat six-cylinder engine, although a 2.7 litre, 225 horsepower engine took over in the base model in 2000 and a Boxster S varaint powered by a 3.2 litre, 250 horsepower engine became available in 2000. Engine output was increased again in 2004, to 240 and 280 horsepower respectively, and for 2007, the Boxster will receive new engines, which it will share with the new Cayman.
Production began at the former Porsche 928 facility at Stuttgart in 1996, although a Valmet facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland also builds units under contract to Porsche in order to help meet demand. It was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its introduction in model year 1997 until the company introduced the Cayenne SUV in model year 2003.
The Boxster's name is a combination of the word 'boxer', referring to the vehicle's horizontally-opposed engine, which is commonly reffered to as a "boxer engine" and the word 'roadster' referring to the vehicles convertible top.
986
The styling of the Boxster is owed to former "Style Porsche" department head Harm Lagaay. His Boxster design study and the production Boxster stimulated a commercial turnaround for Porsche after several difficult years of falling sales. The first generation of the Boxster (internally known as the 986) whose visual appearance was heavily inspired by the Porsche Spyder and Speedster. The Boxster features two models; the standard model with a 201 bhp (150 kW), 2.5 L flat six cylinder engine (enlarged to 2.7 L and 217 bhp (162 kW) in 2000 and 225 bhp (168 kW) in 2003), and the model Boxster S with an enlarged 3.2 L engine producing 250 bhp (186 kW) with its debut in 2000 (enlarged to 258 bhp (192 kW) in 2003).
987
The second generation of the Boxster (internally known as the 987) made its debut at the 2004 Paris Motor Show alongside the new 911 (997). The car became available for model year 2005.
The appearance of the car remains very similar to the previous generation. The most obvious styling change is the headlights which moved towards a more classic round style, much like the current generation 911. There has also been a significant update to the intake vents on the sides of the car, which are now larger. Overall, the styling of the car has been updated to match that of its hard top stable mate, the Cayman. The base engine is a 2.7 L 176 kW (240 hp) flat-6, with the Boxster S getting a 3.2 L 206 kW (280 hp) engine. The Cayman series is based off the 987.
For the 2007 model year the Boxster will receive a 5 hp boost (245 hp; the same as the Cayman) and the Boxster S will receive 15 more hp (295 hp; the same as the Cayman S). This upgrade makes the Boxster series and the Cayman series equivalent in terms of horsepower.
Awards
In 1998, after a year of marketplace acceptance in the United States, the original Boxster was the recipient of many awards, including those listed:
Car & Driver / One of the 10 Best Cars of 1997Automobile / Automobile of the YearMotor / 1997 Performance Car of the YearAutocar / Best Roadster in the WorldMotorweek / 1997 Drivers Choice for Best Sports CarPhiladelphia Inquirer / Best Sports Car of the DecadeNewsweek / One of the Best New Products of 1997Business Week / One of the Best New Products of 1997American Marketing Association / Best New Product of 1997Automobile Journalists of Canada / 1997 Car of the YearAutomobile Journalists of Canada / Best Design of 1997
The Boxster has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list seven times, from 1998 through 2003 and in 2006.
The Boxster S (986s) was rated as one of the top ten Porsches of all time by Excellence magazine.
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2002–2006
Class:
Mid-size luxury SUV
Body style:
4-door SUV
Platform:
AWD
Related:
Volkswagen TouaregAudi Q7
Similar:
BMW X5Cadillac SRXInfiniti FX
:
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is an SUV automobile made by Porsche since 2002. It is the first V8-engined vehicle built by Porsche since 1995, when the Porsche 928 was discontinued. Sales of the Cayenne have been strong, with 100,000 sold as of June, 2005, becoming Porsche's best-selling vehicle in North America. 40% of Cayenne sales are in North America. Sales slowed by 2006, however, and Porsche revealed[1] that they would skip the 2007 model year rather than drive down prices with incentives. A redesigned Cayenne model is expected for 2008.
Design
The Cayenne was co-developed with Volkswagen, who were also looking to add an SUV to their lineup, as a cost-sharing initiative. Volkswagen share this chassis (the E chassis) to underpin their Touareg sports utility vehicle, and Audi use an extended version for their Q7, although there are numerous styling, equipment and technical differences between the three vehicles. The Cayenne shares only its base engine with the Touareg, and Porsche's version is substantially modified. There are currently 4 engines available in the Cayenne:
3.2 L 240 PS (247 hp/184 kW) VR6 from Volkswagen (Based on the unit offered in the VW but with modifications made to the intake, exhaust, timing systems and head)
4.5 L 340 PS (335 hp/250 kW) V8 (S)
4.5 L 450 hp (340 kW) 460 ft·lbf (624 N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo)
4.5 L 500 hp (370 kW) 515 ft·lbf (698 N·m) Tequipment twin-turbocharged V8
4.5 L 521 hp (389 kW) 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo S)
Porsche Cayenne S rear
Performance
The turbocharged model has extremely high performance for an SUV. It is roughly as quick to 60 miles per hour as the company's Boxster S (about 5.2 seconds), and the new Tequipment special version will be faster still. Reviews indicate that the Cayenne handles remarkably well for a heavy SUV — much better than the BMW X5, which is saying something — whilst having a comfortable ride, and, by some sources, better off-road ability than BMW X5, Mercedes, and Infiniti. Those cars are, unlike native off-road vehicles, not meant to climb rock mountains and pass deep rivers (due to the price and comfort they offer) but are fully capable to drive "where man need". Many users of SUV/SAV cars report that car's ability to reach any skiing or recreational center and being comfortable during general winter drive is all they need. Other reasons for buying such cars are increased safety, street overview, and independence on "planned route" - which is why many US-based SUVs and pickups lack even 4-wheel drive or self-locking differentials.
The competence, however, comes at a cost, with the "S" V8 model being more expensive than a comparably-specified BMW X5, and the turbocharged model costing nearly $90,200 USD before adding options, about as much as a fully equipped, V8 powered Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The Cayenne's closest rivals in terms of cost and prestige are the Land Rover Range Rover and the BMW X5. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class regrettably falls short of this distinction. The success of the Cayenne has prompted Land Rover to develop the smaller, sportier, and less off-road capable Range Rover Sport as well as to offer a supercharged version of their top-range model.
The Cayenne comes standard with alloy rims from 17"-20" sizes and a vareity of styles. The least-expensive Cayenne model comes standard with the 17" rims, but has the cability to upgrade to any of the four 18"-20" rims. An all-season tire is standard on the 17" rim, and available as a no-cost option for 18" rims. These are the wheels that are most suitable for off-road/snow use. Lower-profile, high performance wheels are standard for wheels above 19". These wheels would not be suitable for off-road/snow use. Porsche/Volkswagen jointly did extensive off-road testing with the Cayenne and Touraeg and both are in actuality extremely capable off-road. Both vehicles are standard with 4-wheel drive, a manually lockable center differential and a "low range" setting. Options to make the vehicles more capable off-road include an available air suspension system which can raise the car's ride height on command and an interior switch allowing the rear differential to be manually locked along with the center unit. At maximum ride height, the air suspension system gives the Cayenne 10.7 inches (272 mm) of ground clearence.
Cayenne Turbo S
Porsche introduced a higher-output Turbo S version at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show to compete with the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, which produces 510 hp (375 kW) and accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds. The Turbo S produces 520 hp (389 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m), making it the second most powerful vehicle Porsche has ever built for the road, after the Carrera GT. It is able to accelerate to 60 mph quicker than the Cayman S at 4.8 seconds (mfg. claim).
The Turbo S also has a recalibrated suspension, 20 inch wheels, and larger brake discs. It lowers 27 mm above 125 km/h and 11 mm more above 210 km/h.
Controversy
Some Porsche enthusiasts are unhappy with the company for producing an SUV, seeing it as diluting the meaning of the brand. According to Wheels, a well-regarded Australian car magazine, the decision to develop the Cayenne was a contentious one for the company for this reason. Management reportedly felt, however, that the company needed a more dependable source of revenue than the fickle sports car market. Much of the disapproval from Porsche owners come from the joint development of the car with Volkswagen. Although both the Cayenne and Touareg are solid SUVs in the market today, many believe the Cayenne would be superior in many departments if developed solely by Porsche. Some believe the Touareg is a better executed car available for significantly less money.
In May 2004, Porsche issued a recall on the Cayennes for seatbelts that do not function properly during a collison.
At the IAA 2005, Porsche announced it will produce a hybrid version of the Cayenne before 2010.
It is also rumored that Porsche could produce a second SUV, a mini-Cayenne based on the Audi Q5.
External links
Porsche official website
Cayenne models at official website
Cayenne
Cayenne S
Cayenne S Titanium Edition
Cayenne Turbo
Cayenne Turbo S
AutoGuideWiki.com
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche Carrera GT
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2004–2006
Predecessor:
Porsche 959
Class:
Supercar / Ultracar
Body style:
2-door roadster
Platform:
mid-engine RWD
Engine:
5.7 L V10
Similar:
Ferrari Enzo FerrariKoenigsegg CCXLamborghini MurciélagoMercedes-Benz SLR McLarenPagani Zonda
The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany.
History
Porsche began developing the Carrera GT in 2000 as a successor to the 911 GT1 car they had discontinued in late 1998 because of FIA rule changes. However, there was speculation that Porsche discontinued development at the behest of VW/Audi chairman Ferdinand Piëch - Piëch was reportedly concerned over the prospect of a Porsche vehicle competing against the Audi R8 race car, which had just been introduced. As a member of the Porsche family, Piëch holds a seat on the company's board of directors and owns a percentage of the firm, so his influence could be exacted from inside. In addition, Porsche needed to free up capital and manpower for development work on the Cayenne, and dropping development of the race car made it possible.
Porsche did however produce one unit, and showed it at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, mainly in an attempt to draw attention to their display. Surprising interest in the vehicle and an influx of revenue being provided by the Cayenne helped Porsche decide to make use of the car, and development started on a road-legal version that would be produced in small numbers at Porsche's new manufacturing facility in Leipzig. Porsche started a production run of Carrera GTs in 2004, shipping the units with an MSRP of $440,000 USD and a dealer invoice price of approximately $414,800 USD. In addition, the delivery charge could be as much as $15,000 USD.
Originally, a production run of 1,500 cars was slated. But Porsche announced in August, 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT throughout 2006, reducing the total production estimate to 1,250 units. Porsche announced that this discontinuation was due to changing airbag regulations in the US. However, reports of diminishing sales volumes, relatively high dealer inventory levels, and dealer discounts below MSRP were reported by the automotive press as being the true factors driving an early end to the production run. Despite the early end to production, sales of the Carrera GT were a huge success, with worldwide sales volumes surpassing the combined totals of Ferrari's Enzo, Mercedes' McLaren SLR, and Pagani's Zonda models[citation needed].
340 Carrera GTs were sold in the United States in 2005. Production of the Carrera GT stopped on May 6, 2006 after more than 1270 units had been manufactured. Approximately half of the vehicles were sold in North America.
Design
The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph). The Carrera GT has a basic 5 colour paint schemes which include: Black, Guards Red, Fayence Yellow, Basalt Black, GT Silver and Seal Grey. A six-speed manual transmission is the only available transmission, in contrast to its rival the Ferrari Enzo which is only offered with sequential manual transmission. With the Ferrari Enzo priced around $660,000, the Carrera GT base price of $448,400 makes the dream of owning a piece of Le Mans inspired technology somewhat more attainable. The Carrera GT is also priced at $559,000 in Canadian dollars, and at 390,000 in Euros.
The Carrera GT has large side inlets and airdams that help cool the large V-10 that lies framed by the carbon fibre rear hood. Fitted with Porsche's latest brake system, the 15 inch ceramic pad brakes make a stunning appearance underneath the 19 inch front and 20 inch rear tires. Similar to other Porsche Models, the GT includes an automated rear wing spoiler which deploys in the higher ranges of speed (70 mph).
Technology
The Porsche Carrera GT's carbon-ceramic (silicon carbide) disc brake
Technology of note includes a pure carbon fibre monocoque and subframe, dry sump lubrication and inboard suspension. The carbon fibre monocoque and subframe were produced and assembled by the ATR Composites Group of Italy. The main innovation on this vehicle however is the use of a ceramic clutch. This is the first appearance of this race car technology in a road car. The clutch, although difficult to master, allows the engine to sit lower in the chassis than in any other super car, both improving its aerodynamics and lowering its center of gravity.
Despite a seemingly difficult clutch, Porsche incorporated computer management of the clutch when the car is on an incline. Drivers are able to lift completely off the clutch and not stall the car. [1]
Unlike some of its rivals, the Carrera GT does not use the same electronic driving aids such as dynamic stability control, but it does have traction control. Porsche engineers have designed a communicative chassis and rely on the ability of the driver.
Owners
Famous Carrera GT owners include:
Jay Leno - Tonight Show Host
Ralph Lauren - Fashion Designer
Jerry Seinfeld - Comedian / Actor
Tiger Woods - Professional Golfer-- (which is currently for sale)
Thierry Henry - professionall footballer
Gallery
Porsche Carrera GT front
Porsche Carrera GT rear
Porsche Carrera GT interior - note placement of the gear selector immediately adjacent to the steering wheel
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche official web site
Porsche Carrera GT Gallery - 30 Porches Carrera GT pictures
SuperCarNews Carrera GT Image Gallery - High Resolution Porsche Carrera GT Images
AutoGuideWiki.com
Porsche Carrera GT Article
Porsche Panamera
This article or section contains information about a scheduled or anticipated future automobile.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature, but is usually sourced from the automotive news media, automaker media press releases, or other news sources. The content and specifications for upcoming vehicles may change significantly as the vehicle nears production and more information becomes available. Upcoming automobiles are also subject to delays or even cancellation by the automaker.
Porsche Panamera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Class:
Full-size luxury car
Body style:
4-door coupe
Similar:
Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG
The Porsche Panamera is a four-door, four-seat coupe, currently still in concept stages, set to be launched in 2009. It will be front engined and rear wheel drive and powered by a modified version of the 4.5 L V8 found in the Cayenne, equipped with the FSI system invented by Volkswagen (Porsche and Volkswagen collaborated on the Cayenne/Touareg sport utility vehicle). Rumours suggest that the V10 engine from Porsche's limited-run Carrera GT supercar may be offered as well, although this is still extremely unlikely given the expense of manufacturing the engine and that Porsche does not currently have a facility capable of producing a suitable number of the V10 per year.
The final assembly of the vehicles will take place in Leipzig. Engines will be assembled in Stuttgart, and the car's painted body will come from the Volkswagen facility in Hanover.
The Panamera is generally considered to be the long-awaited fruit of their 989 concept from the late 1980s; some argue that it also presents itself as a suitable successor to the 2-doored 928, although some amount of debate surrounds this. It will be marketed as a direct competitor to automobiles such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG and Maserati Quattroporte and (to a lesser degree) a less expensive alternative to vehicles such the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Aston Martin Rapide. It is the first V8-engined sports car built by Porsche since 1995, when the 928 was discontinued and will be produced in the new plant at Leipzig alongside the Cayenne.
Artist renderings of the car already distributed by Porsche show a low-slung, four-door sports car with narrow side windows and flowing lines.
The Panamera's name is derived, like the Porsche Carrera line, from the Carrera Panamericana race. Earlier prototypes of four-door sedans such as the 1991 Porsche 989 prototype or the even earlier 4 door 911 based prototype, never went into production.
This article about a car produced after 1975 is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Cayman S
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2006–
Predecessor:
Porsche 968
Class:
Sports car
Body style:
2-door coupe
Platform:
mid-engine RWD
Engine:
2.7 L flat-6 boxer3.4 L flat-6 boxer
Related:
Porsche 987
The Porsche Cayman S is a mid-engine 2-seat sports car launched for the 2006 model year. It is based on the compact Porsche 911 but uses a modified flat-6 engine, which is at 3.4 liters in terms of engine size and performance in between the Boxster and the 911. The Cayman S is intended to be a purer sports car than the Boxster, with a stiffer suspension and higher performance. Whilst very similar in looks to a Porsche 911, it is similar in performance to a Boxster.
The Cayman S is produced alongside the Boxster by Valmet in Finland. The name "Cayman" is said to be an alternate spelling of caiman, a species of reptile closely related to the alligator, and has nothing to do with the Cayman Islands. Porsche has, in fact, donated to a Stuttgart zoo's caiman exhibit, because of the shared namesakes between the animal and the automobile.
