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The Icons: My 5 Most Unforgettable Porsche 911 Drives For four decades, I’ve had the privilege of steering some of the world’s most legendary machines. Among them, the Porsche 911 stands apart—an automotive icon that has evolved, adapted, and consistently redefined what a sports car can be. I recall my first experience with this Stuttgart marvel: a crisp, white 3.0-liter Carrera with black Fuchs alloys. It was a raw, analog experience—no power steering, a five-speed manual, and no rear wing. It was fast, yes, but it was also undeniably flawed. In fact, I tested it alongside the then-new 944 Turbo in my home country of Australia. The 944 Turbo, at the time, cost nearly the same as the 911 Carrera. It packed more power, more torque, and was devastatingly quick on winding roads with far less effort required. But even with the 944’s superior performance, I found myself falling for the 911. As I wrote back then, “After two days and 600 miles, I’m certain. I know the 944 Turbo is the better car. But I also know that if it came to the crunch, that if it were me agonizing over how to spend my money, I’d take the 911 Carrera home.” It wasn’t an easy decision. I admitted the 944 was competent enough to make a bad driver look good, praising its “soaring, searing performance” and “astounding chassis.” Yet, the 911’s imperfections were what drew me in. It represented a different age, with values that demanded respect and understanding rather than simple usability. Over the years, I’ve driven dozens of 911s. Apart from the 964 in the early 1990s, which seemed to signal the end of the 911 concept, each iteration has astonished me with its refinement, relevance, and pure driving engagement. Even today, after four decades behind the wheel, the 911 remains one of the few new cars I would happily buy with my own money. From that first test, I’ve encountered a spectrum of 911s—from raw, visceral machines to hyper-technical track weapons. These are the five that have left the most indelible mark on my driving memory. The Legend: The 1975 Porsche 930 Turbo To veteran journalists of the 1970s, the original Porsche 911 Turbo was spoken of in hushed, reverent tones. They warned that it demanded the utmost respect and that driving it with intent was a nerve-wracking affair, demanding quick hands and big balls. It was known for its unforgiving nature and, effectively, was labeled a “widowmaker.” I didn’t get behind the wheel of a true original 930 Turbo until 35 years after my first test, finally learning the truth for myself. This particular car was one of the first 30 production Turbos ever built, now residing in Porsche’s esteemed classic fleet. Stepping into the driver’s seat, aware of its terrifying reputation, I drove cautiously at first. I gently worked the throttle, sensing the boost build and watching the tachometer, trying to map the power delivery. The engine proved remarkably tractable, comfortably chugging along at 45 mph in top gear, happy to murmur at 2,000 rpm. But around 3,500 rpm, the turbocharger spooled up to 0.8 bar, and the acceleration surged with a noticeable kick. Yet, the brutal, shoulder-shoving sledgehammer hit I expected never materialized. I discovered that the trick to smooth and fast progress in the original 911 Turbo was to keep the 3.0-liter flat-six spinning at 4,000 rpm or above to keep the turbo spinning. Yes, there is significant turbo lag by modern standards, but it is manageable. This 911, even after more than 50 years, is still incredibly fast on the road. First gear tops out at 50 mph, second reaches 90 mph, and third nearly hits 130 mph. This means that even just using second and third gears will obliterate most winding two-lane roads. While its 256 horsepower seems modest today, the car weighs just 2,513 pounds, allowing it to cut through corners effortlessly. Half a century ago, this performance was otherworldly. The Bridge: The 1996 Porsche 911 (993) Carrera For Porsche purists, the 993 generation remains the pinnacle—the last of the true, air-cooled 911s. It’s the car you drive with your knuckles practically grazing the dashboard, the snarling, mechanical clatter of the flat-six engine right behind your head. But when I first drove it back in 1994, the 993 was the 911 of the future. It was the first model in the lineage to begin arguing with Isaac Newton about the laws of physics. While the 993 still featured the somewhat skittish front end that demanded careful loading on corner entry to hit the apex, and the rear end still rhumbаed through rough turns, the connection between the front and rear was significantly improved. The 993 still did what a 911 does, but within a much safer margin. The secret behind this newfound poise was a groundbreaking rear suspension. Porsche replaced the old semi-trailing arms with a new multilink setup that allowed for tiny initial toe-out on corner entry and then progressive toe-in as lateral loads increased. Crucially, this eliminated the aggressive camber change that had been the Achilles’ heel of 911s since 1963. This engineering marvel was combined with steering that was 16% quicker—2.5 turns lock-to-lock—making the front end feel much more decisive. Furthermore, a new six-speed manual transmission effectively utilized the 3.6-liter flat-six, which now roared harder to its 268-hp peak at 6,100 rpm, thanks to lighter internal components, a Bosch Motronic 2.0 engine management system, and a new dual exhaust. Compared to the 964 it replaced, the 993 was a revelation. It wasn’t just the engineering brilliance, developed under the leadership of Ulrich Bez, who would later head Aston Martin. The exterior redesign, led by design chief Harm Lagaay, fixed the visual flaws of the 964, a car he considered too tall at the front and pulled down at the rear. The interior was cleaner, too, with fewer buttons scattered haphazardly. The 993 was a 911 that was faster and more forgiving than ever before. And most importantly, it was far more desirable. The Savior: The 1998 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera In its time, this was considered heresy. Porsche’s decision to switch to a water-cooled flat-six engine for the 996-series 911 was, to the purists, the automotive equivalent of Bob Dylan abandoning his acoustic guitar for a Fender Strat at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. But the 996—the first clean-sheet redesign of Porsche’s indefatigable sports car in 34 years—was a heroic car in my eyes. 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, not least because it shared 38% of its parts with an all-new, less expensive mid-engine roadster that the world would soon know as the Boxster. The iconoclastic Porsche CEO, Wendelin Weideking, knew the Boxster was essential to give dealers something else to sell once the aging 928 and 968 models were discontinued. As design chief Lagaay proudly stated after the unveiling, “We did two cars for the price of one-and-a-half.” But while the automotive press was consumed with its relationship with the Boxster and the water-cooled engine, the 996’s true significance ran far deeper. In 1994, it took Porsche 130 hours to build a 993-series 911. The 996, however, required only 60 hours to manufacture. The modern 911 had arrived. It was roomier, equipped with all the amenities expected of a late-20th-century sports car, yet still unmistakably Porsche’s icon. Most importantly, it still drove like a 911. Only better. While it featured a new veneer of sophistication, the 996 retained the exquisite tactility and urgent response that had always set the 911 apart. Along with the original Boxster, it single-handedly rescued Porsche from extinction. The Benchmark: The 2017 Porsche 911 (991.2) Carrera Of all the 911s I’ve ever driven, it was a base 991.2 Carrera that truly captured my heart. It captured everyone else’s, too, judging by the feedback I received from colleagues who tested it at the time.