The Porsche 911 (type 964) was regarded as a commercial success throughout its lifespan. Even though Porsche was having trouble at the time due to internal problems as well as a severe worldwide recession, the 964 nevertheless managed to sell well enough to keep the business afloat and prove to aficionados that Porsche knew how to build upon the 911 formula with this new 964 generation.
There were 66,571 units produced throughout the 964’s five-year production run. In terms of sales quantities, that was essentially a modest rise over the previous five years. given the macro circumstances at the time, impressive.
Porsche just released the C4 in 1989, a brand-new all-wheel-drive sports car that was the first true version for the general public. The C4’s Cabriolet and Targa body types were introduced in 1990. In addition, the C2 in Coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa, as well as the Tiptronic gearbox, were introduced for the 1990 model year. In 1990, 15,023 units were sold. The Turbo 3.3 was introduced in 1991, and its strong sales helped bring the year’s total sales to just under 22,000 units.
The Carrera RS was first introduced in 1992, and during its first year of manufacture, it sold 1,992 units. Sales of the C4 and C2 had peaked in 1990 and were now at 5,500 units combined, with the Cabriolet and Targa models contributing 4,335 units. 1992 only sold 13,510 units overall.
Since then, there have been reports that the 993 is being created, and sales of the 964 decreased steadily in 1993 and 1994, with 8,862 and 4,097 units sold in those years, respectively. The introduction of the Turbo 3.6, RS 3.8, and RS America aided 1993. A successful year for the Turbo 3.6 and the 964 Speedster, which sold 581 units, contributed to 1994’s success.
Porsche’s 964 was viewed as a success overall, and the Type 993 911 generation was introduced in 1995.
In This Article...
Turbo[edit]
Porsche unveiled the 964 Turbo in March 1990 as the 930’s replacement. However, they opted to reuse the 3.3-liter engine from the 930 instead because they didn’t have enough time to develop a turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter M64 engine. These minor changes improved the engine’s smoothness, reduced turbo lag, and increased its power, giving it a total output of 320 PS (235 kW; 316 hp) at 5,750 rpm. 3,660 964 Turbos in all were produced.
The 3.3 liter Turbo S was first introduced in 1992. The Turbo S was one of the fastest cars on the road when the normal turbo model was modified to produce 381 PS (280 kW; 376 horsepower) with bigger injectors, greater boost, and more aggressive camshafts. It also had a lightweight interior and little “creature comforts.” The Turbo S was designed for performance and had lowered suspension, a front strut brace, and manual steering. There were 86 automobiles made.
Porsche introduced the 964 Turbo 3.6 in January 1993. It had a KKK K27 turbocharged version of the 3.6-liter M64 engine that produced 360 PS (355 bhp; 265 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 520 Nm (384 lbft) at 4,200 rpm of torque. The 964 Turbo 3.6 was only made for the 1993–1994 model years, and fewer than 1,500 of them were made overall, making it one of the rare In the Will Smith film Bad Boys, a black 1994 MY is seen.
About 90 Turbo chassis remained at the Porsche facility when 964 manufacture ceased in 1994. All of these were sold to Porsche Exclusiv and converted into the extremely rare Turbo 3.6 S, which could be ordered with either the standard 964 Turbo 3.6 body or the premium flachbau “slant nose” option.
The top five Porsche 964s ever produced totaled
The 964 version of the Porsche 911 has had a particularly colorful career despite being hailed at its introduction as “the 911 for the next 25 years.” Only since 2012 has the 964 genuinely gained widespread recognition among enthusiasts as a desirable old 911. It was unloved for years. In that time, prices have skyrocketed, and collectors’ demand is still at an all-time high, especially for Carrera Cabriolet and Targa specimens, which was unimaginable in 2011. Which of the fourteen 964 models, though, can lay claim to being the best? These are the top five:
5) 3.6-liter Porsche 964 Turbo
Even though the 3.3-liter 964 Turbo introduced forced induction to the new 911 generation, the engine below the updated body shell was virtually the same as that of the legendary 930. Porsche didn’t finally update the Turbo engine with a larger capacity until close to the end of the 964 production in 1993, helping to enhance output by 40bhp over the 3.3-litre Turbo. The wide body of the new Turbo package, which was lowered by 20 millimeters and mounted on 18-inch Speedline wheels, was stunning.
Porsche 964 C2 Speedster (4)
No. 3 Porsche 964 Turbo S
The 964 Turbo S, created by Porsche’s Exclusive division, is the quickest single-turbo production 911 ever produced. The car, which was often known as a “Turbocharged Rennsport,” combined a 381 horsepower turbocharged flat six engine with a chassis that had significantly reduced weight for a final kerb weight of 1,290 kilograms. The additional 61 horsepower was provided by a new turbo and greater boost. A highly rare classic Porsche, only 81 of these vehicles were produced.
Porsche 964 3.8 RS, second
Although we wouldn’t pay PS200,000 for one, our drive of the Carrera RS in issue 128 shown how much we enjoy this beautiful driver’s vehicle in 3.6-litre form. You can expect more power (up 40 to 300 horsepower over the 3.6) and exponentially greater exclusivity with the 3.8-liter version because only 55 were produced. One of the most thrilling Porsche 911s will be in your stable if you can get your hands on one of these lightweight Turbo-bodied Rennsports.