Development
The Porsche Cayman S at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The Cayman series (project code 987 C7S) was developed for two years. The first official photographs and technical details were released by Porsche in May 2005. The Cayman S had its public launch in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show It was spied on numerous times, often referred to as a Boxster coupe. During prototype testing, rally legend Walter Röhrl reportedly lapped the Nürburgring track faster than the 911 Carrera's time of 8 minutes, 15 seconds. The Cayman S and the 911 Carrera come close in terms of performance, leaving it open whether sales of the Cayman S will cannibalize sales of the 911 Carrera, which is $12,400 more expensive than the Cayman S in the United States. Furthermore, a motorsport-tuned Cayman ("Cayman RS") has been rumored to be in testing at the Nürburgring. [1] The Cayman (without an "S") was released in July, 2006.
Statistics
Model
MSRP (Cost in USD)
Horsepower
Torque
0-60 Acceleration
Top Speed
Official Model Site/Minisite
Cayman
$49,400
245 hp
201 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque
5.8 s
160 mph
[2]/[3]
Cayman S
$58,900
295 hp
250 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque
5.1 s
171 mph
[4]/[5]
The Cayman shares the mid-engined platform of the Boxster, along with its interior, front end, doors, and lights. The Cayman sports a 2.7 litre engine, while the Cayman S has a 3.4 litre engine. It has a glass hatchback for added practicality. Suspension is the same as in the Boxster. Six-speed manual and optional 5-speed Tiptronic transmissions are available. A Sport Chrono Package including PASM and ceramic composite brakes is also available.
See also
Porsche Boxster
Porsche 997
The Porsche Cayman
References
Official Porsche website
Cayman models at official Porsche website
Cayman
Cayman S
Official Cayman minisite
Official Cayman S minisite
Official PCA Cayman Register
Unofficial Cayman Enthusiast site
Automobile Magazine Page 42 August 2005 issue
Feature Story and Wallpaper MPH Magazine Nov. 2005 issue
Outdoor Ads
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 (pronounced as nine eleven) is a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive and durable car has undergone continuous development since its introduction in 1964. Mechanically it is notable for being rear engined and, until the introduction of the all-new Type 996 in 1999, air-cooled. All 911s use six-cylinder boxer engines.
Since its inception the 911 has been modified, both by private teams and the factory itself, for racing, rallying and other types of automotive competition. It is often cited as the most successful competition car ever, especially when its variations are included, mainly the powerful 935.
In the international poll for the award of the world's most influential car of the twentieth century the 911 came fifth after the Ford Model T, the Mini, the Citroën DS and the Volkswagen Beetle.
Porsche 911 in hillclimb
A 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
History
A note on designations: the series letter (A, B, C, etc.) is used by Porsche to indicate the revision for production cars. It often changes annually to reflect changes for the new model year. The first 911 models are the 'A series', the first 993 cars are the 'R series'.)
A note on the models listed: not all of the Porsche 911 models ever produced are mentioned here. The listed models are notable for their role in the advancements in technology and their influence on the following vehicles from Porsche.
A note on model names: although the articles below use Porsche's internal classifications (911, 964, 993, 996, 997) the car was always sold as 911. "Carrera", "GT3", "Turbo", etc. refer to the specific model trim (they are all 911s).
Air-Cooled Engines (1964 - 1998)
911 Series (1964-1989)
Porsche 911
Also called:
Porsche 911Porsche Carrera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
1964–1989
Predecessor:
Porsche 356
Successor:
Still in production
Class:
RR or All wheel drive sports car
Body style:
2-door Coupe
Engine:
2.0 L flat-6-3.3 L flat-6
The 911 was developed as a much more powerful, larger, more comfortable replacement for the Porsche 356, the company's first model, and essentially a sporting evolution of the Volkswagen Beetle. The new car made its public debut at the 1963 Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, better known to English speakers as the Frankfurt motor show.
It was designated as the 'Porsche 901' (901 being its internal project number). Peugeot protested on the grounds that they owned the trademark to all car names formed by three numbers with a zero in the middle. So, before production started, the new Porsche had its name changed to 911. It went on sale in 1964.
]
911 2.0-litre / O, A and B series (1964-1969)
The earliest editions of the 911 had a 130 PS1 (96 kW) six-cylinder engine, in the 'boxer' configuration like the 356, air-cooled and rear-mounted, displaced 1991 cc compared with the 356's four-cylinder 1600 cc unit. The car had four seats although the rear seats are very small, and the car is usually called a 2+2 rather than a four-seater (the 356 was also a 2+2). It was mated to a five speed manual 'Type 901' transmission. The styling was largely by Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, son of Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche. Erwin Komenda, the leader of the Porsche car body construction department, was also involved in the design.
The 356 came to the end of its production life in 1965, but there was still a market for a 4-cylinder car, particularly in the USA. The Porsche 912, introduced the same year, served as a direct replacement. It used the 356's 4-cylinder, 1600 cc 90 PS (66 kW) engine but wore the 911 bodywork.
In 1966 Porsche introduced the more powerful 911S, the engine's power raised to 160 PS (118 kW). Alloy wheels from Fuchs, in a distinctive 5-leaf design, were offered for the first time. In motorsport at the same time, installed in the mid-engined Porsche 904 and Porsche 906, the engine was developed to 210 PS (154 kW).
In 1967 the Targa version was introduced. The Targa had a removable roof panel, a removable plastic rear window (although a fixed glass version was offered alongside from 1968) and a stainless steel-clad roll bar. (Porsche had, at one point, thought that the NHTSA would outlaw fully open convertibles in the US, an important market for the 911, and introduced the Targa as a 'stop gap' model.) The name 'Targa' came from the Targa Florio road race in Sicily, in which Porsche had notable success: victories in 1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1973.
The 110 PS (81 kW) 911T was also launched in 1967 and effectively replaced the 912. The staple 130 PS (96 kW) model was renamed the 911L. More excitingly, the 911R was produced in tiny numbers (20 in all). This was a lightweight racing version with thin aluminium doors, a magnesium crankcase, twin-spark cylinder heads, and a power output of 210 PS (154 kW).
In 1968 the B series was introduced: the wheelbase for all 911 and 912 models was increased from 2211 mm to 2268 mm, an effective remedy to the car's nervous handling at the limit. The overall length of the car did not change: rather, the rear wheels were relocated aft. Fuel injection arrived for the 911S and for a new middle model, 911E. A semi-automatic Sportomatic [1] model, composed of a torque converter, an automatic clutch, and the four speed transmission, was added to the product lineup.
911 2.2-litre / C and D series (1970-1971)
For the 1970 model year the engines of all 911s was increased to 2195 cc. Power outputs were uprated to 125 PS (92 kW) in the 911T, 155 PS (114 kW) in the 911E, and 180 PS (118 kW) in the 911S. The 912 was discontinued, thanks to the introduction of the Porsche 914 as an entry model.
The 2.2 L 911E was called "The secret weapon from Zuffenhausen". Despite the lower power output of the 911E (155 PS) compared to the 911S (180 PS) the 911E was quicker in acceleration up to 160 km/h (100 mph).
[
911 2.4-litre / E and F series (1972-1973)
The 1972-1973 model years consisted of the same models of 911—the entry level T, the midrange E and the top of the line S. However, all models got a new, larger 2341 cc/142 in³ engine. This is universally known as the "2.4 L" engine, despite its displacement being closer to 2.3 litres — perhaps to emphasize the increase over the 2.2. The new power ratings were 130 PS (96 kW), or 140 hp (104 kW) in the U.S., for the T, 165 PS (121 kW) for the E and 190 PS (140 kW) for the S.
The 911E and 911S used mechanical fuel injection (MFI) in all markets. The US 911T 911T was carbureted, except in the US where it also used MFI, which accounts for the 7 kW power difference between the two. In January, 1973, US 911Ts were switched to the new K-Jetronic CIS (Continuous Fuel Injection) system from Bosch. These cars are commonly referred to as 1973.5 models.
With the power and torque increases, the 2.4 L cars also got a newer, stronger transmission, identified by its Porsche type number 915. Derived from the transmission in the Porsche 908 race car, the 915 did away with the 901/911 transmission's 'dog-leg' style first gear arrangement, opting for a traditional H pattern with first gear up to the left, second gear underneath first, etc. Some say this was because the dog-leg shift to second gear was inconvenient for in town driving, other say it was due to Porsche’s desire to put 5th gear outside the main transmission housing where it could easily be changed for different races. The Sportomatic transmission was still available, but only as a special order.
In 1972 tremendous effort was made to improve the handling of the 911. One thing Porsche did was relocate the oil tank from its position behind the right rear wheel to in front of it. This had the effect of moving the weight of almost 9 quarts of oil from outside the wheelbase to inside, improving the handling. To facilitate filling of the oil tank, Porsche installed an oil filler door (much like the fuel filler door on the left front fender) on the right rear quarter panel. Unfortunately, this unique design was scrapped after only one year, some say because inattentive gas station attendants were putting gas in the oil tank! The oil tank was moved back to its original position for the 1973 model year, and there is stayed until it was moved back within the wheelbase for the 964 models.
These cars also gained a discreet spoiler under the front bumper to help high-speed stability. With the car's weight only 1050 kg (2314 lb), these are often regarded as the best classic mainstream 911s. For racing at this time, the 911 ST was made in tiny numbers. The cars were available with engines of either 2466 cc or 2492 cc, producing 270 PS (199 kW) at 8000 rpm. Weight was down to 960 kg. The cars had success at the Daytona 6 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, the 1000Km Nurburgring and the Targa Florio.
911 Carrera RS 2.7 (1972-1974)
This model, much prized by collectors, is one of the all-time classic 911s. It was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded that a certain minimum number of production cars were made. Compared with a standard 911S, the Carrera RS had a larger engine (2687 cc) developing 210 PS (154 kW), revised and stiffened suspension, a 'ducktail' rear spoiler, larger brakes, larger wheels & wheel-arches, and was about 150 kg lighter — most of the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell. In total 1636 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be made to qualify for the vital FIA Group 4 class. A more powerful version, the Carrera RS 3.0, was also made. The 3.0 L cars used standard-gauge steel, and thanks to that extra 180 kg the extra 20 PS (15 kW) did not give it a performance advantage.
The Carrera RSR 3.0 and Carrera RSR Turbo (its 2.1 L engine due to a 1.4x equivalency formula) were made in tiny numbers for racing. The turbo car came second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1974, a significant event in that its engine would form the basis of many future Porsche assaults on sportscar racing, and can be regarded as the start of its commitment to turbocharging. The large rear spoiler and the 3.0 turbo engine were to be used again in the production 911 Turbo and the 934 racing car.
911 2.7-litre / G, H, I and J series (1974-1977)
From 1974 a detuned version of the 2687 cc engine from the Carrera RS was used in the mainstream production cars. The cars looked rather different from the previous year's, thanks to bulky new bumpers front and rear, to conform with low-speed impact protection requirements of US law. The interior was refreshed too. The model line-up was now: 911, 911S and 911 Carrera (the latter now a regular production model). The Turbo was introduced in 1975 (see below). In 1976 the Carrera model was upgraded to what was essentially the Turbo's 2992 cc engine, minus the turbocharger, developing 200 PS (147 kW). The 2.7 engines proved to be less reliable than the 'bulletproof' 2.4 units. In effect, the 2.4 L engine had been enlarged with no additional cooling capacity. The engines saw problems, particularly in hot climates, where the different rates of thermal expansion between the magnesium of the crankcase and the aluminium of the cylinder heads contributed to major failure. In addition, some engines saw problems whereby the cylinder head studs would pull themselves out of the crankcase. The 3.0 L engine of the Turbo and Carrera had not used magnesium, but rather aluminium, thereby showing equal expansion rates to the cylinders. The move to that engine across the board was welcome for reliability reasons. However, the aluminium case weighed 15 lb more than the magnesium one. In addition with the 1973.5 engines Porsche moved away from MFI to Bosch K-Jetronic CIS. This system varied fuel pressure to the injectors dependant on the mass airflow. While this system was exceedingly reliable, it did not allow the use of as "hot" cams as MFI or carburators allowed. Therefore the 911S's horsepower decreased from 190 to 175 despite the displacement increase from 2.4 to 2.7 L. However, the engine did have increased drivability.
Also produced for the 1976 "model year", for the U.S. market, was the 912E, a 4-cylinder version of the 911 like the old 912 that had last been produced in 1969. It used the I-series chassis and the 2.0 Volkswagen engine from the Porsche 914. In all, 2099 units were produced. In 1976 the Porsche 924 took this car's place for the 1977 "model year" and beyond.
Position vis-à-vis the Porsche 928
Although Porsche was continuing development of the 911, executives were troubled by its declining sales numbers and in 1971 greenlighted work on the Porsche 928. Larger, with a front-mounted V8 engine that was considerably more powerful than the contemporary 911's, the 928 was not only designed to eclipse its performance, it was designed to be a more comfortable car, a sporty grand tourer rather than a focused sports car. The 928 sold reasonably well, and managed to survive from its introduction in 1977 until 1995. Throughout its 17 years, despite its capabilities on the road, it never outsold the 911. Notably, it achieved little success in racing.
911 Turbo (Type 930) (1975-1989)
Main article: Porsche 930
In 1975 Porsche introduced the first production turbocharged 911. Although called simply Porsche 911 Turbo in Europe, it was marketed as Porsche 930 (930 being its internal type number) in North America. The body shape is distinctive thanks to wide wheel-arches to accommodate the wide tyres, and a large rear spoiler often known as a 'whale tail' on the early cars, and 'tea-tray' on the later ones. Starting out with a 3.0-litre engine (260 PS or 191 kW), it rose to 3.3 L (300 PS or 221 kW) for 1978. The early cars are known for extreme turbo lag.
Production figures of the car soon qualified its racing incarnation for FIA Group 4 competition as the Porsche 934, of 1976. Many participated at Le Mans and other races including some epic battles with the BMW 3.0 CSL 'Batmobile'. The wilder Porsche 935, a more highly tuned car in FIA Group 5 and evolved from the 2.1 L RSR Turbo of 1974, was campaigned in 1976 by the factory and won Le Mans in 1979. Private teams continued to compete successfully with the car until well into the 1980s.
As demand for the Turbo soared in the late 1980s, Porsche introduced novelty variants including a slant-nose version, while not significantly improving the range mechanically. Although these cars could be sold for extraordinary premiums over the standard models, the company's reluctance to invest in research and development of the entire 911 line at that time turned out to be an almost fatal decision not only for the 911, but for the entire company.
Only in its last production year the 930 was equipped with a five-speed gearbox. Before, the five-speed gearboxes of the naturally-aspirated cars were not strong enough to cope with the torque of the turbo engines. With the four-speed gearbox the 930 was capable of exceeding 200 km/h (125 mph) in third gear!
There have been turbocharged variants of each subsequent generation of 911. Four-wheel-drive was standard from the 993 Generation and on, except for the lightweight GT2.
911 SC (1978-1983)
SC stands for "Super Carrera" (although Porsche never claimed this or marketed it as such). All 911 models standardized on the 2994 cc engine for late 1977. This engine was a unit fresh from the factory delivering 180 PS (132 kW) that was still capable of substantial extra tuning, compared with the 2.7 which was almost at its limit. Yet, the weight of the extra equipment on these cars was blunting performance compared with what would have been expected from earlier, lighter cars with the same power output.
SCs sold in the UK could be specified with the Sport Group Package (UK) which added the rear spoiler, front air dam and black Fuchs wheels.
In 1981 a Cabriolet concept car was shown at the Frankfurt motorshow. Not only was the car a drop top, but it also featured four-wheel drive. In late 1982 (débuting as the 1983 model) the first 911 cabriolet went on sale (the first Porsche cabriolet since the 356). To many, this was a much more attractive car than the Targa, the other open-top 911. But while the Targa was priced to match the regular car, the Cabriolet cost significantly more. Cabriolet versions of the 911 have been offered ever since.
In 1979 Porsche made plans to replace the 911 with the 928, but the 911 still sold so much better than the 928, that Porsche revised its strategy and inject new life into the Type 911 European editions. Those cars (1981-1983 911 SCs) were massaged to yield 204 bhp @ 5900 rpm from their 2994 cc powerplants. North Americans would have to wait for the replacement 3.2 L 911 Carrera in 1984 before seeing any extra horsepower.
911 3.2 Carrera (1984-1989)
In 1984 a new 3.2 L car replaced the 3.0 L SC model. It was badged '911 Carrera' but known as '3.2 Carrera', the first time the sporty label had been applied to the basic 911. Power was increased, brakes were better, the fuel injection was upgraded to enhance everyday reliability, and the car was more refined. The non-Turbo models became available as 'Turbo-look' or 'Super Sport', a style that aped the Turbo with wide wheel-arches and the 'whale-tail', but did not reflect any mechanical changes.
In 1987, the Carrera got a new five-speed gearbox sourced from Getrag, model number G50. This included a hydraulic clutch.
The 911 Speedster, a low-roof version of the Cabriolet, evocative of the Porsche 356 Speedster of the 1950s, was produced in limited numbers. The Carrera Club Sport from 1987 (340 produced) is highly collectible. It was stripped of electric windows, electric seats, and radio to save a claimed 50 kg in weight. Its engine was allowed to rev higher, and the engine developed a little more power.
