The Porsche 911, internally type 993, is the fourth generation of the 911 model of Porsche sports car, manufactured and sold between 1994 and 1998 (model years 1995–1998 in the United States), replacing the 911, type 964. Its discontinuation marked the end of air-cooled 911 models.
The 993 was much improved over and quite different from its predecessor. According to Porsche, "every part of the car was designed from the ground up, including the engine"[3] but nevertheless "only 20% of its parts were carried over from the prior 911".[4] Porsche refers to the 993 as "a significant advance, not just from a technical, but also a visual perspective."[5]
The external design of the Porsche 993 was penned by English designer Tony Hatter. It retained the core cabin and body shell architecture of the 964 and prior 911 model iterations, but exterior panels were revised with much more flared wheel arches, a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing, and teardrop shaped mirrors.
Porsche engineered a new light-alloy rear subframe with an entirely new multi-link coil springs and wishbone rear suspension design, dubbed the Weissach axle – making significant progress with the engine's impact on the car's handling, putting behind the previous lift-off oversteer[3] and providing an improved driving experience and creating a more civilized car overall.[4]
The 993 had several variants, like its predecessors, varying in body style, engines, drivetrains, and included equipment. Engine power was increased by the addition of the VarioRam system, that added particularly in the mid-range of rpms,[6] and also resulted in more throttle-noise at higher revs. The VarioRam system resulted in a 15 percent increase in the new 911's engine power over its predecessor.[7]
The 993's available all-wheel drive system replaced the 964's centre differential with a viscous coupling, similar to the 959's, making the new system significantly lighter. The 993 was also the first 911 to receive a six speed gearbox, which came standard.[8] Rear-wheel drive models remained available with Porsche's Tiptronic 4-speed automatic transmission.
A 993 GT2 was used as the safety car during the 1995 Formula One season.[9]
Overview
Technical improvements
A major change was the implementation of all alloy multilink rear suspension attached to an alloy subframe, a completely new design derived from the 989, a four-door sedan that never went into production. The system later continued in the 993's successor, the 996, and required the widening of the rear wheel arches, which gave better stability. The new suspension improved handling, making it more direct, more stable, and helping to reduce the tendency to oversteer if the throttle were lifted during hard cornering, a trait of earlier 911s. It also reduced interior noise and improved ride quality.
The 993 was the first generation of the 911 to have a six-speed manual transmission included as standard; its predecessors had four- or five-speed transmissions. In virtually every situation, keeping the engine at its best torque range above 4,500 rpm was possible. The Carrera, Carrera S, Cabriolet, and Targa models (rear-wheel drive) were available with a "Tiptronic" four-speed automatic transmission, first introduced in the 964. From the 1995 model year, Porsche offered the Tiptronic S with additional steering wheel-mounted controls and refined software for smoother, quicker shifts. Since the 993's introduction, the Tiptronic is capable of recognising climbs and descents. The Tiptronic-equipped cars suffer as compared to the manual transmission equipped cars in both acceleration and also top speed, but the differences are not much notable.[10]
Variants
Carrera coupé / cabriolet
The Carrera was available in rear- and all-wheel drive versions. It was equipped with the naturally aspirated 3.6-litre M64 engine, further developed from the 964, and combined with a new dual-flow exhaust system now incorporating two catalytic converters. The 993 Carrera originally was equipped with orange turn indicators on the front, side, and rear, black brake calipers, black Carrera logo on the rear, and 16-inch alloy wheels with black Porsche logos on the center wheelcaps. The 1994 coupé version had a curb weight of 1370 kg (basic unladen weight of 1270 kg). This model's ground clearance was 110 mm, except for the US version, which had a ground clearance of 120 mm. This was further lowered with the M030 sport chassis option to 90 mm. The coupé is the stiffest, tightest, most solid, yet lightest of the 993 models.[13]
The Cabriolet, introduced simultaneously alongside the coupé in April 1994 for the 1995 model year, featured a fully electrical and hand-stitched soft top reinforced with metal sheets and an automatic wind blocker. On the rear of the Cabriolet, a small spoiler was mounted with the third braking light. The 993 Cabriolet was slightly heavier than the coupé variant and has a curb weight of 1420 kg. A high percentage of the total Cabriolets produced ended up in the US. Both the coupé and convertible variants of the 993 were available with all-wheel drive.
Porsche also offered the 993 Carrera as an all-wheel drive version called the Carrera 4.
Performance
Production figures
Media
The 993 generation of the 911 is often referred to as the best and most desirable of the 911 series. The 993 is quoted as "the last complete 'modern classic'"; "the 993 was and forever will be that last fresh breath of air that Porsche gave the world; elegance and muscle all in one package."[43] The book "Porsche 993 - Essential Companion" refers to the 993 as the "King of Porsche," and it is generally acknowledged as "The purists' Holy Grail."[44]
In its 12 April 2017 article entitled "The Porsche 993 Actually Lives up to the Hype," Road & Track writes that the 993 is "something truly special," with "a combination of old-school feel and modern usability that isn't found in many other cars," with "great steering, great brakes, and a wonderfully composed package." It also states that "The 993 is also beautifully built -- it's a relic from the time when Porsche didn't cut corners anywhere."[45]
Successor
The 993 was replaced by the 996. This represented a dramatic change for the 911. As many enthusiasts agree, "the 993 is one of the sweetest spots in the 911's half-century of existence," and while "more modern versions might be more dynamically capable, they're bloated behemoths in comparison to the lean 993."[46]
Further reading
- Bongers, Marc (2004). Porsche — Serienfahrzeuge und Sportwagen seit 1948 (first edition). Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02388-1
- Frère, Paul (2002). Die Porsche 911 Story (revised and last edition). Motorbuch Verlag. ISBN 3-613-02225-7
- Streather, Adrian (2005). Porsche 993: The Essential Companion (first edition). Veloce Publishing. ISBN 1-904788-94-7
- Porsche, Christophorus, Issue no. 5 (September) of 1993, pages 11 ff. ISSN 0412-3417
External links
- Official website of Porsche
- Official site for 993 owners and fans
- 993 Owners and information
- Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (Generation 993) Exterior and Interior in Full HD 3D YouTube
- Modern video review by Doug DeMuro of his 993 Turbo released on YouTube 28 Nov 2025
References
- Patrick Paternie, Peter Bodensteiner. Porsche 911 Red Book 3rd Edition: Specifications, Options, Production Numbers, Data Codes and More Motorbooks, 8 June 2015^
- Mircea Panait. This Porsche 993 GT2 is the Last of the Great Air-Cooled Turbocharged 911s – Photo Gallery autoevolution, March 2015^
- AutoTraderClassics.com — Article Finding Porsche's best road car — Porsche 911S vs 993.