Innholdsfortegnelse for No. 177 i Total 911

Total 911’s annual ‘cars to buy’ issue is always one of my personal favourites of the year. Away from the glitzy unveilings of Porsche’s latest and greatest models, the issue always does justice to highlight some of the many models of 911 which experts from around the industry are tipping to be hot property over the next 12 months. “Choosing the right Neunelfer can be a minefield” The reason we do this each year is thus: whether you’re just entering 911 ownership or evolving your Porsche story, choosing the right Neunelfer can be a minefield. There are over 100 different models across eight generations, most of which are available in Coupe, Cabriolet and Targa body styles, with values varying from £15,000 right up to £1 million. Then there are sensible…

Valencia, Spain. It’s been six weeks since our first introduction to the driving delights of Porsche’s eighth-generation 911, our very own Kyle Fortune dissecting the differences between the Carrera 4S and Carrera 2S on track at the Hockenheimring. Today though, we’re getting a little taste as to how these cars perform in the real world. Ahead of first deliveries, what else can we learn from the 992? For anyone coming from a previous 911 – even a 991 – the 992’s technological overhaul takes some getting used to. It’s not the technology itself which is the problem, more the way it’s presented: the new 12-inch screen in the centre of the dashboard acts as a constant draw for your eyes, though those digital screens either side of the analogue tacho…

1965 Race car £150,000+ WHAT CAN BE MORE EXHILARATING THAN RACING THE 911 IN ITS PUREST FORM? As the title says, what can be better than the thrill of bumper-to-bumper racing among a 40-strong field of early 911s at some of Europe’s best circuits? Since its inception last year the 2.0L Cup has well and truly rejuvenated interest in short-chassis 911 racing, with a record number of cars now signed up for the competition’s second season, which will take in races at famous tracks including Monza, Spa Francorchamps and the Hungaroring. Granted, at upwards of £150,000 to purchase a car before all transport and maintenance costs are considered, plus entry fees, it’s not cheap – but if your pockets are deep enough this is one of the most rewarding experiences…

Passers-by seem impressed, if a little nonplussed as to why we’re photographing two seemingly identical 911 GT3s. But to Porsche aficionados the 996 and 997 generations actually represent two very different flavours of GT3, and spark lively debate. Today we’re comparing the last of the 996 GT3s with the first of the 997, putting the GT3’s first generational shift under the microscope and declaring a winner. It’s now 20 years since Porsche released its first 911 GT3, a road car that was produced to homologate the racers. The arrival of Andreas Preuninger soon after saw ‘Mr GT3’ put his stamp on the 996 generation with the revised 996.2 GT3 of 2003. He had to wait for the subsequent 997 GT3 of 2006 to take ownership of a GT3 generation from…

After 30 years of working for other firms, in 1930 Dr Porsche founded his own engineering consultancy, the Konstructionsbüro. As the company took on research or development contracts, these were each allocated a number. In charge of these contracts – or, more accurately, task numbers – was Dr Karl Rabe, one of the dozen or so engineers who joined Ferdinand Porsche from the outset. Rabe stayed with Porsche until 1969, and his carefully annotated notebooks containing these project numbers can still be admired at Zuffenhausen today. But if one of his many skills was handwriting that verged on calligraphy, his numbering was neither logical nor consecutive: sometimes he might simply forget the order and use a non sequitur; on other occasions, when designating a task number for a major customer,…

In many Porsche 911 books the Carrera 3.0 hardly merits a mention. Sandwiched between the revered Carrera 2.7 and all-conquering SC, it’s a mere footnote in a 56-year story. Has history judged it too harshly? Is the ‘Carrera 3’ underrated or simply underwhelming? Only driving one will tell us for sure. The odds seem stacked against the 3.0 from the start. First, Porsche broke an unwritten rule by launching a new car with less power than its predecessor. And while a 13hp shortfall mattered more on paper than the road, the outgoing Carrera 2.7 also boasted perfect pedigree, being mechanically identical to the 1973 RS 2.7, barring the US model. The new 3.0, conversely, was defined by what it lacked. It was, in essence, ‘a Turbo without the turbo’. On…

Data File Full specs, ratings and market values of every 911, including the R models, can be found beginning on page 86 Plus Showroom Looking for a new 911? The classifieds from our independent specialist partners are the first place you should start your search Servicing & tuning Get the very best from your Porsche 911 with the help of our selected performance and maintenance specialists Porsche lifestyle Helping you make the right lifestyle choices to complement you and your 911. Don’t just drive Porsche, live the brand Insurance & finance Get your Porsche covered with the best insurance deals for road and track to ensure happy, safe motoring…

