1965 Porsche 911 Reviews

The switchbacks are tighter than the sharpest turns of the Great Ocean Rd, the tarmac can be rough and low, and the often-dilapidated brick walls and flimsy steel barriers don't provide much reassurance.That's where the all-wheel-drive Porsche 911 Carrera 4 and 4S come in.The Carrera 4 AWD system uses a viscous coupling that feeds 95 per cent of power to the rear wheels in normal driving conditions. When needed, up to 40 per cent can be sent to the front wheels.Both models have the Porsche Stability Management stability and traction control system, which can be switched off.With windows down we tear up to a tight corner. The flat six engine hits the sweet spot from 5500 revs and the exhaust note is amplified by the rock walls.Just before the engine hits the cut-out of 7300 revs it is time to brake and change down into first gear.The road is so steep there is an unpleasant scraping from the nose as we turn, which we are relieved to find is only a plastic guard on the front wheel arches.It's time to feed on the power and the 911 shoots out of the corner so fast the next corner is suddenly upon us. With the AWD system, the 911 pulls itself out with power shifted to the front wheels. But there is still enough grunt being fed through the rear wheels for the back to step sideways slightly under acceleration – a nice feeling.The traction is impressive, even on the dry tarmac and at corners where road workers have left loose gravel. We can only imagine it would also work well in the wet.The Porsche is not prone to push its nose on through corners, as do some AWD cars, and is incredibly well balanced.Both C4 cars come standard with a six-speed manual. The five-speed Tiptronic automatic, with gear change buttons on the steering wheel, is optional.The brakes have a new brake-assist for when you need to stop suddenly, even if you don't push the pedal to the floor.Porsche's hefty anchors use cross-drilled vented discs with four-pot calipers. They are also available with ceramic composite discs that are lighter and have superior stopping power.The Carrera 4S comes standard with active suspension, which allows the driver to select between "comfort" and the firmer "sports". This system is an optional extra on the Carrera 4.The bodies of the AWD cars are slightly different. The rear guards are out an extra 44mm to house 305mm tyres.The interior of the 911 C4 picks up all the improvements of the new 997 series, including a mix of metal and leather that matches the expectations of the pricetag.Some Porsche drivers may prefer to stick to the regular two-wheel-drive 911 and save about $23,000.For former World Rally champion Walter Rohrl (above) there is no question which 911 he prefers."It is more difficult to drive a two-wheel-drive car but, for me, without four-wheel drive it is not a perfect car," Rohrl says. "This feeling of maximum traction is something that makes me crazy."

No headaches, no drama, nothing to worry about.You can hit the Friday-afternoon commute in the latest 911 Carrera and know you will be more relaxed when you get home than when you left the office.And you can drive it without switching your brain from cruise mode to full-on concentration.The latest 911 will still crack along brilliantly when you're in the mood and on the right road, but it does not force you to play its game all the time.It is a major breakthrough for a car that has always been one of the very best in the world – and a first-choice pick for Tattslotto winners – but was a very acquired taste.It was a car you had to commit to owning and driving.But times change, Porsche owners have become older and roads have become crowded and confrontational. The renowned German sports car company has responded.It still talks the talk and walks the walk, but does not have to shout or stamp its feet.It's more than a facelift but short of a total model change, coming just after the 40th birthday of the 911, now known in-house as the 997 series.The car is a ground-up rework, even if a lot of parts (up to the roof) are the same as they were in the 996 that arrived in 1998.That car was done at a time when Porsche was strapped for cash and so a lot of the latest improvements have been ready to go for more than five years.The biggest visual change is the return to traditional round headlamps. Yet the new-look cabin, which finally gets a reach-and-tilt adjustable wheel and sensible switches, is the thing you really appreciate from the driver's seat.The newer look will impress friends and 911 fans, but the cabin makes life considerably better.The overall appearance is a little sharper. There is more space for people and luggage. The car's weight has stayed the same despite extra equipment, which now runs to standard satnav, electric seats, 18-inch alloy wheels and PSM stability control.The new 911 range currently has two models, the Carrera and Carrera S, though they will soon be joined by the Cabrio.Porsche plans the usual fast-car additions, including the GT3 road warrior and a Turbo.The biggest mechanical change is two engine capacities, 3.6 and 3.8 litres, though both come with either a six-speed manual or five-speed Tiptronic auto gearbox.The options include a track-pack suspension system with 19-inch alloys and a built-in stopwatch, as well as the usual stuff including sunroof, custom paint and fully customised cabins.ON THE ROADA PORSCHE 911 is not the best choice for Melbourne in Grand Prix week.This is particularly the case when you consider tiredness, changeable weather, crowded roads and the gawk factor you always have in a