WHICH IS FASTER, PORSCHE OR FERRARI?
Chris Mellor compares the two marques over the years
Chalk and cheese? Or just two products from the same mould?
Ferrari and Porsche are Italian and German sides of the same coin, interpretations of the sportscar idea. Both founded by a dominant patriarch, both honed in racing, both more th an 50 years old, both with engineering and styling integrity.
Ferrari owners know they have special cars – the best, the most charismatic in the world. Porsche owners think their cars can be as good as Ferraris, but ‘the world’ doesn’t think so. Let’s try to compare the various road cars these manufacturers have made over the last twenty years or so and see if we can draw some conclusions about which is fastest: faster to 60 mph; and with the highest top speed.
The data is taken from guides produced by Sportscar Guides. Starting with the water-cooled Porsches, the 2 litre Porsche 924 is not in the Ferrari league at all, and neither is today’s Boxster. We’ll ignore these two cars and start with the 944 and Ferrari’s 308.
1982: 944 vs 308GTBi Quattrovalvole
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Porsche 944 |
2+2, inline 4, 2.5 litres |
163 |
151 |
7.2 |
137 |
|
Ferrari 308 GTB/Si Quattrovalvole |
2-seat, V8, 2.9 litres |
240 |
210 |
6.8 |
145+ |
These cars are not directly comparable, the 308 eating the 944 for lunch and dinner too. The 944’s engine is a paltry thing compared to the Ferrari V8.
1983: 928 vs 400
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 400i (A) GT |
2+2 V12 4.823 litres auto |
315 |
210 |
<8 |
149 |
|
Porsche 928 S2 |
2+2 V8 4.664 litres auto |
310 |
295 |
6.4 |
158 |
The 928, wipes the floor with the 400i. Ferrari’s 400 has shorter legs, losing out both on the 0-60mph time and top speed – but the Porsche, at 1,453Kg, was 430Kg lighter.
Although these cars are both 2+2s the 400 has much more cabin room than the 928 which is a 2+tiny2 compared to the near four-seater 400. The 928 is a sportscar version of a 2+2, whereas the 400i leans more towards a short-cabin saloon idea of a 2+2. The 400i is also a 12-cylinder engine whereas the 928 is a V8. Let’s compare it with a Ferrari V8 2+2.
1983: 928 vs Mondial
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|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari Mondial QV |
2+2 V8 2.926 litres |
240 |
192 |
7.6 |
149 |
|
Porsche 928 S2 |
2+2 V8 4.664 litres auto |
310 |
295 |
6.4 |
158 |
The Porsche engine at 4.6 litres is much bigger than the 3 litre Mondial QV’s unit. The Ferrari has lower power and torque outputs and the acceleration and top speed numbers are inferior to the Porsche. Again the comparison is not good for Ferrari. But then, the Mondial is not regarded as one of the faster Ferraris.
Moving on to air-cooled Porsches, the 911s...
1982: 911 SC vs 308 GTBi
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 308 GTB/i |
2-seat V8 2.9 litres mid-mount |
240 |
210 |
6.8 |
145+ |
|
Porsche 911 SC |
2+2 flat 6 3.0 litres rear-mount, air-cooled |
204 |
195 |
5.7 |
148 |
The Porsche with its larger engine, by 100cc, puts out less power and has less torque yet out-accelerates the Ferrari and goes faster at the top end too. The 308 looks almost pedestrian.
1982: 911 Turbo vs 512i BB
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 512i BB |
2-seat F12 4.941 litres mid-mount |
340 |
333 |
5.6 |
174 |
|
Porsche 911 Turbo |
2+2 flat 6 3.3 litres rear-mount, air-cooled |
300 |
303 |
5.1 |
160 |
But here we see a different pattern. Porsche’s turbo out-accelerates the 12-cylinder Ferrari to 60mph but then falls significantly behind at the top end.
1987: 959 vs F40
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari F40 |
2.936 litre twin-turbo V8 mid-mount |
478 |
425 |
3.9 |
202 |
|
Porsche 959 |
2.852 litre twin-turbo flat-6 rear mount air-cooled (cyl heads water-cooled) |
450 |
678 |
3.6 |
198+ |
Porsche’s 959 supercar had astounding performance to 60mph, courtesy of a fantastically high torque figure, but the F40 had a higher top speed. This is the same pattern as with the 911 Turbo/512i BB comparison.
