There aren’t many sports cars that can match the heritage of the Porsche 911. The car first saw the light of day back in September 1963, at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Since then, the 911 has been following the “evolution, not revolution” formula, which is why it is the only rear-engine sports car to this day. Each generation of the Porsche 911 has a version for everyone, which is why deciding on the perfect one is a difficult task.

Many enthusiasts have multiple variants of the iconic model and each individual has different reasons for why they’ve chosen to drive certain 911 variants. As journalists, we should be able to give an educated answer to car-related questions. This article is not that. Rather, it is me picking some of the most iconic Porsche 911 models that I would have in my five-car 911 dream garage.

5. Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS

Any Porsche 911 aficionado should find space in their garage for one of the most significant 911s ever made. The 911 Carrera 2.7 RS was specifically developed to homologate Porsche’s for Group 4 race car. The 1,580 examples made featured many innovations that would become staples in future 911 performance variants.

The birth of the “Carrera” nameplate (inspired by the Carrera Panamericana), the ducktail rear spoiler, and the flared fenders on 911 models, all trace their existence to the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS. If you are really lucky, you will find one of the 200 examples that feature Porsche’s optional M471 lightweight package. Then, there is the air-cooled Mezger engine, which combined with the lightweight characteristics of the Porsche 911, made the Carrera 2.7 RS the fastest car of its day. One of the most iconic, air-cooled 911s currently has an average value of $137,266, but some examples can fetch over $430,000.

4. Porsche 911 Turbo S (993)

Whether we are talking about the Turbo, GT2, the lesser Carrera models, or even the ultra-rare 993 Speedster, the Porsche 993 will always have a special place in the brand’s history as the last air-cooled 911. The 996 was too much innovation at one go for the Porsche purists, which is one reason why the air-cooled 993 is among the most lusted-after 911 generations, even today. The 993 is the first 911 Turbo to feature all-wheel drive and with this, the 911 Turbo’s violent tendencies, dating back to the 930 and to a lesser extent the 964 Turbo, were quelled rather successfully.

In 1997, Porsche introduced the X50 performance package, which turned the 993 Turbo into the Turbo S. The 993 Turbo strikes a perfect balance between being refined enough for daily use and being analog enough to keep things exciting and visceral. The 993, when properly maintained, has proven it can stand the test of time and still retains most of the original 911 styling, dating back to 1964. European models pack 20 additional horsepower than U.S.-spec 993 Turbo S models. According to Classic.com, the 993 Turbo S has appreciated greatly, with average prices being over $520,000. Certain examples are closing in fast on the $900,000.

3. Porsche 911 R (991)

A modern-day 911 that has been built without much consideration for modern regulations sounds like the perfect sports car to live with. I recently went in-depth about the overlap in parts between the Porsche 981 and 991, but that doesn’t diminish the German sports car in any way. In fact, the 991 R is an homage to the original, 1967 Porsche 911 R, which preceded the Carrera 2.7 RS and is considered the purest of all air-cooled 911s. Moreover, the 991 is much more compact than the "fat” 992.

The 911 R is based on the GT3 RS, which means a rev-happy flat-six resides under the hood. The 991 R also features a single-mass flywheel and a six-speed, close-ratio manual. The wingless design might fool you into thinking it is a base Carrera, but this is a 200+ mile per hour sports car. Production of the 911 R is limited to 991 units and looking on Classic.com, prices are already closing in on $500,000.

2. Porsche 911 GT2 RS (997)

Many would agree that the Porsche 997 gave us some of the last truly driver-focused 911s. Those include the last Porsche 911 Turbo with a manual as well as the last Porsche, powered by the iconic Mezger engine. The 997 GT2 RS can easily be mentioned in the same sentence as those. In a way, the 997 GT2 RS is a modern homage to the 930 Turbo. It takes the 997 Turbo, removes its all-wheel-drive capabilities, throws in the German automaker’s most powerful, road-going boxer engine at the time – the M97.70 - and gives it track-focused characteristics.

It is also one of the very last 911s to combine a Mezger engine with a manual transmission. While the regular 997 GT2 is extremely capable, the GT2 RS adds 100 more horsepower through bigger intercoolers, different turbochargers, and upgraded connecting rods and pistons. The 997 GT2 RS also sheds 154 pounds off the regular GT2’s curb weight, making for a power-to-weight ratio of 452.5 horsepower per ton. The average price for the 997 GT2 RS is almost $500,000, but a few examples have fetched over $800,000.

1. Porsche 911 GT1 Straßenversion

The Porsche 911 GT1 was built for racing in the Le Mans GT1 and F.I.A. GT2 race classes in the 1990s. The GT1 is the only Porsche 911 to feature a mid-engine layout instead of the traditional for the model rear-engine setup. It was very loosely based on the 911 as it featured a steel tubular frame chassis, exclusive to the GT1. The only reason the GT1 had 911 front and rear lights was due to racing regulations. For homologation purposes, Porsche had to build a couple of road-going examples and sell them to the public.

Racing variants of the Porsche 911 GT1 are equally as sought-after as testified by a recent auction that featured a GT1 raced by a renowned racing team. Between 21 and 25 examples of the Porsche 911 GT1 Street were built between 993 and 996 generations. The Mezger-based M96.80 engine was de-tuned for European emissions but still managed to propel the car to over 190 mph. The 911 GT1 Street is the definition of a race car for the road and as the only mid-engine 911, it would offer some of the most unique driving characteristics of any 911. Today, the 911 GT1 lives on through an exquisite resto-mod done by Tuthill. These cars rarely come up for sale, but one was recently auctioned off for $7.045 million, making it one of the most expensive Porsche cars ever.

GALLERY