Innholdsfortegnelse for August/September 2020 i GT Porsche

Oh, how I miss driving my 911. Somebody recently asked me which was more enjoyable, being behind the wheel of my 997 Carrera 4S or my Bentley Arnage T (a hefty 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V8, in case you were wondering). They’re very different cars, but both powerful sports machines. Of the two, the 911 is the one that has me hankering for a spirited blast along B-road Britain. It’s an excellent tool for the job and one I’m looking forward to driving as soon as it’s safe to head back into the wild. In the meantime, I’ve been staring at photos of the amazing 993-based Kaege Retro GT Porsche contributor, Steve Hall, was lucky enough to borrow for this issue’s cover feature. What a machine! Before you write in to register…

Many cars are described as "the ultimate,” but few can credibly claim to be literally that. In contrast, this 911 Speedster is the final example of the 991 generation to enter and pass down the production line at Porsche's Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen factory. The car's VIN is, therefore, the final one assigned and, beyond this distinction, this special 911 is also the final example of just 1,948 991 Speedsters assembled. Because this Speedster represents the last of its kind, Porsche commissioned a photographer to document the build process, which took place in December 2019. The last time Porsche commissioned such a project was when the 1,000,000th 911 was built. The Speedster's assembly is, consequently, presented as a large-format, hardcover book bound in the very same Cognac leather wrapped around the car's seats.…

RED HOT PRODUCT EVENTURI CARBON-FIBRE INTAKE SYSTEM FOR 991 TURBO/TURBO S The Eventuri 991 Turbo carbon-fibre intake system was developed through extensive real-world testing with the aim of allowing the host 911’s turbochargers to work more efficiently. By replacing the single stock airbox with individual patented Venturi filter housings, each snail-shaped bhp booster is able to spool with less drag. As a result, wastegate duty cycles are lowered, delivering peak boost at lower rpm and, therefore, a welcome increase in performance, noticeably sharper throttle response and significant reductions in sprint times. The filter housings comprise bespoke air filters, aluminium inlet cowls, carbon pods and integrated tubes. The carbon pods shroud the reverse-mounted filters and smoothly shape airflow down to the stock turbo inlet tubes. By separating the inlet path and…

FIVE MINUTES WITH GARY CONWAY This month, we chat with the Managing Director of premium vehicle service, maintenance, trackday preparation and tuning specialist, GCAP Performance. When was GCAP established? Summer 2012. Prior to that time I’d been building engines (my first was a 993’s air-cooled flat-six) ad hoc, but increased demand encouraged me to open GCAP as a one-stop servicing and tuning centre for premium makes and models. Whereabouts is your workshop? GCAP occupies attractive mews buildings in the heart of a residential area in London’s Notting Hill district. Not being on a distant industrial estate or business park is convenient for customers, not only those who can visit easily from their homes in Knightsbridge, Chelsea and other nearby locations, but also clients who can get to us via the…

The last time I drove a 911 Turbo, it was a first-gen 991 in S trim. Powered by the 3.8-litre biturbo flat-six and making a punchy 560PS (that’s 552bhp in our preferred terms, though the reason I’m quoting metric horsepower will become relevant in a second), it was quick. Like, blisteringly, dementedly quick. Reordering your perception of what speed means quick. That was my takeaway impression, which is why I was completely awestruck when the 991 Gen II Turbo reached 580PS (572bhp) in 2016 — the last thing the 991 Turbo ever needed was more power. Nevertheless, when announced in March this year, the 992 Turbo S’s headline figures continued Porsche’s trend of building on the previous model’s impressive numbers. This latest 911-with-a-capital-T has what’s purported to be a 3.8-litre…

It’s your pride and joy. Whether you’re in command of a classic 911, recent Boxster, tidy transaxle or any of the other Stuttgart-crested speed machines we love to feature in the pages of GT Porsche, we’re sure you worry about the behaviour of other road users and how their actions might have an impact on you and your four-wheeled friend. With this in mind, the information spread across the following pages will help you to enjoy many more pleasurable miles of motoring. Without further ado, here are our top tips for protecting your Porsche whilst enjoying the open road or moving in traffic. ATTITUDE, SPACE AND ‘THE IDIOT PRINCIPLE’ Perhaps it’s obvious, but your attitude behind the wheel and how you interact with other road users will affect how they…

