The 5 Most Unforgettable Porsche 911s of My 40-Year Driving Career
For four decades, I’ve had the privilege of testing Porsche 911s. I’ve witnessed their evolution, from raw, analog machines to precision-engineered instruments of speed and grip. While every 911 has its own unique character, a few stand out, forever etched in my memory as benchmarks of automotive excellence.
My journey with the 911 began with a white 3.0-liter Carrera. It was a pure, lightweight car—no rear wing, no power steering, just a five-speed manual. While I found it fast, I also noticed its imperfections, especially when compared to a 944 Turbo that cost nearly the same at the time. But even then, I was captivated by the 911’s soulful character. I remember writing, “The 944 Turbo is the better car, but I’d take the 911 Carrera home.” That imperfect charm has kept me in love with the 911 for 40 years.
Over the years, I’ve seen the 911 evolve through generations, from the air-cooled icons of the past to the water-cooled marvels of today. Each iteration pushes the boundaries of what’s possible, but somehow, Porsche always manages to retain the essence of what makes a 911 so special. If I had to choose, these are the five Porsche 911s that have left the deepest impression on me.
The 1975 Porsche 930 Turbo: A True Widowmaker
In the late 1970s, the original Porsche 930 Turbo was the stuff of legend. Road testers whispered tales of its raw power and unforgiving nature, calling it a “widowmaker” that punished any hint of sloppiness. It wasn’t until 35 years after hearing those stories that I finally got behind the wheel of one, and I discovered the truth behind the legend.
The car I drove was one of the first 30 production Turbos ever built, now part of Porsche’s cherished classic fleet. Aware of its fearsome reputation, I took it easy at first, feeling the boost come in and watching the tachometer. The engine was surprisingly tractable, happy to pull along at 2,000 rpm even in top gear. But when the engine hit 3,500 rpm, there was a noticeable surge as the turbocharger spooled up. I had expected a sledgehammer blow, but instead, I felt a powerful shove that was addictive rather than overwhelming.
To drive the 930 smoothly, I learned to keep the 3.0-liter flat-six spinning above 4,000 rpm to keep the turbocharger energized. The turbo lag was significant by modern standards, but it was manageable. Even after 50 years, this 911 is still an incredibly fast car on the road. First gear tops out at 50 mph, second at 90 mph, and third at nearly 130 mph, meaning it can dominate any winding two-lane road with just second and third gears. With only 256 hp, it weighs just 2,513 pounds, allowing it to slice through corners with ease. Fifty years ago, its performance would have felt otherworldly.
Today, the 930 is a coveted classic, with prices soaring into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. But even as a collector’s item, it remains a raw, unfiltered sports car that demands respect. It’s a visceral experience that modern cars just can’t replicate.
The 1996 Porsche 993 Turbo: The End of an Era
For Porsche purists, the 993 is the last of the true air-cooled 911s. It’s the kind of car you drive with the snarling metallic clatter of a flat-six in the background, your knuckles grazing the dashboard. But back in 1994, when I first drove it, the 993 was the 911 of the future, a car that challenged Isaac Newton’s laws of physics.
Sure, the 993 still had the trademark nose-heavy feel of a 911, requiring careful loading on corner entry. The rear end still danced through rough turns, but the connection between the front and rear was much better. The 993 still did 911 things, but with much greater precision.
The key to this improvement was a new rear suspension. Porsche replaced the old semi-trailing arms with a multi-link setup that provided a small initial toe-out on corner entry and then progressive toe-in as lateral forces increased. This drastically reduced the camber changes that had been a 911 Achilles’ heel since 1963. Combined with a new six-speed manual transmission and a lighter, more responsive 3.6-liter flat-six, the 993 was a revelation.
Under the leadership of Ulrich Bez, the exterior was redesigned by Harm Lagaay, who corrected the visual flaws of the 964 model—a car he considered too tall at the front and too low at the rear. The interior was cleaner, with fewer buttons scattered randomly. The 993 was a 911 that was faster and more forgiving than ever. Most importantly, it was more desirable, too.
The 1996 Porsche 996 Carrera: The 911 That Saved Porsche
At the time, it was considered heresy. Porsche’s decision to install a water-cooled flat-six in the tail of the 996-series 911 was, to the purists, automotive blasphemy. But the 996, the first clean-sheet redesign of Porsche’s icon in 34 years, was a hero car to me. It was the 911 that saved Porsche.
Engineered and developed under the direction of Porsche R&D chief Horst Marchart, the 996 was a clever 911. It shared 38 percent of its parts with the all-new, less expensive mid-engine roadster known as the Boxster. Porsche icon Wendelin Weideking knew the Boxster was needed to fill a void in the lineup once the aging 928 and 968 models went out of production. As design chief Harm Lagaay said with a smile after the launch, “We did two cars for the price of one-and-a-half.”
But while much attention was paid to its relationship with the Boxster and the water-cooled engine, the 996’s real story ran much deeper. In 1994, it took Porsche 130 hours to build a 993-series 911; the 996 took just 60 hours. The modern 911 had arrived: roomier, equipped with all the features expected of a late-20th-century sports car, yet still recognizably a 911. Most importantly, it still drove like a 911. Only better. Yes, there was a new veneer of sophistication, but the 996 retained the delicious tactility and urgent response that made the 911 a unique sports car. And along with the original Boxster, it saved Porsche from extinction.
The 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera (991.2): A Perfect Recipe
Of all the 911s I’ve driven, it was a base model 991.2 Carrera that truly stole my heart. It stole everyone else’s too, judging by the feedback I got from colleagues who drove it. Most press fleets tend to be packed with high-spec vehicles loaded with options, but Porsche Cars North America’s decision to include a base 911 Carrera among the new 991.2 models for our 2017 MotorTrend Car of the Year testing was a brave one. In truth, it was an inspired move.
The 991.2 featured a new 3.4-liter turbocharged engine, available with 370 hp in the base model or 420 hp in the Carrera S. Even in 370-hp trim, it delivered a broad band of torque and impressive efficiency. This Carrera proved that even with the base wheel/tire combination, the chassis was staggeringly communicative and adjustable. Visually, the 991.2 was a mild refresh of the bigger, skillfully reproportioned 991.1—a beautifully executed interpretation of classic 911 themes, modern and elegant. Inside, the new infotainment interface was both stylish and functional.
Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission remains a benchmark for smooth, precise shifts. But the seven-speed manual transmission on the no-frills Carrera delighted with an oily, rifle-bolt action that made us all fall in love with driving again. Testing director Kim Reynolds summed up the Carrera’s visceral appeal best: “When all cars but one are autonomous, please let this be it, the last human-driven car. For posterity’s sake.” It’s been nearly 10 years since I drove it, but I vividly remember it: Guards Red over black, it had just one option—red seat belts. I still scour the ads occasionally, dreaming about it.
The 2023 Porsche 992
