From its very beginnings in the 1960s, the Porsche 911 has conquered the hearts of many sports car aficionados. This success is not the result of a mere coincidence: the manufacturer’s emblematic model as always surpassed its rivals on the racetrack, while also offering an impressive level of versatility for everyday use.
Porsche Rive-Sud, your Porsche dealership in Longueil and St-Hubert, on the South Shore of Montreal, is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Porsche 911, by looking back at this icon’s rich history. Keep on reading to find out more about it!
A streamlined and harmonious design, which is the result of a masterful development.
The 911 was presented for the very first time in 1963 at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Its design process, however, began long before; in fact, it was created as a replacement for the venerable Porsche 356. Despite an impressive track record, Porsche’s very first vehicle was beginning to show signs of age.
Porsche maintained the features that allowed the 356 to shine on the racetrack and on the open road: lightness, maneuverability and performance. This is how the model won the 1953 and 1961 editions of the European Rally Championship, the Liège-Rome-Liège event in 1952, 1954, 1957 and 1959, along with the victory for the 1.1-Liter category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1951 and 1952.
The very first sketches of the 911 were made by “Butzi” Porsche, whose real name was Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Ferry’s son. Butzi’s first sketches then took the shape of a 1:7.5 scale plasticine clay model, the type 754 T7. A full scale model was then built on December 28th 1959.
From the start, the stylish lines were very close to the final 911 model. Only the wide rear window and the distance between axles were different from the final model. Under Ferry Porsche’s influence, the wheelbase was brought to 2,200 mm, for a sportier feel and behavior at the wheel. The “fastback” type roof with a sloped line towards the rear, was created for optimized aerodynamics.
The final result, the 911, corresponded to Ferry Porsche’s vision in terms of automotive design: streamlined and balanced lines, without being either too aggressive or too ostentatious. The result is an elegant and understated silhouette that is easily recognizable and appreciated, even by children who are also passionate about cars.
An engine that is just as emblematic as the car itself.
The 911 does not only owe its reputation to its exterior styling; the engine it is equipped with, is just as legendary. In fact, the 911 borrowed the boxer engine concept that was already being used on the Volkswagen Beetle and the Porsche 356.
Contrary to both of these cars, however, the 911 has always been equipped with two extra cylinders, for a total of six. This gives the 911 a very specific sound, with a deep purr at low speeds, which transforms into a very metallic howl as it approaches the red line.
Other than its unique sound signature, this specific architecture also presents several advantages. The first is a lower gravity center, thanks to pistons with a horizontal position and movement. This allows for the engine to sit lower in the engine bay, compared to an inline or V engine, for example. This lower position improves the road handling capabilities of the vehicle. Moreover, the architecture also offers a very smooth engine running, given that the pistons are balanced, since they work in opposite direction to each other.
Another advantage of a boxer engine is the fact that it is quite compact. Compared to inline or V engines which are longer, the flat-six on the 911 allows for weight to be limited on the rear axle, above which it is mounted. Once more, this improves and optimizes road handling. In fact, the flat-six unit is a rear-mounted engine. This brings with it another significant advantage, that of maximising rear traction (traditionally, the 911 is a rear-wheel drive) during accelerations.
This allows for very quick reacceleration during turns, which is essential in order to cut seconds off a round on the track, for example. These maximized traction levels on the rear also allow for remarkable starts and accelerations from a complete stop, along with greater traction levels under the rain. This is one of the reasons why the 911 often quickly climbs in ranks during races, compared to its rivals with front-mounted or rear-center mounted engines.
The 911 also owes a great part of its enjoyable driving experience to this engine and its rear-mounted position. It is also why it is very popular among those who love spirited driving. Moreover, this engine position allows for two extra seats behind first row (the 911 is a 2+2 seat Porsche sports car).
So, the 911 does not only offer a streamlined and elegant exterior, but also outstanding mechanics and chassis, ensuring its no. 1 spot in the hearts of all sports car amateurs.
Leaving its mark in automobile history, thanks to constant evolution.
Despite all of its remarkable qualities, however, the 911 would never have left its mark had it not been for its truly unique history. Even its beginnings were peculiar, given that its current name was not the original one! In fact, it was supposed to be named the Porsche 901, before Peugeot asked Porsche to change the name of its new model. The French manufacturer owns the rights to all model names with three numbers which include a zero in the middle. So, the German manufacturer had to adjust to this setback quickly, and did so by replacing the central 0 with a 1, a number that had already been produced, instead of having to figure out another number. The reason for this was simple: it would be easier to produce an already existing number twice than having to produce an all-new number!