964 Series (1989-1993)
1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
Main article: Porsche 964
In late 1989, the 911 underwent a major evolution with the introduction of the Type 964.
This would be a very important car for Porsche, since the world economy was undergoing recession and the company could not rely on its image alone. It was launched as the Carrera 4, the '4' indicating four-wheel-drive, a decision that surprised many but demonstrated the company's commitment to engineering by reminding buyers that race and rally engineering (of the 959) does affect road cars. Drag coefficient was down to 0.32. A rear spoiler deployed at high speed, preserving the purity of line when the vehicle was at rest. The chassis was redesigned overall. Coil springs, ABS brakes and power steering made their debut. The engine was increased in size to 3600 cc and developed 250 PS (184 kW). The car was more refined, but thought by some journalists to have lost some purity of the 911's concept. The rear-wheel-drive version, the Carrera 2, arrived a year later.
The 964 incarnation of the 911 Turbo returned in 1990 after an absence from the price lists, using a refined 3.3 L engine of the previous Turbo, but two years later a turbo engine based on the 3.6 L engine of the other models was introduced.
Porsche introduced the ahead-of-its-time Tiptronic automatic transmission in the 964 Carrera 2, featuring adaptive electronic management and full manual control. The 964 was one of the first cars in the world offered with dual airbags standard (from 1991).
In 1992, Porsche re-introduced a limited-edition RS model, inspired by the 1973 Carrera RS and emissions-legal in Europe only. Appeals from American customers resulted in Porsche developing the RS America of which 701 were built. However, while European RS was a homologation special, RS America was a low spec variant of the regular model. The RS 3.8 of 1993 had Turbo-style bodywork, a larger fixed whale tail in place of the moveable rear spoiler, and a 300 PS (221 kW) 3746 cc engine.
Since the RS/RS America was intended as a no-frills, higher performance version of the 964, there were only 4 factory options available: a limited-slip differential, AM/FM cassette stereo, air conditioning, and a sunroof. The interior was more basic than a standard 911 as well; for example the interior door panels lacked the armrests and door pockets and had a simple pull strap for the opening mechanism. Although RS America was about $10,000 cheaper than a fully-equipped C2 at the time of their production, these models now command a premium price on the used market over a standard 964 (RS Europe was about $20,000 more expensive than a C2).
964 Turbo (1990-1993)
In 1990 Porsche introduced a Turbo version of the 964 series. This car is sometimes mistakenly called 965 (this type number actually referred to a stillborn project that would have been a hi-tech turbocharged car in the vein of the 959). For the 1991 and 1992 model years, Porsche produced the 964 Turbo with the 930's proven 3.3 L engine, improved to produce 320 PS (235 kW). 1993 brought the Carrera 2/4's 3.6 L engine, now in turbo-charged form and sending a staggering 360 PS (265 kW) to the rear wheels. With the 993 on the way, this car was produced through 1994 and remains rather rare.
993 Series (1993-1998)
Main article: Porsche 993
The mid-nineties Type 993 had sleeker bodywork. This is the lightweight GT2 variant.
The 911 was again revised in 1993 and was now known as the Type 993. This car was significant as it was the final incarnation of the air-cooled 911, introduced in 1964.
The exterior featured an all new front and rear end, with only the windscreen, side windows and doors maintained from the previous 964. The revised bodywork was smoother, having a noticeably more aerodynamic front end somewhat reminiscent of the Porsche 959. Styling was by Englishman Tony Hatter under the supervision of design chief Harm Lagaay.
Along with the revised bodywork, mechanically the 993 also featured all-new multilink rear suspension that improved the car's ride and handling.
The new suspension, along with chassis refinements, enabled the car to keep up dynamically with the competition. Engine capacity remained at 3.6 L, but power rose to 272 PS (200 kW) thanks to better engine management and exhaust design, and beginning with model year 1996 to 286 PS (210 kW). A new four-wheel-drive made a return as an option in the form of the Carrera 4, the rear wheel drive versions simply being called Carrera. A lightweight RS version saw capacity rise to 3.8 L, with power reaching 300 PS (221 kW). The RS version had rear-wheel drive only.
Non-turbo models appeared that used the Turbo's wide bodyshell and some other components (the Carrera 4S and later the Carrera S).
The Targa open-topped model also made a return, this time with a large glass roof that slid under the rear window.
The Targa and wide-body versions remained in production in model year 1998, when the entirely new Porsche 996 was launched, the 993´s successor.
993 Turbo (1995-1998)
A Turbo version of the 993 was launched in 1995 and became the first standard production Porsche with twin turbochargers and the first 911 Turbo to be equipped with all-wheel-drive (in order to delete the 4WD, one had to refer to the more powerful and race homologated GT2). The similarity in specification and in performance levels inspired several comparison road tests with the Porsche 959 (f.e. Car and Driver, July 1997, p. 63).
Water-Cooled Engines (1998-Present)
996 Series (1998-2004)
Main article: Porsche 996
996 Carrera 4S
After 34 years in production the famous air-cooled 911 was replaced by an all-new water-cooled model. Known as the Type 996 this car was a major leap for Porsche, although many of the traits that made the 911 what it was during the past 34 years still remained with the new model. As with the 993 before it the 996 was also a significant model, but mainly for the way it was conceived and designed, and the effect it had on Porsche during the 1990s.
Pundits criticised the 996's styling a great deal, largely because it shared its headlamps — indeed much of its front end, mechanically — with the less expensive Boxster. The 996 had been on the drawing board first and was a more advanced car in some respects, but the cost-cutting seemed inappropriate for an expensive car. Otherwise, the Pinky Lai-penned shape followed the original Butzi Porsche design very closely. The interior was further criticised for its plainness and its lack of relationship to prior 911 interiors, although this came largely from owners of older 911s.
The Type 996 spawned over a dozen variations, including all wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models, the club racing-oriented GT3, and the forced-induction 996 Turbo and GT2. The Turbo, four-wheel-drive and twin-turbo, often made appearances in magazines' lists of the best cars on sale.
The Carrera and Carrera 4 underwent revisions for model year 2002, receiving the front headlight/indicator lights which were first seen on the Turbo version two years earlier. This allowed the 911 to be more distinguishable from the Boxster. A mildy revised front fascia was also intorduced, though the basic architecture remained.
Engine wise, displacement was 3.4 L and power 300 PS (221 kW), increased in 2002 to 3.6 L and 320 PS (235 kW).
996 GT3 (1999-2004)
996 GT3 RS
Porsche unveiled a road-going GT3 version of the 996 series which was derived from the racing GT3. Simply called GT3, the car featured lightweight materials inside and out, including thinner windows, the GT3 was a lighter and more focused 911 with the emphasis on handling and performance. The suspension was lower and more aggressive than other 996s, leading to excellent handling and razor-sharp steering though the ride was very very firm. Of more significance was the engine used in the GT3. Instead of using a version of the water-cooled units found in other 996s, the naturally-aspirated engine was derived from the Porsche 911 GT1-98 sports-prototype racing car and featured lightweight materials which enabled the engine to rev highly.
996 Turbo (2000-2004)
996 Turbo X50
In 2000, Porsche launched the Turbo version of the Type 996. Like the GT3, the new Turbo engine derived from the 911 GT1 engine and, like its predecessor, featured twin-turbos and now developed 420 PS (309 kW). Also like its predecessor the new Turbo was only available with 4 wheel drive. A 17,000 USD factory option, the X50 package, was available that boosted the engine output to a tidy 450 PS with 620 N·m (457 lbf·ft) of torque across a wide section of the power band. With the X50 package in place the car could make 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.8 seconds.
Styling wise, the car was more individual than previous Turbos. Along with the traditional wider rear wings, the 996 Turbo had different front lights and bumpers when compared to the Carrera and Carrera 4. The rear bumper had air vents that were reminiscent of those on the Porsche 959 and there were large vents on the front bumper, which have been copied on the Carrera 4S and Cayenne Turbo.
997 Series (2004-Present)
Main article: Porsche 997
997 Carrera S
In 2004 the 911 was heavily revised and the 996's replacement, the 997, was unveiled in July. The 997 keeps the basic profile of the 996, bringing the drag coefficient down to 0.28, but draws on the 993 for detailing. In addition, the new front fascia is reminiscent of the older generation "bug eye" headlights. Its interior is also similarly revised, with strong links to the earlier 911 interiors while at the same time looking fresh and modern. The 997 shares about 30% of its parts with the outgoing 996, but is still technically very similar to it. The 0-100 km/h acceleration for the Carrera S was noted to be as fast as 4.2 seconds in a recent Motor Trend comparison, but other sources contradict that. Type 997 versions of the GT2 and Turbo S have yet to have a released introduction date. The Targas (4 and 4S) will be released in November 2006.
997 Turbo (2006-Present)
997 Turbo
In 2006 Porsche unveiled the Turbo version of the 997 series. Still simply called the Turbo the new car was a heavily revised over the 996 Turbo, incorporating many of the upgrades from the Carrera versions of the 997 when it was launched in 2004.
The Turbo still featured the same 3.6 L twin-turbocharged engine as the 996 Turbo, but this time it developed 480 PS (353 kW) and 620 N·m (457 lbf·ft) of torque. This was in part due to the 997's new variable-geometry turbocharger (a first on a petrol-engined road car) which essentially combines the low-rev boost and quick responses of a small turbocharger with the high-rev power of a larger turbocharger. As well as producing more power and flexibility, the new turbocharger improved fuel consumption over the 996 Turbo. With these performance upgrades, it accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (3.4 with the Tiptronic transmission) and reaches a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph).
997 GT3
The optional Sports Chrono overboost package increases torque to 680 Nm (505 lbf.ft) for short periods (maximum 10 seconds) but over a narrower rev range.
The Turbo's standard 4-wheel-drive system was new though, featuring many of the features found on the Porsche Cayenne. Featuring PTM (Porsche Traction Management) the new system incorporates a clutch-based system which varies the amount of torque to the front wheels, regardless of wheel slip front and rear. This, according to Porsche, aids traction and the handling by redirecting the torque to control oversteer or understeer, thus resulting in far more neutral handling, as well as greatly improved performance in all weather conditions (as opposed to older 4WD system which gave the Turbo stability under hard acceleration).
Styling wise, as with the 996 Turbo the car featured more unique styling cues over the Carreras, one of the more distinctive elements the front LED driving/parking/indicator lights mounted on a horizontal bar across the air intakes. The traditional rear wing is a variation of the 996 bi-plane unit.
997 GT3 (2006-Present)
997 GT3 RS
Porsche released information for one of two of their two-seating, lightweight 911 models, the 911 GT3 on February 24, 2006 (the other would be the GT2); it is reported to accelerate 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and have a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph), identical to the Turbo. It was released in the summer of 2006. The 911 GT3 RS will be release in October 2006 in Germany (spring 2007 in the United States). It is stripped of most luxuries to reduce weight, therefore increasing performance. However, it will sport the same 415 hp flat-six. The RS model also includes the the 44 mm wider Carrera 4 body and the inclusion of a roll cage behind the front seats.
998 Series (2009-Unknown)
Porsche is expected to debut its next entirely new 911, the Type 998, in 2009. The 998 is rumoured to have an entirely new 3.8 litre or 4.0 litre flat eight engine, still hanging over the rear axle. This is just a rumour, and a very doubtful one at that. It is said that the current flat six can't be bored over 4.0 litres, so Porsche will concentrate on shaving off weight developing a new sequential transmission. The 998 is rumored to have a unit aluminum body (like the Audi A8) and a 7 speed dual clutch sequential transmission. There is also the possibility it might have dual rear-mounted radiators (like Lamborghinis and Ferrari Testarossa/512) for better weight distribution and to make more efficiant use of the rear-mounted longitudinally-mounted flat-6 configuration. Also, the next GT2 and GT3 models are expected to have optional carbon fiber wheels (like the Koenigsegg CCX) to reduce unspung weight. It is worth noting that the 996 GT2 was the first production car to feature ceramic disc brake rotors, which are now on nearly every supercar made today, so if carbon fiber wheels catch on in the next few years it is highly likely they will be featured. Previous Porsche press releases said that for the 911 they would never deviate from the flat-6 rear engine rear drive platform although apparently there are some Porsche engineers who would like a mid-engined platform for future 911s.
Porsche 911 in rallying
The Porsche 911 showed great promise in rallying from the start. The rear engine means that the car has inherently good traction. Here are a few of its more significant rallying achievements.
1965
5th, Monte Carlo Rally (911, Herbert Linge)
1967
3rd, Monte Carlo Rally (912, Vic Elford)
1968
1st, Swedish Rally (911T Björn Waldegård)
1969
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911T, Björn Waldegård)
1970
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911T, Björn Waldegård)
1974
3rd, 1000 Lakes Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Björn Waldegård)
2nd, Safari Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Björn Waldegård)
1978
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Jean-Pierre Nicolas)
1980
1st, Tour de Corse (911SC/RS, Jean-Luc Therier)
1984
1st, Paris-Dakar Rally (953, Rene Metge/Dominic Lemoyne)
(The Porsche 953, sometimes called the 911 Carrera 4x4, used the 4x4 drivetrain of the 959, which was still being developed.)
1986
1st, Paris-Dakar Rally (959, Rene Metge/Dominic Lemoyne)
2nd, Paris-Dakar Rally (959, Jacky Ickx/Claude Brasseur)
1st, Rallye des Pharaons (959, Saeed Al Hajiri)
(In the 1980s Porsche developed the Porsche 959, a four-wheel-drive twin-turbo development of the 911 to compete in the FIA's Group B category. This won the prestigious Paris-Dakar Rally of 1986.)
...
Awards
In 2004, Sports Car International named the 911 number three on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s, the Carrera RS number seven on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s, and the 911 Carrera number seven on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s. In addition, the 911 was voted Number 2 on Automobile Magazine's list of the "100 Coolest Cars". The 997 was nominated for the World Car of the Year award for 2005.
Trivia
Sally Carrera, from the 2006 Pixar movie, Cars is a 2002 Porsche 911.
In Level 2 of the 1988 arcade game Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja where the level is set with the player fighting and moving on from one roof of a truck trailer to another, a random ninja can be seen launching from a roof of a 930.
References
Frère, P (1999). Porsche 911 Story (sixth edition). Patrick Stevens Limited. ISBN 1-85260-590-1
Meredith, L (2000). Porsche 911. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-2281-8.
Wood, J (1997). Porsche: The Legend. Parragon. ISBN 0-75252-072-5.
Morgan, P (1995). Original Porsche 911. MBI Publishing. ISBN 1-901432-16-5
Porsche Official Website.
Raby, P (2005) "Porsche 911 Identification Guide". Herridge & Son. ISBN 0-9541063-8-5
Porsche 911
Official Porsche website
911 (997) models at official Porsche website
Porsche 911 (997) Turbo official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) GT3 official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RS official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) Targa official minisite
Previous Porsche road models (including some 911 models)
Previous Porsche racing models (including some 911 racing models)
Notes
"PS" is the metric horsepower, a common way to specify the power output of German cars. There is a very small difference between PS and the English horsepower (1 PS = 0.986320073 hp), but it should still be left written as PS because of this slight difference.
Porsche 997
Porsche 997
Also called:
Porsche 911Porsche Carrera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2004–present
Predecessor:
Porsche 996
Class:
Sports car
Body style:
2-door coupé2-door convertible
Layout:
Rear-engine, rear wheel drive/all wheel drive
Engine:
3.6 L flat-63.8 L flat-6
Similar:
Aston Martin V8 VantageBMW 6 SeriesCadillac XLRDodge ViperFerrari F430Jaguar XKRLamborghini GallardoMaserati CoupeMercedes-Benz SL-Class
The Porsche Type 997, or simply 997 (nine-nine-seven or nine-ninety-seven) is the project code name for the current version of the sports car Porsche 911, built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 2004. Production began in July 2004 and two variants, the Carrera and Carrera S coupés, were available immediately. The all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S versions began shipping in November 2005.
Design
The base Carrera has essentially the same 3.6 L flat-6 engine that its predecessor, the Type 996 Carrera used, producing 239 kW (325 PS). The Carrera S uses a new 3.8 L flat-6 engine producing 261 kW (355 PS). The X51 powerkit with a 381 hp power output is available as an option for the Carrera S, Carrera 4S, and Targa 4S models.
While the exterior styling is changed and especially the 997 Carrera S and Carrera 4S models don't share any parts with its predecessor, the 996, it is again more evolution than revolution, typical of Porsche and the Carrera. The most notable difference between 997 and outgoing 996 is the return to circular headlights, like those of pre-996 Carreras, with separate indicator units. The interior has been almost entirely re-invented and all the controls are new.
