As of this writing, there are over 30 different variations of Porsche 911. You have the Carreras, the Turbos, GT3s, GT2s, then cabriolet versions, and then all wheel drive versions of cabriolets, the list goes on. But, at the very bottom of the list lies the humble 911 Carrera. Sadly, time has not been so kind on this amazing sports car.
Back during the 996, the base Carrera was the fastest 2 wheel Carrera model you could buy; the only S model was the 4S. And compared to the other 996 cars, the base Carrera was a very respectable car. Towards the end of its, life-cycle, it was making around 320 hp, only weighed around 3,000 lbs, it was nimble, responsive, a great car to drive. Then with the 997 generation, the gap started to widen. The Carrera came powered by the same M96 motor as the 996, except this time making 325 hp (wow, 5 hp, I know) while the Carrera S got the 3.8 liter M97 motor with 355 hp along with all the suspension upgrades, bigger brakes, and performance goodies we’ve come to expect from the S. The Carrera was still very enjoyable, but now there was a very viable reason to go for the S.
Fast forward to the 992 generation and it seems like Porsche has all but abandoned this once loved sports car. The 992 Carrera still gets a 3.0 liter twin turbo flat 6 but with a lack luster 379 hp, that’s 10 more than the previous 991.2 and over 70 hp LESS than the 450 hp Carrera S. And for the base model, you get the tiny steel brakes, smaller 19/20″ staggered rims which looks way worse than the S rims, and you don’t even get the option for a manual anymore. When I used to work in Beverly Hills, I’d see base Carreras all the time which were probably just leases that people who could care less about cars drove just to show off. And with the 992, it’ll likely be even more so.
I understand that this makes them money, and that enthusiasts can just buy the S but that’s not what Porsches are about. They’re drivers cars, meant for tearing up Angeles Crest on a cool Sunday morning, not sitting in traffic on Wilshire Blvd. And it’s not like the 911 is that good of a daily driver, they’re way too stiff to drive on a daily basis. But I’m not one to just sit there and complain, I do have a solution.
If Porsche wants to be in the luxury car market, they should, just not with the 911. Would it be a problem, if Porsche saved the 911 for the enthusiasts and made a purpose built luxury coupe? Perhaps a revival of the 928? I mean, it wouldn’t require too much engineering, they’d just have to shorten the Panamera into a 2 door and use the same engine like what Mercedes and BMW do. That way, they’d have a proper daily drivable luxury car so the soccer moms of Beverly Hills can enjoy their daily commute while us car enthusiasts can have our beloved 911 for the weekends. What do you think?
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Yes,I think your solution is something to be considered,but as far as the base model Carrera (911) goes, I think the S models and Turbos can have all the options they want but when it comes to driving as I’ve always said “It’s not the horse it’s the Indian on the horse”.
Thanks for yet another great article
Keep them coming 👍🏼
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