The most popular sportscar model in history is the Porsche 911. The
first 911 appeared way back in 1963 and since then it has remained at the top of
the wish-list of every car nut.
Let’s take a look back over the 911’s rich heritage...
Before the 911
Dr Ferdinand Porsche (born in 1875) began his automotive career working with
electric and petrol-electric powered vehicles. During the Second World War, he
was set the task of developing a car suitable for the masses – his answer was
the VW ‘Beetle’ which was released in 1938. The fundamental concept of the
Beetle was sound but manufacturing priorities at the time meant large-scale
assembly was put on the back-burner. Only a fraction of the anticipated number
was produced but they proved extremely reliable in service.
At the end of the war, Dr Porsche was jailed for his collaboration with the
Nazi Government. However, his son – Ferry Porsche - managed to free him by
handing the French a large sum of money...
Ferry had already founded the first Porsche factory in Austria and the
pair quickly set to work producing a sportscar that employed left-over Beetle
components. A rear-engine, rear-drive layout was essential from a parts and
marketing point of view. The result was the stunning 1949 Porsche 356 – a
vehicle that quickly became popular with wealthy buyers. Like the Beetle, the
1.1 litre flat-four powered 356 was extremely reliable and was subsequently
released in cabrio and coupe guises. Engine capacity and various other upgrades
were made during the 356 lifespan.
The 911 Arrives!
With greater financial resources then available within the company, Porsche
released the four-seater 901 in 1963/1964. Interestingly, Peugeot had already
claimed copyright on a three-digit model number with a zero in the middle so
Porsche was forced to change from 901 to 911! The 901-come-911 employed a new
air-cooled 2.0 litre flat-six producing a respectable 96kW. Weighing just
1000kg, the ‘A-series’ 911 gave sparkling on-road performance and a top speed
over 200 km/h.
The old Porsche 356 continued production until 1965 when a cut-price version
of the 911 was introduced – the 912. The Porsche 912 came without many of the
911’s interior luxuries and was lumbered with a relatively gutless flat-four
engine. Still, sales were strong thanks to its attractive price. At the other
end of the scale, a more expensive version of the 911 was also released in 1965
– the 911 Targa.
In 1966, a high-performance version of the 911 hit the market – the 911 S.
With a relatively high 9.8:1 compression ratio, the 911 S was rated at 119kW
(more in later models). Suspension, wheels and brakes were also upgraded to suit
but, by this time, the 911’s difficult handling characteristics were becoming
increasingly obvious. With poor weight distribution and a relatively short
wheelbase, the rear-end could suddenly break away from an inexperienced driver.
Porsche temporarily ‘solved’ the problem by placing ballast in the corners of
the front bumpers...
The 1969 Chassis Upgrade
In 1969, the 911 was given a major chassis revamp to help address its
handling issues.
The so-called 1969 B-series saw the rear axle located 57mm rearward to
improve stability and weight distribution. The fore-aft weight distribution was
now 43:57. Wider tyres could also be accommodated in the B-series’ slightly
widened guards – 185s were now available on the sporty 911 S.
A B-series 911 is easily identified by its lettering on the engine cover. The
B-series has widely spaced Porsche lettering and a centrally mounted 911 badge –
the earlier model has closer Porsche lettering and an angled 911 badge.
Also in 1969, Porsche expended its 911 range with the middle-of-the-range 911
E. This vehicle offered better trim than the base 911 but, compared to the 911 S,
it used a lower compression engine rated at 104kW. The curious looking
mid-engine’d Porsche 914 was also released that year – things were going well
for the company.
Bigger Engines – 2.2 and 2.4
litre
The C-series 911 was released in 1970 and fine-tuned the dramatic handling
improvements made in the B-series update. The C-series incorporated altered
front-end geometry to reduce steering kickback and steering effort. Larger 15 x
6 inch wheels were also standard across the range.
More important was an engine capacity increase.
The flat-six’s bore diameter was enlarged to deliver a swept capacity of 2.2
litres. This extra capacity, in conjunction with other mechanical changes,
brought up to 134kW in the 911 S. Lesser models used a lower compression engine.
Both the 911 S and 911 E received an aluminium engine cover to help maintain a
kerb weight of just 1020kg.
The 1971 D-series 911 remained essentially the same except a galvanised floor
was integrated. Further use of galvanised panels was to follow.
