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The Top 5 Porsche 911s I’ve Driven After 40 Years on the Track For four decades, I’ve had the privilege of testing Porsches, and among the countless 911 models I’ve driven, these five stand out as the most memorable. The Original 911 Turbo: A Legend Born of Fear and Respect Before I ever got behind the wheel of a 911 Turbo, veteran road-test journalists spoke of the original in hushed tones. It was the “widowmaker” – a car that demanded absolute respect and a quick hand, or you’d pay the price. Thirty-five years after first driving the 3.0-liter Carrera, I finally got the chance to experience the legendary 930 Turbo. As one of the first 30 production Turbos ever built, it now resides in Porsche’s classic fleet. Out on the road, the fear was palpable, so I started slow, feeling the surge of boost as the engine hit 3,500 rpm. The sledgehammer blow I expected didn’t materialize. The trick, I learned, was to keep the engine spinning above 4,000 rpm to keep the turbo energized. Yes, there’s noticeable turbo lag by modern standards, but it’s manageable. Even today, this 911 is staggeringly fast. First gear hits 50 mph, second 90 mph, and third almost 130 mph – enough to destroy most twisting two-lanes. And while it only boasts 256 hp, weighing in at just 2,513 pounds, it handles corners with incredible agility. The 993: The Last of the Pure Porsche DNA For purists, the 993 is the last of the real 911s – the visceral experience of knuckles grazing the dash and the metallic clatter of an air-cooled flat-six. Back in 1994, though, the 993 was the future, challenging Isaac Newton with its physics-defying performance. While the front end still demanded careful loading for corner entry and the rear end danced through rough turns, the 993 found a new harmony between the chassis elements. It still did 911 things, but with a much wider margin for error. The revolutionary rear suspension replaced semi-trailing arms with a multilink setup that allowed for minute initial toe-out, progressive toe-in as corner loads increased, and a reduction in the camber change that had been the Achilles’ heel of 911s since 1963. This was combined with steering that was 16 percent quicker at 2.5 turns lock-to-lock, making the front end feel incredibly decisive. A new six-speed manual transmission made the most of the 3.6-liter flat-six, which zinged harder to its 268-hp peak thanks to lighter internals, Bosch Motronic 2.0 engine management, and a dual exhaust system. Compared to the outgoing 964, the 993 was a revelation. It wasn’t just the engineering breakthroughs under Ulrich Bez (later head of Aston Martin); the exterior redesign by Harm Lagaay corrected the 964’s visual imbalances. The interior was cleaner, too, with fewer buttons scattered randomly. The 993 was faster, more forgiving, and undeniably more desirable. The 996: The 911 That Saved Porsche At the time, it felt like heresy. The decision to install a water-cooled flat-six in the 996-series 911 was the automotive equivalent of Bob Dylan trading his acoustic guitar for an electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. But the 996, the first clean-sheet redesign of the iconic sports car in 34 years, was a hero car to me. It was the 911 that saved Porsche. Engineered under Horst Marchart, the 996 was a brilliant 911, sharing 38 percent of its components with the new, more affordable mid-engine roadster – the Boxster. Iconoclastic Porsche boss Wendelin Wiedeking knew the Boxster was essential to keep dealerships afloat after the aging 928 and 968 models were discontinued. “We did two cars for the price of one-and-a-half,” design chief Harm Lagaay famously said after the unveiling. 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 took 130 hours to build a 993. The 996 took just 60 hours to build. The modern 911 had arrived: roomier, equipped with all the features expected of a late-20th-century sports car, yet still recognizably a Porsche. Most importantly, it still drove like a 911. Only better. There was a new layer of sophistication, but the 996 retained the delicious tactility and urgent response that made the 911 unique. Along with the original Boxster, it pulled Porsche back from the brink of extinction. The 991.2 Carrera: Heartbreak on a Budget Of all the 911s I’ve driven, it was a base model 991.2 Carrera that truly stole my heart. And judging by the feedback from colleagues at the time, it stole everyone else’s too. Most press fleets are loaded with high-spec vehicles, presumably because PR departments think we’re impressed by options. So Porsche Cars North America’s decision to include a base 911 Carrera in our 2017 MotorTrend Car of the Year testing seemed brave. In truth, it was inspired. The 991.2 introduced a new 3.4-liter turbocharged engine, offering 370 hp in the base model or 420 hp in the Carrera S. Even in the base trim, it delivered a broad torque band and impressive efficiency. This Carrera proved that even on base wheel/tire packages, the chassis was staggeringly communicative and adjustable. Visually, the 991.2 was a subtle refresh of the larger, skillfully reproportioned 991.1 – a beautiful interpretation of classic 911 themes. The interior featured a new infotainment interface that looked great and worked seamlessly. Porsche’s PDK dual-clutch automatic remains a benchmark for smooth, precise shifts. But the seven-speed manual 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, Kim Reynolds, spoke for the COTY judges: “When all cars but one are autonomous, please let this be it, the last human-driven car. For posterity’s sake.” It’s been nearly a decade since I drove it, but I vividly remember it: Guards Red over black, with just one option – red seat belts. Every so often, I scour the ads, dreaming of reliving that experience. The 992.1 GT3 RS: A Track Weapon for the Road RS. It means RennSport – “racing sport” in German. Those initials first graced a 911 50 years ago with the legendary Carrera RS 2.7, a homologation special for Group 4 GT racing. Since then, they’ve designated only the most driver-focused 911s. And road-going 911s don’t get much more focused than the 992-series GT3 RS. What makes today’s GT3 RS the most significant RS model is its sheer intensity of purpose. Previous RS 911s are road cars engineered for the track. This one is essentially a race car you can drive on the road. A few laps around Britain’s fast Silverstone circuit were all it took to prove that this Porsche attacks a circuit like no other road-going 911. The only other road car as jaw-droppingly fast through high-speed corners, that punches the air from your lungs under braking with the same ferocity, is the McLaren Senna. The biggest mindset shift when driving the GT3 RS is trusting the aerodynamic grip. You have to understand that even when you think you’re attacking a high-speed corner as hard as you dare, the car still has more to give. But crucially, the aerodynamic grip doesn’t smother the chassis sensitivity. Even mere mortals can clearly feel what’s happening at the front and rear contact patches. The GT3 RS telegraphs its punches with remarkable clarity and doesn’t require Max Verstappen–level reactions to tame it. It is the ultimate track day car – you can drive it to a circuit, hammer around at flat-out speed all day, and drive home again. It makes you feel like a driving god. Ready to Experience the Icon? Do you have a dream 911 from this list? Whether you’re drawn to the raw power of the 930 Turbo, the classic feel of the 993, the pioneering spirit of the 996, the everyday brilliance of the 991.2, or the track-focused intensity of the 992 GT3 RS, we can help you find your perfect match. Explore our inventory of used Porsche 911s and start your journey today!