1985 Porsche 911 Carrera

The first Porsche 911 was introduced in 1963 as the replacement for the much loved Porsche 356. Over the years, Porsche's ubiquitous 911 has come in many guises. It had a rear-engined design with an independent rear suspension setup, an evolution of the swing axle of the Porsche 356. The engine was air-cooled until the introduction of the Type 996 in 1998.

The 911 Carrera 3.2 made its debut at the 1983 Frankfurt Motorshow. The Carrera name was revived, having been resting in retirement since 1977. The Carrera name had been used after Porsche's class victories in the Carrera Panamericana races in Mexico in the 1950's. Visually indebted to the outgoing 911 SC, it was available in Coupe, Targa, and Cabriolet guises. In the front was a revised front valance that had auxiliary driving lamps and a subtle 'Carrera' script on its engine lid. It was estimated to be 80-percent new. The 3164cc flat-six engine was capable of producing 231 horsepower and 209 lb/ft of torque. The Porsche could race from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.3 seconds and had a top speed of 153 mph. The brakes were enlarged, the top two gear ratios slightly raised, and a redesigned timing chain tensioner installed. By this point in history, all 911s were built with galvanized bodies, which helped relieve the concern over corrosion.

During the 1980s, the Porsche 911 Type 930 sales in the United States were put on hold due to emission regulations that it did not meet. Porsche's solution to the problem was to create a 911 that had an appearance similar to the turbo 911. This optional turbo look package code M491 included the front spoiler, the whale tail spoiler, wider rear end and the same suspension, power disc braking and wheels as the 930. This optional package gave the car all of the same components as the 930, except for the turbocharged 3.2-liter engine.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2017