One of the nicest Porsche sports cars from that era is the 1973 911 S coupe used in Top Gun: Maverick, especially since Porsche abandoned its elegant, extended bumper in favor of American safety versions starting in 1974. Even now, the pre-impact bumper is still incredibly coveted, as is anything that offers less protection but more fashion. Having said that, the safety bumpier appeared chunkier and gave the Porsche a slightly forced appearance.
The HiPo 1973 Porsche 911 S had a 2.4-liter, 190-horsepower engine at the time. All of this power was coupled with a new “Type 915” transmission that was adapted from Porsche race cars for easier, quicker shifting, making it faster. It also got a revised front chin spoiler with lessened front-end lift, as well as six-spoke Fuchs wheels with the recognizable design. It was so successful that it was installed in all 911 vehicles.
The 1973 Porsche 911 S cost over $10,000 stock at retail because of all of this. You also paid more if you added more options.
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More than you might think, the movie car is significant.
Top Gun: Maverick and Porsche might seem like an unusual mix to those who somehow missed the original. If you saw Top Gun when film debuted in theaters in 1986, you were pleased not only by the incredible airborne stunts but also by the fact that Kelly McGillis’ character, astrophysicist Charlie Blackwood, was driving a black 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster. The 1973 Porsche 911 S driven by Penny Benjamin, portrayed by Jennifer Connelly, continued this tradition. We’re here to delve into its history and the tale of the Porsche in the first Top Gun movie since many people who have seen the new film only know that it’s a Porsche.
That 1958 Porsche 356 Speeder was not an original; it was a replica. This frequently occurs in movies for a variety of reasons, such as when the production team was unable to obtain the exact vehicle required for a particular appearance. In this instance, they consulted Intermeccanica, a well-known Canadian replica Speedster constructor. The end product is convincing enough to make the majority of people think the vintage sports automobile is real without the use of any special effects.
The 1973 Porsche 911 S, on the other hand, is a numbers-matching automobile, not a replica, and is therefore a pretty amazing movie star. Instead of a stunt double, Connelly drove the vehicle that San Diego resident Nick Psyllos lent to the production team while it was being filmed. For Psyllos, allowing the automobile to star in a movie that will definitely be adored by many people increased the car’s worth.
The 911 S, or Porsche’s sporting version of the grand tourer, was produced from 1967 to 1973 and set several 911 lineup firsts. It was the first engine derivative, with a robust 160 horsepower when it first debuted with the 2.0-liter flat-six for 1967 and 1968. With the 2.4-liter engine, output was increased to 190 horsepower. It was the 911 of choice for people who desired to drive hard because to its tighter handling and lighter curb weight. Its Fuchs wheels were the first to be used on it, and many enthusiasts rapidly adopted this preference, which is still strong among the fan base today. The movie automobile displays its Fuchs with pride.
The Top Gun: Maverick Porsche 911 detail that auto enthusiasts like
Kelly McGillis’s “Charlie” raced through San Diego in a black 1958 Porsche 356 in the 1986 adaptation of “Top Gun.” The small Speedster, however, was actually a copy of the real Speedster, which today, in the best of condition, is worth more than $200,000.
Intermeccanica, a renowned producer of Speedster replicas, constructed Charlie’s vehicle in its Canadian headquarters.
No similar stand-in was required for the “Top Gun: Maverick” hero vehicle. The 1973 Porsche 911 S that Jennifer Connelly drives as “Penny” is indeed a genuine, numbers-matching automobile. That goes for the 1973 Porsche 911 E that filmmaker Joseph Kosinski employed as a back-up vehicle on camera.
Kosinski wrote in an email, “Penny sails fast boats, so I liked the concept that she drove a classic Porsche as well. “The 1973 911 S model is one of their most classic designs,” I believe.
Connelly personally operated the factory-authorized Silver Metallic 911 S coupe, not a stunt duplicate. Nick Psyllos, a resident of San Diego, loaned it to the movie. Psyllos, a veteran collector, has owned over ten Porsches, including a tangerine-orange 1972 911 ST tribute vehicle.
The Special Features of the Porsche in “Top Gun: Maverick”
The top of the line vehicle is the silver 1973 Porsche 911 S driven by Penny, played by Jennifer Connelly, in the record-breaking blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.
Although Tom Cruise’s love interest frequently displays her passion for German sports cars (see the video below), this Porsche is something special that makes vintage car enthusiasts weak in the knees.
According to Robb Report, enthusiasts adore it for its long snout and small, pre-impact bumper. It’s a model variant that has been made more tiny over time as a result of laxer safety regulations in America.
The 1973 911 S model is one of Porsche’s most classic designs, according to Top Gun director Joseph Kosinski, who also loved the concept of Penny driving a vintage Porsche because it related to the fact that she drove fast boats.
The movie was fortunate to obtain the factory-authorized Silver Metallic 911 S coupe (not a replica). Connelly had the opportunity to drive it herself thanks to the kind loan from San Diego resident Nick Psyllos (not a stunt double).
Psyllos is a seasoned collector who has owned more Porsches than he can count, including a tangerine-orange tribute car to the 1972 911 ST.