2006 Porsche 997 Carrera (Interior)
Performance
According to testing carried out by several American automotive publications the Carrera S model is capable of going 0 to 60 in as little as 3.9 seconds, and carries a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), while the standard model is slightly slower, with the capability to run 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 285 km/h (175 mph); note, however, that these figures contradict the conservative official Porsche figures.
The Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S will use the same engines as the Carrera and Carrera S, respectively. Visually, the rear bodywork is nearly 2 in (50.8 mm) wider over larger tires. The all wheel drive system sends between 5% and 40% of engine torque to the front wheels as needed.
Special editions
In 2006, the Porsche 911 Club Coupe was produced in limited numbers (50) as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America (PCA). The first production model was returned to the Porsche Museum in Germany and one lucky PCA member won the fiftieth model in a sweepstakes drawing. The remaining 48 models were offered to randomly chosen PCA members who applied to purchase this extremely rare car. The Porsche 911 Club Coupe which is available only in the unique Azurro California color, comes equipped with a more powerful 381 hp motor thanks to the X51 Powerkit. Other features unique to this special model include a vehicle identification number (VIN) which ends with the production number and special commemorative badging and door sills which adorn the interior.
Turbo
2006 Porsche 997 Turbo
The 997 Turbo debutted in February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show. It uses a new front bumper with LED parking lights in a horizontal bar through the air intake. The fog lights are moved to the corners of the bumpers. Large air intakes in front of and behind the rear wheels are other obvious visual cues. The retractable rear wing is also one of the highlights, a feature which has been available on the 996 Turbo too.
The engine is reported to be based on the rugged and very reliable 964/GT1 design at 3.6 L with power output at 353 kW (480 PS) and 620 N·m (457 ft·lbf). The turbochargers will include BorgWarner's new Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), which uses guide vanes located in front of the turbine wheel that modulates inflow angle and speed. While the 911 Turbo is the first non-diesel production car to feature a variable geometry turbine, a similar approach was used by Garrett Systems starting in 1989 with the Shelby CSX, that used variable nozzles instead. The optional Sport Chrono Package includes a temporary 2.9 psi overboost, upping peak torque to 680 N·m (502 ft·lbf) for ten second bursts.
According to official Porsche figures, it produces 480 hp, accelerates 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds with manual transmission and 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.4 seconds with Tiptronic S transmission, and has a top speed of 193 miles per hour.
A Turbo Cabriolet is expected in the near future.
GT3
2006 Porsche 997 GT3
The 997 GT3 model also debuted at Geneva in 2006. Like previous GT3 models, it is a way for Porsche to homologate aerodynamic features for racing, as well as a starting model for customer racing. The 997 GT3 is priced at US$106,000 and uses an updated version of the naturally-aspirated 3.6 L flat-6 from the 996 GT3. This engine produces 415 hp(PS)/409bhp (309 kW) and weighs 3075 lb (1395 kg) with a new variable intake system. It has an 8400 rpm redline which is the same as the 612 bhp Carrera GT's. Torque is also up to 299 ft·lbf (405 N·m).
The GT3 body includes a special front bumper which increases cooling for the front-mounted radiators as well as a split spoiler at the rear. The GT3 also includes a special rear bumper and center tailpipes which draw heat away from the engine. It is lowered and rides on 30-series 305 mm (12 in) tires on 19 in (483 mm) wheels.
2007 Porsche 997 GT3 RS
The 997 GT3 is more driver-friendly than its predecessor, with "comfort" seats and the Porsche Communication Management system installed. The special RS model will strip most of these luxuries out for strict track use. The RS version will be released in Europe in October 2006; the North American release is spring 2007.
The ratios on the six-speed transmission are more aggressive, allowing the GT3 to hit 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, a half second quicker than the 996 version. It will continue to 100 mph (161 km/h) in 8.7 seconds and has an ungoverned 193 mph (311 km/h) top speed.
Targa
The Targa 4 and Targa 4S versions, like the previous Targa, will be equipped with a glass roof and hatch, and will debut in November 2006. This is the first time in the 911 Targa's 41-year history that it will feature a four-wheel drive system.
Statistics
Model
MSRP (Cost)
Horsepower
0-60 Acceleration*
Top Speed
Slogan
Official Model Site
911 Carrera
$71,300
325 hp
4.8 s
177 mph/285 km/h
The dream lives on.
[1]
911 Carrera S
$81,400
355 hp
4.6 s
182 mph/293 km/h
Same soul. Even more heart.
[2]
911 Carrera Cabriolet
$81,400
325 hp
5.0 s
177 mph/285 km/h
The top goes down. Spirits rise.
[3]
911 Carrera S Cabriolet
$91,400
355 hp
4.7 s
182 mph/293 km/h
Let the sun chase you.
[4]
911 Carrera 4
$77,100
325 hp
4.9 s
174 mph/280 km/h
911 to the power of 4.
[5]
911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet
$87,100
325 hp
5.1 s
174 mph/280 km/h
Open to take any corner.
[6]
911 Carrera 4S
$87,100
355 hp
4.6 s
179 mph/288 km/h
The perfect distribution of power.
[7]
911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
$97,100
355 hp
4.7 s
179 mph/288 km/h
Take control of the road and sky.
[8]
911 Turbo
$122,900
480 hp
3.7 s
193 mph/311 km/h
A new interpretation of masterwerk.
[9]
911 GT3
$106,000
415 hp
4.1 s
193 mph/311 km/h
Origin Motorsport.
[10]
911 Targa 4
$85,700
325 hp
5.3 s
174 mph/280 km/h
Skydriving.
[11] (minisite)
911 Targa 4S
$95,900
355 hp
4.9 s
179 mph/288 km/h
Skydriving.
[12] (minisite)
Note: This table shows official Porsche peformance figures, which are usually conservative. Independent automobile magazines may find acceleration times less than those shown above.
Note: 0-60 acceleration times refer to the time taken to reach 60 miles per hour (about 97 kilometers per hour).
See also
Porsche 911
References
Geneva Giant: Porsche’s race-bred 911 is back. AutoWeek. Retrieved on February 27, 2006.
Pictures
Carrera S (Rear)
Carrera S (PCM)
Carrera S (Instruments)
Carrera S (19" Wheel)
External links
Porsche official website
Porsche 911 (997) models at official Porsche website
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4 Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Turbo
Porsche 911 (997) GT3
Official 911 (997) Turbo minisite
Official 911 (997) GT3 minisite
Official 911 (997) GT3 RS minisite
Official 911 (997) Targa minisite
Edmunds.com review
Porsche 997 Discussion Forum
SuperCarNews High Resolution 997 Porsche 911 Carrera Images
AutoGuideWiki.com
In a May 2006 survey, Porsche was awarded first place as the most prestigious luxury automobile brand by Luxury Institute, New York; it questioned more than 500 households with a gross annual income of at least $200,000 and a net worth of at least $750,000 ([1]). The current Porsche lineup includes sports cars from the Boxster roadster to their most famous product, the 911. The Cayman is a hard top car similar to the Boxster. The Cayman features a slightly higher price range. The Cayenne is Porsche's mid-size luxury SUV. The Carrera GT supercar recently was phased out in May 2006. Future plans include a high performance luxury saloon/sedan, the Panamera. Also, Porsche is a leader in modern turbocharging technology, being the first to use a variable geometry turbocharger in a gasoline powered production automobile.
Porsche was awarded the 2006 J.D. Power award for highest initial quality of automobile brands.
As a company, Porsche is known for weathering changing market conditions with great financial stability, while retaining most production in Germany during an age when most other German car manufacturers have moved at least partly to Eastern Europe or overseas.[citation needed] The headquarters and main factory are still at Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen, but the Cayenne (and formerly the Carrera GT) is produced at Leipzig, in former East Germany. Most Boxster and Cayman production is outsourced to Valmet Automotive in Finland. The company has been highly successful in recent times, and indeed claims to be the most profitable car company in the world (in terms of profit margin per unit sold; its absolute profits would be dwarfed by Toyota) [2].
Porsche has for many years offered consultancy services to various other car manufacturers. Studebaker, SEAT, Daewoo, Subaru and Yugo have consulted Porsche on engineering for their cars or engines. Porsche also helped Harley-Davidson design their new engine in their newer V-Rod motorcycle.
Porsche's main rivalry is arguably from Italian specialty automaker Ferrari, though traditionally their vehicles appeal to quite different personalities, if similar demographics.[citation needed] Porsche's rivalry with Ferrari is primarily because of both companies' storied racing heritage and the fact that some of their vehicles are of comparable performance, not because of competition between models. Other rivals include coupes from Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, and BMW.
2005 Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S
History
Ferdinand Porsche, founder of the Porsche firm.
The first Porsche, the Porsche 64 from 1938, used many components from the Volkswagen Beetle. The second Porsche model and first production car, the Porsche 356 sports car of 1948, was initially built in Gmünd, Austria, where the company was evacuated to during war times, but after building 49 cars the company relocated back to Zuffenhausen. Many people regard the 356 as the first Porsche simply because it was the first model sold by the fledgling company. Ferdinand Porsche worked with his son Ferry Porsche in designing the 356 but died soon after the first prototype was built. Again, the car used components from the Beetle including its engine, gearbox and suspension. However, the 356 had several evolutions while in production and many VW parts were replaced by Porsche-made parts. The last 356s were powered by 100% Porsche designed engines. The sleek bodywork was designed by Erwin Komenda who had also designed the body of the Beetle.
Porsche factory and headquarters at Zuffenhausen (where 911s are manufactured). Left: Porsche Center Zuffenhausen; Behind left: Body Shell Assembly Plant; Right: Vehicle Assembly Plant.
In 1963, after some success in motor-racing (namely with the Porsche 550 Spyder), the company launched the Porsche 911, another air-cooled, rear-engined sports car, this time with a 6-cylinder "boxer" engine. The team to lay out the bodyshell design was led by Ferry Porsche's eldest son Ferdinand Alexander Porsche (F.A.). The design phase for the 911 caused internal problems with Erwin Komenda who led the body design department until then. F.A. Porsche complained Komenda made changes to the design not being approved by him. Company leader Ferry Porsche took his son's drawings to neighbouring bodyshell manufacturer Reuter bringing the design to the 1963 state. Reuter's workshop was later acquired by Porsche (so-called Werk II). Afterwards Reuter became a seat manufacturer, today known as Keiper-Recaro. The 911 has become Porsche's most well-known model, successful on the race-track, in rallies, and in terms of sales. Far more than any other model, the Porsche brand is defined by the 911. It remains in production; however, after several generations of revision, current-model 911s share only the basic mechanical concept of a rear-engined, six-cylinder coupe, and basic styling cues with the original car. A cost-reduced model with the same body but 356-derived running gear (including its four-cylinder engine) was sold as the 912.
Another view of the facility
The company has always had a close relationship with Volkswagen, and as already mentioned, the first Porsche cars used many Volkswagen components. The two companies collaborated in 1969 to make the VW-Porsche 914 and 914-6, in 1976 with the Porsche 912E (USA only) and the Porsche 924, which used many Audi components and was built at an Audi Neckarsulm factory. Most 944s were also built there even though they used many fewer VW components. The Porsche Cayenne, introduced in 2002, shares its entire chassis with VW Touareg, which are built at the Škoda factory in Bratislava. Both Audi and Škoda are wholly-owned subsidiaries of VW. In late 2005, Porsche took an 18.65% stake in VW, further cementing their relationship and preventing a takeover of VW, which was rumored at the time. Speculated suitors included DaimlerChrysler, BMW and Renault.
The Porsche 912, a Porsche of the 1960s
In 1972 the company's legal form was changed from limited partnership to private limited company (german AG), because Ferry Porsche and his sister Louise Piëch felt their succeeding generation did not team up well. This led to the foundation of an executive board whose members came from outside the Porsche family, and a supervisory board consisting mostly of family members. With this change, no family members were in operational charge of the company. F.A. Porsche founded his own design company, Porsche Design, which is renowned for exclusive sunglasses, watches, furniture and many other luxury articles. Ferdinand Piëch who was responsible for mechanical development of Porsche's serial and racing cars before founded his own engineering bureau and developed a 5-cylinder-inline Diesel engine for Mercedes-Benz. Short time later he changed to Audi and made his career through the whole company including the Volkswagen Group boards.
First CEO of Porsche AG was Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann who had been working at Porsche's engine development before. Fuhrmann (being responsible for the so-called Fuhrmann-engine used in the 356 Carrera models and the 550 Spyder having four ohc-camshafts instead of a central camshaft in the Volkswagen-derived serial engines) planned to cease the 911 during the 70s and replace it with the V8-front engined grand sportswagon 928. As we know today the 911 outlived the 928 by far. Fuhrmann was replaced in the early 80s by Peter W. Schutz, an American manager and self-proclaimed 911 aficionado. He was replaced in 1988 by the former manager of German computer company Nixdorf Computer AG, Arno Bohn, who made some expensive misdecisions leading to his dismissal soon after along with that of development director Dr. Ulrich Bez, formely responsible for BMW's Z1 model and today CEO of Aston Martin. The interim CEO was longtime Porsche employee Heinz Branitzki before Dr. Wendelin Wiedeking became CEO in 1993. Wiedeking took over the board's chair at a point in time when Porsche appeared vulnerable to a takeover by a bigger company. During his nearly 14-year tenure, Wiedeking has remade Porsche into a very efficient and profitable company.
Wendelin Wiedeking, Current President and CEO of Porsche.
In 1990, Porsche had a memorandum of understanding with Toyota to learn and benefit from Japanese production methods. Currently Toyota is assisting Porsche with Hybrid technology, rumored to be making its way into a Hybrid Cayenne SUV.
Ferdinand Porsche's grandson, Ferdinand Piëch, was chairman and CEO of the Volkswagen Group from 1993 to 2002. Today he is chairman of the supervisory board. With 12.8 per cent of the Porsche voting shares, he also remains the second largest individual shareholder of Porsche AG after his cousin F.A. Porsche (13.6 per cent).
Porsche's 2002 introduction of the Cayenne also marked the unveiling of a new production facility in Leipzig, Saxony, which once accounted for nearly half of Porsche's annual output. The Cayenne Turbo S has the second most powerful production engine in Porsche's history (with the most powerful belonging to the Carrera GT).
In 2004, production of the 605 horsepower Carrera GT commenced in Leipzig, and at EUR 450,000 ($440,000 in the United States) it was the most expensive production model Porsche ever built.
As of 2005, the extended Porsche and Piech families controlled all of Porsche AG's voting shares. In early October 2005 the company announced acquisition of an 18.53% stake in Volkswagen AG and disclosed intentions to acquire additional VW shares in the future. As of June 2006, Porsche AG's stake in Volkswagen had risen to 25.1%, giving Porsche a blocking minority, whereby Porsche can veto large corporate decisions undertaken by VW.
In mid-2006, after years of the Boxster (and later the Cayenne) as the top-selling Porsche in North America, the 911 regained its position as Porsche's backbone. In fact, Cayenne sales have declined and 911 sales are high. The 911 currently takes up just under two fifths of Porsche's sales. Cayenne sales take up just under a third, slightly over a tenth of Porsche's sales consist of the Boxster, and the Cayman take up more than a fifth (the Cayman's high sales can be explained by the recent expansion of the line). Total Porsche sales in the United States and Canada hover around 3,000 a month.
Motor-racing
Porsche leads in the number of overall wins at the 24 hours of Le Mans race with 16.
Porsche has been successful in many branches of motor-racing, scoring a total of more than 28,000 victories. As Porsche offered only small capacity cars in the 1950s and 1960s, they scored many wins in their classes, and occasionally also overall victories against bigger cars. Most notably winning the 1964 Road America 500 in an under 2 litre rs-60 driven by Bill Wuesthoff and Augie Pabst. Particular success has been in sports car racing, notably the Carrera Panamericana and Targa Florio, races which were later used in the naming of street cars. Also, they did well in the Mille Miglia and especially 24 hours of Le Mans where they have won 16 times overall (more than any other company), plus many class wins. The Porsche 917 is considered one of the most iconic sports racing cars of all time and gave Porsche their first Le Mans win, while open-top versions of it came to utterly dominate Can-Am racing. After dominating Group 4, 5 and 6 racing in the 1970s with the 911-based 934 and 935, and the prototype 936, Porsche moved on to dominate Group C and IMSA GTP in the 1980s with the Porsche 956/962C: one of the most prolific and successful sports prototype racers ever produced. Many Porsche race cars are run successfully by customer teams, financed and run without any factory support - often they have beaten the factory itself. Recently, 996-generation 911 GT3s have dominated their class at Le Mans and similar endurance and GT races.
The various versions of the 911 also proved to be serious competitor in Rally as long as the regulations allowed them to compete. Porsche official team was only present in seldom occasion in Rally, but the best private 911s were often close to other brand works cars. Jean-Pierre Nicolas even managed to win the 1978 Monte Carlo Rally with a private 911 SC. The Paris Dakar Rally was won twice, too using the 911 derived Porsche 959 Group B supercar.
