1DIN Size Yet Equipped with Apple CarPlay

Last year, I finally got my hands on the genuine Porsche PCCM (Porsche Classic Communication Management systems), so this time I’d like to review it.

This PCCM is not officially sold in Japan. Right after its announcement, I asked my dealer to check, but they said there were no plans to introduce it in Japan, so I decided to import it myself. (【Update 2021/9/7】The Japanese version is now available.)

However, it was so popular that last year it was hard to find in stock. Only this year did stock finally become available, so I imported two units from the US—one for a friend and one for myself.

I imported mine from the American SuncoastParts. The price was $1,190 (navigation without map data), plus shipping, customs, and exchange rate fees, totaling about 150,000 yen. For some reason, the box comes in a surprisingly pop-style package.

I had it installed at Ashiya Drive Shop. Basically, it fits with a simple plug-and-play using the genuine Porsche connectors, but since my car had a Pioneer DEH-970 installed, they rewired it with the special connector included with the PCCM before installation.

Installation requires connecting a USB/AUX unit, GPS antenna, and microphone in addition to the main unit. Regarding the GPS antenna, since the navigation function built into the unit cannot be used in Japan (there is no Japanese map SD card), it’s essentially pointless to install it here, but they installed it anyway for future-proofing.

USB unit. It sticks firmly to the carpet with the included Velcro tape.

GPS antenna

Microphone for calls

Here’s the wiring diagram on the back for reference. If the size fits, it might work in non-Porsche cars too? Use at your own risk.

Main Features of the PCCM for Classic Porsches

Once powered on, the Porsche logo appears, and after a moment, the menu screen shows up. The plastic material, texture, and dial design fit perfectly with our 964-model 911.

The screen resolution is quite high and beautiful. Despite its small size, it’s a touchscreen with good usability. Main functions include radio (AM/FM), Bluetooth, SD card playback, navigation (not usable in Japan), phone, and Apple CarPlay.

Regarding radio, many channels can’t be received because Japan’s frequency bands differ. Also, AM uses 10kHz steps, so almost no AM stations can be received.

However, FM covers much of Japan’s “Wide FM” band, allowing you to listen to AM stations on FM, so it’s not much of an issue.

For example, in Kansai, ABC Radio broadcasts on AM at 1008 kHz, which can’t be received, but you can listen on the Wide FM frequency 93.3 MHz, so practically there’s no problem. Plus, FM sound quality is much better.

Bluetooth music playback and phone calls work perfectly. However, Japanese fonts are not included in this unit, so song titles and phonebook names appear garbled. But if you use Apple CarPlay, Japanese displays correctly without any issues, so it’s not a problem.

The default navigation system requires a separately sold map SD card, but since it can’t be used in Japan, I didn’t purchase it. Therefore, pressing the Navi or Map menu does nothing.

But again, Apple CarPlay solves this issue.

Apple CarPlay for Air-Cooled Porsches

I won’t go into detail about Apple CarPlay here, but any iPhone app that supports Apple CarPlay can be operated on the PCCM’s screen.

This includes Apple’s own apps like Phone, Messages, Maps, Podcasts, Calendar, and Audiobooks, as well as third-party apps on my iPhone such as Amazon Music, Google Maps, Yahoo Car Navigation, Radikker, and more.

Of course, Japanese displays perfectly in Apple CarPlay, and navigation apps provide accurate Japanese voice guidance, so it’s exactly the same experience as Apple CarPlay on domestic navigation systems, no worries.

You can say “Hey, Siri!” and give various voice commands in Japanese without any problem.

After installing the PCCM, a friend who also owns a 964 checked it out and his first comment was “The sound quality is really great!” My 964 is equipped with Porsche’s revived genuine speakers, and with the PCCM installed, the sound quality truly improved dramatically.

It’s not the luxury sound of BOSE, Harman Kardon, or Burmester, but the sound became very rich and the midrange is much clearer and more solid.

The Pioneer DEH-970 I had before wasn’t a bad unit either, but the sound quality and volume pressure are clearly better with the PCCM, anyone can tell.

Impressions After Driving

I usually wear glasses and currently have no presbyopia, with corrected vision around 1.0. Since the PCCM is 1DIN size, the screen is quite small. So naturally, fine text isn’t instantly readable.

However, you don’t really need to look at it closely while driving, so it’s not very inconvenient. Turn-by-turn arrows are clearly visible, and voice guidance means there’s no real trouble. The hard-to-read parts are fine intersection names and song titles.

More than that, having the latest navigation and audio system makes me feel like my air-cooled Porsche has suddenly become a modern car. I especially use this 964 for city driving and long trips, so the interior comfort has improved dramatically. Until now, I had to place my iPhone in a smartphone holder to operate navigation and music, but now I have an infotainment system close to that of the latest 992 model 911.

If you love the style of a classic car with modern tech inside, this PCCM is highly recommended. There’s also a 2DIN version for 996 and 986 models called PCCM Plus, so if you’re interested, definitely give it a try.