RUF reveals new GT in 80th year Pfaffenhausen manufacturer debuts new 991-based model at Geneva Motor Show German sports car manufacturer RUF Automobile kick-started its 80th birthday celebrations with the unveiling of an all-new GT model at the 89th Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. The 991.2 GTS-based Ruf GT follows Pfaffenhausen’s mantra of creating cars which combine performance and suitability for everyday use. Its 3.0-litre, twin-turbocharged flat six produces 515hp, up 65hp from Porsche’s factory GTS models, with peak torque at a useable 645Nm. Equipped with a rendition of Porsche’s seven-speed double-clutch gearbox – though a manual is available as an option – the rear-drive car weighs 1,450kg, identical to Porsche’s rear-drive GTS. As well as a 0-62mph time of just 3.4-seconds, aerodynamic revisions to the 991.2’s body including a…

The winter road salt is beginning to recede, and the days are getting longer and warmer. Summer is on its way, and with it the promise of another season of driving excellence at the wheel of your favourite Porsche 911. But which 911? If you’re thinking of a change to your stable or have your eye on something new for 2019, look no further than Total 911’s annual and ever-popular guide to help steer you in the right direction. There remain bargains to be had when comparing some 911s with other models in the same price bracket, while some still represent guaranteed investment-grade quality, providing you’re prepared to play the long game of course. There’s also a host of 911s ready and willing to provide you with oodles of fun…

996 GT3 (Gen1 and Gen2) £60,000+ PURISTIC JOY THAT’S YET TO BE FULLY APPRECIATED, THESE GT CARS ARE SENSATIONAL The value of your investment may go down as well as up. That’s what they say, right? We’re not sure with the 996 GT3, as we still can’t comprehend why the prices remain at the level they do. James Turner, proprietor at Sports Purpose, says: “It doesn’t make sense how cheap the best non-RS 996 GT3’s are, especially the Clubsport ones. Buy now, keep it in the garage, use and abuse occasionally and they are surely a £100k-plus car very soon.” Even if that ‘very soon’ takes a while, the value in these cars is unquestionably in driving them, the 996 GT3 as pure a 911 driving experience as you can…

If we asked you to name your top three Porsche 911 Rennsports of all time, there’d be a very good chance the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 would be in the mix. Its presence in my top three is guaranteed and, as you’re about to find out, would likely take the crown as the best of all time. Building on the prowess of the 997.2 GT3 RS 3.8, another car which history will be very kind to, the RS 4.0 was reserved only for those with a rich and unblemished record of buying – and keeping – Porsche GT3 and GT3 RSs because, unbelievably, the company made no money from the €178,000 it decided to sell each RS 4.0 for. The RS 4.0 was unlike anything Porsche had made before. As…

911s in the data file are organised in rows according to release date, beginning with the very first model in 1964. Many models were available in Coupe, Targa and Cabriolet forms, with the option of automatic transmission. Here, data has been provided from the Coupe variants unless stated. All data here has been compiled, where possible, from Porsche’s own figures. General valuations This reflects the general market trend for a model’susedvaluecompared to the previous financial quarter. The review for 2019 Q2 will be April. The review for 2019 Q1 was January. Ratings Each model is rated out of five in our half-star system according to their performance,handling, appearance and desirability.…

The 996 might be famous for its radical looks and engine changes, but the first water-cooled 911 also offered a marked improvement in safety over the outgoing 993. Structurally the 996 was torsionally much more rigid, with high-strength steel utilised to better protect occupants in the event of a collision. Porsche also developed its air bag safety system, introducing POSIP as a standard feature across the entire 911 range. Porsche Side Impact Protection comprises what Zuffenhasuen says are side-protection elements in the door, including a door-reinforcement bar made of very high-strength steel, plus a crossbar in the lower section of the 911’s C-pillar. “Structurally the 996 was torsionally much more rigid, with high-strength steel utilised” For more added protection POSIP also incorporates two additional air bags on each side of…