Porsche has also participated in single seater racing with mixed results; Formula Two cars initially based on the RSK sports racer first appeared in the late 1950s and enjoyed some success; these cars moved up to Formula One in 1961 and in 1962 a flat-eight powered 804 produced Porsche's only win as a constructor in a championship race, claimed by Dan Gurney at the 1962 French Grand Prix. One week later, he repeated the success in front of Porsche's home crowd on Stuttgart's Solitude in a non-championship race. At the end of the season, Porsche retired from F1 due to the high costs and lack of success. Privateers continued to enter out-dated Porsche 718 in F1 until 1964.
Porsche returned in 1983 after nearly two decades away, supplying engines badged as TAG units for the McLaren Team. The TAG engine was designed to very tight requirements issued by McLaren's John Barnard - he specified the physical layout of the engine to match the design of his proposed car. The engine was funded by TAG who retained the naming rights to it, although the engines bore "made by Porsche" identification. TAG-Porsche-powered cars took two constructor championships in 1984 and 1985 and three driver crowns in 1984, 1985 and 1986. Porsche returned to F1 again in 1991 as an engine supplier, however this time with disastrous results: Porsche-powered Footwork cars failed to score a single point, and failed to even qualify for over half the races that year; Porsche has not participated in Formula One since.
Porsche attempted an Indianapolis 500 entry in the late 1970s with a turbocharged 911-based engine in a bespoke car for Danny Ongais and the Interscope team; failure to agree turbo boost levels with USAC meant that this was shelved (though the engine later became the basis of that used in the 956 and 962). They returned to CART in the 1980s with a turbo V8 in their own 2708 chassis, but this did not enjoy any success and a March chassis scored their only successes.
Porsche has sponsored the Carrera Cup and Supercup racing series by providing cars and support since 1990.
Stock and lightly-modified Porsches are raced in many competitions around the world; some of these are primarily amateur classes for enthusiasts, but the Porsche Michelin Supercup is a wholly professional category raced as a support category for European Formula One rounds.
Porsche dropped its factory motorsports programs during the turn of the century (preferring to support privateers) for financial reasons and has only recently made a comeback with the new RS Spyder prototype. Based on LMP2 homologation regulations, the RS Spyder made its debut at Laguna Seca during the final race of the 2005 ALMS season and immediately garnering a class win in the LMP2 class and finishing 5th overall.
Major Victories and Championships
Porsche cars :
14 Makes and Team World Championship (1964, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1994)
8 Long Distance World Championship
3 IMSA Supercar-Series (1991, 1992, 1993)
6 German Racing Championship (1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985)
20 European Hill Climbing Championship
20 Daytona 24 Hour (1968, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1995, 2003)
15 IMSA Supercar-Race (USA)
16 Le Mans 24 Hour (1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998)
17 Sebring 12 Hour (1960, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988)
11 Targa Florio (1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973)
4 Rallye Monte Carlo (1968, 1969, 1970, 1978)
2 Paris-Dakar Rallye (1984, 1986)
1 Formula 1 victories (1962)
TAG-Porsche engine in McLaren cars :
3 Formula 1 Driver World Championship (1984, 1985, 1986)
2 Formula 1 Constructor World Championship (1984, 1985)
25 Formula 1 victories (1984, 12 wins; 1985, 6 wins; 1986, 4 wins; 1987, 3 wins)
Famous owners
Joshua Bell - owns a 911 turbo
Miles Collier, Jr. - grandson to Barron Collier, purchased the renowned seventy-one car collection of Briggs Cunningham and combined some of it with his own, that includes about twenty Porsche race cars—including their class winners at Sebring, the Porsche 904GT in 1964 and Porsche 917K (Kurzheck) in 1970—when he created a museum dedicated to his father Miles, and uncles, Sam and Barron Jr., who founded the 1933 Automobile Racing Club of America that metamorphosed in 1944 into the Sports Car Club of America
James Dean - died on the way to a hospital after a crash in his pearl-grey Porsche 550 Spyder, caused when he was cut off by another driver, in September 1955 near Cholame, California
Bill Gates - briefly was jailed in Albuquerque for racing his Porsche 911 in the New Mexico desert; imported a Porsche 959 which was impounded by U.S. Customs
Janis Joplin - owned a Porsche 356-C Cabriolet that was extravagantly and psychedelically painted for her by Dave Richards to match her public persona
Steve McQueen - raced Porsche prototypes, owned a Porsche 356 Speedster, a Porsche 908, a Porsche 917, and made a movie dedicated to the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Carl Sagan - astronomer, astrobiologist, scientist, and a highly successful science popularizer—remembered for his articulate explanations of astronomical and cosmological research while commenting upon space exploration to the public—whose Porsche license plate bore the name of a moon of another planet in our solar system
Jerry Seinfeld - rumoured to own one of the largest collections of Porsche automobiles in the world
Lake Underwood - Porsche's Quiet Giant —so named by Excellence magazine (the magazine about Porsche)— has several historic Porsches among his collection
Pronunciation of "Porsche"
"Porsche" is pronounced correctly as, PORSH-uh (IPA /ˈpɔɹʃə/) (correct pronunciation (help·info)) which is how members of the Porsche family pronounce their name.
Some Americans tend to over-compense the e, which results in their pronouncing it, as Por-SCHA (/pɔɹˈʃʌ/). Outside of this group however, the monosyllabic porsh (/pɔɹʃ/) is a common pronunciation.
The correct pronunciation of 'Porsche'
Tractors
Porsche Diesel Super
Porsche Type 110
Porsche AP Series
Porsche Junior (14 hp)
Porsche Standard (25 hp)
Porsche Super (38 hp)
Porsche Master (50 hp)
Porsche 312
Porsche 108F
Porsche R22
Porsche AP16
Consumer models
The 997, currently (as of June, 2006) the top selling model
The 987, the current Boxster model
356 (1948-1965)
550 Spyder (1953-1957)
911 (1964-Present)
911 (1964-1989)
930 (1975-1989)
964 (1989-1993)
993 (1993-1998)
996 (1998-2004)
997 (2004-Present)
912 (1965-1969)
914 (1969-1975)
924 (1976-1988)
928 (1978-1995)
944 (1982-1991)
959 (1986-1988)
968 (1992-1995)
Boxster (1996-Present)
986 (1996-2005)
987 (2005-Present)
Cayenne (2002-Present)
Carrera GT (2004-2006)
Cayman (2006-Present)
Panamera (2009-Unknown)
NOTE: models in bold are current models
North American Monthly Sales Chart (August 2006)
Model
Sales
Percent of Total Sales
911 (997)
990
39%
Boxster (987)
279
11%
Cayman
548
21%
Cayenne
735
29%
Total
2,554
100%
NOTE: this information is from an official Porsche document and is a record of Porsches sold in the United States and Canada during August 2006.
Racing models
64
360 Cisitalia
550 Spyder
718
804
904
906
907
908
909 Bergspyder
910
911
914
917
934
935
936
924
944
956
959
961
Porsche-March 89 P
WSC Joest Spyder
RS Spyder
NOTE: models in bold are current models
Prototypes and concept cars
Porsche 114
Porsche 356/1
Porsche 695 (911 prototype)
Porsche 901 (911 prototype)
Porsche 916 (flat-6 914)
Porsche 959 Prototype
Porsche 942
Porsche 969
Porsche Panamericana
Porsche 989
Porsche Varrera
Porsche Boxster Concept
Porsche Carrera GT Concept
Porsche E2
Associates
Porsche Museum at Porsche official website
Porsche Zuffenhausen at Porsche official website
Porsche Leipzig official website
Porsche Design Group official website
Valmet Automotive official website
Champion Motorsport official website
Christophorus Magazine at Porsche official website
WTA Tour Championships official website
Clubs
Porsche Club of America
Porsche Club of Norway
Porsche Club of NSW
Porsche Club of Great Britain
Porsche Boxster
Porsche Boxster
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
1996–
Predecessor:
Porsche 968
Class:
Roadster
Body style:
2-door convertible
Porsche 986
Production:
1996–2004
Engine:
2.5 L flat-6 (1997-1999)2.7 L flat-6 (2000-2004)3.2 L flat-6 (2000-2004)
Similar:
Mercedes-Benz SLK-ClassBMW Z3Honda S2000
Porsche 987
Production:
2005–
Engine:
2.7 L flat-6 (2005-)3.2 L flat-6 (2005-2006)3.4 L flat-6 (2007-)
Related:
Porsche Cayman
Similar:
Mercedes-Benz SLK-ClassBMW Z4Chrysler Crossfire
The Boxster, internally known as the 986/987 and/or 986 Boxster/987 Boxster is a mid-engined roadster built by Porsche. Introduced in late 1996 as a 1997 model, it is Porsche's smallest and least expensive vehicle, taking over from the 968. Early models were powered by a 201 horsepower 2.5 litre flat six-cylinder engine, although a 2.7 litre, 225 horsepower engine took over in the base model in 2000 and a Boxster S varaint powered by a 3.2 litre, 250 horsepower engine became available in 2000. Engine output was increased again in 2004, to 240 and 280 horsepower respectively, and for 2007, the Boxster will receive new engines, which it will share with the new Cayman.
Production began at the former Porsche 928 facility at Stuttgart in 1996, although a Valmet facility in Uusikaupunki, Finland also builds units under contract to Porsche in order to help meet demand. It was Porsche's biggest volume seller from its introduction in model year 1997 until the company introduced the Cayenne SUV in model year 2003.
The Boxster's name is a combination of the word 'boxer', referring to the vehicle's horizontally-opposed engine, which is commonly reffered to as a "boxer engine" and the word 'roadster' referring to the vehicles convertible top.
986
The styling of the Boxster is owed to former "Style Porsche" department head Harm Lagaay. His Boxster design study and the production Boxster stimulated a commercial turnaround for Porsche after several difficult years of falling sales. The first generation of the Boxster (internally known as the 986) whose visual appearance was heavily inspired by the Porsche Spyder and Speedster. The Boxster features two models; the standard model with a 201 bhp (150 kW), 2.5 L flat six cylinder engine (enlarged to 2.7 L and 217 bhp (162 kW) in 2000 and 225 bhp (168 kW) in 2003), and the model Boxster S with an enlarged 3.2 L engine producing 250 bhp (186 kW) with its debut in 2000 (enlarged to 258 bhp (192 kW) in 2003).
987
The second generation of the Boxster (internally known as the 987) made its debut at the 2004 Paris Motor Show alongside the new 911 (997). The car became available for model year 2005.
The appearance of the car remains very similar to the previous generation. The most obvious styling change is the headlights which moved towards a more classic round style, much like the current generation 911. There has also been a significant update to the intake vents on the sides of the car, which are now larger. Overall, the styling of the car has been updated to match that of its hard top stable mate, the Cayman. The base engine is a 2.7 L 176 kW (240 hp) flat-6, with the Boxster S getting a 3.2 L 206 kW (280 hp) engine. The Cayman series is based off the 987.
For the 2007 model year the Boxster will receive a 5 hp boost (245 hp; the same as the Cayman) and the Boxster S will receive 15 more hp (295 hp; the same as the Cayman S). This upgrade makes the Boxster series and the Cayman series equivalent in terms of horsepower.
Awards
In 1998, after a year of marketplace acceptance in the United States, the original Boxster was the recipient of many awards, including those listed:
Car & Driver / One of the 10 Best Cars of 1997Automobile / Automobile of the YearMotor / 1997 Performance Car of the YearAutocar / Best Roadster in the WorldMotorweek / 1997 Drivers Choice for Best Sports CarPhiladelphia Inquirer / Best Sports Car of the DecadeNewsweek / One of the Best New Products of 1997Business Week / One of the Best New Products of 1997American Marketing Association / Best New Product of 1997Automobile Journalists of Canada / 1997 Car of the YearAutomobile Journalists of Canada / Best Design of 1997
The Boxster has been on Car and Driver magazine's annual Ten Best list seven times, from 1998 through 2003 and in 2006.
The Boxster S (986s) was rated as one of the top ten Porsches of all time by Excellence magazine.
Porsche Cayenne
Porsche Cayenne
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2002–2006
Class:
Mid-size luxury SUV
Body style:
4-door SUV
Platform:
AWD
Related:
Volkswagen TouaregAudi Q7
Similar:
BMW X5Cadillac SRXInfiniti FX
:
Porsche Cayenne
The Porsche Cayenne is an SUV automobile made by Porsche since 2002. It is the first V8-engined vehicle built by Porsche since 1995, when the Porsche 928 was discontinued. Sales of the Cayenne have been strong, with 100,000 sold as of June, 2005, becoming Porsche's best-selling vehicle in North America. 40% of Cayenne sales are in North America. Sales slowed by 2006, however, and Porsche revealed[1] that they would skip the 2007 model year rather than drive down prices with incentives. A redesigned Cayenne model is expected for 2008.
Design
The Cayenne was co-developed with Volkswagen, who were also looking to add an SUV to their lineup, as a cost-sharing initiative. Volkswagen share this chassis (the E chassis) to underpin their Touareg sports utility vehicle, and Audi use an extended version for their Q7, although there are numerous styling, equipment and technical differences between the three vehicles. The Cayenne shares only its base engine with the Touareg, and Porsche's version is substantially modified. There are currently 4 engines available in the Cayenne:
3.2 L 240 PS (247 hp/184 kW) VR6 from Volkswagen (Based on the unit offered in the VW but with modifications made to the intake, exhaust, timing systems and head)
4.5 L 340 PS (335 hp/250 kW) V8 (S)
4.5 L 450 hp (340 kW) 460 ft·lbf (624 N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo)
4.5 L 500 hp (370 kW) 515 ft·lbf (698 N·m) Tequipment twin-turbocharged V8
4.5 L 521 hp (389 kW) 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m) twin-turbocharged V8 (Turbo S)
Porsche Cayenne S rear
Performance
The turbocharged model has extremely high performance for an SUV. It is roughly as quick to 60 miles per hour as the company's Boxster S (about 5.2 seconds), and the new Tequipment special version will be faster still. Reviews indicate that the Cayenne handles remarkably well for a heavy SUV — much better than the BMW X5, which is saying something — whilst having a comfortable ride, and, by some sources, better off-road ability than BMW X5, Mercedes, and Infiniti. Those cars are, unlike native off-road vehicles, not meant to climb rock mountains and pass deep rivers (due to the price and comfort they offer) but are fully capable to drive "where man need". Many users of SUV/SAV cars report that car's ability to reach any skiing or recreational center and being comfortable during general winter drive is all they need. Other reasons for buying such cars are increased safety, street overview, and independence on "planned route" - which is why many US-based SUVs and pickups lack even 4-wheel drive or self-locking differentials.
The competence, however, comes at a cost, with the "S" V8 model being more expensive than a comparably-specified BMW X5, and the turbocharged model costing nearly $90,200 USD before adding options, about as much as a fully equipped, V8 powered Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The Cayenne's closest rivals in terms of cost and prestige are the Land Rover Range Rover and the BMW X5. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class regrettably falls short of this distinction. The success of the Cayenne has prompted Land Rover to develop the smaller, sportier, and less off-road capable Range Rover Sport as well as to offer a supercharged version of their top-range model.
The Cayenne comes standard with alloy rims from 17"-20" sizes and a vareity of styles. The least-expensive Cayenne model comes standard with the 17" rims, but has the cability to upgrade to any of the four 18"-20" rims. An all-season tire is standard on the 17" rim, and available as a no-cost option for 18" rims. These are the wheels that are most suitable for off-road/snow use. Lower-profile, high performance wheels are standard for wheels above 19". These wheels would not be suitable for off-road/snow use. Porsche/Volkswagen jointly did extensive off-road testing with the Cayenne and Touraeg and both are in actuality extremely capable off-road. Both vehicles are standard with 4-wheel drive, a manually lockable center differential and a "low range" setting. Options to make the vehicles more capable off-road include an available air suspension system which can raise the car's ride height on command and an interior switch allowing the rear differential to be manually locked along with the center unit. At maximum ride height, the air suspension system gives the Cayenne 10.7 inches (272 mm) of ground clearence.
Cayenne Turbo S
Porsche introduced a higher-output Turbo S version at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show to compete with the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, which produces 510 hp (375 kW) and accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.0 seconds. The Turbo S produces 520 hp (389 kW) and 531 ft·lbf (720 N·m), making it the second most powerful vehicle Porsche has ever built for the road, after the Carrera GT. It is able to accelerate to 60 mph quicker than the Cayman S at 4.8 seconds (mfg. claim).
The Turbo S also has a recalibrated suspension, 20 inch wheels, and larger brake discs. It lowers 27 mm above 125 km/h and 11 mm more above 210 km/h.