SOLD FOR £161,700 1971 911 E (CARRERA RS RECREATION) Social distancing might have put paid to footfall in the world’s auction rooms, but that hasn’t stopped keen buyers expressing their desire to spend as planned. Reacting to demand, Silverstone Auctions took a leaf out of the books of the many online-only automotive auction firms and presented an exciting selection of classic cars to market via live auction on 23rd May. Among the weird and wonderful lots on offer (Aston Martin Virage Volante wide body, Lotus Carlton, Sierra RS Cosworth barn find and Lotus Elan S3 historic rally car) was this superb recreation of a 1973 Carrera RS 2.7. Based on a 1971 911 E originally sold to the Australian domestic market, this long-term restomod was carried out by marque specialist,…

Well, this is confusing. As we cruise along the L386 south of Frankfurt in mid-west Germany, all we see is yellow and green rolling hills punctuated by quaint little settlements, the occasional distant church spire marking them from afar. Whilst we’re enjoying our jaunt through this glorious countryside, we were expecting to happen upon a large town. More specifically, we’re on the hunt for a busy workshop on the outskirts of an industrial estate near the Ortsgemeinde of Flamborn, where a lesser known purveyor of that oh-so-popular 911 recipe, the restomod, resides. Rest assured, dear reader, our sat-nav isn’t on the blink. The Alzey-Worms district of Rhineland-Palatinate isn’t the most obvious place to go looking for one of the most intriguing and interesting of personalised Porsches, but after a few…

Porsche Classic's single-DIN satnav-equipped replacement head unit proved popular with owners of transaxles and older 911s following its launch a few years ago, but many felt the unit's sky-high price tag was too lofty when the system's limited features were taken into account. Porsche has responded with its second-generation Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) single-DIN head unit, but has also attempted to broaden the appeal of its offering by introducing a double-DIN version (PCCM+), ideally suited to the 996-generation 911 and 986 Boxster. Both infotainment systems offer a high-resolution touchscreen and modern functions, such as DAB+ and Apple CarPlay, as well integrated navigation. The double-DIN unit's optimised touch screen measures a useful seven inches, with the hardware controls of both models integrated seamlessly into the ambience of the host Porsche's…

Back in November 2013, Verband der Automobiltuner (VDAT), a trade organisation in Germany representing the interests of companies involved in the tuning industry, filed a lawsuit against Porsche after the manufacturer reportedly ordered its cars, accessories and spare parts not to be supplied to tuning companies. Porsche is also alleged to have stated the same businesses shouldn't be able to provide owners with aftermarket parts designed to replace or augment original items. The lawsuit also outlined Porsche's alleged wish to prohibit sales of cars and parts to anyone associated with an aftermarket performance automotive business. On 2nd April this year, a judgement by the Oberlandesgericht (Higher Regional Court) in Stuttgart ruled Porsche’s attempt to impose these restrictions was a violation of the German and European antitrust law. The court declared…

10 TOP TIPS FOR SAFELY HITTING THE ROAD By the time you read this article, recent COVID-19 lockdown restrictions will have somewhat eased, allowing those of you desperate to get out and drive the opportunity to do exactly that. Unfortunately, not every road user (or Porsche driver, for that matter), will take the necessary steps to ensure a safe return to the public highway, regardless of the distance they expect to cover or the kind of roads they intend to travel along. We’re not just talking about checking fluids, battery life and tyre pressures — numerous recent surveys have highlighted an unusually sharp number of drivers stalling their cars and/or failing to observe basic rules of the highway code when finding themselves back in the saddle. Lack of indicating and…

With the evergreen 911 fast approaching its sixtieth birthday, it’s hard to imagine Porsche without the model, but in the late 1970s and early 1980s, it was distinct possibility. A layout seen by many as increasingly dated encouraged those inhabiting the corridors at Zuffenhausen to think about a new flagship Porsche product. Indeed, company chairman, Ernst Fuhrmann, envisaged a ‘proper’ 2+2 in the form of a grand tourer capable of massive mile munching. This was no reimagining of the 911 – the resulting ‘land shark’ was Porsche’s first clean-sheet design, and one which set the company’s technological beacon shining all over again. Work began in earnest as soon as the project was given the green light. In fact, as early as 1971, factory engineers and draughtsmen began to conceptualise the…