In late 1971 it was already time for another engine capacity increase. By
increasing the stroke of the flat-six, Porsche achieved a 2.4 litre swept
capacity. In 911 S guise, the 2.4 made 142kW and in the mid-range 911 E it made
123kW – both were regarded as fast cars.
Early versions of the 911 2.4 litre are known as the E-series – and they are
distinguished by one unusual feature. Interestingly, the E-series has an oil
filler flap on the right side behind the door – similar to the fuel filler on
the front left guard. Unfortunately, many people mistook this rear flap for the
fuel filler – and the result was a very ugly oil/fuel mix! Not surprisingly,
this arrangement was dropped for the 1972 F-series 911.
Both the E and F-series 911 2.4s were available with a small front chin
spoiler to reportedly reduced front-end aero lift by 40 percent.
Ten Years of 911
On the Porsche 911’s tenth anniversary in 1973, all models received a fully
galvanised body and impact-absorbing bumpers (instead of chrome).
There were numerous detail changes but the most important move was the
introduction of a new high-performance model – the 911 Carrera RS.
Initially homologated for Group 4 GT racing, only 500 examples of the Carrera
RS had to be sold according to motorsport regulations – but Porsche had no
problem selling more than 1600! This vehicle used a bigger bore version of the
flat-six for a total displacement of 2.7 litres. Maximum power output was 157kW.
Interestingly, the interior was also stripped out and thin-gauge panels were
used (until supply dried up) to achieve a weight saving of about 150kg.
Wider wheels were essential with the Carerra RS’s performance and the rear
guards had to be flared to suit. A large rear spoiler (aka ducktail) was also
fitted to reduce rear aero-lift by approximately two-thirds!
A 3.0 litre RSR version of the Carerra – making 172kW and equipped with the
full whaletail – was later produced in small numbers. Its performance advantage
over the 2.7 litre Carrera was offset by extra weight.
In 1974, all Porsche models received revised bumper bars in order to meet
US crash test
standards. The existing bumper bars were mounted further out from the body –
‘accordion look’ rubber extensions bridge the gaps from the bumper to the wheel
arches. Safety was further addressed in the 1974 G-series thanks to integrated
front seat head restraints and a full-width taillight lens. The line-up also saw
the 911 E dropped and the 911 Carerra introduced.
Engine wise, the G-series 911 stepped up to the 2.7 litre big-bore capacity
established by the Carrera RS. This helped achieved the desired performance
while (just!) meeting emission requirements. The engine tune was not as
aggressive as in the Carrera RS but it did deliver good drivability.
In 1975, the H-series 911 saw only minor detail changes and the base 911 was
axed. The ’75 911 Carrerra also picked up a deeper front spoiler and optional
whaletail.
The front-engine, rear-drive Porsche 924 was also introduced in 1975 but the
most exciting news was the unveiling of the Porsche 911 Turbo (Type 930)...
Turbo Power!
The Porsche 3.0 litre turbocharged flat-six employed a remarkably low static
compression ratio – just 6.5:1! However, with around 12 psi of boost it had no
problems putting out 194kW at 5500 rpm. Big tyres and an even bigger whaletail
spoiler were mandatory – customer demand was huge as well. Again, sales far
exceeded Porsche’s expectations.
The 1976 I-series Porsche 911 saw detail changes but nothing huge. A 149kW
naturally aspirated 3.0 litre was introduced to the Carrera 3 – wider wheels
were also fitted compared to the 2.7 Carrera. This was the last year for the 2.7
litre engine.
The 1977 J-series saw the introduction of the luxurious 911 SC, which adopted
the 3.0 litre engine as fitted to the Carrera 3 the year before. In 911 SC tune,
however, the engine made a more conservative 134kW. Unfortunately, the 911 had crept up to 1160kg and the 3.0 litre SC wasn’t as fast as it first appeared.
In 1978 there was the choice of only the 911 SC or the 911 Turbo.
Fortunately, Porsche had also introduced its all-new front-engine, rear-drive
928. This water-cooled V8 coupe was intended to replace the 911 but sales never
took off as expected.
The already awesome 911 Turbo also came in for some major improvements in
1978. Engine capacity was taken out to 3.3 litres and the static compression
ratio was lifted to a more efficient 7.0:1. A large air-to-air intercooler was
also installed under the whaletail rear spoiler. Power? Try 224kW along with
416Nm of torque! Not surprisingly, this beast scored a brake system based on the
917 Le Mans racecar’s...
And that sets the scene for the late-model high-tech
911s – which we’ll cover in Part Two...