1) Lightweight Porsche 964 Carrera
The 964 Carrera 4 Leichtbau is the only 964 that is that hard-core. The car was designed by 911 competition guru Jurgen Barth and is completely stock, including a short-ratio five-speed transmission and the manually adjustable all-wheel drive from the Paris-Dakar 953. It managed to lose 350 kilos over a 964 C4, which weighed just 1,100kg, earning the epithet “lightweight.” Only 22 of the ultimate 964s were produced, making it one of the rarest.
Do you concur with our decisions? Which Porsche 964 model is your favorite? Join the discussion by leaving a comment below or by visiting our pages on Facebook and Twitter right away.
964 RS Model History
In 1991, the Carrera RS, a limited-edition, lightweight, high-performance variant of the Carrera 2 production car, was launched. The 964 RS was manufactured by Porsche in 2,276 pieces, 1,910 of which were the normal stripped-down model with bucket seats and thin carpet. These were occasionally referred to as the RS Lightweight but were officially known as the “Basic” specification. With no available luxuries, it was created to be a very athletic, responsive street or track car.
Additionally, 290 N/GTs were produced with the “Sport” specification, also known as Clubsport vehicles. These cars were essentially road-registered variants of the 1992 Carrera 2 Cup model, with a few minor modifications including RS Basic suspension and engine mounts. Without any additional preparation to the vehicle, the Clubsport or N/GT variants could be registered in the race championships for the N/GT class. They were sent fully equipped, with full roll cages that had received FIA certification, twin fire extinguishers, harness belts, and nomex racing seats. A special limited edition of 20 N/GT Clubsport vehicles were shipped to the Japanese market as C08 vehicles. These may be immediately identified from the other N/GTs thanks to the hand-stitched leather roll cages, the poorly installed carpet, and the unusual fact that each of the 20 vehicles was delivered in a different color. No two of the 20 vehicles in this very limited run were delivered in the same color.
Last but not least, 76 more vehicles were made in what was formally referred to as “Touring” specification, which included the deep bolstered turbo sport seats but was finished in triple-colored leather that was exclusive to the RS Touring cars. The Touring grade also came with sound deadening, power windows, air conditioning, and the standard full Carrera 2 interior (without the back seats). This gave someone the option to specify an RS that was better suited for regular road use.
The identical M64/03 air-cooled, dry-sump, horizontally opposed SOHC six-cylinder engine, which was upgraded to produce 260 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and 240 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm, was installed in all RS variants. This engine featured sequential fuel injection, Bosch electronic engine control, and finely matched pistons and cylinders. A G50/10 five-speed gearbox with steel synchronizer rings, modified shift sleeves, and taller first and second gears was powered by a single-mass lightweight flywheel. 20 percent lockup was achieved under load and 100 percent lockup was achieved while braking with a ZF asymmetrical limited-slip differential.
With a substantially stiffer spring and damper setup than a conventional Carrera 2, the suspension offered a significantly lower ride that was decreased by 40mm. All of the top mounts on the front and rear suspensions were rose-jointed for considerably more precise control, and front and rear anti-roll bars had 5 settings each for the front and 3 sets for the back.
The manual rack steering of the 964 took the place of the hydraulic assisted steering. To cut weight as much as feasible, luxuries like air conditioning, power-adjustable seats, cruise control, an entertainment system, and sound deadening and insulation were all removed from the basic standard specification. Rear seats were removed, and thin carpeting was installed in their stead. The 964’s steel front boot lid was replaced with an aluminum one, and all side and rear windows were made of thinner glass. Some significant chassis seams were fully welded.
OUR CONCLUSION
They’re uncommon: It’s strange that the 964 Turbo took so long to meet the market’s irrational need for air cooling, given that every 911 is an evolutionary continuation. Only 3,660 Turbos were produced in total throughout the 964 manufacturing, of which fewer than 1,500 had the bigger 3.6-liter engine.
The shade: This very 1990s low-mileage 964 Turbo appears to be a wise investment that the next fortunate owner can enjoy without having to worry about mechanical issues thanks to an unmodified all-original powertrain, a brilliant spearminty mint factory optional paint job, and a like-new nearly flawless interior. Please don’t bemoan the attention this teal snail-fed monster is destined to attract to us.
When was the Porsche 964 manufactured?
In 1989, the model year in which the G series was being phased out, the new version of the 911 entered the market. Despite having 85% new components, the 911 Carrera 4 type 964 mostly maintained its predecessor’s iconic design. It was offered with the Cabriolet, Targa, and Coupe body types.
Even though the designs were very similar, the 964’s aerodynamics were substantially better than the G model’s. The new rounded front and back portions, along with an automatically extending rear spoiler, were particularly helpful in this.
The first 911 with an all-wheel drive system was the Carrera 4. Its permanently all-wheel drive system, which was electronically regulated, typically distributed 69 percent of the drive torque to the back axle and 31% to the front axle. Depending on the pertinent driving situation, distribution could be changed. On the C4’s center console, there was a traction switch. Its 3.6-liter engine generated 250 horsepower.
An similar rear-wheel drive variant (the first Tiptronic model) was offered as of model year 1990 in the shape of the 911 Carrera 2, and another Turbo version was offered as of model year 1991.