But given that it co-stars in Top Gun: Maverick, this 911 S is probably the most significant and expensive vehicle in his collection:
Sports cars of the Concours-caliber have been known to sell for more over $200,000. This one could be worth a lot more when you consider that it was used in a movie.
After all, the 1979 Porsche 928 that Cruise sat behind the wheel of in Risky Business sold last autumn for $1.9 million.
Here is a list of every Porsche that appeared in Top Gun: Maverick
If you’re itching for a Porsche, we performed some research on regional auto sale websites.
Porsche has returned, and so has Maverick!
In the 1986 version of “Top Gun,” Kelly McGillis’s character “Charlie” raced around San Diego in a black 1958 Porsche 356, which, according to Hannah Elliott’s Bloomberg investigation, was a fake. For the movie, it was constructed in Canada. When in the best condition, a 356 is today worth more than $200,000.
However, the 1973 Porsche 911S that serves as the film’s hero does not require a substitute; it is the real deal. The stunning Jennifer Connelly, who plays “Penny,” is once again a key part in the new Navy film “Top Gun: Maverick” driving a Porsche.
The 1973 Porsche 911 S that Jennifer Connelly drives as “Penny” is indeed a genuine, numbers-matching automobile. Also shown in the film is a second 1973 911 E that director Joseph Kosinski used as a backup vehicle on camera. Kosinski remarked, “Penny sails fast boats, so I liked the concept that she also drove a classic Porsche.” “The 1973 911 S model is one of their most classic designs,” I believe.
Connelly personally operated the factory-authorized Silver Metallic 911 S coupe, not a stunt duplicate. Nick Psyllos, a resident of San Diego, loaned it to the movie. Psyllos, a veteran collector, has owned over ten Porsches, including a tangerine-orange 1972 911 ST tribute vehicle. The high-performance 1973 “S” arrived from the factory with a 2.4-liter, 190-horsepower engine and the then-novel “Type 915” transmission, together with vintage “Fuchs” wheels. The 1973 Porsche 911 S coupe stands alone as the pinnacle of Porsche’s lightweight sports cars from the early ’70s, with the exception of the top-tier Porsche 911 Carrera RS.
April 22, 2022
Tom Cruise’s portrayal as Pete in Top Gun has some of the most iconic movie lines ever “I feel the need, Maverick” Mitchell said in those famous words. a desire for speed.”
Naturally, the “speed” part for Cruise’s persona usually refers to screaming, barrel-rolling F-14A Tomcat fighter jets. nothing Porsche.
However, with the eagerly anticipated sequel Top Gun: Maverick scheduled to arrive in theaters near you on May 27, Porsche is getting ready to spend a lot of money to cinematically attach itself at the hip with Cruise and the new film.
A 31-second preview for what’s to come was issued by the German brand “teaser” advertisement that announced “Porsche and Top Gun” was first broadcast during Super Bowl LVI. Back Together.”
A few hastily put-together stock clips of electric Taycans whizzing over the Autobahn, 911 GT3s drifting around a racetrack, a new 911 Targa, and a flash of Porsche’s 1,000-hp Mission R electric race vehicle are interspersed throughout the trailer’s heart-pounding airborne action.
The final scene features the exquisite Jennifer Connelly leaning on a stunning, late-’70s Porsche 911S coupe, all shiny silver with period-appropriate Fuchs alloys, while looking longingly into Tom Cruise’s eyes. This is arguably the only actual connection between Porsche and the new film.
The scenario might be recognizable to viewers of the first Top Gun movie. In 1986, Kelly McGillis, an actress with crinkly hair, made eye contact with Cruise as they were seated next to each other in her shiny-black Porsche 356A Speedster rather than Connelly.
Of course, true enthusiasts of the Porsche brand would doubt the phrase “Porsche and Top Gun. Together Again” given that the Speedster’s resemblance to an inverted bathtub is actually a fiberglass copy made by the Italian kitcar manufacturer Intermeccanica.
We certainly hope the next film will have a lot of gorgeously lit scenes of Cruise and Connelly savoring air-cooled bliss behind the legendary thin-rimmed 1970s 911.
The absolutely amazing film, created by Britain’s Channel 4, showing Cruise driving a 911 GT3 around Britain’s Silverstone racetrack in July should be sought out by anyone looking for a much more exhilarating “taste” of Porsche’s planned engagement with the new Top Gun franchise.
In between footage of Top Gun: Maverick’s jet-fighter action, Cruise engages in some seriously heart-stopping dogfighting with former Formula One drivers Mark Webber and David Coulthard. Although there are a few silly moments, the scene where Cruise splits the other two GT3s in half is pure Top Gun combat action.
We’re anxious to watch how Porsche solidifies and profits from its collaboration with Paramount Pictures and Top Gun. Top Gun Porsche Design mirrored aviator sunglasses, a Top Gun edition 911, or at the very least a replica of the stealthy black Porsche Design by Orfina chronograph that Cruise wore in the first film bearing the Top Gun emblem are all possibilities.
However, just as every owner of an Aston Martin who starts their DBS Superleggera and murmurs “Porsche is undoubtedly hoping that the movie will prompt a few used Boxster owners to shout, “I feel the need. Bond, James Bond. a desire for speed.”