1988: 944 Turbo vs 328 GTB
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 328 GTB |
3.2 litre V8 mid-mount |
270 |
224 |
5.8 |
163 |
|
Porsche 944 Turbo |
2.5 litre 4-cyl front mount |
250 |
258 |
5.5 |
161 |
The 944 Turbo is slightly faster to 60mph but has a slightly slower top speed. Once again a turbo gets to 60mph quicker than a normally-aspirated Ferrari but has a shade slower top speed.
1989: 911 964 vs 348
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 348 |
2-seat V8 3.4 litres mid-mount |
300 |
238 |
5.5 |
172 |
|
Porsche 911 (964) |
2+2 flat 6 3.6 litres rear mount, air-cooled |
250 |
228 |
5.3 |
161 |
This 911 did a good job compared to the V8 Ferrari. It out-raced it to 60mph, and no doubt beyond, but then ran out of legs and the Ferrari had 11mph more top speed. After this, normally aspirated 911s wouldn’t out-pace Ferraris again though.
1989: 911 Turbo vs Testarossa
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari Testarossa |
2-seat flat 12 4.94 litres mid-mount |
390 |
354 |
5.3 |
181 |
|
Porsche 911 Turbo |
2+2 flat 6 3.3 litres rear mount, air-cooled |
300 |
321 |
<5 |
165 |
The turbo out-raced the Testarossa to 60 and beyond but then ran out of legs with the Testatarossa flying past it to log an extra 16mph.
1994: 911 993 vs F355
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari F355 |
2-seat V8 3.5 litres mid-mount |
380 |
268 |
4.6 |
183 |
|
Porsche 911 (993) |
2+2 flat 6 3.6 litres rear mount, air-cooled |
272 |
243 |
5.2 |
168 |
Here we see Ferrari humbling the 911. It is slower to 60mph by over half a second and 15mph slower at the top end too.
1995: 911 Turbo vs F512M
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari F512M |
2-seat flat 12 5 litres mid-mount |
440 |
369 |
4.6 |
196 |
|
Porsche 911 (993) Turbo |
2+2 flat 6 3.6 litres rear mount, air-cooled, twin-turbo |
408 |
400 |
4.4 |
180 |
The turbo though is back on what’s becoming familiar ground. Out accelerating the V12 to 60mph and then losing out by 16mph at the top end.
1998: 996 vs 360 Modena
The normally aspirated 996 is demolished by the 360. The extra 200cc engine capacity seems to give the Ferrari nearly a second’s advantage to 60mph and 14mph extra maximum speed.
1998: 996 Turbo vs 550 Maranello
|
Model |
Description |
BHP |
Torque (lb-ft) |
0-60mph (secs) |
Top speed (mph) |
|
Ferrari 550 Maranello |
2-seat V12 5.5 litres front-mount |
485 |
568 |
4.3 |
199 |
|
Porsche 911 (996) Turbo |
2+2 flat 6 3.4 litres rear mount, water-cooled, twin-turbo |
420 |
413 |
4.2 |
189 |
Once again the 911 turbo out-accelerates the Ferrari to 60mph, but only just, and is then 10mph slower at the top end.
The 996 Turbo is the performance equal of Ferrari’s 360 Modena though, bettering it slightly to 60mph and the equal in maximum speed.
Which is quickest?
- Non-turbo Porsches are generally out-gunned by Ferraris – but not by Mondial
- 944 Turbo is faster than 308 GTB - it’s respectable.
- Normally-aspirated 911s can’t keep up with Ferraris after the 964.
- 911 Turbos out-accelerate 8- and 12-cyl Ferraris to 60mph but lose out on top speed
- 911 Turbos are roughly equivalent to V8 Ferraris.
The short answer is Ferrari in terms of top speed and 911 Turbos in terms of 0-60 time. Porsches for acceleration; Ferraris for the highest possible speed.
Chalk and cheese? Not really. Rosso Corsa and Guards Red – two hues of the same basic colour.
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