What does Jukka Honkavuori, a Porsche racing driver and instructor at various Porsche Experience Centres around the globe, think about being paid to drive? A dream come true? Absolutely. What about the thrill of racing Porsches in top tier motorsport? A zen moment accompanied by a rush of blood to the head? Well, that’s just a half-cliché. As a journalist, it’s normal practice to pick up the phone and call your interviewee at a specified time. Honkavuori isn’t a typical racing driver. He calls a minute in advance of the scheduled interview and immediately starts talking. Should you see his eyes, they’d spark racing fever. And we’re not talking about a veteran circuit dweller with endless war stories. No, this is a young driver blessed with the vision and determination…

Recent GT Porsche articles celebrating the 944 have generated a huge amount of positive reader feedback, which is why we decided to pull together a buying guide dedicated to the drop-top version what many transaxle enthusiasts and Porsche specialists consider to be the best incarnation of the big-selling, front-engined, water-cooled 1980s icon. Launched in 1982 as a purely Porsche project following the joint Volkswagen-Porsche parentage of the 924, the wide quartered 944 not only inherited its basic shape and styling from the older car, but also much of its interior trim. Anybody stepping into the new Porsche’s cabin space, for example, would have noted the decidedly dated presence of the 924’s square dashboard and dials. Porsche would get around to updating the 944’s cockpit and exterior styling for the launch…

Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1965, the first 911 Targa was a trailblazer for a whole new type of car. Originally marketed as a "safety cabriolet with anti-roll bar" — primarily in response to increased road safety legislation in the USA — the Targa, with its detachable roof, soon established itself as an independent concept and became a style icon. Right to the present day, Porsche has continued to combine two worlds in the 911 Targa: open-top driving in a cabriolet paired with the sleek convenience of a coupé. Production began towards the end of 1966, with market launch of the 911 Targa taking place in 1967. The concept was enhanced from one 911 generation to the next and, impressively, became the Porsche of choice for one in…

Until the grand finale in June, virtual races will be held on a weekly basis, as a replacement for the standard races in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship 2019/2020, which have been postponed due to the COVID-19 crisis. Each live broadcast gets underway at 16:30 CEST. The series sees all twenty-four drivers in the regular championship do battle for virtual points in racing simulators. The races are held on the realistic rFactor2 simulation platform. Sim racers and influencers also go head to head in separate races to the Formula E drivers. With the “Race at Home Challenge”, the ABB FIA Formula E Championship is supporting the child welfare organisation UNICEF, which will be receiving donations raised during each race. Visit motorsports.porsche.com…

PRIZE WORTH £70* Having read the previous pages and been completely satisfied you and your Porsche are safe and comfortable to return to the road, your mind may be wandering in search of a destination. We’re not talking about taking the long way round to the local supermarket, more a desire to embark upon that ambitious road trip you’ve promised yourself, but have never found the time to engage in. If you’ve previously driven from your home in the UK to mainland Europe (shout out to the Le Mans attendees among you), then you’ll know doing so isn’t simply a case of booking a ferry or shuttle ticket and hitting the gas. First, you need to be in possession of a passport with at least six months validity, hold a…

Twenty-twenty hindsight allows us to scoff at the idea of the 928 superseding the 911, but that’s exactly how things were supposed to be. Certainly, this was the thinking of Ernst Fuhrmann, Porsche Technical Director from 1971 and Chairman of the Board for the eight years leading up to 1980. While many disagreed with his view of the 911 as a sports car reaching the limit of its development potential, the company feared the impact of rumoured changes to North American crash safety, emissions and noise legislation, rules which would have had a detrimental impact on the long-term viability of the 911 to continue as Porsche’s flagship model. Central to these fears was the packaging limitations of the 911’s rear-engined layout. A mid-engined alternative to the 911 was explored, but…

Rod Emory is a giant in the world of Porsche personalisation, though the mention of his name rarely brings to mind the image of a 911. Indeed, in the main, Emory Motorsports is synonymous with customisation of the 356. More specifically, the Oregon firm’s 356 Outlaw category of air-cooled classics has gone on to inspire a generation of enthusiastic modifiers all over the globe. Painstakingly hand crafted and treated to a concours-quality finish, each Outlaw features bodywork with design cues lifted from historic motorsport, while power is provided by a proprietary flat-four, a punchy unit based on the 3.6-litre dry-sump architecture of the 964. A clean-sheet design from the engineering mind of Rothsport Racing boss, Jeff Gamroth (a former member of Porsche’s works GT racing team and a man with…