The Porsche 911 – an iconic vehicle and one desired by millions of people all over the world. But where did it all begin?
While some people might think of the Porsche 911 as a modern vehicle, its roots go back to the 1960s. Over the first three decades, the vehicle was notoriously beautiful, elegant, and powerful. In 1999, a worldwide poll aimed to declare the Car of the Century. After a tough race, the Porsche 911 eventually finished in fifth place. Over 20 years later, the vehicle is just as prestigious today as it has been at any point in its history.
In 1963, Porsche started to design a new model to replace the old 356. Initially, the company decided on the name 901. If all had gone smoothly, the vehicle we all know and love today would be called the Porsche 901. However, Peugeot owned the rights to all three-digit car design numbers with a middle zero – this is a fun fact for any pub quiz.
Therefore, with 901 taken, Porsche had to change its approach, and it eventually settled on 911. The rest, as they say, is history.
Look at the 1964 Porsche 911, and you’ll see the beginnings of the style and shape that has millions of fans all over the world. Naturally, the 2.0-liter engine was placed into the rear of the car. For the most part, the design from the 1960s stayed the same until the early 1990s.
If you were to see all the Porsche 911 variations side-by-side, the biggest changes come with the styling. From one model to the next, the company made small tweaks. Despite this, the 911 kept its character and never strayed too far from the original design.
Of course, one noticeable difference over the years came with the engine size. In 1983, the engine expanded to 3.2 liters. Then, the 964 came along, and the engine got bigger yet again with 3.6 liters.
Four years after the initial launch, Porsche received poor intel that the United States was about to make convertibles illegal. As a result, it developed the Porsche 911 Targa. Although the intel was incorrect, it took Porsche 16 years to finally release a convertible edition in 1983.
For the purists in the motoring world, the last true 911 came in 1993 because it is the last model to use air-cooled systems. However, this didn’t stop the model from growing in popularity. The 911 underwent a major overhaul in 1993, and the manufacturer did the same again in 1998. Was the company panicking? Were sales numbers dwindling? No, the 1998 model sold 170,000 units and became the best-selling 911 up to that point.
In the 2000s, Porsche mainly focused on bringing back the ‘bug’ headlights, and the 2004 edition had one of the longest lifespans of any 911 in history. Although it enjoyed a small facelift in 2009, the next model didn’t get released until 2011, and it was another landmark for Porsche.
Unbelievably, in the nearly 50 years between 1963 and 2011, Porsche had only used two platforms for the 911’s design. In 2011, a third platform was used.
In terms of turbo models, the first for the Porsche 911 came in 1975 with a huge 3.0-liter engine. Another turbocharger was added in 1993, and it also welcomed four-wheel drive to the model. In 2013, 911 had three turbochargers for the first time.
Easily identifiable even to those with little car knowledge, the Porsche 911 is a prestigious vehicle and one that will always hold a special place in the hearts of many!
If your Porsche 911 needs good maintenance and service here our Porsche Mechanic shares the information regarding the porsche service and maintenance.
