Marque: Porsche - Company History & Models - Cars By Brand
Porsche
From fifty cars with – well let’s face it – more or less a VW engine, hand-built in an old woodworking shed at Gmund in the mountains of Austria, and once poised to take control of Volkswagen, Porsche has come a long way in six decades. Prof. Ferdinand Porsche designed the infamous VW ‘peoples car’ pre-1939, and even then had a vision for a sports car. But as he languished post-’45 in…
Porsche ‘Early’ 911
Fast Facts
- Produced:
1965-1973 - Bodywork:
Two-door coupe Targa from 1967 - Engine:
Six-cylinder air-cooled horizontally opposed twin camshaft 1991cc T (110bhp) L (130bhp) S (160bhp) 2195cc; T (125bhp) E (155bhp) S (180bhp) 2341cc; T (130bhp) E (165bhp) S (190bhp) - 0-60 mph:
7.0secs (911S) - Top Speed:
140mph (911S) - MPG:
14-18 (911S)
PAST: Appeared in 1963, but not put in production ‘till ’65. Dry sump, two-litre, flat-six, engine gave 130bhp on carbs. Four speed ‘box (five option), all-wheel discs, torsion bar suspension, and rack and pinion steering spelt lively performance and handling. Targa from 1967; 911S had Weber, not Solex, carbs and 30bhp extra; 911T with 110bhp in 1968; wheelbase increased by 57mm for ‘69; 911E and later S had mechanical fuel injection. Capacity was increased to 2.2-litre for 1970, 2.4-litre for ’72.
PRESENT: Fab drive that will more than keep pace with modern traffic. Much has been said of the early 911’s quirky handling because of rear end weight bias, but it’s not really that bad (but still needs respect to)!
FUTURE: Prices have gone astronomic with the only bargains now LHD from the US. But once you’ve bought an early 911 you’ll never want to part with it
Porsche 356
Fast Facts
- Produced:
1948-1965 - Bodywork:
Two-door coupe and two-door cabriolet - Engine:
Four-cylinder air-cooled ‘boxer’ single camshaft 1100cc-1582cc 40bhp-95bhp (115bhp Carrera 4-cam) - 0-60 mph:
11secs (1600SC) - Top Speed:
110mph (1600SC) - MPG:
24-30
PAST: The prototype was mid-engine, then the power unit moved to the rear as Porsche’s first eponymous car adopted the layout of the founder’s VW ‘kdf-car’, with four-cylinder, horizontally-opposed, air-cooled, unit behind the rear axle. Light weight, and slippery shape, made up for grunt; 356A was faster, more aerodynamic, more glass for 1961.
PRESENT: Four models to choose from: pre-A, 356A, B and C, with engines from 1100cc to 1600cc, and by the time the model ceased production the 1600SC had all-wheel disc brakes and a very useful 95bhp. Hot potato of the range was the Carrera GS with four-cam, 115bhp engine. They don’t feel like a 911 but for many that’s the car’s real appeal.
FUTURE: Early cars virtually unobtainable. Cabrio demand much more than coupes, with Speedsters six figure stuff. Original cars can be full of rust and, you’ll never get your money back on a restoration either!