Porsche.I wondered if the car would live up to the first impression from a drive in Germany last year, especially as I was driving a Tiptronic five-speed and not the preferred manual.But it flew through the test. And it rocked through a Monday-night fun run on some favourite back roads.What's great is that the Carrera we drove is the best for both worlds.The 239kW engine is more than enough to snap away from the traffic lights in a signature of flat-six engine bark, and the suspension and brakes are all that you expect in a 911. But the car is also comfortable, quiet and relaxing.But put your foot down, or shift across into the manual mode and change with the steering wheel buttons, and it is as rewarding to drive as any car on the road.It holds the road as if magnetised, but still provides an incredible amount of feedback through the steering and seat. And it will get up and go as soon as the tachometer has 3000 revs on the dial.Our Carrera test car (not pictured) was loaded with plenty of optional equipment, including a sunroof and the track pack, which took the total price to $220,755. But the starting number of $203,225 is pretty reasonable for this type of car and one that's as good as the 911. And the fuel consumption was only 11.8 litres/100km on premium unleaded.The new cabin still looks and feels like a 911, but the seat sits lower and you get adjustment on the wheel.It's still tough to get into the tiny back bucket seats, which are only for youngsters.The only other complaint is the Tiptronic, because Porsche doesn't give you the chance to touch-change the auto through the gearlever. It's buttons only. We don't like it, because there is something rewarding about crisp changes with your left hand.We missed the signature movement of the steering wheel on broken surfaces, which has been eliminated with new suspension settings, but love the brakes, the power and the all-round response.The car runs up against rivals such as the Jaguar XK-R and Benz's CLK55 in a class that is becoming more competitive. But a Porsche 911 still stands out from the crowd, and has a driving feel that is unique and unmatched by anything short of a Ferrari.There is no doubt the new Carrera is a 911. It has supercar pace and precision on demand. But, by refining everything else about the car, Porsche has created a 21st-century star.THE BOTTOM LINETHE first 911 that is both a luxury cruiser and a red-hot sports car, and gives you the choice. This is a 911 that is right for the times.

There is nothing that imbues confidence more quickly in a car than uncluttered transfer of information from the wheels to the driver.In the new Porsche 911 it is not so much communication as a running dialogue.You can almost have a conversation with this car, so clear and precise are the signals from the wheels and chassis.Porsche has always understood the value of driver connection through the steering – it's the refinements in the 997 (Porsche's in-house model designation for the new 911 Carrera) that put it in the pantheon.The weighting is surprisingly light – almost neutral – without a hint of vagueness. Every movement of the wheel is confirmed immediately, yet there is no nervousness off-centre as can be the case with particularly sharp but less refined steering.While it is the steering that will capture you, there are plenty of other things about the 911 that will induce you to stay.The cackle of the flat six (3.8-litre in the S and 3.6-litre in the Carrera) sitting behind you is intoxicating. Performance has been lifted slightly for the 3.6 with an additional 4kW lifting the output to 239kW. The all-new 3.8-litre in the Carrera S – the first time a second engine choice has been offered in the 911 Carrera – produces 261kW and 400Nm.Dynamically the 911 is a magician in its own right. The car is as happy cruising along in city traffic as it is attacking a mountain road.The ride is compliant and comfortable at low speeds yet stable and flat when pushed in anger. With bags of torque on tap right through the meat of the rev range, the 911 demands to be driven enthusiastically and rewards the driver who does so.Interior space has been improved for the new 911 without diminishing the feeling of slipping into a high-performance cockpit.The surrounds are familiar, the seats are supportive and comfortable and the instrument displays remain centred on the traditional Porsche five-dial display. The six-speed manual, tested in the S, is a driver's joy with close gating, short throws and superb ratios. Gone is the body builder-heavy clutch of old and shifting is no real chore. However, it is easy to understand why there is now a weighting in favour of tiptronics in Porsches sold in Australia.Tested in the 3.6 Carrera, the tiptronic provides a best-of-both-worlds option. Driven in full automatic, the box will happily handle stop-start traffic without fuss and yet is ready at a moment's notice to leap into action.The more urgent the input on the accelerator the more aggressive the gear changes – it is possible to drop up to three gears in an instant – as the auto finds the meat of the torque curve for maximum urge.In the sequential manual mode, changes can be made at the shifter or from the wheel-mounted buttons. Use of the buttons will also kick the system into manual, moving back to full auto after a short time if no more actions are taken.There is a tiny drawback – luggage space. The front bin is reasonable for soft bags and cabin luggage but more will have to go on the back seat. That aside, the 911 remains one of the few cars returned with genuine reluctance.

