History of the 1964-1968 Porsche 911

For the first seventeen years of its life, Porsche built just one road car, and that was the 356. You could choose different body styles, colors and a few engines, but the 356 was it. By the early 1960s, the car was becoming rather antiquated and the pushrod four was at the end of its development life. The complicated blind alley that was the 356 Carrera 2 four-cam two liter four cylinder was no answer for mass-production.

Under the internal type number 901, Porsche developed a completely new GT car that was evolutionary of the 356 but with better visibility, more shoulder room and an overhead cam 2.0 liter flat six-cylinder motor with about 40 more horsepower than a 356 Super. Early 911s had much of the vintage charm of a 356, including chrome trim inside and out. They also rusted with the same alacrity as the 356 and were more tail-happy because of the increased power and skinny 165-15 tires. This tendency reached its apex with the 911S introduced in 1966. With 160hp and a tiny tire contact patch, the early S could be a handful. It went away in the US for the 1968 model year only to return in 1969 with mechanical fuel injection.