Exploring the many reasons why the Porsche 911 is considered the greatest sports car ever made

Fast. Powerful. Stylish. These are just three of the most alluring characteristics of what may very well be the greatest sports car ever created: the Porsche 911.

The first Porsche design was named the 356 and lasted, with several minor body and engine alterations, until 1964. Then came 911. Although the engine/gearbox arrangement and chassis design remained basically the same as that of the 356, the new 911 featured a six-cylinder engine that was far more powerful and tractable than the earlier model’s flat-four. The exterior still retained the basic body outline and proportions of the 356 but looked far more contemporary with its less rounded styling and sharper-edged details.

          The heart of any 911 is its engine. Evolving from Volkswagen’s flat-four, Porsche’s version features six air-cooled, horizontally opposed cylinders topped with a single overhead camshaft on each bank of cylinders. By design, it revs quickly, with a distinctive, glorious sound that only a Porsche flat-six can orchestrate. At 5,000 RPM, it creates some of the finest mechanical notes ever heard, and enjoyed, by human drivers.

          Driving excitement is really what the 911 experience is all about. These fascinating automobiles, regardless of their year or model designation, are a blast to drive, especially while speeding along challenging twisting back roads through the countryside where the lack of traffic allows you to experience the 911’s exceptional handling, and power, to the fullest. Try it once, and you will be forever smitten – guaranteed.

          Although an adrenaline rush is quickly achieved by smashing the throttles wide open, the 911’s road-holding performance is equally impressive. Aside from the 1964-’68 short-wheelbase models, which required a higher level of driving ability and concentration to keep them on the road while cornering at speed, the longer-wheelbase models from 1969 on can carve through turns as if they were magnetized to the road surface. And with the engine and gearbox positioned in the rear, the lightweight front end enhances the already extraordinarily precise rack-and-pinion steering to the point of being ultra communicative. Factor in the 911’s low center of gravity, excellent power-to-weight ratio, and inspiring brakes, and it becomes impossible to find a more agile road machine that can be tossed around at will with pinpoint accuracy.    

          To satisfy all the different driving desires of the world’s loyal Porsche enthusiasts, the 911 has been made available in four distinct body styles at various periods of its existence: the coupe, the convertible, the Speedster, and the Targa. Each version is unique, providing a similar but distinctively special driving sensation.

          The 911’s incredible all-around performance is directly attributed to the Porsche factory’s expansive competition program, which began during the heyday of the 356. Every change that has been made to the 911’s chassis structure, body, engine, gearbox, suspension, and brakes through the years can be traced to the factory’s extensive research and development of racing 911s on racetracks throughout the world before those components were installed on the production cars. From tough, long-distance twenty-four-hour endurance races like Daytona and Le Mans that really push a car’s ability to the limit to equally arduous races such as the 12 Hours of Sebring and Sicily’s grueling Targa Florio, the Porsche 911 has succeeded where others have failed. All told, the Porsche 911 has won more automobile races than any other make or model of car ever created – clearly a result of Porsche’s honed-to-perfection approach to automobile design.

          Because it has been in production for 60 years, and because just about half of all 911s produced have been sold in the United States, the supply of older models is quite plentiful, especially in California, where nearly half of those imported into the United States were sold. The parts are easy to come by, too, with nearly all mechanical, body, trim, and interior components available through numerous aftermarket parts manufacturers. The 911 market is also backed by an unusually large supply of specialists that have gone into business to satisfy the never-ending requirements or Porsche enthusiasts seeking quality maintenance, restoration, or modification services. No matter where you travel in the world, chances are there’s a Porsche specialist nearby – such is the demand to keep these fascinating sports cars on the road and performing at their best.  

          Now that it’s about to celebrate its 61^st year of production, the Porsche 911 has gained a loyal following of thousands of fanatical enthusiasts whose lives revolve around this amazing masterpiece of engineering. In short, it’s the perfect driving machine for those who love to drive. Its rare combination of innovative engineering, timeless styling, extraordinary road holding, and rip-roaring acceleration is neatly wrapped in a compact package that is stone reliable and durable in the extreme. Porsche 911: nothing even comes close.