1989 Porsche 911

While most automobile manufacturers were struggling with the oil crisis and increases in safety and emission regulations, Porsche was thriving. The experience gained from turbocharged air-cooled engines of their racing program were implemented and applied to the rear-engined sports cars that were built for the road. Porsche displayed the Type 930, turbocharged 911, at the 1973 Paris Motor Show.

The Porsche 930 was the most powerful production Porsche to date, powered by a 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six engine (with roots that trace back to the 911 RSR) fitted with a KKK turbocharger. The production-ready version was shown at the Paris show in autumn of 1974, displaying both luxury and performance in a compact and elegant package. It came with air conditioning, electric windows and other various creature comforts. In the back was an enormous 'whale-tail' spoiler and a wider track meant to keep the car firmly plant and ensure all the power was delivered efficiently to the ground.

The exotic design of the 911 Turbo was perfected in the long-distance Sports Car racing program known as the 'World Championship of Makes' when these 'Flat Nose' 935s and 936s (most famously the 'Moby Dick' 935) competed in Group 6 competition earning numerous victories and podium finishes in the hands of Ickx, Mass and Stommelen and during the next two seasons. They earned four victories in eight World Championship races and a triumph at Le Mans in each year.

Although Porsche did not initially offer the Flat Nose or 'Flachbau' (translated as Low Build) to privateers, the early demand was initially catered for by 'Kremer Racing' who offered a conversion. After witnessing the enthusiasm for this setup, the factory's own Customer Department began offering this service to special order (Sunderwunschen) from 1981, becoming an official option only in 1986. The back of the vehicles received extra cooling intakes, various body modifications, different sills, and the front wings were steel, incorporating cooling vents and pop-up headlamps.

The Carrera
Porsche revived the 'Carrera' name in 1973 for its top-of-the-range 911 'homologation special.' The name had previously been applied to the most potent version of the 356 range. The name was dormant since 1977, then revived at the start of the 1984 model year, and applied to all 911 variants, co-incidentally with the introduction of the 3.2-liter engine. The engine remained an air-cooled 'flat six' unit, however it was 80-percent new with a 3,164cc displacement achieved by using the 95mm bore from the previous SC model and the 74.4mm-stroke crankshaft from the 1978 3.3-liter Turbo. The compression ratio increased and a new induction and exhaust system was added. The shortcomings of the perennial 911 were addressed with the addition of an effective cam chain tensioner and associated lubrication system. It received a more effective oil cooler system that was further improved in 1987 with the addition of a thermostatically controlled fan. The fuel and ignition system was controlled by a Bosch LE-Jetronic ECU system which marked the first use of such a system on a 911, resulting in better fuel economy and improved performance. These modifications resulted in an 27 horsepower improvement over its predecessor and allowing the 911 to sprint from zero-to-sixty mph in 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 152 mph.

The existing Type 915 five-speed was carried over from the SC series, and then in 1987, the Carrera received a new five-speed Getrag 'box (the G50) and an hydraulically operated clutch.

In 1984, Porsche introduced the M491 option, officially called the 'Supersports' but more commonly known as the 'Turbo Look.' It was a style that resembled the Type 930 911 Turbo, complete with a large rear wing, deeper front spoiler, and flared wheel arches. Mechanical improvements included wider wheels, and modifications to the suspension and brakes.

1989 Porsche
For 1989, Porsche introduced a four-wheel-drive Carrera 4, a system it sourced from the full-time 4WD system from the 959 supercar. Styling remained mostly unchanged; there were updates to the aerodynamics. The 3.6-liter engine was enlarged and now offered 247 horsepower.

The Carrera 4 came with anti-lock brakes and power steering, plus a rear spoiler that raised automatically when speeds of 50 mph were achieved.

The base Carrera models rode on 16-inch wheels, replacing the prior 15-inch versions.

The Turbocharged 911 examples had a five-speed manual gearbox instead of the four-speed units. The horizontally opposed, overhead-cam six-cylinder engine fitted with the turbocharger delivered 282 SAE horsepower. The 193.1 cubic-inch engine delivered 214 SAE horsepower which the 219.7 cubic-inch engine found in the 911 Carrera 4 offered 247 SAE horsepower.

Another new addition to the 911 line was the Speedster model, wearing the 911 body with a cut-down windshield. Channeling the Avant-grade and minimalistic 356 Speedsters built specifically for the United States sport-car market of the 1950s, Porsche president Peter Schutz envisioned a modern variation built atop the 3.2-liter 911 Cabriolet. The basic concept was refined by Helmuth Bott, Porsche's technical director, adding a removable fiberglass rear tonnea cover with dual fairings, in keeping with the basic lines and design themes of the original 356 Speedster. The production version had a single-layer convertible top that fit beneath a tonneau cover. It was not a power-operated top nor did it have much padding, which was more commonly seen on the regular 911 cabriolet.

The Speedster's shape was created by Porsche's styling department, then under the direction of Tony Lapine. Porsche introduced a 'Clubsport' prototype with cut-down racing windscreen at the 1987 Frankfurt Show, signaling the design direction of the forthcoming Speedster. After further refinement, the production-ready form was eventually approved as Option M503 on the outgoing 3.2-liter 911 Carrera for 1989.

The Speedster had a lowered windscreen, wind-up side windows, was devoid of the Carrera's normal vent windows, had rear seat delete, and a manually-operated convertible top. Approximately 2,065 Speedsters were produced for public sale, all within the 'K Program' run lasting from August 1988 to July 1989 including 823 sent to the United States. 1,894 of the Speedsters received the 'Turbo Look' appearance package, based on the basic body shell of the 911/930 Turbo, with flared fenders, spoilers, upgraded suspension, 7-inch front and 9-inch rear wheels, and heavy-duty 4-piston disc brakes with cross-drilled rotors (11.8 inches in the front and 12.1-inch diameter in the rear). The 3,164-cubic centimeter engine was equipped with Bosch LE-Jetronic fuel injection and produced 215 horsepower at 5,900 RPM and 195-foot-pounds at 4,800 rpm. The power was delivered through a Type G50 fully synchronized five-speed manual transaxle. Oil-fed chain tensioners, which were introduced on the Carrera-series engines, helped to preserve the longevity of the engine.

The Speedster was optionally available with the racing 935 Turbo-style 'Flachbau' or 'Slant-Nose' front-end body style. Only the 'Turbo Look' was available for the German and American market, with prices adding $13,045 to the Speedsters $65,480 base price. Sales of the new-generation Speedster was brief, lasing from January through September 1989, and was a fitting tribute to mark the end of the long production of the 3.2-liter Carrera. It was also the final model to have been produced at Porsche's old Stuttgart factory.

by Daniel Vaughan | Feb 2012

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