Porsche 911 is a range of luxury sports cars made by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, first introduced in 1964, and still being manufactured to this day. It has a rear-mounted flat-six engine and originally a torsion bar suspension. 911 is the only sports car remaining to use the rear-engine configuration.
The car has been continuously enhanced through the years but the basic concept has remained unchanged. There have been many generations of 911 starting in 1963 with the original 911. The car was then given body bumpers in 1975 to create the 930. 964 series generation was introduced in 1989, before the 993 generation was introduced in 1994.
Engines were air-cooled until the introduction of the 996 series in 1998; turbocharged variant introduced in 930 series. 996 series receives a major redesign notably the door pillar, bonnet and more rounded a unique headlamp shape only in the said series. 996 began to use water injection as mandatory from 1998 onwards with a twin-turbocharged; displacement increases now with 3.4 to 4-litre all uses a flat-6 configuration.
The 997 that followed in 2005 was the last to use the traditional metzger engine. By introduction of the 991 in 2011 saw the use of electric power steering and a PDK gearbox, most recently the 992 has been introduced in 2019. 911 is the one of two model-line up comes a standard manual gearbox while PDK remains optional. 911 also added a Tiptronic gearbox later dropped again in water-cooled version.
Powertrain initially RWD, classic 911 models are seriously prone to oversteer either turn-in/out or by lift-off due to much weight on the rear when cornering at high speed. 4WD or AWD introduced initially in a limited Porsche 959, until the arrival of 964 series. RWD phase out since the 996 to current series. In which address the oversteer and improves handling.
Richard Hammond has famously been a championer of the 911, owning several versions including a 997 Carrera 2S and an original 911 T. James May as well has been a fan of the car, having previously owned a 930 and currently owning 997.2 Carrera 2S. Jeremy Clarkson on the other hand has infamously loathed the 911, stating it to be "squashed Volkswagen Beetle".
Appearances[]
- In 1994 Old Top Gear Motorshow episode, Russell Bulgrin reviews the 911 equipped with Tiptronic gearbox and makes an impression, where he explained the transmission was duplicated either on gear stick and the thumb button operated. On the flop point was the 4-speed.
- In 1995 Old Top Gear, Andy Wilman explains about stolen car trim parts. But also includes, the Porsche 911 had been stole its car trim parts as interviewed by the owner's victim and then happens twice.
- On old Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson tests the 964 Carrera 4 and 964 Carrera 4 Cabrio talking about the improvment to the 911 range. On a later he demonstrates the superiority of the 996 to regular cars.
- In Apocalypse Clarkson, in his test to find the best handling car of all time, Jeremy drives the 993, though finds it to be too wayward and out of control.
- In The Most Outrageous Jeremy Clarkson Film In The World... Ever!, Jeremy attempted to destroy a 930 through various means, including dropping a piano on it, crashing it into a wall, and pouring acid on it. The 930 was eventually destroyed by being dropped on a caravan.
- In Clarkson: Head To Head, Jeremy uses racing driver Jason Plato to show that a 996 Carrera 2 is superior to a motorcycle.
- In Clarkson: At Full Throttle, Jeremy tests the RUF 911 against the Callaway Corvette. Despite loathing the RUF's interior he finds it to be a significant improvement over a regular 911 and much better than the Corvette.
- In Clarkson's Top 100 Cars, the 930 was ranked in 98th place. Jeremy derided it for its handling and its Nazi origins, similar to the Volkswagen Beetle.
- In Series 2, Episode 5, after his review of the Turbo, Jeremy reviews the 996.2 C4S. Despite stating to be a very good car he simply couldn't justify to have one over a Turbo or a regular Carrera 4.
- In Series 4, Episode 5, Richard champions the 996 Carrera 2 in a three car comparison against Jeremy in a Jaguar XKR and James in a BMW 6 Series. He praises it for it's sharp handling, steering, and lightness, ultimately voting as his choice. Despite this it still loses to the Jag.
- In Series 5, Episode 1, Jeremy reviews the new 997 Carrera S at the Top Gear Test Track. Despite criticising the lack of styling, cabin fittings and ride, but praises the drive, speed and handling. At the hands of the Stig on a very wet track it sets a lap of 1:28.9.
- In Clarkson: Heaven and Hell a 997 Carrera S is spotted in Jeremy's review of the V8 Vantage.
- In Series 7, Episode 1, James chose the 997 Carrera S in a three car comparison in the Isle of Man against Jeremy in an Aston Martin V8 Vantage and Richard in the BMW M6. He and Richard praise the 911 endlessly for it's speed, lightness, handling, refinement and perfect handling. As a result it ultimately wins the comparison test with Richard purchasing one shortly after.
- In Series 7, Episode 5, James and The Stig perform a comparison race between two 997 Carreras, the RWD and the 4WD. Despite the 4WD being quicker, James and the Stig prefer the RWD car.
- In Series 10, Episode 2, Richard interrupts Jeremy's review of the R8 in his 997 Carrera 2S. Despite it winning a drag race, the Carrera 2S set a slower lap at the hands of the Stig with a time of 1:26.2 in the wet around the Top Gear Test Track.
- In Top Gear Australia "S1E1" Cox reviews the 997.2 Carrera S, with it setting a lap time of 1:11.69.
- In Series 15, Episode 2, James reviews the latest 997, the Sport Classic at the Top Gear Test Track. He praises it's styling, handling, soundtrack and refinement but due to it's price and lack of availability, it doesn't end up going round the track. James would later go onto purchase a 997 Carrera S.
- In Top Gear: The Worst Car in the History of the World, Jeremy and James disagree as to whether the 911 is the worst car in the history of the world.
- In Series 20, Episode 5, James reviews the newest 911, the 991 at the Top Gear Test Track, praising it's speed, handling, refinement and braking. Ultimately, for the Porsche enthusiast however, he takes a look at the Singer 911, a custom old school 911.
- In Top Gear: The Perfect Road Trip, Richard uses a 991 Carrera S against Jeremy in an Aston Martin Vanquish, through France, at a track and on their Journey to Pau. Despite initially warming to it, and praising it's handling, Richard criticises the 991's steering for being electric. This was the last car Richard used on the trip, before his license was taken away.
- In Series 23, Episode 6, LeBlanc reviews the 991 R at the Top Gear Test Track, praising it's handling, speed, and excitement.
- In Series 28, Episode 5, Harris chooses the new 992 Carrera S with assistance of Damon Hill against Flintoff in an Aston Martin Vantage alongside The Stig against Harris in the Porsche 911 Carrera S alongside and McGuinness in the Ferrari Portofino with help from Sabine Schmitz, for a drive across Yorkshire.
- In Sand Job, the Dakar-rally inspired was shown on the titlecard, but then Clarkson clearly that was deemly so expensive to built.