This setback did not hold the Porsche 911 back at all; it met with instant success. In fact, in 1967, 10,000 copies had already found a buyer. The Stuttgart brand took advantage of this momentum to start building a complete range of vehicles around the 911 body styles that were already being produced (Coupe and Targa). Porsche kept with the 2.0-Liter flat-six, but with several variations in terms of performance. The most capable of all, the 911 S, offered a total of 160 horsepower, while at the other end, the entry-level model –the 911 T – delivered 110 horsepower. As for the version with the original amount of power (130 HP), it was rebadged as the 911 2.0 “L”.
However, two issues concerned 911 drivers: its tendency to oversteer and the way it behaved at high speeds. Porsche, aware of these situations, increased the wheelbase to 2,268 mm. This resulted in a 911 that was easier to drive, but without taking anything away from its original driving characteristics. This marked the beginning of Porsche’s relentless quest for performance regarding the 911, without ever changing the concept of its rear-mounted flat-six engine.
For many, the 911’s story can be split into two eras, which are linked to the type of cooling system on the engine. In fact, up until the 911 Type 993, flat sixes of every previous 911s were air-cooled. The typical sound of this flat-six was, and still is, very raw. The following generations (the 911s Type 996, 997, 991 and 992) were all equipped with water-cooled engines, given how liquid cooling systems are more efficient, especially when it comes to sports car engines.
Each “era”, throughout these 60 years of Porsche 911 history, produced its own icons. Among the air-cooled 911s, there are true legends on four wheels, like the 1973 2.7-Liter 911 Carrera RS and its infamous ducktail wing, or the legendary 911 Turbo Type 930, which appeared in 1975 on its 3.0-Liter version. However, the model that really has marked 911 Turbo history is the “930 3.3”. The concept of a 911 with all-wheel drive also appeared during the air-cooled era. In fact, the 911 Type 964 was the very first 911 with all-wheel drive, after having this system tested intensively during the Dakar on the Porsche 959. As for the 911 Type 993, it marked history for being the very last air-cooled 911.
The water-cooled 911 era also gave birth to true legends that were just as impressive, like the 911 GT3, which was available from the 911 Type 996 onwards and is considered by most as the very best road-going vehicle for intense track use. For those who prefer turbocharged engines as opposed to naturally aspirated ones, but who find that Turbos lack the untamed temperament of the old 930s, the German manufacturer commercialized –as early as 2001- the remarkable 911 GT2 Type 996.
The water-cooled versions that came after (911 Type 997, 991 and 992) only served to refine the existing concepts in the 911 range. Among these, let’s mention the sublime GT3 Touring, a 911 GT3 trim with all of the features found on the “regular” GT3, except for the big rear wing. This change allowed to combine the extremely streamlined 911 Carrera silhouette and incredible performance level of the GT models, for the most accomplished Grand-Touring driving experience ever. Adding to this the fact that the manufacturer currently offers a 911 for every driver profile (including a 911 Dakar made for spirited off-road driving!), it is safe to say that the 911 is truly the model with the most extensive range in the Porsche vehicle family.
This short summary of the 911 history would still be incomplete without mentioning its history on the racetrack. It is easy to sum it up: the 911 has stood out on all fronts. It has climbed the highest step of the podium for the Monte-Carlo Rally in 1968, 1969 and 1970, but also in 1986 by winning the Dakar rally with the Porsche 959, which was heavily inspired by the 911 platform of the times. More recently, it also shined at Le Mans thanks to the ultra-high-performance 911 GT1-98.
You now probably understand more clearly why, according to Ferry Porsche, the 911 is the only cabriolet, coupe or Targa vehicle that allows you to race at a rally-raid and Le Mans, while still being capable to get you to the theater with style or drive around New-York city in the highest levels of comfort!
Would you like to find out more about the celebrations for the sixtieth anniversary of the Porsche 911 in Quebec and Canada? Do not hesitate to contact us at Porsche Rive-Sud, your Porsche dealership on the South Shore of Montreal! We will be glad to answer all of your questions and will share with you our undying passion for the German manufacturer. We are looking forward to meeting you at our dealership very soon, to celebrate this exceptional birthday with you!