The 5 Most Memorable Porsche 911s I’ve Driven in 40 Years
For four decades, I’ve had the privilege of testing Porsches, but it’s the 911 that remains a constant source of awe and fascination. After 40 years, these are the models that truly stand out as the most iconic and memorable.
1975 Porsche 930 Turbo: The Widowmaker Unleashed
When I first encountered the Porsche 911 in the 1970s, the original 911 Turbo, often dubbed the “widowmaker,” was already the stuff of legend among veteran road-test journalists. They spoke of it in hushed, respectful tones, describing a car that demanded absolute respect from drivers. Its binary boost characteristics were the bane of amateur drivers, creating a treacherous tightrope walk between the corner-entry understeer and corner-exit oversteer that was the hallmark of the classic 911. Mistakes were not tolerated, and sloppiness was punished without mercy. It was, they said, a car that could break you if you were not careful.
It took me 35 years to finally get behind the wheel of an original 930 Turbo and discover the truth behind the rumors. I was fortunate to drive one of the first 30 production Turbos ever built, a gem from Porsche’s coveted classic fleet. Driving it was an exercise in mental preparation, aware of its fearsome reputation. I started slowly, feathering the throttle and watching the tachometer, trying to internalize the power and torque curve of this legend.
Initially, I was surprised. The engine was remarkably tractable, comfortable cruising at 2,000 rpm in top gear, clocking in around 45 mph. But then the character changed. Once the engine hit 3,500 rpm, the turbo lag became undeniable. A significant surge of acceleration pushed me back in the seat as the turbocharger pushed 0.8 bar of boost into the induction system. However, the sledgehammer blow I had been expecting was missing. The real trick to smooth, high-speed progress in the 930 Turbo was to keep the 3.0-liter flat-six spinning above 4,000 rpm to keep the turbo energized.
While the turbo lag is very noticeable by modern standards, it is certainly manageable. Even though this 911 is now nearly half a century old, it remains an impressively fast car. First gear tops out at 50 mph, second at 90 mph, and third at nearly 130 mph, meaning it can devour winding two-lane roads with ease using only second and third gears. Although it only boasts 256 horsepower, its featherlight weight of 2,513 pounds allows it to dance through corners with incredible agility. Fifty years ago, its performance would have seemed otherworldly.
1996 Porsche 911 993: The Last Air-Cooled Masterpiece
For Porsche purists, the 993-generation is the definitive end of an era—the last true 911. It’s the car that places you directly behind the wheel, your knuckles brushing the dashboard, the snarling metallic clatter of an air-cooled flat-six vibrating through the chassis. However, back in 1994, when I first drove the 993, it was anything but a relic; it was the 911 of the future, the first of its line to successfully challenge Isaac Newton’s laws of physics.
To be clear, the 993 still carried the characteristic 911 trait of a pat-pat-pattery front end that required firm loading to hit the apex, and the rear end still exhibited the characteristic “rhumba” through rough turns. Yet, the chassis dynamics showed a newfound symbiosis. The 993 performed 911-style maneuvers, but within a much wider safety margin. This crucial improvement was thanks to a revolutionary rear suspension that replaced the aging semi-trailing arms with a sophisticated multi-link setup. This design allowed for slight initial toe-out during corner entry, which then progressively tightened as lateral loads increased. All of this was accomplished while significantly reducing the camber changes that had plagued 911s since 1963.
This suspension innovation was paired with a more responsive steering system, featuring a 2.5-turn lock-to-lock ratio that felt 16 percent quicker than the 964, giving the front end a much more decisive feel. Powering the 993 was a revised 3.6-liter flat-six engine, featuring lighter internals, Bosch Motronic 2.0 engine management, and a new dual exhaust system. It zipped to its 268-hp power peak at 6,100 rpm with notable enthusiasm. Compared to its predecessor, the 964, the 993 was a revelation.
This wasn’t just about engineering upgrades, led by Ulrich Bez (who later went on to head Aston Martin). The exterior redesign, under design chief Harm Lagaay, corrected the visual imperfections of the 964, which he deemed too tall at the front and awkwardly low at the rear. The interior was also tidier, with fewer buttons scattered in random locations. The 993 was faster, more forgiving, and more desirable than ever before. It redefined what a 911 could be.
1996 Porsche 911 996: The Water-Cooled Hero
At the time, Porsche’s decision to install a water-cooled flat-six in the tail of the 996-series 911 was seen as heresy by purists. To many aficionados, it was the automotive equivalent of Bob Dylan swapping his acoustic six-string for a Fender Stratocaster at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. But the 996, the first clean-sheet redesign of Porsche’s indomitable sports car in 34 years, was a true 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 stroke of genius. It shared 38 percent of its components with the all-new, less expensive mid-engine roadster the world would come to know as the Boxster. Porsche iconoclastic CEO Wendelin Weideking understood the necessity of the Boxster; it was needed to provide dealers with something to sell as the aging 928 and 968 models left production. “We built two cars for the price of one-and-a-half,” design boss Lagaay quipped with a smile after the company unveiled the 996.
While the media focused on its Boxster relationship and the water-cooled engine, the 996’s true significance ran much deeper. In 1994, it took 130 hours to build a 993-series 911. By contrast, the 996 was built in just 60 hours. The modern 911 had arrived. It was roomier, equipped with the convenience features expected of a late-20th-century sports car, and yet it was still recognizably Porsche’s icon. Most importantly, it still drove like a 911. Only better. The 996 had a new veneer of sophistication, but it retained the delicious tactility and urgent response that defined the 911 experience. Along with the original Boxster, it truly saved Porsche from extinction.
2017 Porsche 911 Carrera: The Heart of the Machine
Among all the 911s I’ve driven, it was the base 991.2 Carrera that truly captured my heart. Judging by the feedback I received from colleagues who drove it at the time, it captured everyone else’s too. Most press fleets are typically filled with high-spec vehicles loaded with options, presumably because automotive PR teams believe we are impressed by such things. So, Porsche Cars North America’s decision to include a base 911 Carrera in the list of new 991.2 models for our 2017 MotorTrend Car of the Year testing seemed brave. In truth, though, it was an inspired move.
The 991.2 debuted a new 3.0-liter turbocharged engine, offering 370 hp in the base Carrera or 420 hp in the Carrera S. Even in its 370-hp configuration, the engine provided a broad torque band and impressive fuel efficiency. This Carrera showcased that even on the base wheel and tire setup, the chassis dynamics were staggeringly communicative and adjustable. Visually, the 991.2 was a subtle refresh of the larger, skillfully reproportioned 991.1, representing a superbly executed interpretation of classic 911 themes—both modern and beautiful. Inside, a new infotainment interface offered a clean look and smooth operation.
Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission remains a benchmark for smooth, precise shifting. However, 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. MotorTrend’s testing director at the time, Kim Reynolds, summed up
