911 & Porsche World Issue 323

Most Porsche fans love the huge variety our corner of the automotive world offers: air-cooled, water-cooled, rear-driven, all-pawed, mid-engined, rear-engined, SUV, coupe, drop-top, Targa, wide body, narrow body… the list goes on. When it comes to electric powertrains, however, the scene is split. Many recognise the need for Porsche to lead the charge on an all-electric motoring future, something which, like it or loathe it, is hurtling toward us like a runaway train. Others cry heresy, suggesting EV architecture removes the very spirit of a Porsche sports car. Which side of the fence are you on? Things don’t have to be so black and white. There is another approach gaining traction at rapid pace: retro-fitting an electric motor and batteries to a classic Porsche. All the charm and character of an…

I thought my old 964, the Peppermint Pig, was doing well at 375,00km. It’d been around the block, or so I reckoned, but on the grand scale of high-milers, that figure is nothing when compared to Steven Pidding’s Carrera 3.2, which is well on its way to half a million miles. How come? Blame the high score on the car’s original owner, a businessman by the name of Phillippe Lathuille. Based in south-eastern France, he averaged about 10,000km every month — yep, every month — being constantly on the move, travelling across continental Europe to visit his various far-flung business interests, before zoom calls and emails made an anachronism of such a lifestyle. Blame is too harsh a word, obviously, because, let’s face it, one can only envy someone who gets…

TESTING TIMES: PORSCHE REVEALS R&D BEHIND NEW 911 GT3 The 992-generation 911 GT3 is packed with technical highlights. During development, the model’s engineers pursued one aim in particular: to further enhance the performance of the car without compromising its everyday usability. Co-operation between technicians working on Porsche’s series development models and specialists from the manufacturer’s motorsport department played an immensely important role here. “Engineers who develop our race cars also working on the design of a new GT car for the road is the most direct Porsche technology transfer I can imagine,” smiles Andreas Preuninger, Director of Porsche’s GT Model Line. Technological progress in the area of aerodynamics is particularly apparent, not least because the new GT3 marks the first time a suspended rear wing has been fitted to a Porsche series…

HRE S1SC TWO-PIECE FORGED WHEELS HRE’s new Forged Monoblok Rim (FMR) barrels make their debut on the S1SC. Providing aggressive styling similar to HRE’s Monoblok P1SC and employing multiple technical design features for increased stiffness and reduced mass, they accompany exciting new spoke details, including intersection points and fastener flange surfacing. Following the modular styling of a traditional three-piece split rim, the S1SC’s new, TUV-approved, two-piece design improves performance and quality across every metric and kickstarts HRE’s plan to roll out FMR barrels across much of its range. For product launch, four different styles are available: a mesh wheel, V-spoke, split five-spokes and Y-spoke ‘teledial’ sure to please Porsche owners wanting a modern wheel with a classic twist. 20-inch and 21-inch rims can be ordered, with additional diameters on the way. Price:…

If you’re anything like me, the first thing you do when you drive a new car is find the nearest stretch of straight road and bury the throttle. To my mind, intrinsic to our love of sports cars is the question of how fast a vehicle can travel or, as is actually the case, how fast it feels. This sensation of speed is most likely to define how much we’re going to like and enjoy the machine we’re in charge of. I say this on the assumption readers of 911 & Porsche World don’t drive mundane, boring cars. In any case, all Porsches are supposed to be sporting vehicles — yes, even the diesels and EVs! Once this first basic assessment of a car has been accomplished, and this might take…

Tesla or Taycan? How about a classic 911 that does exactly the same job, but marries the old and new in a retro-cool package combining the look of an aircooled Porsche with the ultramodern underpinnings of an all-electric vehicle? I should stress, I’m not talking about wooing people away from their classic 911, but I do think there are seriously appealing alternatives to what we currently consider the default choices when it comes to electric daily drives. Why am I narrowing the focus to air-cooled 911s? Isn’t it true to say you can convert any car powered by a combustion engine to run as a full EV? Yes, it is, but the current cost of conversion is a big hurdle if you’re a Boxster or early water-cooled 911 owner, whereas an…