Porsche 911 Volume 2 - 1981-1994

A Collector's Guide, Volume 2 1981-1994. This sequel to volume one continues the long life of these hugely coveted performance coupes at the point where the Porsche factory came under new management, and the model in its many derivations entered the most exciting phase in its history. The cars' development history is recalled in great detail, spec changes are explained, and the models' many competition successes in racing and rallying are highlighted, together with important buying and ownership advice. Appendices list model recognition and serial numbers, engine specs, performance figures, and Porsche clubs worldwide.


"If a certain plan of action had been carried through, the story of the Porsche 911 woudl have closed in 1983. Progress, and new of impending legislation, were making it difficlut to develop the rear-engined model any further - or so the story went. The Porsche 944, which was launched in 1982, would have been developed upwards and the 928 downwards so as to close the waters over the last resting place of the beloved 911.

Of course, noe of this happened. Perhaps it was a bad dream! Professor Ernst Furmann, spokesman for Porsche's Board of Management, truly believed that the air-cooled, six-cylinder engine could not be adaped to meet the stringent legislation concerning emissions, efficiency and noise that were anticipated in the Eighties.

He and Dr. Fery Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, were at loggerheads; that much was no secret, even outside the company. A head-hunting agency was put to work in 1980 and duly candidate for Professor Furmann's job."

"Schutz, born in Germany but raised in America, had an engineering background, although priarily he was a marketing man. Brash, outgoing and energetic, he and Dr. Porsche got along famously when they met in secret, and just before Christmas 1980 his appointment was announced to the post of Chairman and Chief Executive."

"The appointment was effective on teh first day of January 1981, and it is at this point that this second volume of Porsche 911 and Derivitives commences. It was the day when all the old policies and philosophies were ripped up and thrown into the bin."

This book is the exciting tale of those years at Porsche.