Tuesday 4th June 2013

Porsche 911 50 Years Edition revealed

Happy birthday Porsche 911 - here's a special edition to see in that big celebration

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The Porsche 911 50 Years Edition is the perhaps predictable solution to the tricky problem of how to do justice to this most significant of birthdays. But it's just one of several ways of expressing your love for the 911 in this anniversary year. You could go for the all-new Turbo. You could, instead, opt for the new GT3. And each is in its own way a fitting tribute. But only this one wears its half century on its sleeve.

Widebody C4 with Carrera 2 S running gear

So what is it? Basically a two-wheel drive Carrera S that's been driven through the full accessories catalogue and then reversed into the Porsche custom shop for a final topping and tailing for good measure. Limited to 1,963 examples - you can probably work that one out for yourself - it's basically a bells and whistles special edition in the mould of the 997-based Sport Classic of 2009 and the Speedster that followed it a year later.

Like those cars it's a modern 911 with a few retro nods, Porsche perhaps aware of the gushing responses to cars like the Singer 911 and wanting a piece of the action (read, cash) itself. So we get a bit of chrome this, some brushed aluminium that and some Fuchs style wheels on a Carrera S built into a widebody Carrera 4 shell, as per the Sport Classic and Speedster.

Unlike those cars, which did at least get the Powerkit upgrade, the 50 Years Edition sticks with the 400hp 3.8-litre flat-six, and is actually 2mph slower than the standard Carrera S thanks to its broader hips. Still, 186mph is adequate and the 4.5 seconds 0-62 (4.3 with PDK) is the same as the standard S. PASM and PTV torque vectoring are standard, as is a mechanical limited-slip diff and sports exhaust. At £92,257 it's almost exactly 10 grand more than a standard S but there's more than the difference worth in extras so with man maths in full effect it could be considered reasonably good value.

Retro feel extends to the interior too

Certainly Sport Classics have held their value pretty well with a couple of delivery mileage examples in the PH classifieds asking pretty much the £140K list while the cheapest currently on sale is hardly a bargain at £122K. Which, it'd seem, answers the question 'what do we think of the Sport Classic'?

Whether the much more numerous 50 Years Edition will command such a premium remains to be seen, there likely to be far more than the 30-odd Sport Classics (depending who you ask) imported to the UK. For sure the modifications are much less significant but to get the full intel you can read the press release in its entirety here. For now though those candles on the 911's birthday cake are burning bright and Porsche shows no inclination to blow them out any time soon.

[nickfrog]

I can honestly say that I wouldn't have fallen for it as a 1st April wind up. How very naff. Particularly the engine cover. What a mess.
I hate to be negative and I am a big Porsche fan but this is horrid. Like selling your granny's jewels behind her back.

[Amirhussain]

nickfrog said:

I can honestly say that I wouldn't have fallen for it as a 1st April wind up. How very naff. Particularly the engine cover. What a mess.
I hate to be negative and I am a big Porsche fan but this is horrid. Like selling your granny's jewels behind her back.

+1, how embarrassing.

[Josco010]

What is going on here, now we have an auto tranny GT3rs then now a 911 50, what about the Sport Classic. I guess the accountants voice are now louder and clearer in Porsche now....

[Repent]

I'm no fountain of knowledge nor advocate of Porsche heritage but surely they could have made a better effort with the wheels. A dish would have made all the difference, they look like something that would come on a premium hatchback.

[BlueMR2]

I guess this story was posted so late with the hope no one would notice.

[Perec]

Repent said:

I'm no fountain of knowledge nor advocate of Porsche heritage but surely they could have made a better effort with the wheels. A dish would have made all the difference, they look like something that would come on a premium hatchback.

It needed the Fuchs style wheels, but had it been given them it would have been just like a Sport Classic - but not quite as good.

This half-arsed effort smacks of the Sport Classic leaving them nowhere to go. Or at least nowhere to go with the level of effort they were inclined to expend - i.e. not very much it seems.

[Deerfoot]

Porsche know all 1,963 examples will sell quickly.

For them it's a win win situation.

[chrisironside]

I like the look of it... even the wheels.

Would change the "engine cover" and the seat inners, but don't have a major beef with any of it.

[sleep envy]

A wide body?

Really?

[Gus265]

I have to say I quite like it. That is only on the basis that its costing more for the extras. If there was a premium on top then I would say its a rip off. So it's just another Porsche and as I hate the idea of a 4S but love the body style, I could buy this one. If I had any money to do so of course.

[bencollins]

looks very nice

[toppstuff]

I like it.

I like the wheels, like the interior, like the colour.

[Mastodon2]

Looks like everything they've changed from the regular model just made it look worse.

[stuckmojo]

and therein lies the rub. Wide body, NA engine and 2wd. that's the business.

I don't like the badge, though.

[DrMekon]

Love it all except the badge. Add the powerkit and the badge delete options, and in about 10 years when it's depreciated enough for me to afford it, I'll be very happy.

[Lazygraduate]

It's a bit...underwhelming... for a 50th year celebration model!?

[JDMDrifter]

I'm very disappointed I was expecting a carrera 2 s based car that made homage to older models. The sport classic was perfect at this , this version just has a few more features than a normal carrera 2 ...

[gibbon]

I love it, widebody c2s with some retro nods back to the original, whats not to like?

[anonymous-user]

Are they planning on bringing out 50 derivatives limited to 1,963 examples to increase sales by just shy of 100,000?

Why don't they celebrate the car by doing something more unique with it? That said, I was sceptical about the Sport Classic and saw it in the metal and was won over.

[[AJ]]

The SportClassic makes the very best of the 997 shape, it's so right in every way. I'm really not a fan of this 50 Edition though, it's not offensive, but the retro touches aren't consistent enough in my view. The wheels are awful and the engine cover looks very much out of place.