The Ultimate Porsche 911

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06/06/2016 at 17:54 • Filed to: Porsche, 911, Porsche 911 Classic, Carrera 3.2, 1987, 1988, 1989, G50

(kdcmodelcars.com)

Porsche’s 911 has been an object of cult-ish fascination almost since its inception in 1964. It is an utterly unique vehicle that excels in many categories. A 911 is a world-class sports car, comfortable and efficient enough for long trips, practical enough to use every day, built to last, and priced to sell. Usually a car will have two or three of these characteristics, but the presence of so many is part of what makes the 911 so special. It is useable in so many ways, without being anodyne—something you might expect of a car so thoroughly-engineered. A 911 has quirks and charms enough to have character, then—these stem from the bizarre layout of its components and the tactility and immersiveness of the controls. Because the 911 is an evolution of the 356, itself an evolution of the Volkswagen Beetle, it has both its engine and its driven wheels at the rear of the car. This imbues it with unique (some say dangerous) handling traits that have become a trademark of the car. What was once considered a lethal design flaw has been refined and massaged until near perfection. Interestingly enough, the singular manner in which a 911 goes down a road at high speed and deals with trail breaking and lifting off in a corner have become desirable qualities.

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Engineers have been tweaking this car, mostly unchanged in formula for 50 years (bar a few adjustments that have sent purists into a frothing, rabies-like madness, namely the introduction of water-cooling in 1997, and electric power steering in 2011), and that time period has enabled them to take the rear-engine, rear-wheel drive formula and polish it to a glossy finish. They’ve ironed out most of the kinks that gave earlier Porsches nicknames like “Widowmaker” while still preserving everything that makes the car special. Now, because of how long the 911 has been in production, and because of how many variants there have been within the model history, someone looking to purchase one is confronted with hundreds of permutations and possibilities. This can be intimidating and off-putting to potential buyers, but, luckily, all any of them need to know is to buy a 1987-1989 3.2 Carrera.

(motortrend.com)

I’ve chosen this model over all others for a few reasons. First, let’s examine why it’s the 911 Classic over all others: 964, 993, 996, 997, 991. If you’re shopping for a 911, you’re shopping for something air-cooled. This rules out the 996, 997, and 991 (although, if you’re not picky about how your engine is cooled, look at 997s—they’re great value for the money at the moment, and that’s surely going to change soon). So, that narrows things down to the 911 Classic, the 964, and the 993. Out of all of these, the 993 is far too expensive, and the 964, well, isn’t a 911 Classic. The 964s (as with the 997s) represent great value, as well as an engaging driving experience, but they’re not quite as Porsche-y as the Classics. Through the use of arbitrary, subjective, and capricious feelings, we’ve narrowed the selection down to the 911 Classic.

(kdcmodelcars.com)

Further winnowing the selections from 1964-1989, though, is where things really get nerdy. The years 1964-1974 are the really old ones. These are far too expensive to even contemplate, so we’ll have to get into the impact-bumper years. Unfortunately, from 1974-1983, emissions regulations made sure that the 2.7s produced in that period were as powerful as a Keurig, albiet with none of the tastiness. This means that the 911 you’re looking for has to be a 1984-1989. This model is marked by a significant change in transmission in 1987, from the 915 to the G50. The G50, to make a long story short, is the better gearbox by far. Also in 1987, engine power output bumped up by 10 horsepower, so you have a car weighing less than 3000 pounds with around 220 hp. Values for these cars have been creeping up steadily, as with nearly all 911s, but you can grab one in good condition for around $50,000 today, which is an excellent price for what you get.

To reiterate what could have been said in a sentence, but took more than 700 words: buy a 1987-1898 3.2 Carrera before they get so expensive I have to write an entirely new version of this article.