For most of the year, seat heaters are pretty much a waste of time in Australia.But there are some days when they're essential. And not just on a snow road.Driving a Porsche 911 Cabrio last week was one of those occasions.The sun was up but the temperature was down, so it was the seat heaters which made the difference between a top-down fun run and another day peeking out of a quick coupe into a chilly breeze.They warmed our backs, took the edge off the winter chill, and ensured the 911 Cabriolet made it on to the list of memorable events of 2003.Any time you get a blast in a 911 is a good day, because nobody makes sharper-edged sports cars than the famed and famous German brand, but the top-down Cabrio is something special.The test was also ideal as a celebration of the 911's 40th birthday this year.There have been massive changes since the car hit the road in 1963, but the name and shape are classically still the same.And so is the sports car appeal that puts the 911 at the top of many people's lotto wish list. The Carrera Cabriolet sits as best of the best for a lot of those same people, because it is a real sports car but also a convertible, as well as a 2+2 that can carry a couple of kids in the mini back seats.The car got its last update in readiness for the 2002 model year, as part of a change to the 996 series – that's the latest label for the 911 inside Porsche – that brought a new look to the nose and some other relatively minor tweaking, including a freshened dashboard.Importantly, the Cabriolet got a glass rear window and a "wind blocker" to cut turbulence in the cabin. The changes also moved the Cabriolet farther from Porsche's baby car, the Boxster, as if a starting price beyond $200,000 wasn't enough of a hurdle.It was intended to confirm the 911 droptop as the essential open-air sports car.The Cabriolet has a one-touch electric folding roof, front and side airbags, remote central locking, alloy wheels, automatic air-con, leather seats and a three-spoke sports steering wheel.On the roadThe hardest thing to remember about the Cabriolet is that it's a $200,000-plus car, which means it's only a dream machine for people who fight the commuter traffic snarl every morning.It can do the same job, and do it just as well in the stop-start grind, but that's not the reason it exists.It can also win an occasional traffic-light sprint, against almost anything on the road, but the open-air Porsche is at its best on the open road – even with the seat heaters on. That's when you can squirt between curves, tackle twisties without a worry and just plain delight in the sound and response from a special sports car.The flat-six has a unique sound, and the latest model howls when it gets towards the redline.But it will also burble around town and the torque spread means you only have to tickle the throttle to get things going.Overtaking, regardless of the gear, is quick and easy. And you don't need to go much beyond fourth in Australia, unless you're looking for quieter and calmer touring.Porsche has made advances in the ride and handling of the 911, which used to scare the wits out of its owners at least once.The early 911s were victims of wide tail-out slides on bad roads, but the 996 series grips and grips.The front end will let you know if you're going a bit too briskly, but usually the car just follows the steering wheel.The brakes are fantastic. And the ride is good, too, with just the right mix of sports-car firm and compliance for bumpy Aussie conditions.The body is as taut as any convertible we've driven.The Cabrio isn't the quietest car, which is down to the engine, huge tyres and the soft top.It's not something you worry about in a convertible cruise, but it can be noisy in traffic.The back seats are only for little people – or close friends on a short hop – and there isn't much boot space. Not to worry.The roof works quickly and easily, there isn't much wind noise or buffeting – even at 110km/h – and the car is built to Porsche quality standards. That means everything works well.It's just what you expect of this type of car.The 911 Cabriolet does a great job and gets higher marks than its open-air rivals from Maserati, Jaguar or Ferrari.