Collector - page 72

While the 911 is the Porsche brand’s definitive sports car, it is far from the only performance model that the German automaker has given us. During the 1970s and ’80s, Porsche was experimenting with the more conventional, front-engine rear-wheel drive layout. This spawned a variety of Porsche transaxle sports cars that were produced alongside the rear-engine 911. One of the four transaxle models is the Porsche 944. Like with the 911 (and other Porsche models), there was a Turbo variant that sat atop the 944 range.

Christmas is two months away, and if you are still looking for the perfect gift for the Porsche aficionado in your life, this might be exactly what you’re looking for. The Amalgam Collection, based in Bristol, U.K., crafts spectacular 1:8 scale model replicas of the 1971 Le Mans triumphing Porsche 917K racecar with its Martini Livery. It is an extremely detailed replica of the car driven by Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko in 1971.

The limited-run 992 Porsche 911 Dakar has garnered widespread acclaim in its short time on the market. Its most recent celebrity fan is legendary comedian and all-around car nut Jay Leno. In a recent episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he was joined by Porsche brand ambassador Jeff Zwart as they took the 911 Dakar for a spin to see what it could really do. Straight off the bat, he calls the Dakar the most fun 911 he’s ever driven, which is high praise coming from a man with 200 cars in his collection. Jay is no stranger to the Porsche brand, having owned several rare and vintage models in the past. He owns a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, a 1957 356A Outlaw, and a 1963 Porsche 356 Carrera 2. So it begs the question, could the Dakar really be Jay Leno’s next Porsche?

Not a lot of automakers have as many iconic engines as Porsche does. The German company is responsible for one of the most iconic sports cars ever made – the 911. The boxer engine is a staple across several Porsche models, but this is far from the only engine configuration Porsche knows. What makes an engine iconic? Is it the sheer power or is it the groundbreaking engineering? Perhaps the reliability or soundtrack? As it turns out, it is all of the above, and Porsche has more than a few engines that fit the bill.

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.

Outside of the track-focused GT2 and GT3 RS, the 911 GT3 is one of the most important Porsche race-bred models with license plates, and what better way to welcome a brand-new GT3 in the same week, than when Porsche themselves put out a press release celebrating 25 years of the revered nameplate? Enter the 992.2 Porsche 911 GT3 for the 2025 model year, and we’re not getting one, but two models including the wingless GT3 Touring. Now, I’ve been keeping tabs on the developments of the 992.2 GT3 with all the spy shots over the past few months. Porsche’s teaser from Monday didn’t give away much, but the profile with all the aero upgrades did seem to tie in with all those spy shots nicely.

I had been a bit puzzled by teasers and spy shots of what looked like a mid-engined Porsche for months, and now the wait is over. The teaser turned out to be the RML P39, and it isn’t mid-engined. The spy shots of the mid-engined exotic turned out to be the Tutthill GT1, unveiled at Monterey Car Week earlier this year. Now if you haven’t heard of RML (Ray Mallock Limited), they’re a big deal in British motorsport and they’re now celebrating four decades of their racing prowess with this bold street-legal Porsche racer. This British-built Le-Mans-inspired hypercar takes the already phenomenal Porsche 992.1 Turbo S and injects it with a massive dose of motorsport madness. RML’s aim for the P39 from the onset was to create a versatile hypercar with everyday usability. The result? A track-focused monster that promises to not just demolish lap times and redefine the boundaries of performance, but also offer refined performance for the road. So how exactly have they achieved this? Let’s find out.

Porsche’s incredible racing heritage spans decades and venues around the world. The German automaker had more than a few entries in Latin America, including the famous, Carrera Panamericana race. The special Porsche 718 Spyder RS commemorates the 70th anniversary of a feat from 1954 when Hans Hermann secured third place behind the wheel of a Porsche 550 Spyder. The limited-edition Porsche 718 Spyder RS has been meticulously styled to emulate the aesthetics of the Hans Hermann-driven Porsche 550 Spyder, which Porsche entered in three consecutive years – 1952, 1953, and 1954 – of the long-distance race.

Let’s be honest, to some, the Porsche 911 GT3, regardless of the generation, is a car that makes absolutely no sense and seems to defy logic. On paper, it’s a financial nightmare. A gas-guzzling, high-maintenance sports car with a price tag that could buy a fleet of sensible sedans. Yet, there it is, consistently selling out and occupying a place of reverence in the hearts of gearheads everywhere. So, what is it about this beast that makes people lose their minds? Having not driven one myself (Yet! Although it’s high on my bucket list!), I can only speculate based on countless hours of internet drooling and the wisdom of reviewers far braver (or wealthier) than me.

The Porsche 911 has always had a myriad of versions, ranging from sporty grand tourers and supercar slayers to all-out track weapons. While the Turbo is the most recurring name when it comes to high-performance Porsche 911s that you can daily drive, there is another model that takes the usable sports car formula and makes it meaner. I am, of course, referring to the Porsche 911 GT2 RS, which is essentially a more powerful, turbocharged GT3 RS. The GT2 RS is the most powerful variant of the Porsche 911 lineup with the exception of the GT1, but we haven’t had one of those in a while.

Every Porsche 911 has its fair share of special editions. These have become more frequent, especially with the newer generations of the German sports car and the 992 is no exception. In 2024, Porsche marked 50 years of the original, 1974 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo, and naturally, a special variant of the current model was in order. These models are highly sought-after by collectors due to their historical significance and their limited production numbers. In the case of the 2024 Porsche 992 Turbo S 50 Years edition, just 1974 will be made. Naturally, Porsche will ask a pretty penny for the 50th anniversary edition.

Porsche’s sports cars are rich in heritage and go back in time even beyond the iconic 911. While models like the Porsche 911 have always had a multitude of variants, meaning there is a version of the car for everyone, depending on what power levels, drivetrain options, or body style that you are after. The rear-engine Porsche is not the only high-performance model. In more recent times, the entry-level Boxster and Cayman models have been the go-to Porsche sports car for everyone who isn’t quite ready to part with 911 money. Some would even go as far as saying that the mid-engine Porsche is actually the better sports car and that the mid-engine layout is the superior platform.