Controversy
Some Porsche enthusiasts are unhappy with the company for producing an SUV, seeing it as diluting the meaning of the brand. According to Wheels, a well-regarded Australian car magazine, the decision to develop the Cayenne was a contentious one for the company for this reason. Management reportedly felt, however, that the company needed a more dependable source of revenue than the fickle sports car market. Much of the disapproval from Porsche owners come from the joint development of the car with Volkswagen. Although both the Cayenne and Touareg are solid SUVs in the market today, many believe the Cayenne would be superior in many departments if developed solely by Porsche. Some believe the Touareg is a better executed car available for significantly less money.
In May 2004, Porsche issued a recall on the Cayennes for seatbelts that do not function properly during a collison.
At the IAA 2005, Porsche announced it will produce a hybrid version of the Cayenne before 2010.
It is also rumored that Porsche could produce a second SUV, a mini-Cayenne based on the Audi Q5.
External links
Porsche official website
Cayenne models at official website
Cayenne
Cayenne S
Cayenne S Titanium Edition
Cayenne Turbo
Cayenne Turbo S
AutoGuideWiki.com
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche Carrera GT
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2004–2006
Predecessor:
Porsche 959
Class:
Supercar / Ultracar
Body style:
2-door roadster
Platform:
mid-engine RWD
Engine:
5.7 L V10
Similar:
Ferrari Enzo FerrariKoenigsegg CCXLamborghini MurciélagoMercedes-Benz SLR McLarenPagani Zonda
The Porsche Carrera GT is a supercar, manufactured by Porsche of Germany.
History
Porsche began developing the Carrera GT in 2000 as a successor to the 911 GT1 car they had discontinued in late 1998 because of FIA rule changes. However, there was speculation that Porsche discontinued development at the behest of VW/Audi chairman Ferdinand Piëch - Piëch was reportedly concerned over the prospect of a Porsche vehicle competing against the Audi R8 race car, which had just been introduced. As a member of the Porsche family, Piëch holds a seat on the company's board of directors and owns a percentage of the firm, so his influence could be exacted from inside. In addition, Porsche needed to free up capital and manpower for development work on the Cayenne, and dropping development of the race car made it possible.
Porsche did however produce one unit, and showed it at the 2000 Geneva Motor Show, mainly in an attempt to draw attention to their display. Surprising interest in the vehicle and an influx of revenue being provided by the Cayenne helped Porsche decide to make use of the car, and development started on a road-legal version that would be produced in small numbers at Porsche's new manufacturing facility in Leipzig. Porsche started a production run of Carrera GTs in 2004, shipping the units with an MSRP of $440,000 USD and a dealer invoice price of approximately $414,800 USD. In addition, the delivery charge could be as much as $15,000 USD.
Originally, a production run of 1,500 cars was slated. But Porsche announced in August, 2005 that it would not continue production of the Carrera GT throughout 2006, reducing the total production estimate to 1,250 units. Porsche announced that this discontinuation was due to changing airbag regulations in the US. However, reports of diminishing sales volumes, relatively high dealer inventory levels, and dealer discounts below MSRP were reported by the automotive press as being the true factors driving an early end to the production run. Despite the early end to production, sales of the Carrera GT were a huge success, with worldwide sales volumes surpassing the combined totals of Ferrari's Enzo, Mercedes' McLaren SLR, and Pagani's Zonda models[citation needed].
340 Carrera GTs were sold in the United States in 2005. Production of the Carrera GT stopped on May 6, 2006 after more than 1270 units had been manufactured. Approximately half of the vehicles were sold in North America.
Design
The Carrera GT is powered by an all-new 5.7 litre V10 engine producing 612 SAE horsepower (450 kW). Porsche claims it will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.5 mph) in 3.9 seconds and has a maximum speed of 330 km/h (206 mph), although road tests indicated that in actuality the car could accelerate from 0-60 in under 3.5 seconds and to 0-100 in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 335-340km/h (209-212.5mph). The Carrera GT has a basic 5 colour paint schemes which include: Black, Guards Red, Fayence Yellow, Basalt Black, GT Silver and Seal Grey. A six-speed manual transmission is the only available transmission, in contrast to its rival the Ferrari Enzo which is only offered with sequential manual transmission. With the Ferrari Enzo priced around $660,000, the Carrera GT base price of $448,400 makes the dream of owning a piece of Le Mans inspired technology somewhat more attainable. The Carrera GT is also priced at $559,000 in Canadian dollars, and at 390,000 in Euros.
The Carrera GT has large side inlets and airdams that help cool the large V-10 that lies framed by the carbon fibre rear hood. Fitted with Porsche's latest brake system, the 15 inch ceramic pad brakes make a stunning appearance underneath the 19 inch front and 20 inch rear tires. Similar to other Porsche Models, the GT includes an automated rear wing spoiler which deploys in the higher ranges of speed (70 mph).
Technology
The Porsche Carrera GT's carbon-ceramic (silicon carbide) disc brake
Technology of note includes a pure carbon fibre monocoque and subframe, dry sump lubrication and inboard suspension. The carbon fibre monocoque and subframe were produced and assembled by the ATR Composites Group of Italy. The main innovation on this vehicle however is the use of a ceramic clutch. This is the first appearance of this race car technology in a road car. The clutch, although difficult to master, allows the engine to sit lower in the chassis than in any other super car, both improving its aerodynamics and lowering its center of gravity.
Despite a seemingly difficult clutch, Porsche incorporated computer management of the clutch when the car is on an incline. Drivers are able to lift completely off the clutch and not stall the car. [1]
Unlike some of its rivals, the Carrera GT does not use the same electronic driving aids such as dynamic stability control, but it does have traction control. Porsche engineers have designed a communicative chassis and rely on the ability of the driver.
Owners
Famous Carrera GT owners include:
Jay Leno - Tonight Show Host
Ralph Lauren - Fashion Designer
Jerry Seinfeld - Comedian / Actor
Tiger Woods - Professional Golfer-- (which is currently for sale)
Thierry Henry - professionall footballer
Gallery
Porsche Carrera GT front
Porsche Carrera GT rear
Porsche Carrera GT interior - note placement of the gear selector immediately adjacent to the steering wheel
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche official web site
Porsche Carrera GT Gallery - 30 Porches Carrera GT pictures
SuperCarNews Carrera GT Image Gallery - High Resolution Porsche Carrera GT Images
AutoGuideWiki.com
Porsche Carrera GT Article
Porsche Panamera
This article or section contains information about a scheduled or anticipated future automobile.
It is likely to contain information of a speculative nature, but is usually sourced from the automotive news media, automaker media press releases, or other news sources. The content and specifications for upcoming vehicles may change significantly as the vehicle nears production and more information becomes available. Upcoming automobiles are also subject to delays or even cancellation by the automaker.
Porsche Panamera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Class:
Full-size luxury car
Body style:
4-door coupe
Similar:
Aston Martin Rapide, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG
The Porsche Panamera is a four-door, four-seat coupe, currently still in concept stages, set to be launched in 2009. It will be front engined and rear wheel drive and powered by a modified version of the 4.5 L V8 found in the Cayenne, equipped with the FSI system invented by Volkswagen (Porsche and Volkswagen collaborated on the Cayenne/Touareg sport utility vehicle). Rumours suggest that the V10 engine from Porsche's limited-run Carrera GT supercar may be offered as well, although this is still extremely unlikely given the expense of manufacturing the engine and that Porsche does not currently have a facility capable of producing a suitable number of the V10 per year.
The final assembly of the vehicles will take place in Leipzig. Engines will be assembled in Stuttgart, and the car's painted body will come from the Volkswagen facility in Hanover.
The Panamera is generally considered to be the long-awaited fruit of their 989 concept from the late 1980s; some argue that it also presents itself as a suitable successor to the 2-doored 928, although some amount of debate surrounds this. It will be marketed as a direct competitor to automobiles such as the Mercedes-Benz CLS 55 AMG and Maserati Quattroporte and (to a lesser degree) a less expensive alternative to vehicles such the Bentley Continental GT, Ferrari 612 Scaglietti and Aston Martin Rapide. It is the first V8-engined sports car built by Porsche since 1995, when the 928 was discontinued and will be produced in the new plant at Leipzig alongside the Cayenne.
Artist renderings of the car already distributed by Porsche show a low-slung, four-door sports car with narrow side windows and flowing lines.
The Panamera's name is derived, like the Porsche Carrera line, from the Carrera Panamericana race. Earlier prototypes of four-door sedans such as the 1991 Porsche 989 prototype or the even earlier 4 door 911 based prototype, never went into production.
This article about a car produced after 1975 is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Porsche Cayman
Porsche Cayman S
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2006–
Predecessor:
Porsche 968
Class:
Sports car
Body style:
2-door coupe
Platform:
mid-engine RWD
Engine:
2.7 L flat-6 boxer3.4 L flat-6 boxer
Related:
Porsche 987
The Porsche Cayman S is a mid-engine 2-seat sports car launched for the 2006 model year. It is based on the compact Porsche 911 but uses a modified flat-6 engine, which is at 3.4 liters in terms of engine size and performance in between the Boxster and the 911. The Cayman S is intended to be a purer sports car than the Boxster, with a stiffer suspension and higher performance. Whilst very similar in looks to a Porsche 911, it is similar in performance to a Boxster.
The Cayman S is produced alongside the Boxster by Valmet in Finland. The name "Cayman" is said to be an alternate spelling of caiman, a species of reptile closely related to the alligator, and has nothing to do with the Cayman Islands. Porsche has, in fact, donated to a Stuttgart zoo's caiman exhibit, because of the shared namesakes between the animal and the automobile.
Development
The Porsche Cayman S at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The Cayman series (project code 987 C7S) was developed for two years. The first official photographs and technical details were released by Porsche in May 2005. The Cayman S had its public launch in September 2005 at the Frankfurt Motor Show It was spied on numerous times, often referred to as a Boxster coupe. During prototype testing, rally legend Walter Röhrl reportedly lapped the Nürburgring track faster than the 911 Carrera's time of 8 minutes, 15 seconds. The Cayman S and the 911 Carrera come close in terms of performance, leaving it open whether sales of the Cayman S will cannibalize sales of the 911 Carrera, which is $12,400 more expensive than the Cayman S in the United States. Furthermore, a motorsport-tuned Cayman ("Cayman RS") has been rumored to be in testing at the Nürburgring. [1] The Cayman (without an "S") was released in July, 2006.
Statistics
Model
MSRP (Cost in USD)
Horsepower
Torque
0-60 Acceleration
Top Speed
Official Model Site/Minisite
Cayman
$49,400
245 hp
201 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque
5.8 s
160 mph
[2]/[3]
Cayman S
$58,900
295 hp
250 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torque
5.1 s
171 mph
[4]/[5]
The Cayman shares the mid-engined platform of the Boxster, along with its interior, front end, doors, and lights. The Cayman sports a 2.7 litre engine, while the Cayman S has a 3.4 litre engine. It has a glass hatchback for added practicality. Suspension is the same as in the Boxster. Six-speed manual and optional 5-speed Tiptronic transmissions are available. A Sport Chrono Package including PASM and ceramic composite brakes is also available.
See also
Porsche Boxster
Porsche 997
The Porsche Cayman
References
Official Porsche website
Cayman models at official Porsche website
Cayman
Cayman S
Official Cayman minisite
Official Cayman S minisite
Official PCA Cayman Register
Unofficial Cayman Enthusiast site
Automobile Magazine Page 42 August 2005 issue
Feature Story and Wallpaper MPH Magazine Nov. 2005 issue
Outdoor Ads
Porsche 911
The Porsche 911 (pronounced as nine eleven) is a sports car made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive and durable car has undergone continuous development since its introduction in 1964. Mechanically it is notable for being rear engined and, until the introduction of the all-new Type 996 in 1999, air-cooled. All 911s use six-cylinder boxer engines.
Since its inception the 911 has been modified, both by private teams and the factory itself, for racing, rallying and other types of automotive competition. It is often cited as the most successful competition car ever, especially when its variations are included, mainly the powerful 935.
In the international poll for the award of the world's most influential car of the twentieth century the 911 came fifth after the Ford Model T, the Mini, the Citroën DS and the Volkswagen Beetle.
Porsche 911 in hillclimb
A 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
History
A note on designations: the series letter (A, B, C, etc.) is used by Porsche to indicate the revision for production cars. It often changes annually to reflect changes for the new model year. The first 911 models are the 'A series', the first 993 cars are the 'R series'.)
A note on the models listed: not all of the Porsche 911 models ever produced are mentioned here. The listed models are notable for their role in the advancements in technology and their influence on the following vehicles from Porsche.
A note on model names: although the articles below use Porsche's internal classifications (911, 964, 993, 996, 997) the car was always sold as 911. "Carrera", "GT3", "Turbo", etc. refer to the specific model trim (they are all 911s).
Air-Cooled Engines (1964 - 1998)
911 Series (1964-1989)
Porsche 911
Also called:
Porsche 911Porsche Carrera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
1964–1989
Predecessor:
Porsche 356
Successor:
Still in production
Class:
RR or All wheel drive sports car
Body style:
2-door Coupe
Engine:
2.0 L flat-6-3.3 L flat-6
The 911 was developed as a much more powerful, larger, more comfortable replacement for the Porsche 356, the company's first model, and essentially a sporting evolution of the Volkswagen Beetle. The new car made its public debut at the 1963 Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung, better known to English speakers as the Frankfurt motor show.
It was designated as the 'Porsche 901' (901 being its internal project number). Peugeot protested on the grounds that they owned the trademark to all car names formed by three numbers with a zero in the middle. So, before production started, the new Porsche had its name changed to 911. It went on sale in 1964.
]
911 2.0-litre / O, A and B series (1964-1969)
The earliest editions of the 911 had a 130 PS1 (96 kW) six-cylinder engine, in the 'boxer' configuration like the 356, air-cooled and rear-mounted, displaced 1991 cc compared with the 356's four-cylinder 1600 cc unit. The car had four seats although the rear seats are very small, and the car is usually called a 2+2 rather than a four-seater (the 356 was also a 2+2). It was mated to a five speed manual 'Type 901' transmission. The styling was largely by Ferdinand "Butzi" Porsche, son of Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche. Erwin Komenda, the leader of the Porsche car body construction department, was also involved in the design.
The 356 came to the end of its production life in 1965, but there was still a market for a 4-cylinder car, particularly in the USA. The Porsche 912, introduced the same year, served as a direct replacement. It used the 356's 4-cylinder, 1600 cc 90 PS (66 kW) engine but wore the 911 bodywork.
In 1966 Porsche introduced the more powerful 911S, the engine's power raised to 160 PS (118 kW). Alloy wheels from Fuchs, in a distinctive 5-leaf design, were offered for the first time. In motorsport at the same time, installed in the mid-engined Porsche 904 and Porsche 906, the engine was developed to 210 PS (154 kW).
In 1967 the Targa version was introduced. The Targa had a removable roof panel, a removable plastic rear window (although a fixed glass version was offered alongside from 1968) and a stainless steel-clad roll bar. (Porsche had, at one point, thought that the NHTSA would outlaw fully open convertibles in the US, an important market for the 911, and introduced the Targa as a 'stop gap' model.) The name 'Targa' came from the Targa Florio road race in Sicily, in which Porsche had notable success: victories in 1956, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970 and 1973.
The 110 PS (81 kW) 911T was also launched in 1967 and effectively replaced the 912. The staple 130 PS (96 kW) model was renamed the 911L. More excitingly, the 911R was produced in tiny numbers (20 in all). This was a lightweight racing version with thin aluminium doors, a magnesium crankcase, twin-spark cylinder heads, and a power output of 210 PS (154 kW).
In 1968 the B series was introduced: the wheelbase for all 911 and 912 models was increased from 2211 mm to 2268 mm, an effective remedy to the car's nervous handling at the limit. The overall length of the car did not change: rather, the rear wheels were relocated aft. Fuel injection arrived for the 911S and for a new middle model, 911E. A semi-automatic Sportomatic [1] model, composed of a torque converter, an automatic clutch, and the four speed transmission, was added to the product lineup.
911 2.2-litre / C and D series (1970-1971)
For the 1970 model year the engines of all 911s was increased to 2195 cc. Power outputs were uprated to 125 PS (92 kW) in the 911T, 155 PS (114 kW) in the 911E, and 180 PS (118 kW) in the 911S. The 912 was discontinued, thanks to the introduction of the Porsche 914 as an entry model.
The 2.2 L 911E was called "The secret weapon from Zuffenhausen". Despite the lower power output of the 911E (155 PS) compared to the 911S (180 PS) the 911E was quicker in acceleration up to 160 km/h (100 mph).
[
911 2.4-litre / E and F series (1972-1973)
The 1972-1973 model years consisted of the same models of 911—the entry level T, the midrange E and the top of the line S. However, all models got a new, larger 2341 cc/142 in³ engine. This is universally known as the "2.4 L" engine, despite its displacement being closer to 2.3 litres — perhaps to emphasize the increase over the 2.2. The new power ratings were 130 PS (96 kW), or 140 hp (104 kW) in the U.S., for the T, 165 PS (121 kW) for the E and 190 PS (140 kW) for the S.
