When the first Porsche 911 was introduced back in 1975, car culture changed. The 911 became a fan favourite for everything from competitive racing to a sporty daily driver, and people are still in love with each and every generation that’s been released. But which one is best?
That’s something that Porsche decided to put to the test. It grabbed an example of each generation and gathered up a bevy of impressive racing drivers to put each car to the test in a massive Porsche drag race. Mark Webber, Earl Bamber, Neel Jani, Dirk Werner, Matt Campbell, Thomas Preining, and Olaf Manthey give this little battle all they have.
For extra reference, here’s a run-down of the specs from each generation:
- First Generation: 930 Turbo. 1975-1989. 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six. 190 kW. 329 Nm. From 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Top speed of 249 km/h.
- Second Generation: 964 Turbo. 1990-1994. 3.3-litre turbocharged flat-six. 235 kW. 450 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds. Top speed of 275 km/h.
- Third Generation: 993 Turbo. 1995-1998. 3.6-litre twin turbocharged engine. 300 kW. 539 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Top speed of 290 km/h.
- Fourth Generation: 996 Turbo. 1999-2005. First water-cooled 911. 3.6-litre twin-turbo flat-six. 308 kW. 562 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds. Top speed of 306 km/h.
- Fifth Generation: 997 Turbo. 2006-2012. 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine. 367 kW. 650 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. Top speed of 312 km/h.
- Sixth Generation: 991 Turbo. 2012-2019. 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six engine. 396 kW. 660 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 3.0 seconds. Top speed of 315 km/h.
- Seventh Generation: 992 Turbo. 2020 on. 3.8-litre twin-turbo engine. 426 kW. 749 Nm. 0-100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. Top speed of 320 km/h.
Obviously, a drag race isn’t the be-all-end-all of performance — we know modern technology is going to make the newer versions much quicker. It doesn’t account for the charm of each other generation or the fond memories most folks attach to their dream cars. Sometimes, it’s the older shit that’s the most fun.