About the Air-Cooled Porsche 911

The other day, my husband went all the way to Nagoya to check out an air-cooled model. When I asked him what he thought, he simply said, “Yeah, it was just a good car.” So I figured he wasn’t in a hurry to buy one. But then, a few days later, this magazine arrived at our home.

It’s a special edition from the automotive magazine Car Graphic, compiling evaluations and road impressions of the various 911 generations (964, 993, 996, 997). Since this content predates Car Graphic’s web version, most of these articles aren’t available online. Honestly, I wonder how he even found this magazine (laughs).

The fact that my husband has started gathering information this seriously means he’s finally getting serious about buying an air-cooled Porsche. (You can read about how he buys cars in this article↓↓)

→【Reference Article】One day my husband bought a Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129) – How a car enthusiast husband buys cars

A Husband Who Wants 100% Conviction Before Buying

When I asked him about it, he said,

“Right now, I’m torn between the 964 and the 993. So I wanted to get a precise understanding of how the 964 and 993 were evaluated when they were first released, and that’s why I hunted down and bought this Car Graphic magazine.”

I thought, he’s not a Porsche salesman, so maybe he doesn’t need to know that much… but then again, he never buys anything unless he’s 100% convinced (laughs).

So, I casually flipped through the magazine that was on the desk. It turned out to be quite fascinating, so today I want to share a summary of the section on the third-generation 911: the 964 Carrera 4.

That said, even though I tried hard to understand it, there were parts I couldn’t quite grasp due to my limited knowledge (lol)… so this is just a summary based on what I could understand.

Overview of the 911 (964 Model)

Regarding the 964, the “Carrera 4” was released first, followed by the “Carrera 2.” The 964 Carrera 4 debuted in 1989. That year marked the 25th anniversary of the 911’s birth. It incorporated plenty of know-how from the then cutting-edge “Porsche 959” (a race car packed with Porsche’s latest technology at the time), and was introduced as Porsche’s first mass-produced 4WD sports car.

By the way, the model name “964” includes a “4” because Porsche introduced a 4WD system to the Carrera line. The specs for the 964 are:

・[Length] 4,252 mm × [Width] 1,652 mm × [Height] 1,320 mm
・Weight with full tank: 1,450 kg
・Transmission: 5-speed manual only
・Top speed over 260 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds

Just looking at size, it’s clear that the current 911 Carrera 4 (991 model: [Length] 4,499 mm × [Width] 1,852 mm × [Height] 1,295 mm) is noticeably larger.

What Changed from the Previous 930 Model?

When comparing to the previous 930, the differences are hard to spot just by looking at the exterior, but almost everything inside was newly designed. The differences in the car’s internals include:

・Air conditioning system (air conditioner) was installed
・Suspension adopted coil springs and lightweight alloy trailing arms, reducing noise transmission from rough roads
・Lightweight alloy brake calipers, previously discontinued due to cost, were reinstated
・Porsche’s iconic Fuchs forged wheels were discontinued, replaced by 16-inch alloy wheels
・Bosch ABS system (anti-lock braking system) became standard equipment
・Power steering was introduced
・Engine displacement expanded from 3.2L to 3.6L, making it the largest flat-six Porsche engine at the time

On the exterior, the biggest change was that the rear spoiler became retractable. Until then, 911 owners who wanted stable high-speed driving had to opt for front air dams or rear spoilers as options. However, many owners disliked these options because they spoiled the 911’s beautiful original silhouette.

From the 964 onward, you could enjoy excellent high-speed handling without adding such options.

Car Graphic’s Evaluation by Category

Next, let’s look at Car Graphic’s opinions and evaluations for each category.

① Steering Feel

The steering feel (the sense of control through the steering wheel) is very light, with much less kickback. It has outstanding straight-line stability and you can enter and exit corners confidently without worry. The 4WD provides excellent stability, and even if you lift off the throttle mid-corner, it won’t spin out.

That said, although the oversteer is reduced and spinning is less likely, for fans who love the thrilling driving experience and believe “a 911 that anyone can drive is no longer a 911,” the fun of RWD is still well preserved. The power steering offers a suitably firm feel for a sports car.

② Four-Wheel Drive

Porsche has consistently held the philosophy of “steering with the front wheels, driving force controlled by the rear wheels, and cornering with all four wheels.” For the Carrera 4, driving force is also delivered to the front wheels, split roughly 30% front and 70% rear.

This differs from the then-common 50:50 setup of 4WD systems like the Audi Quattro, but it preserves Porsche’s ideal handling characteristics. Thanks to the 4WD, the car remains stable even on slippery surfaces or at high speeds.

③ Manual Transmission

When revving to the max 6,800 rpm in each gear, you can reach 65 km/h in 1st, 110 km/h in 2nd, 160 km/h in 3rd, and 210 km/h in 4th. In 5th gear, the speedometer shows over 275 km/h. Previously, hitting 270 km/h in a Porsche made me break out in a cold sweat, but this rear-engine Porsche feels surprisingly safe at those speeds.

④ Ride Comfort

The ride is somewhat firm but acceptable for a sports car. Noise levels are much quieter, and wind noise is significantly reduced compared to the previous 930.

Drawbacks and Overall Impression

On the other hand, some drawbacks were noted.

■ Drawbacks

The rear lateral rigidity is weak at low speeds, and while you don’t notice it during normal driving, making U-turns or maneuvering in tight spaces is difficult.

■ Overall Impression

The 964 Carrera 4 allows stable control without the extreme steering characteristics of previous 911s, where pressing the accelerator caused understeer and lifting off caused oversteer. However, it’s not a highway cruiser focused solely on stability like typical 4WDs; it can be driven confidently at high-speed corners and enjoyed at low-speed corners as well. Truly, it’s a sports car that pursues handling and lets you savor the essence of cornering. Among cars released in 1989, it’s definitely one to watch.

Apparently, by September 1989 (six months after release), all units allocated for Japan that year were already sold out, showing how popular it was.

Even within the air-cooled category, there’s so much depth. Personally, I like the 964’s slightly bulging headlights (I don’t know how else to describe it…)—I find it cute. So, in a few days, I’d like to write about the 964 Carrera 2 and the 993 as well.