Porsche is widely regarded for making some of the best handling cars that offered a highly immersive driving experience. The inception of the brand started in 1938 when Ferdinand Porsche, designed the 356, which instantly became a success. Later on, with the 911 range revolutionizing the sportscar industry, Porsche as a brand starting rising to the top as a symbol for the rich and elite.
Porsche has been on the bucket list of many enthusiasts and there is a perfectly good reason for it. Porsches are one of the more clinical sports cars in the market and getting your hands on one is always a dream. They have a number of products under the 911 moniker; from the entry-level Carrera to the explosive Turbo S. Furthermore, Porches’ GT program has given birth to some of the best 911s in existence, with the GT2RS, GT3RS, and GT3 being favorites among track junkies.
Currently running the 992 generation, the 911 has become bigger and heavier. Being the last air-cooled Porsche 911, we’ll take a closer look at the 993 generation, more specifically the 911 Carrera and see why it’s a favorite among Porschephiles.
The Porsche 911: A Brief
The Porsche 911 was developed as a more powerful, larger, and more comfortable replacement for the 356, the company's first model. Initially, the 911 was called Porsche 901 (901 being its internal project number). However, Peugeot on the grounds that in France it had exclusive rights to car names formed by three numbers and a zero in the middle, protested against Porsche’s idea. This gave birth to the iconic 911 moniker that Porsche decided to go with instead of simply renaming their cars for France. Oh, and the 911 name was a random pick.
The OG 911 was launched in 1964 and used a 2.0-liter air-cooled flat-six pumping 130 horsepower. A four or five-speed transmission was available and the 911 topped at 130 mph which isn’t bad for a 60s sports car. The flat-six went from 2-liters to 2.2-liters in 1969 and to 2.4 in 1971. However, it’s the Carrera RS 2.7 in 1972, that took the limelight with its 219 horsepower flat-six and is a collector’s favorite.
The Air-cooled Era
In 1973, Porsche gave the 10-year old 911 a redesign. The G-series as it was called by Porsche, became one of the most revered generations of the 911. The all-new 911 brought in a few innovations with integrated headrests and 3-point seatbelts. But, it was in 1974 when Porsche introduced the 930 Turbo that Porsche introduced turbocharging. It is considered a classic according to collectors with its “whale-tail” spoiler and used a 3.0-liter flat-six producing 260 horsepower. At the time it was the fastest production car in Germany.
In 1977, a more powerful 930 Turbo 3.3 was brought in boasting a 3.3-liter turbocharged flat-six with an intercooler. Power was rated at 300 horsepower and later models used a 5-speed manual versus the 4-speed used in the 930 Turbo.
In 1988, the 911 saw a radical change with 85% new components and introduced all-wheel-drive in their Carrera 4. Also, this brought the 964 generation which was dynamically a substantial improvement over its predecessor. Light alloy control arms and coil springs were used instead of the previous torsion-bar suspension. The 964 brought in ABS, Tiptronic, power steering, airbags, and automatic rear spoilers.
In 1993, Porsche introduced the type 993 911 which had a more refined approach to all that was good with the 964. The 993 quickly gained a reputation for exceptional dependability and reliability. Additionally, the 993 used a redesigned aluminum chassis that made it nimbler and more agile than the 964. The 993 Turbo version was the first to have a bi-turbo engine and made 402 horsepower. The 993 generation also gave birth to the first production 911 GT2 aimed at the purists who cherished the thrill of high speeds. Most importantly though, the 993 was the last generation of air-cooled 911s.
Why Is The Porsche 993 Among The Best Of The 911s
Fundamentally, being the last air-cooled 911 entitles the 993 to one of the best collectible Porsches. Regardless of your pick in the 993 generation, you’re looking at a good investment. Among Proschephiles however, the Carrera has a special spot because of its unadulterated driving experience paired with phenomenal reliability. Improvements to the familiar 3.6-liter flat-six engine took power from 247 to 270 horsepower from the 964 and make the 993 Carrera sprint from 0-60 in under 5 seconds.
Another area of fiddling was the transmission and for the first time ever, there were six ratios in a 911 instead of the 5-speed box and the 4-speed Tiptronic. The trademark of being a Porsche is in the way it handles and the Carrera was no exception. It is in fact one of the very few cars that are so versatile that one can take it for shopping or run errands if you like. Equally capable was its ability to change directions at triple-digit speeds. Although modern 911s have improved upon these by a significant margin, there’s always something cool about a vintage Porsche and the 993 Carrera tops it off brilliantly.
Sources: Porsche, YouTube