Porsche 911
The rear-engined flat-six sports car unveiled in 1963 and developed through successive generations.
Overview
Porsche presented the successor to the 356 at the Frankfurt motor show in September 1963. The new car was initially called the 901, but its production name became 911 before customer deliveries began. Ferdinand Alexander Porsche led the exterior design, retaining a recognisable relationship with the 356 while providing a more spacious cabin and luggage area.
The original 911 used a rear-mounted, air-cooled 2.0-litre flat-six engine driving through a five-speed transaxle. Independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes complemented the compact 2+2 body. The more powerful 911 S joined the range in 1966, and Porsche introduced the open-roof Targa soon afterwards.
Porsche lengthened the wheelbase for 1969 to improve the car’s handling balance. Engine capacity subsequently grew to 2.2 and then 2.4 litres, while competition and road-going derivatives steadily widened the range. The basic rear-engined flat-six concept continued into the later G-series and remained central to successive 911 generations.
Generations
Original 911 (1964–1973)
Often called the F-model today, the first production series established the 911’s silhouette, rear-engine layout and air-cooled flat-six identity. It developed from the earliest short-wheelbase 2.0-litre coupes through T, E and S variants, Targa bodies and the 2.4-litre cars of the early 1970s.
Later generation records will be added as the catalogue develops.