The 911E and 911S used mechanical fuel injection (MFI) in all markets. The US 911T 911T was carbureted, except in the US where it also used MFI, which accounts for the 7 kW power difference between the two. In January, 1973, US 911Ts were switched to the new K-Jetronic CIS (Continuous Fuel Injection) system from Bosch. These cars are commonly referred to as 1973.5 models.
With the power and torque increases, the 2.4 L cars also got a newer, stronger transmission, identified by its Porsche type number 915. Derived from the transmission in the Porsche 908 race car, the 915 did away with the 901/911 transmission's 'dog-leg' style first gear arrangement, opting for a traditional H pattern with first gear up to the left, second gear underneath first, etc. Some say this was because the dog-leg shift to second gear was inconvenient for in town driving, other say it was due to Porsche’s desire to put 5th gear outside the main transmission housing where it could easily be changed for different races. The Sportomatic transmission was still available, but only as a special order.
In 1972 tremendous effort was made to improve the handling of the 911. One thing Porsche did was relocate the oil tank from its position behind the right rear wheel to in front of it. This had the effect of moving the weight of almost 9 quarts of oil from outside the wheelbase to inside, improving the handling. To facilitate filling of the oil tank, Porsche installed an oil filler door (much like the fuel filler door on the left front fender) on the right rear quarter panel. Unfortunately, this unique design was scrapped after only one year, some say because inattentive gas station attendants were putting gas in the oil tank! The oil tank was moved back to its original position for the 1973 model year, and there is stayed until it was moved back within the wheelbase for the 964 models.
These cars also gained a discreet spoiler under the front bumper to help high-speed stability. With the car's weight only 1050 kg (2314 lb), these are often regarded as the best classic mainstream 911s. For racing at this time, the 911 ST was made in tiny numbers. The cars were available with engines of either 2466 cc or 2492 cc, producing 270 PS (199 kW) at 8000 rpm. Weight was down to 960 kg. The cars had success at the Daytona 6 Hours, the Sebring 12 Hours, the 1000Km Nurburgring and the Targa Florio.
911 Carrera RS 2.7 (1972-1974)
This model, much prized by collectors, is one of the all-time classic 911s. It was built so that Porsche could enter racing formulae that demanded that a certain minimum number of production cars were made. Compared with a standard 911S, the Carrera RS had a larger engine (2687 cc) developing 210 PS (154 kW), revised and stiffened suspension, a 'ducktail' rear spoiler, larger brakes, larger wheels & wheel-arches, and was about 150 kg lighter — most of the saving coming from the thin-gauge steel used for parts of the bodyshell. In total 1636 were made, comfortably exceeding the 500 that had to be made to qualify for the vital FIA Group 4 class. A more powerful version, the Carrera RS 3.0, was also made. The 3.0 L cars used standard-gauge steel, and thanks to that extra 180 kg the extra 20 PS (15 kW) did not give it a performance advantage.
The Carrera RSR 3.0 and Carrera RSR Turbo (its 2.1 L engine due to a 1.4x equivalency formula) were made in tiny numbers for racing. The turbo car came second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1974, a significant event in that its engine would form the basis of many future Porsche assaults on sportscar racing, and can be regarded as the start of its commitment to turbocharging. The large rear spoiler and the 3.0 turbo engine were to be used again in the production 911 Turbo and the 934 racing car.
911 2.7-litre / G, H, I and J series (1974-1977)
From 1974 a detuned version of the 2687 cc engine from the Carrera RS was used in the mainstream production cars. The cars looked rather different from the previous year's, thanks to bulky new bumpers front and rear, to conform with low-speed impact protection requirements of US law. The interior was refreshed too. The model line-up was now: 911, 911S and 911 Carrera (the latter now a regular production model). The Turbo was introduced in 1975 (see below). In 1976 the Carrera model was upgraded to what was essentially the Turbo's 2992 cc engine, minus the turbocharger, developing 200 PS (147 kW). The 2.7 engines proved to be less reliable than the 'bulletproof' 2.4 units. In effect, the 2.4 L engine had been enlarged with no additional cooling capacity. The engines saw problems, particularly in hot climates, where the different rates of thermal expansion between the magnesium of the crankcase and the aluminium of the cylinder heads contributed to major failure. In addition, some engines saw problems whereby the cylinder head studs would pull themselves out of the crankcase. The 3.0 L engine of the Turbo and Carrera had not used magnesium, but rather aluminium, thereby showing equal expansion rates to the cylinders. The move to that engine across the board was welcome for reliability reasons. However, the aluminium case weighed 15 lb more than the magnesium one. In addition with the 1973.5 engines Porsche moved away from MFI to Bosch K-Jetronic CIS. This system varied fuel pressure to the injectors dependant on the mass airflow. While this system was exceedingly reliable, it did not allow the use of as "hot" cams as MFI or carburators allowed. Therefore the 911S's horsepower decreased from 190 to 175 despite the displacement increase from 2.4 to 2.7 L. However, the engine did have increased drivability.
Also produced for the 1976 "model year", for the U.S. market, was the 912E, a 4-cylinder version of the 911 like the old 912 that had last been produced in 1969. It used the I-series chassis and the 2.0 Volkswagen engine from the Porsche 914. In all, 2099 units were produced. In 1976 the Porsche 924 took this car's place for the 1977 "model year" and beyond.
Position vis-à-vis the Porsche 928
Although Porsche was continuing development of the 911, executives were troubled by its declining sales numbers and in 1971 greenlighted work on the Porsche 928. Larger, with a front-mounted V8 engine that was considerably more powerful than the contemporary 911's, the 928 was not only designed to eclipse its performance, it was designed to be a more comfortable car, a sporty grand tourer rather than a focused sports car. The 928 sold reasonably well, and managed to survive from its introduction in 1977 until 1995. Throughout its 17 years, despite its capabilities on the road, it never outsold the 911. Notably, it achieved little success in racing.
911 Turbo (Type 930) (1975-1989)
Main article: Porsche 930
In 1975 Porsche introduced the first production turbocharged 911. Although called simply Porsche 911 Turbo in Europe, it was marketed as Porsche 930 (930 being its internal type number) in North America. The body shape is distinctive thanks to wide wheel-arches to accommodate the wide tyres, and a large rear spoiler often known as a 'whale tail' on the early cars, and 'tea-tray' on the later ones. Starting out with a 3.0-litre engine (260 PS or 191 kW), it rose to 3.3 L (300 PS or 221 kW) for 1978. The early cars are known for extreme turbo lag.
Production figures of the car soon qualified its racing incarnation for FIA Group 4 competition as the Porsche 934, of 1976. Many participated at Le Mans and other races including some epic battles with the BMW 3.0 CSL 'Batmobile'. The wilder Porsche 935, a more highly tuned car in FIA Group 5 and evolved from the 2.1 L RSR Turbo of 1974, was campaigned in 1976 by the factory and won Le Mans in 1979. Private teams continued to compete successfully with the car until well into the 1980s.
As demand for the Turbo soared in the late 1980s, Porsche introduced novelty variants including a slant-nose version, while not significantly improving the range mechanically. Although these cars could be sold for extraordinary premiums over the standard models, the company's reluctance to invest in research and development of the entire 911 line at that time turned out to be an almost fatal decision not only for the 911, but for the entire company.
Only in its last production year the 930 was equipped with a five-speed gearbox. Before, the five-speed gearboxes of the naturally-aspirated cars were not strong enough to cope with the torque of the turbo engines. With the four-speed gearbox the 930 was capable of exceeding 200 km/h (125 mph) in third gear!
There have been turbocharged variants of each subsequent generation of 911. Four-wheel-drive was standard from the 993 Generation and on, except for the lightweight GT2.
911 SC (1978-1983)
SC stands for "Super Carrera" (although Porsche never claimed this or marketed it as such). All 911 models standardized on the 2994 cc engine for late 1977. This engine was a unit fresh from the factory delivering 180 PS (132 kW) that was still capable of substantial extra tuning, compared with the 2.7 which was almost at its limit. Yet, the weight of the extra equipment on these cars was blunting performance compared with what would have been expected from earlier, lighter cars with the same power output.
SCs sold in the UK could be specified with the Sport Group Package (UK) which added the rear spoiler, front air dam and black Fuchs wheels.
In 1981 a Cabriolet concept car was shown at the Frankfurt motorshow. Not only was the car a drop top, but it also featured four-wheel drive. In late 1982 (débuting as the 1983 model) the first 911 cabriolet went on sale (the first Porsche cabriolet since the 356). To many, this was a much more attractive car than the Targa, the other open-top 911. But while the Targa was priced to match the regular car, the Cabriolet cost significantly more. Cabriolet versions of the 911 have been offered ever since.
In 1979 Porsche made plans to replace the 911 with the 928, but the 911 still sold so much better than the 928, that Porsche revised its strategy and inject new life into the Type 911 European editions. Those cars (1981-1983 911 SCs) were massaged to yield 204 bhp @ 5900 rpm from their 2994 cc powerplants. North Americans would have to wait for the replacement 3.2 L 911 Carrera in 1984 before seeing any extra horsepower.
911 3.2 Carrera (1984-1989)
In 1984 a new 3.2 L car replaced the 3.0 L SC model. It was badged '911 Carrera' but known as '3.2 Carrera', the first time the sporty label had been applied to the basic 911. Power was increased, brakes were better, the fuel injection was upgraded to enhance everyday reliability, and the car was more refined. The non-Turbo models became available as 'Turbo-look' or 'Super Sport', a style that aped the Turbo with wide wheel-arches and the 'whale-tail', but did not reflect any mechanical changes.
In 1987, the Carrera got a new five-speed gearbox sourced from Getrag, model number G50. This included a hydraulic clutch.
The 911 Speedster, a low-roof version of the Cabriolet, evocative of the Porsche 356 Speedster of the 1950s, was produced in limited numbers. The Carrera Club Sport from 1987 (340 produced) is highly collectible. It was stripped of electric windows, electric seats, and radio to save a claimed 50 kg in weight. Its engine was allowed to rev higher, and the engine developed a little more power.
964 Series (1989-1993)
1993 Porsche 911 Carrera RS
Main article: Porsche 964
In late 1989, the 911 underwent a major evolution with the introduction of the Type 964.
This would be a very important car for Porsche, since the world economy was undergoing recession and the company could not rely on its image alone. It was launched as the Carrera 4, the '4' indicating four-wheel-drive, a decision that surprised many but demonstrated the company's commitment to engineering by reminding buyers that race and rally engineering (of the 959) does affect road cars. Drag coefficient was down to 0.32. A rear spoiler deployed at high speed, preserving the purity of line when the vehicle was at rest. The chassis was redesigned overall. Coil springs, ABS brakes and power steering made their debut. The engine was increased in size to 3600 cc and developed 250 PS (184 kW). The car was more refined, but thought by some journalists to have lost some purity of the 911's concept. The rear-wheel-drive version, the Carrera 2, arrived a year later.
The 964 incarnation of the 911 Turbo returned in 1990 after an absence from the price lists, using a refined 3.3 L engine of the previous Turbo, but two years later a turbo engine based on the 3.6 L engine of the other models was introduced.
Porsche introduced the ahead-of-its-time Tiptronic automatic transmission in the 964 Carrera 2, featuring adaptive electronic management and full manual control. The 964 was one of the first cars in the world offered with dual airbags standard (from 1991).
In 1992, Porsche re-introduced a limited-edition RS model, inspired by the 1973 Carrera RS and emissions-legal in Europe only. Appeals from American customers resulted in Porsche developing the RS America of which 701 were built. However, while European RS was a homologation special, RS America was a low spec variant of the regular model. The RS 3.8 of 1993 had Turbo-style bodywork, a larger fixed whale tail in place of the moveable rear spoiler, and a 300 PS (221 kW) 3746 cc engine.
Since the RS/RS America was intended as a no-frills, higher performance version of the 964, there were only 4 factory options available: a limited-slip differential, AM/FM cassette stereo, air conditioning, and a sunroof. The interior was more basic than a standard 911 as well; for example the interior door panels lacked the armrests and door pockets and had a simple pull strap for the opening mechanism. Although RS America was about $10,000 cheaper than a fully-equipped C2 at the time of their production, these models now command a premium price on the used market over a standard 964 (RS Europe was about $20,000 more expensive than a C2).
964 Turbo (1990-1993)
In 1990 Porsche introduced a Turbo version of the 964 series. This car is sometimes mistakenly called 965 (this type number actually referred to a stillborn project that would have been a hi-tech turbocharged car in the vein of the 959). For the 1991 and 1992 model years, Porsche produced the 964 Turbo with the 930's proven 3.3 L engine, improved to produce 320 PS (235 kW). 1993 brought the Carrera 2/4's 3.6 L engine, now in turbo-charged form and sending a staggering 360 PS (265 kW) to the rear wheels. With the 993 on the way, this car was produced through 1994 and remains rather rare.
993 Series (1993-1998)
Main article: Porsche 993
The mid-nineties Type 993 had sleeker bodywork. This is the lightweight GT2 variant.
The 911 was again revised in 1993 and was now known as the Type 993. This car was significant as it was the final incarnation of the air-cooled 911, introduced in 1964.
The exterior featured an all new front and rear end, with only the windscreen, side windows and doors maintained from the previous 964. The revised bodywork was smoother, having a noticeably more aerodynamic front end somewhat reminiscent of the Porsche 959. Styling was by Englishman Tony Hatter under the supervision of design chief Harm Lagaay.
Along with the revised bodywork, mechanically the 993 also featured all-new multilink rear suspension that improved the car's ride and handling.
The new suspension, along with chassis refinements, enabled the car to keep up dynamically with the competition. Engine capacity remained at 3.6 L, but power rose to 272 PS (200 kW) thanks to better engine management and exhaust design, and beginning with model year 1996 to 286 PS (210 kW). A new four-wheel-drive made a return as an option in the form of the Carrera 4, the rear wheel drive versions simply being called Carrera. A lightweight RS version saw capacity rise to 3.8 L, with power reaching 300 PS (221 kW). The RS version had rear-wheel drive only.
Non-turbo models appeared that used the Turbo's wide bodyshell and some other components (the Carrera 4S and later the Carrera S).
The Targa open-topped model also made a return, this time with a large glass roof that slid under the rear window.
The Targa and wide-body versions remained in production in model year 1998, when the entirely new Porsche 996 was launched, the 993´s successor.
993 Turbo (1995-1998)
A Turbo version of the 993 was launched in 1995 and became the first standard production Porsche with twin turbochargers and the first 911 Turbo to be equipped with all-wheel-drive (in order to delete the 4WD, one had to refer to the more powerful and race homologated GT2). The similarity in specification and in performance levels inspired several comparison road tests with the Porsche 959 (f.e. Car and Driver, July 1997, p. 63).
Water-Cooled Engines (1998-Present)
996 Series (1998-2004)
Main article: Porsche 996
996 Carrera 4S
After 34 years in production the famous air-cooled 911 was replaced by an all-new water-cooled model. Known as the Type 996 this car was a major leap for Porsche, although many of the traits that made the 911 what it was during the past 34 years still remained with the new model. As with the 993 before it the 996 was also a significant model, but mainly for the way it was conceived and designed, and the effect it had on Porsche during the 1990s.
Pundits criticised the 996's styling a great deal, largely because it shared its headlamps — indeed much of its front end, mechanically — with the less expensive Boxster. The 996 had been on the drawing board first and was a more advanced car in some respects, but the cost-cutting seemed inappropriate for an expensive car. Otherwise, the Pinky Lai-penned shape followed the original Butzi Porsche design very closely. The interior was further criticised for its plainness and its lack of relationship to prior 911 interiors, although this came largely from owners of older 911s.
The Type 996 spawned over a dozen variations, including all wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S models, the club racing-oriented GT3, and the forced-induction 996 Turbo and GT2. The Turbo, four-wheel-drive and twin-turbo, often made appearances in magazines' lists of the best cars on sale.
The Carrera and Carrera 4 underwent revisions for model year 2002, receiving the front headlight/indicator lights which were first seen on the Turbo version two years earlier. This allowed the 911 to be more distinguishable from the Boxster. A mildy revised front fascia was also intorduced, though the basic architecture remained.
Engine wise, displacement was 3.4 L and power 300 PS (221 kW), increased in 2002 to 3.6 L and 320 PS (235 kW).
996 GT3 (1999-2004)
996 GT3 RS
Porsche unveiled a road-going GT3 version of the 996 series which was derived from the racing GT3. Simply called GT3, the car featured lightweight materials inside and out, including thinner windows, the GT3 was a lighter and more focused 911 with the emphasis on handling and performance. The suspension was lower and more aggressive than other 996s, leading to excellent handling and razor-sharp steering though the ride was very very firm. Of more significance was the engine used in the GT3. Instead of using a version of the water-cooled units found in other 996s, the naturally-aspirated engine was derived from the Porsche 911 GT1-98 sports-prototype racing car and featured lightweight materials which enabled the engine to rev highly.
