Total 911 No. 211

It is perhaps a little strange to open a tome dedicated to Porsche’s iconic 911 sports car, only to be greeted with a picture of its smaller, mid-engined brother in the Cayman at the top of my welcome note this month. It is for good reason however, as I am about to disclose. The Cayman v 911 debate is one that’s raged on for some time now, though I confess it’s not something I’ve ever really understood. They are completely different cars in the way they drive, handle and feel. Since the Cayman’s inception in 2006, Porsche has always been keen to ensure a tangible distance between it and a 911 in the performance stakes, with the mid-engine car often getting a de-tuned version of a 911 engine. And while…

Porsche celebrates 50 years of Weissach The birthplace of Porsche vehicles since the 1970s has reached a milestone anniversary Porsche is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its Weissach Development Centre, which today stretches across 100 hectares and employs 6,700 people. Located just 15 miles from Zuffenhausen, the site in Weissach became home to the Porsche design and development departments when it opened on 1 October 1971, but the area’s history with Porsche can be traced even further back in time. Porsche first began its search for a dedicated test track and research site in the 1950s, but finding the right location was far from simple as Ferry Porsche placed great importance on the environmental impact of such a facility. Racing driver, Herbert Linge, suggested his home town, Weissach – it…

Porsche Design creates hotel brand Porsche Design has joined with Deutsche Hospitality to create the Steigenberger Porsche Design Hotels brand. The luxury hotels will be located in 15 cities across the world such as London, Singapore, Dubai and Shanghai. The hotels will offer at least 150 rooms, suites and penthouses, plus restaurants and bars, ‘Meet&Greet Cubes’, a health and beauty facility and a gym. 2022 GT3 Cup car previewed Porsche Motorsport GB has unveiled its plans for 2022, which includes the introduction of the 992 GT3 Cup to Porsche Carrera Cup GB. The latest 992 Cup car uses an evolved 4.0-litre six-cylinder boxer engine producing 510hp and 470Nm, with double wishbone suspension featuring for the first time on a Cup car. The championship celebrates its 20th season next year.…

Get out and drive Dear Sir, Having had both of my trips cancelled at short notice, myself and some friends (997.1 GT3 RS, 997.2 Turbo, my GT3, and somehow a GT4 crept into the group) decided to escape to Wales for a couple of days. In truth it was only on the third attempt we managed to find a 72-hour break in the weather. Driving in the rain is great, if you are on track and have run offs, but on the public road a dry stretch of tarmac and good visibility makes for a safer and more ‘spirited’ pace. We left London late on a Sunday evening and drove up ready for an early start. The first day took place in Bala, Snowdonia, the Evo Triangle (average speed cameras…

Dear Sir, I recently had a health check carried out on my 997.2 and it has been highlighted that my front shock absorber stanchions are corroded – should I be worried about this and do I need them replaced? Brian Gardens It is common for the very top of the shock absorber to corrode at the top of the piston or stanchion where they meet the top mount – this is where the bump stops sit and thus creating an area where water and moisture end up sitting in, causing corrosion. Depending on the severity of corrosion, it’s advisable to address the issue, with replacement shock absorbers being the only solution here. While having them replaced, it’s advisable to refresh the top mounts and bearing at the same time as…

Here at Total 911 we believe there is no such thing as a poor 911. We admire them all, and as motoring journalists we get particularly excited when new models are released. Porsche has spoiled us with many different model iterations – S, 4S GTS – and as owners we’ve become addicted to upgrading and going as high up the chain as possible, thereby moving away from the entry-level 911 Carrera. But, and this may surprise you, we sometimes think that less is more, and if you are undecided on which model of your chosen generation to buy, then this feature just might save you some money. Back in 1964 the only 911 available was the ‘0’ Series 911. If the 130bhp on offer wasn’t enough you would have to…