Hope slapped Steffy hard across the face, and Steffy declared she would use it to send Hope to jail

The Legends of Stuttgart: A 40-Year Journey Through the Best Porsche 911s I’ve Ever Driven For four decades, I’ve had the privilege of piloting the pinnacle of sports car engineering. The Porsche 911 is more than just a vehicle; it’s a legacy, a continuous evolution of design and performance that has captivated drivers and enthusiasts worldwide. My journey with the 911 began with a white 3.0-liter Carrera, a raw and visceral experience that immediately etched itself into my memory. Even though I had a Porsche 944 Turbo that was faster in a straight line, the 911 possessed a soul that was impossible to ignore. It wasn’t just about speed; it was about the connection, the purity of the driving experience, and the respect it demanded. From that first encounter, I was hooked. I’ve driven dozens of 911 models, each iteration marking a significant step forward in performance, technology, and refinement. While some models have pushed the boundaries of what’s possible, others have paid homage to the classic designs that made the 911 a legend. Over the past 40 years, I’ve tested a wide range of 911 variants, from the legendary Turbo to the track-focused GT3 RS. Each model offers a unique driving experience, and while the debate over the “best” 911 will likely never end, I’ve narrowed down my list to the five most memorable cars that have left a lasting impression on me. The Icon: 1975 Porsche 930 Turbo When I first heard about the original Porsche 911 Turbo, I was told it was a “widowmaker” – a car that demanded utmost respect and unwavering focus. It was a car that didn’t forgive mistakes and punished sloppiness. For 35 years, I waited for the chance to drive this legendary machine, and when I finally got behind the wheel, I realized the truth behind the reputation. The 930 Turbo I tested was one of the first 30 production Turbos ever built, now part of Porsche’s prestigious classic fleet. At first, I took it easy, cautious of its fearsome reputation. However, as I began to feel the surge of power, I realized that the Turbo lag, while noticeable by modern standards, was manageable. The trick to smooth progress was to keep the 3.0-liter flat-six spinning at 4,000 rpm or more to keep the turbocharger energized. Despite its age, the 930 is an incredibly fast car. First gear reaches 50 mph, second gear reaches 90 mph, and third gear reaches almost 130 mph, making it more than capable of handling twisting roads. While it only produces 256 horsepower, it weighs just 2,513 pounds, allowing it to navigate corners with precision. Back in the 1970s, its performance was truly otherworldly. The Purist’s Choice: 1996 Porsche 911 (993) For Porsche purists, the 993 is the last of the real 911s. It’s a car that connects the driver to the machine, with the snarling metallic clatter of an air-cooled flat-six behind you. But when I first drove it in 1994, the 993 was the 911 of the future. It was the first model to begin arguing with Isaac Newton, featuring a much more stable chassis and improved handling. The key to its success was a new rear suspension that replaced the semi-trailing arms of old with a multi-link setup. This significantly reduced camber change and significantly improved the 911’s handling characteristics. The 993 also featured a new six-speed manual transmission and a Bosch Motronic 2.0 engine management system, making it faster and more forgiving than the 964 it replaced. Under the leadership of Ulrich Bez, later the head of Aston Martin, the 993 was a revelation in terms of engineering. Harm Lagaay, the design chief, also corrected some visual problems with the 964, creating a car that was both beautiful and functional. The interior was cleaner, too, with fewer buttons in random locations. The 993 was more desirable than ever, offering a perfect blend of classic 911 charm and modern engineering. The Game Changer: 1998 Porsche 911 (996) At the time, the decision to install a water-cooled flat-six in the 996-series 911 was considered heresy by aficionados. It was the automotive equivalent of Bob Dylan abandoning his acoustic guitar for a Fender Stratocaster at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. But the 996, the first clean-sheet redesign of the 911 in 34 years, was a hero car to me. It was the 911 that saved Porsche. Engineered and developed under the direction of Porsche R&D chief Horst Marchart, the 996 was a clever 911, not least because it shared 38 percent of its parts with an all-new, less expensive mid-engine roadster that the world would come to know as the Boxster. Iconoclastic Porsche boss Wendelin Weideking knew the Boxster was needed to give dealers something else to sell when the aging 928 and 968 models went out of production. “We did two cars for the price of one-and-a-half,” design boss Lagaay said with a smile after the company unveiled the 996. But while media attention focused on its relationship with the Boxster and the water-cooled engine, the 996’s real story ran much deeper. In 1994, it had taken Porsche 130 hours to build a 993-series 911; the 996 took just 60 hours to build. The modern 911 had arrived: roomier and equipped with all the features expected of a late 20th-century sports car but still recognizably Porsche’s icon. Most important, it still drove like a 911. Only better. Yes, there was a new veneer of sophistication to the way it went about its business, but the 996 retained the delicious tactility and urgent response that had made the 911 a sports car like no other. And along with that original Boxster, it saved Porsche from extinction. The Underdog Hero: 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera (991.2) Of all the 911s I’ve driven, it was a base 991.2 Carrera that truly stole my heart. It stole everyone else’s too, judging from the feedback I got at the time from colleagues who drove it. Most press fleets tend to be stacked with high-spec vehicles loaded with options, presumably because automotive PRs think we’re impressed by such things. So Porsche Cars North America’s decision to include a base 911 Carrera among the roster of then-new 991.2 models available for our 2017 MotorTrend Car of the Year testing seemed a brave one. In truth, though, it was an inspired move. The 991.2 bowed a new 3.4-liter turbocharged engine, available with 370 hp in the base Carrera or 420 hp in the Carrera S. Even in 370-hp trim, it delivered a broad band of torque and impressive efficiency. This Carrera also showed that even on the base wheel/tire combo the chassis was staggeringly communicative and adjustable. Visually, the 991.2 was a mild refresh of the bigger, skillfully reproportioned 991.1, a superbly executed interpretation of classic 911 themes, modern and beautiful. Inside was a new infotainment interface that looked great and worked well. Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch automatic remains a benchmark transmission in terms of its smooth, precise shifts. But the seven-speed stick shift on the no-frills Carrera delighted with an oily rifle-bolt action that made us all fall in love with driving again. MotorTrend’s testing director at the time, Kim Reynolds, spoke for all the COTY judges when he summed up the Carrera’s visceral appeal: “When all cars but one are autonomous, please let this be it, the last human-driven car. For posterity’s sake.” It’s been 10 years since I drove it, but I vividly remember it: Guards Red over black, it had just one option, red seat belts. Every so often, I scour the ads, looking for a used one. I start doing the man math, and dreaming… The Apex Predator: 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992.1) RS. It means RennSport—”racing sport” in German. Those initials first appeared on a Porsche 911 50 years ago, the legendary Carrera RS 2.7, a homologation special developed to allow Porsche to enter the 911 in Group 4 GT racing. Since then, they’ve come to designate only the most driver-focused 911s in the lineup, and road-going 911s don’t come much