In defence of the 993 C4S Dear Sir, Every time I see the 993 C4S mentioned in the pages of Total 911 I cringe because a) I own one and b) I know what’s coming next. Issue 175 was no exception. In the article ‘993 Carrera S v Turbo’ the writer marched out all of the usual criticisms of the C4S. It’s one of the “less-than-stellar widebody 911s”, and given its extra weight in combination with the normally aspirated engine you have a car “whose performance is a little blunted.” But if you are looking for a nimble, lightweight performance 911, you’d better look elsewhere. All I can say is: guilty as charged! The C4S really is sluggish, at least at the low end. It’s not nearly as nimble as…

993 Carrera £30,000-£70,000 THE 993 IS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN TWO 911 AGES, BLENDING THE BEST OF BOTH A beguiling mix of classic, air-cooled 911 with modernity, the 993’s strength today is that it can still genuinely be used as a daily driver. It was developed as Porsche itself modernised, the beautiful Tony Hatter-designed 993 benefitting not just from a new look, but a multi-link rear axle, a six-speed gearbox and a more powerful 3.6-litre flat six, that combination taking the 911 to new levels of performance and usability. “The relative scarcity of the 964, particularly in two-wheel-drive manual form, has ensured that these make more money than the equivalent 993, which is just crazy,” says Paul Stephens. “Throw a Tiptronic gearbox and high miles into the mix and a 993…

Alongside prestige road cars, serious enthusiasts have long been keen to invest in historic race cars which have helped form the very fabric of the motorsport-inspired Porsche brand. This can be a difficult path for the novice to tread, so what’s likely to be sought-after for 2019? We asked Lee Maxted-Page, owner of the eponymous Porsche specialists long dealing in prestige race cars. “This year we continue to receive increasing interest for Porsche race cars and are also witnessing a brand-new group emerging comprising of World Endurance GT and prototype cars from the 1990s and 2000s era – which are effectively now being categorised as historic,” Lee says. “Demand is underpinned for this era of cars by two new and growing historic race series: Endurance Racing Legends and Masters Endurance…

There are 638 miles between my home in England and Clermont-Ferrand, France, but two good reasons to cover that distance as quickly as possible: there’s a 911 GT2 RS parked outside my front door and a track called Circuit de Charade near the French town. What better way to see if the GT2 RS can both retain the 911’s famed usability over a long distance and monster a circuit? If you’ve never heard of Circuit de Charade, fear not. Neither had I until I interviewed Jackie Stewart. The three-time F1 champion won there in 1969 and 1972 and described the race track as second only to the Nürburgring in the roll call of the greatest ever Formula One circuits. “It’s difficult to learn… some corners are very similar, there are…

Nick Jeffery Surrey, UK @npjeffery @npjeffery Model 996.2 CARRERA 4S Year 2002 Acquired JUNE 2014 Model 996 TURBO Year 2002 Acquired MAY 2017 Model 997 CARRERA 4 GTS Year 2012 Acquired OCT 2018 I’m absolutely delighted to join the Total 911 Living the Legend team and be given the opportinity to write my first column for the magazine! I’ve been passionate about cars since I was in short trousers. I remember drawing them as a child and ‘manufacturing’ my own designs out of LEGO on my bedroom floor, surrounded by walls adorned with automotive art… Yes, I had the obligatory Guards red Turbo poster during the mid 1980s, but my Porsche journey really started with a passenger ride in a 993 Ruf Turbo R – what a beast of a…

It’s often claimed that more than 70 per cent of Porsche vehicles ever sold remain on the road today, but it doesn’t mean Stuttgart’s finest is exempt from unfortunate mishaps. While some are written off, some Porsche are repaired and thrust back onto the road as a category S or N car in the UK, S defining structural damage that’s been repaired, and N denoting a repair of non-structural damage. Significantly cheaper to buy, a crash-damaged vehicle can present a cost-effective route into Porsche ownership. So should you be tempted? “It’s an area that has to be approached carefully,” says renowned builder of bespoke 911s. Paul Stephens. “When completed, the true value is certainly 40 per cent cheaper than a straight car, though invariably the winners are the guys who…

When Ferry Porsche expressed the hope of selling at least five cars a year in America, Hoffman’s response of: “If I can’t sell five a week, I’m not interested,” rather sums up the man. Born in Vienna in 1904, Maximilian Edwin Hoffmann was interested in cars from an early age and went on to have a successful business until events leading up to the Second World War saw him move first to Paris and then to New York, where he began spelling his surname with just one ‘n’. In 1947 he set up the Hoffman Motor Company, soon to be based in a stunning showroom at the upmarket location of 430 Park Avenue with the building designed by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Instrumental in bringing a number of marques…