Including the Porsche 911 in our search for the greatest sports car of all time was a given. But which? There are dozens of options for the 56 years of operation of the 911: air or water cooled, turbocharged or atmospheric, exotic or awkward. In the end, we went to the old school.
The short wheelbase 911s are irresistible. At that time, this 911 Super 1967 was the driver’s choice of the club, the kind that you would hammer on the track all weekend and then return home. And while there are faster and more valuable 911s with long hoods, we wanted something that wasn’t unobtanium when new. Brett Sloan of Sloan Motors, an air cooling specialist from Connecticut – look for them if you need a good drool – by chance, this recently restored Bahama Yellow, a specimen from the Italian market, was on consignment. The kind owner of the car lent us.
This is an excerpt from our recent article, The Search for the Best Sports Car of All Time, where we gathered eight of the most important enthusiastic cars ever made, tested them on the track at Lime Rock Park and declared the final winner. Enjoy this chapter on the Porsche 911, but be sure to read the entire story in eight parts.
When the runway surface dried up, Sloan informed me about pre-flight procedures. Turn the ignition key (famous, located on your left) to the position of the accessory and listen for the fuel pump tick to prime. Then keep the throttle wide open while starting the engine. The first gear is dogleg, to the left and down, and, oh, “speed that shit up.” Okay for us.
The six-liter 2.0-liter 911 S is powered by two triple-choke Weber IDS carburetors and set for maximum torque at 5200 rpm, with little power drop to the 7200 rpm limit. After warm-up laps, I found myself taking Lime Rock’s long Big Bend in second gear, revs increasing, to ensure a quick exit towards the only left of the track.
Above 5,000 rpm, this beautifully threaded six propels the 911 in a way that belies its declared 160 horsepower. This 911 is a relic of a different Porsche, which would sell a car not for a moment of wandering, but only for speed on display.
Almost everyone struggled with the Type 901 gearbox on this 911 – you need to know exactly where the gears are as you row. Upward shifts from first to fourth gear were common, and even those with significant air-cooling experience were victims. “But when you do the right shifts,” commented digital editor Aaron Brown, “it’s so satisfying.”
“I have no idea how short wheelbase cars have earned their toothy reputation,” said senior editor Kyle Kinard. “They are friendly as a spaniel.”
“His scary physics never left my mind,” added Deputy Editor Bob Sorokanich, emerging from his first lap in an air-cooled 911. “Which is probably unfair. The real driving experience was docile and predictable. The way the car swerves around a curve is magical. “
The 911’s steering is a high point, even in this group of cars, apparently unfiltered between Michelins’ narrow front and palms. “The feeling of driving a Porsche 356, an experience closer to sailing than driving,” said Kinard.
The wide, thin-rimmed wheel contributes to this marine vibration. The steering seemed surprisingly light, given the lack of power assistance. Be patient when entering, let the weight change as the car overturns on the high side walls. Once the chassis is assembled, adjust the radius of the curves with your right foot. “Get it right and you’ll find that half the fun is getting it right,” said contributor John Krewson. “Just don’t forget to commit,” added Brown.
Senior editor Zach Bowman summed it up better. “What a joy,” he said. “Lovely noises. The way the hood just disappears. Nothing is good by modern standards, but I don’t care. I just want to hug you. Long life to thin tires. “
1967 PORSCHE 911 S
MOTOR:
2.0 liters of six cylinders
RESULT:
160 hp / 132 lb-ft
STREAMING:
five speed manual
WEIGHT:
2365 pounds
PRICE WHEN NEW:
$ 7,074
One of the first 911 is different from most cars in this test; you must get around your idiosyncrasies. Unlike the Miata, Integra and Cobra, the Porsche is not a car in which you jump and hammer without experience. It is a car to grow. I once bought a Fifties Martin guitar, not because I thought it sounded great in my hands, but because I thought I could get a good tone out of it eventually, and it would be fun to get there. Maybe that’s why I like these old cars so much.
I’m glad we chose this particular 911 as well. You still have flavors of Porsche’s Volkswagen origins, reminders that, in its day, that car was an isolated case. The 911 has become so ubiquitous that we tend to forget that a sports car with a flat, air-cooled rear is strange. But just three years and a month after this car left the factory, Porsche won Le Mans at once, forever changing the company. This car is a link between the small family business that was the beginning of Porsche and the highly profitable luxury car maker it has become.
At some level, it doesn’t matter which 911 we choose. This is not a criticism of Sloan or the car owner – it is just that this coupe represents decades of Porsche sports car history. The 911 has evolved, exchanging simplicity and charm for ease of use, safety and speed. Still, it remains the benchmark, the standard choice in the realm of high-end sports cars. Perhaps no other model line has remained so faithful to its main mission.
Porsche started building sports cars with a rear engine in 1948, just a year later Road and trail began to celebrate a new type of automobile culture emerging in postwar America. We declared that car with a rear engine, the 356, the “Car of Tomorrow” in a road test in November 1952, our first Porsche. Today, Porsche will still sell a sports car with a rear engine. It is very different from that old 356, but the way it really matters, it is not.
To find out which vehicle won our eight-car shootout, click here.