Steve Hall

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From 1974 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 to 1989 911 SC: why these are the 911s to buy now

From under-the-radar collector status to realistic daily-drive prospect, the G-Series is the air-cooled 911 of the moment. As it hits its 50th anniversary, Porsche authority. Steve Bennett tells us why.

Editor's comment
The 911s that make sense

When I was a pup – well, probably in my teens, which means my opinions were even more virulent yet even more unfounded – I didn’t much care for new Porsche 911s. You couldn’t blame me: I was born in 1968, so when I was most full of revolution and rebellion and looking for a system to smash, 911s were at their new-establishment peak, that thankfully brief window in the mid-80s when all the cliches were formed. Red-braces wearing yuppie a-holes going backwards into hedges in matching Guards Red impact-bumper 911s while swilling from a bottle of Pol was real (though perhaps rather less frequent than the tabloids made out). As was the 911’s guilt by association, sadly.

By the time I got into the classic car magazine game in the mid-90s, the big-bumper generation of Porsche was still unfashionable, all too often the cars were uncared for and poorly maintained daily drivers at the bottom of their value curve. They were what you bought if you couldn’t afford a ‘proper’ Porsche.

To those of us of a certain age, I guess they still are to a lesser degree, but to an only slightly younger generation of enthusiasts, the one that has also embraced all those 1970s shades of brown that still make my blood curdle – russet, sable, oatmeal et al – there seems to be no trace of that stigma. Of course, you suspect that they might change their minds the moment they have the wherewithal to test drive a 1968 S, but for now I am quite jealous that they can enjoy the later cars without all the social baggage that used to come with them, used to spoil them. That’s partially a comment on how quickly society and perceptions move on in the modern world, but mainly it’s testament to the longevity of a brilliant design.


Heck, the cars we are rightly celebrating this issue were in production so long that they easily outlived their own negative stereotypes in period. They emerged in 1974 and bowed out in 1989, they pretty much saw off their own succession plan when the front-engined cars came and went, and now they seem far more related to what came before than to what came after.

After all, with all the world’s 964s being hoovered up for restomods and 993s being sufficiently evolved to be an entirely different car, these G- (and on) Series 911s are suddenly looking extremely appealing in their own right rather than merely as an alternative to something you can’t afford. In the words of the wise Glen Waddington: ‘It’s the only “purebred” 911 that still exists in reasonable quantities and for almost sane money.’
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RDG Speedster 1991 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet

Is it a Speedster? Is it a Targa? Is it a Coupe? Actually, it’s all three in one. Welcome to David Gawthorpe’s radical and highly transformative 964...

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PTB Malta’s Porsche 911 SC Safari build

Malcolm Farrugia stands out as Malta’s Mr Porsche. We head to the central Mediterranean archipelago to check out his Dakar-inspired 911 SC...

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1957 Lotus Eleven S2

Fresh from restoration and wearing its seventh different primary colour, this Lotus Eleven S2 is the ideal Goodwood weapon, says James Elliott.

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1989 Volvo 245 GLT

Volvo has announced the death of its estate cars in the UK. Stephen Bayley laments that loss with the iconically evergreen 245 wagon.

Editor's comment
STEPHEN BAYLEY
‘I am passionate about architecture and cars. Each is a design exercise involving human habitation and personal desire. With its robust structure and comfy chairs, I'd be happy to call a Volvo estate “home”. Even if it is a suburban home!'
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2024 Porsche 911 Carrera T Manual 992

The Carrera T recipe has been refined for the 992-generation 911, and it’s a tastier dish than ever...

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Exclusive drive of the Fifteen Eleven 3.8-litre 400bhp Porsche 914

The best days are the ones you weren’t quite expecting. The same applies to cars. Enter the near 400bhp Fifteen Eleven Design 914. Put simply, we didn’t see this one coming!

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1975 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 with rock and roll history

We get behind the wheel of Baddie, one of the most original 930s around. It also happens to be a classic 911 Turbo with a serious hard-rocking past…

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2012 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet 991 vs. 2013 Boxster GTS 981

Welcome to the battle of the £50k Porsche soft-tops. In the silver corner is a 991 Cabriolet with killer spec. In the blue corner is a 981 Boxster GTS packing a potent punch. Which delivers the knockout blow?

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Porsche 718 Cayman 2.7 981C against a 718 Cayman 2.0 981C

In a battle of base models, we pitch a 981 Cayman 2.7 against a 718 Cayman 2.0, amounting to a normally aspirated 2.7-litre flat-six versus a turbocharged two-litre flat-four. Market behaviour and enthusiast wisdom says six is best, but is this really the case?

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Uniting an early 1973 Porsche 911 RS 2.7 with a 2006 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 997.1

Separated by thirty-three years, this 911 Carrera RS 2.7 and first-generation 911 GT3 RS 997 share Porsche’s crucial ‘road racer’ DNA...

Editor's comment
FRUIT OF THE ZOOM
Porsche released the now legendary 911 Carrera RS 2.7 in readiness for the 1973 model year. Fifty years on, we can look back at a strong suite of road-legal, race-inspired 911s able to trace their DNA back to the ducktailed homologation special. Today’s Rennsports, however, have become somewhat burdened by size, weight and a wealth of electronic driver aids, all of which are dictated by modern safety standards, a result of engine output increasing exponentially. Not so with the first-generation 997 GT3 RS, which expertly straddles the analogue and digital eras of Porsche production. With this in mind, we brought together one of the first five hundred Carrera RS 2.7s (build number 433, in fact) and a super-low mileage 997 GT3 RS. You might think comparing 911s separated by more than three decades is a tough call, but these zesty coupes have more in common than one might consider at first glance. This features a pretty even split of retro and modern Porsches — not only do we spend quality time (both on- and off-road) with the new 992 Dakar, we return to New England to check out the trio of air-cooled classics owned by Def Leppard guitarist, Vivian Campbell. Enjoy the article.
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Is the Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 the best G-series 911?

The sweet spot of the classic, air-cooled 911 generation? The ultimate G-series 911? There is a strong argument for the Carrera 3.2 being both...

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360bhp RSR-inspired 1986 Porsche 911 Turbo 930 Restomod

Complete with TracTive suspension, a G50 gearbox and 360bhp on tap, this stunning RSR-styled 911 Turbo has the ‘go’ to match the ‘show’...

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Lightly modified 1974 Porsche 911 2.7 Targa

This latest build from Rindt Vehicle Design is very probably not quite what you think it is. Yes, it’s a 911 Targa, but its underpinnings are really quite leftfield and surprisingly rare...

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Rare 1993 Porsche 911 Targa Florio 964

A Targa that finally lives up to its illustrious name? We get behind the wheel of the latest build from PIE Performance. It’s a semi-open-top 964 with a dash of Florio, as we’re about to find out...

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