996 Turbo (2000-2004)
996 Turbo X50
In 2000, Porsche launched the Turbo version of the Type 996. Like the GT3, the new Turbo engine derived from the 911 GT1 engine and, like its predecessor, featured twin-turbos and now developed 420 PS (309 kW). Also like its predecessor the new Turbo was only available with 4 wheel drive. A 17,000 USD factory option, the X50 package, was available that boosted the engine output to a tidy 450 PS with 620 N·m (457 lbf·ft) of torque across a wide section of the power band. With the X50 package in place the car could make 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 3.8 seconds.
Styling wise, the car was more individual than previous Turbos. Along with the traditional wider rear wings, the 996 Turbo had different front lights and bumpers when compared to the Carrera and Carrera 4. The rear bumper had air vents that were reminiscent of those on the Porsche 959 and there were large vents on the front bumper, which have been copied on the Carrera 4S and Cayenne Turbo.
997 Series (2004-Present)
Main article: Porsche 997
997 Carrera S
In 2004 the 911 was heavily revised and the 996's replacement, the 997, was unveiled in July. The 997 keeps the basic profile of the 996, bringing the drag coefficient down to 0.28, but draws on the 993 for detailing. In addition, the new front fascia is reminiscent of the older generation "bug eye" headlights. Its interior is also similarly revised, with strong links to the earlier 911 interiors while at the same time looking fresh and modern. The 997 shares about 30% of its parts with the outgoing 996, but is still technically very similar to it. The 0-100 km/h acceleration for the Carrera S was noted to be as fast as 4.2 seconds in a recent Motor Trend comparison, but other sources contradict that. Type 997 versions of the GT2 and Turbo S have yet to have a released introduction date. The Targas (4 and 4S) will be released in November 2006.
997 Turbo (2006-Present)
997 Turbo
In 2006 Porsche unveiled the Turbo version of the 997 series. Still simply called the Turbo the new car was a heavily revised over the 996 Turbo, incorporating many of the upgrades from the Carrera versions of the 997 when it was launched in 2004.
The Turbo still featured the same 3.6 L twin-turbocharged engine as the 996 Turbo, but this time it developed 480 PS (353 kW) and 620 N·m (457 lbf·ft) of torque. This was in part due to the 997's new variable-geometry turbocharger (a first on a petrol-engined road car) which essentially combines the low-rev boost and quick responses of a small turbocharger with the high-rev power of a larger turbocharger. As well as producing more power and flexibility, the new turbocharger improved fuel consumption over the 996 Turbo. With these performance upgrades, it accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.7 seconds (3.4 with the Tiptronic transmission) and reaches a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph).
997 GT3
The optional Sports Chrono overboost package increases torque to 680 Nm (505 lbf.ft) for short periods (maximum 10 seconds) but over a narrower rev range.
The Turbo's standard 4-wheel-drive system was new though, featuring many of the features found on the Porsche Cayenne. Featuring PTM (Porsche Traction Management) the new system incorporates a clutch-based system which varies the amount of torque to the front wheels, regardless of wheel slip front and rear. This, according to Porsche, aids traction and the handling by redirecting the torque to control oversteer or understeer, thus resulting in far more neutral handling, as well as greatly improved performance in all weather conditions (as opposed to older 4WD system which gave the Turbo stability under hard acceleration).
Styling wise, as with the 996 Turbo the car featured more unique styling cues over the Carreras, one of the more distinctive elements the front LED driving/parking/indicator lights mounted on a horizontal bar across the air intakes. The traditional rear wing is a variation of the 996 bi-plane unit.
997 GT3 (2006-Present)
997 GT3 RS
Porsche released information for one of two of their two-seating, lightweight 911 models, the 911 GT3 on February 24, 2006 (the other would be the GT2); it is reported to accelerate 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds and have a top speed of 310 km/h (193 mph), identical to the Turbo. It was released in the summer of 2006. The 911 GT3 RS will be release in October 2006 in Germany (spring 2007 in the United States). It is stripped of most luxuries to reduce weight, therefore increasing performance. However, it will sport the same 415 hp flat-six. The RS model also includes the the 44 mm wider Carrera 4 body and the inclusion of a roll cage behind the front seats.
998 Series (2009-Unknown)
Porsche is expected to debut its next entirely new 911, the Type 998, in 2009. The 998 is rumoured to have an entirely new 3.8 litre or 4.0 litre flat eight engine, still hanging over the rear axle. This is just a rumour, and a very doubtful one at that. It is said that the current flat six can't be bored over 4.0 litres, so Porsche will concentrate on shaving off weight developing a new sequential transmission. The 998 is rumored to have a unit aluminum body (like the Audi A8) and a 7 speed dual clutch sequential transmission. There is also the possibility it might have dual rear-mounted radiators (like Lamborghinis and Ferrari Testarossa/512) for better weight distribution and to make more efficiant use of the rear-mounted longitudinally-mounted flat-6 configuration. Also, the next GT2 and GT3 models are expected to have optional carbon fiber wheels (like the Koenigsegg CCX) to reduce unspung weight. It is worth noting that the 996 GT2 was the first production car to feature ceramic disc brake rotors, which are now on nearly every supercar made today, so if carbon fiber wheels catch on in the next few years it is highly likely they will be featured. Previous Porsche press releases said that for the 911 they would never deviate from the flat-6 rear engine rear drive platform although apparently there are some Porsche engineers who would like a mid-engined platform for future 911s.
Porsche 911 in rallying
The Porsche 911 showed great promise in rallying from the start. The rear engine means that the car has inherently good traction. Here are a few of its more significant rallying achievements.
1965
5th, Monte Carlo Rally (911, Herbert Linge)
1967
3rd, Monte Carlo Rally (912, Vic Elford)
1968
1st, Swedish Rally (911T Björn Waldegård)
1969
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911T, Björn Waldegård)
1970
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911T, Björn Waldegård)
1974
3rd, 1000 Lakes Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Björn Waldegård)
2nd, Safari Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Björn Waldegård)
1978
1st, Monte Carlo Rally (911 Carrera RS 3.0, Jean-Pierre Nicolas)
1980
1st, Tour de Corse (911SC/RS, Jean-Luc Therier)
1984
1st, Paris-Dakar Rally (953, Rene Metge/Dominic Lemoyne)
(The Porsche 953, sometimes called the 911 Carrera 4x4, used the 4x4 drivetrain of the 959, which was still being developed.)
1986
1st, Paris-Dakar Rally (959, Rene Metge/Dominic Lemoyne)
2nd, Paris-Dakar Rally (959, Jacky Ickx/Claude Brasseur)
1st, Rallye des Pharaons (959, Saeed Al Hajiri)
(In the 1980s Porsche developed the Porsche 959, a four-wheel-drive twin-turbo development of the 911 to compete in the FIA's Group B category. This won the prestigious Paris-Dakar Rally of 1986.)
...
Awards
In 2004, Sports Car International named the 911 number three on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s, the Carrera RS number seven on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1970s, and the 911 Carrera number seven on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1980s. In addition, the 911 was voted Number 2 on Automobile Magazine's list of the "100 Coolest Cars". The 997 was nominated for the World Car of the Year award for 2005.
Trivia
Sally Carrera, from the 2006 Pixar movie, Cars is a 2002 Porsche 911.
In Level 2 of the 1988 arcade game Bad Dudes vs Dragonninja where the level is set with the player fighting and moving on from one roof of a truck trailer to another, a random ninja can be seen launching from a roof of a 930.
References
Frère, P (1999). Porsche 911 Story (sixth edition). Patrick Stevens Limited. ISBN 1-85260-590-1
Meredith, L (2000). Porsche 911. Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-2281-8.
Wood, J (1997). Porsche: The Legend. Parragon. ISBN 0-75252-072-5.
Morgan, P (1995). Original Porsche 911. MBI Publishing. ISBN 1-901432-16-5
Porsche Official Website.
Raby, P (2005) "Porsche 911 Identification Guide". Herridge & Son. ISBN 0-9541063-8-5
Porsche 911
Official Porsche website
911 (997) models at official Porsche website
Porsche 911 (997) Turbo official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) GT3 official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) GT3 RS official minisite
Porsche 911 (997) Targa official minisite
Previous Porsche road models (including some 911 models)
Previous Porsche racing models (including some 911 racing models)
Notes
"PS" is the metric horsepower, a common way to specify the power output of German cars. There is a very small difference between PS and the English horsepower (1 PS = 0.986320073 hp), but it should still be left written as PS because of this slight difference.
Porsche 997
Porsche 997
Also called:
Porsche 911Porsche Carrera
Manufacturer:
Porsche
Production:
2004–present
Predecessor:
Porsche 996
Class:
Sports car
Body style:
2-door coupé2-door convertible
Layout:
Rear-engine, rear wheel drive/all wheel drive
Engine:
3.6 L flat-63.8 L flat-6
Similar:
Aston Martin V8 VantageBMW 6 SeriesCadillac XLRDodge ViperFerrari F430Jaguar XKRLamborghini GallardoMaserati CoupeMercedes-Benz SL-Class
The Porsche Type 997, or simply 997 (nine-nine-seven or nine-ninety-seven) is the project code name for the current version of the sports car Porsche 911, built by the German manufacturer Porsche since 2004. Production began in July 2004 and two variants, the Carrera and Carrera S coupés, were available immediately. The all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S versions began shipping in November 2005.
Design
The base Carrera has essentially the same 3.6 L flat-6 engine that its predecessor, the Type 996 Carrera used, producing 239 kW (325 PS). The Carrera S uses a new 3.8 L flat-6 engine producing 261 kW (355 PS). The X51 powerkit with a 381 hp power output is available as an option for the Carrera S, Carrera 4S, and Targa 4S models.
While the exterior styling is changed and especially the 997 Carrera S and Carrera 4S models don't share any parts with its predecessor, the 996, it is again more evolution than revolution, typical of Porsche and the Carrera. The most notable difference between 997 and outgoing 996 is the return to circular headlights, like those of pre-996 Carreras, with separate indicator units. The interior has been almost entirely re-invented and all the controls are new.
2006 Porsche 997 Carrera (Interior)
Performance
According to testing carried out by several American automotive publications the Carrera S model is capable of going 0 to 60 in as little as 3.9 seconds, and carries a top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph), while the standard model is slightly slower, with the capability to run 0 to 60 in 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 285 km/h (175 mph); note, however, that these figures contradict the conservative official Porsche figures.
The Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S will use the same engines as the Carrera and Carrera S, respectively. Visually, the rear bodywork is nearly 2 in (50.8 mm) wider over larger tires. The all wheel drive system sends between 5% and 40% of engine torque to the front wheels as needed.
Special editions
In 2006, the Porsche 911 Club Coupe was produced in limited numbers (50) as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America (PCA). The first production model was returned to the Porsche Museum in Germany and one lucky PCA member won the fiftieth model in a sweepstakes drawing. The remaining 48 models were offered to randomly chosen PCA members who applied to purchase this extremely rare car. The Porsche 911 Club Coupe which is available only in the unique Azurro California color, comes equipped with a more powerful 381 hp motor thanks to the X51 Powerkit. Other features unique to this special model include a vehicle identification number (VIN) which ends with the production number and special commemorative badging and door sills which adorn the interior.
Turbo
2006 Porsche 997 Turbo
The 997 Turbo debutted in February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show. It uses a new front bumper with LED parking lights in a horizontal bar through the air intake. The fog lights are moved to the corners of the bumpers. Large air intakes in front of and behind the rear wheels are other obvious visual cues. The retractable rear wing is also one of the highlights, a feature which has been available on the 996 Turbo too.
The engine is reported to be based on the rugged and very reliable 964/GT1 design at 3.6 L with power output at 353 kW (480 PS) and 620 N·m (457 ft·lbf). The turbochargers will include BorgWarner's new Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG), which uses guide vanes located in front of the turbine wheel that modulates inflow angle and speed. While the 911 Turbo is the first non-diesel production car to feature a variable geometry turbine, a similar approach was used by Garrett Systems starting in 1989 with the Shelby CSX, that used variable nozzles instead. The optional Sport Chrono Package includes a temporary 2.9 psi overboost, upping peak torque to 680 N·m (502 ft·lbf) for ten second bursts.
According to official Porsche figures, it produces 480 hp, accelerates 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.7 seconds with manual transmission and 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.4 seconds with Tiptronic S transmission, and has a top speed of 193 miles per hour.
A Turbo Cabriolet is expected in the near future.
GT3
2006 Porsche 997 GT3
The 997 GT3 model also debuted at Geneva in 2006. Like previous GT3 models, it is a way for Porsche to homologate aerodynamic features for racing, as well as a starting model for customer racing. The 997 GT3 is priced at US$106,000 and uses an updated version of the naturally-aspirated 3.6 L flat-6 from the 996 GT3. This engine produces 415 hp(PS)/409bhp (309 kW) and weighs 3075 lb (1395 kg) with a new variable intake system. It has an 8400 rpm redline which is the same as the 612 bhp Carrera GT's. Torque is also up to 299 ft·lbf (405 N·m).
The GT3 body includes a special front bumper which increases cooling for the front-mounted radiators as well as a split spoiler at the rear. The GT3 also includes a special rear bumper and center tailpipes which draw heat away from the engine. It is lowered and rides on 30-series 305 mm (12 in) tires on 19 in (483 mm) wheels.
2007 Porsche 997 GT3 RS
The 997 GT3 is more driver-friendly than its predecessor, with "comfort" seats and the Porsche Communication Management system installed. The special RS model will strip most of these luxuries out for strict track use. The RS version will be released in Europe in October 2006; the North American release is spring 2007.
The ratios on the six-speed transmission are more aggressive, allowing the GT3 to hit 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, a half second quicker than the 996 version. It will continue to 100 mph (161 km/h) in 8.7 seconds and has an ungoverned 193 mph (311 km/h) top speed.
Targa
The Targa 4 and Targa 4S versions, like the previous Targa, will be equipped with a glass roof and hatch, and will debut in November 2006. This is the first time in the 911 Targa's 41-year history that it will feature a four-wheel drive system.
Statistics
Model
MSRP (Cost)
Horsepower
0-60 Acceleration*
Top Speed
Slogan
Official Model Site
911 Carrera
$71,300
325 hp
4.8 s
177 mph/285 km/h
The dream lives on.
[1]
911 Carrera S
$81,400
355 hp
4.6 s
182 mph/293 km/h
Same soul. Even more heart.
[2]
911 Carrera Cabriolet
$81,400
325 hp
5.0 s
177 mph/285 km/h
The top goes down. Spirits rise.
[3]
911 Carrera S Cabriolet
$91,400
355 hp
4.7 s
182 mph/293 km/h
Let the sun chase you.
[4]
911 Carrera 4
$77,100
325 hp
4.9 s
174 mph/280 km/h
911 to the power of 4.
[5]
911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet
$87,100
325 hp
5.1 s
174 mph/280 km/h
Open to take any corner.
[6]
911 Carrera 4S
$87,100
355 hp
4.6 s
179 mph/288 km/h
The perfect distribution of power.
[7]
911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet
$97,100
355 hp
4.7 s
179 mph/288 km/h
Take control of the road and sky.
[8]
911 Turbo
$122,900
480 hp
3.7 s
193 mph/311 km/h
A new interpretation of masterwerk.
[9]
911 GT3
$106,000
415 hp
4.1 s
193 mph/311 km/h
Origin Motorsport.
[10]
911 Targa 4
$85,700
325 hp
5.3 s
174 mph/280 km/h
Skydriving.
[11] (minisite)
911 Targa 4S
$95,900
355 hp
4.9 s
179 mph/288 km/h
Skydriving.
[12] (minisite)
Note: This table shows official Porsche peformance figures, which are usually conservative. Independent automobile magazines may find acceleration times less than those shown above.
Note: 0-60 acceleration times refer to the time taken to reach 60 miles per hour (about 97 kilometers per hour).
See also
Porsche 911
References
Geneva Giant: Porsche’s race-bred 911 is back. AutoWeek. Retrieved on February 27, 2006.
Pictures
Carrera S (Rear)
Carrera S (PCM)
Carrera S (Instruments)
Carrera S (19" Wheel)
External links
Porsche official website
Porsche 911 (997) models at official Porsche website
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera S Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4 Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Carrera 4S Cabriolet
Porsche 911 (997) Turbo
Porsche 911 (997) GT3
Official 911 (997) Turbo minisite
Official 911 (997) GT3 minisite
Official 911 (997) GT3 RS minisite
Official 911 (997) Targa minisite
Edmunds.com review
Porsche 997 Discussion Forum
SuperCarNews High Resolution 997 Porsche 911 Carrera Images
AutoGuideWiki.com
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