Porsche 911 991

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.

The Porsche 911 is one of the most iconic sports cars in the world. The first-ever Porsche 911 was launched in September 1963. It was originally known as the Porsche 901, but the name was changed to 911 after the French government objected to the use of the number "0". The 911 has undergone many changes over the years. In this article, we’ve listed out the launch month and year for every generation of the Porsche 911, including air-cooled and water-cooled models with .1 and .2 models.

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.

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.

Many consider the Porsche 911 to be the ultimate sports car, fit for daily use. While this may be a bit of a stretch when talking about the track-focused GT3 RS, the rear-engine sports car generally remains an aspirational model. In fact, despite the 991 being the first 911 to feature electric steering instead of a hydraulic unit (a feature many purists despise), it is still considered the last truly compact 911. For this reason, those who have driven a 992 GT3 RS after the previous iteration go back to the older model. One person, however, has done something that no one has ever done. Instead of buying a 991 GT3 RS, a guy over in England, decided to build one himself. Normally, Tesla-swapping a 991 GT3 RS would send purists into a spiraling rage, but there is a good reason why this particular car has received the electric powertrain. What you’re looking at here is actually a replica of a 991 GT3 RS, but more surprising is what the car started out as.

Porsche’s 911 GT3 has long been the choice for driving purists seeking the ultimate road-legal track car. After being absent for the 2017 model year, it reappeared for 2018 with some crucial upgrades to improve its already-compelling racing pedigree. Gone was the 3.8-liter engine! A 4.0-liter naturally aspirated derived from the GT3 Cup racer motivated it with 500 ponies of might, capable of revving up to 9,000 rpm. A seven-speed PDK was standard, but a six-speed manual made a comeback for purists.

Regardless of the generation, beyond the 911 Turbo models, the GT range is the next natural step. These track-bred cars have continued to evolve since the late 90s and early 2000s with the introduction of even more hard-core models with the likes of the GT3 RS and GT2. Given how most of these track-bred cars are limited-run models, they tend to command a premium over your average run-of-the-mill Carreras. I was curious to see how the GT3 market in particular has been faring over the past few years, given the wild ride we had with regard to pricing, through the pandemic, and here’s what I found.

Sharing production costs between models is not uncommon in the modern-day automotive industry. It seems even Porsche’s iconic sports cars are no exception and the Porsche 981 and 991 models are a perfect example. The 911 doesn’t need an introduction as it has been Porsche’s flagship sports car since 1964, after succeeding the 356 - Porsche’s first sports car, since the company officially became a brand. That said, Porsche’s financial troubles from the 1990s, prompted the company to give us a budget-friendly model. In came the 986 Boxster, and it immediately became clear it was a cut-price, mid-engine 911, minus the rear seats. This was not the last time Porsche did this. Australian YouTuber and Porsche aficionado, Jeff Richardson took a deep dive into the 981 and 991 Porsche models to examine how much they have in common. He also bought a flooded 981 Boxster solely to dismantle it. One thing became clear to him – the extent of the similarities between the 911 and Boxster/Cayman is a lot more than you initially may have thought, and it doesn’t stop with these two models.

The 991.2 Speedster was a limited-run special edition model released on Porsche’s 70th Anniversary. With just 3,585 miles on the ODO, this low-mileage example is one of just 1,948 Speedsters built. Set to cross the auction block at this year’s Chattanooga Motocars Festival, this Speedster comes with the optional $24,510, Heritage Design Package (XWW). The core design concept remains consistent with the 911 R or GT3 Touring: a sleek windshield, removable top, and the iconic double-bubble silhouette.

In a world where Porsche customization often leans towards subtle refinements, the Indecent 005 stands as a bold outlier. While the air-cooled 911 has become synonymous with wide-body kits and retro-inspired builds, most notably exemplified by the cult following of RWB Porsche transformations, the newer generations have largely escaped such radical alterations. Founded by Akira Nakai, RWB, short for Rauh-Welt Begriff, is a Japanese Porsche tuning company renowned for its wildly aggressive and handcrafted wide-body kits. While they have worked on some newer models, their core clientele and aesthetic appeal lie in the timeless design of older air-cooled 911s.

Jeff Rhoades is far from a typical Porsche owner who shows up at your local Cars & Coffee on a Sunday. He’s a man on a mission. A former lawyer with a serious case of wanderlust, Jeff has transformed his 911 Carrera 4 into a dirt-caked expedition vehicle. His mission? Simple. To visit all 63 National Parks across the United States. With 46 already under his belt, this modern-day Lewis and Clark is far from finished. In the process, he has already racked up over 140,000 miles.

The 911 Speedster was a special commemorative model released to celebrate Porsche’s 70th anniversary. There have been several ’Speedster models in the past, six generations of them starting with the 1954 356A. But this is the first Speedster developed by the GT wing of the company. This makes it the first convertible from the team after the legendary V-10-powered Carrera GT. However, that car was developed by a special-projects team.

All Porsche 911s may adhere to a similar philosophy, but each one has its set of unique features. A well-known Porsche aficionado, Magnus Walker, based in Los Angeles has made it his life’s mission to collect all model years of the Porsche 911 from 1964 to 1973, along with other sports car models of the German brand. He’s not limited to Porsche sports cars, but it is the focal point in his car collection, with over 40 models, which feature his own unique twist. As a true Porsche purist, Magnus has a soft spot for air-cooled 911s, and he started out with one of the first Porsche 930 Turbos, sold in the United States. But if you are wondering what Magnus Walker’s daily driver is, you might be surprised. It turns out, that what the famous Porsche enthusiast drives, is something even he didn’t think he would fall in love with – a modern-day 2014 Porsche 991 Turbo S, which has an interesting story behind it.

The CXX Package is like an off-the-menu package offered by Porsche to their most exclusive customers. YouTuber TJ Hunt gives us a glimpse of what this package entails in his latest video. Driving along the scenic coastal stretches of Big Sur a.k.a Highway 1, he introduces the viewers to his 1-of-1 (991.1) Porsche 911 GT3 RS with the CXX Package, a gift from his wife Sabria. If you are starting your research on Porsche’s CXX package, be prepared to go down a deep rabbit hole of information, rumors, and first-hand accounts on forums like Rennlist or Reddit, since Porsche officially hasn’t released any information on this custom package.