Vehicle Story
How do you like your 911 cooled? By air, or liquid? Actually it’s a moot point because so-called air-cooled engines are really oil cooled, but let’s leave our anorak on the hook and cut to the chase.
The original 911 was based on the Porsche 356 and would have been called the 901, were it not for the fact that Peugeot claimed the rights over that name. The new car maintained the 356's fastback design, and had an air-cooled flat-six that produced 130bhp.
Porsche introduced the innovative and patented Targa in 1965 – the prominent, protective rollbar defined this design, and the roof panel between it and the windscreen could be removed, creating an open air experience for those who wanted the wind in their hair.
1966 saw a power bump up from 130bhp to 160bhp, and in order to handle this extra 30bhp, the chassis and brakes were improved, and newly designed lightweight Fuchs wheels were fitted. However, the rear-engined character of the 911 remained, making it challenging to drive at the grip limit.
Porsche upped the displacement of the 911's engine in 1970 to 2.2 litres, while at the same time the cars were lightened through the use of aluminium in the engine lids and bumpers.
In 1972 the Porsche hiked the displacement again, this time to 2.4 litres and the S version was now making 190bhp. It was quick, and the lightweight body (approximately 1050kg) made it extremely agile. On the ten year anniversary of the 911 in 1973, Porsche introduced the famed Carrera RS.
In 1976 the 2.7 litre engine was replaced for good by a 3.0 litre, favoured because of its increased reliability and potential for tuning. More torque made it more enjoyable to drive, and by 1980, all models (except the American-spec ones) made 204bhp.
For 1978, Porsche bumped the Turbo's displacement up to 3.3 litres to make 296bhp. It was also fitted with an intercooler that required the rear of the car to be redesigned. As a result, the tea-tray tail was implemented.
In 1984, the SC's 3.0 litre engine was replaced with a 3.2 litre engine and the Carrera 3.2 made more power and had better brakes. Customers could also spec their Carreras with the more aggressive Turbo's spoiler and wide body. The 3.6 litre 964 Carrera had floor-hinged pedals and roared with flat-six air-cooled brilliance.
The last of the air-cooled 911s, the 993, featured new front and rear ends, which resulted in a smoother and more aerodynamic look. Suspension was improved through the use of a multilink rear system. The Carrera's engine was a 3.6 litre flat-six that made 268bhp and it was the first 911 to offer a six-speed manual transmission, as opposed to a four or five-speed.
Finally, in 1999 the liquid cooled Porsche 911 996 took over, and 36 year reign of the mighty air-cooled 911 came to an end.
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