Porsche 993


The Porsche 993 is the internal designation for the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between January 1994 and early 1998, replacing the 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 and only 20% of its parts were carried over from the previous generation. Porsche refers to the 993 as "a significant advance, not just from a technical, but also a visual perspective." Porsche's engineers devised a new light-alloy subframe with coil and wishbone suspension, putting behind the previous lift-off oversteer and making significant progress with the engine and handling, creating a more civilized car overall providing an improved driving experience. The 993 was also the first 911 to receive a six speed transmission.
The 993 had several variants, as its predecessors, varying in body style, engines, drivetrains and included equipment. Power was increased by the addition of the VarioRam system, which added additional power, particularly in the mid-ranges, and also resulted in more throttle noise at higher revs; as a consequence, resulted in a 15% increase in power over its predecessor.
The external design of the Porsche 993, penned by English designer Tony Hatter, retained the basic body shell architecture of the 964 and other earlier 911 models, but with revised exterior panels, with much more flared wheel arches, a smoother front and rear bumper design, an enlarged retractable rear wing and teardrop mirrors.
A 993 GT2 was used as the safety car during the 1995 Formula One season.

Overview

Technical improvements

A major change was the implementation of all alloy multi-link rear suspension attached to an alloy sub frame, a completely new design derived from the 989, a four-door sedan which 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 was 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 6-speed manual transmission included as standard; its predecessors had 4 or 5-speed transmissions. In virtually every situation, it was possible to keep the engine at its best torque range above 4,500 rpm. The Carrera, Carrera S, Cabriolet and Targa models were available with a "Tiptronic" 4-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. Tiptronic cars also suffered a increase in weight.
The 993's optional all wheel drive system was refined over that of the 964. Porsche departed from the 964's setup consisting of three differentials and revised the system based on the layout from its 959 flagship, replacing the centre differential with a viscous coupling unit. In conjunction with the 993's redesigned suspension, this system improved handling characteristics in inclement weather and still retained the stability offered by all wheel drive without having to suffer as many compromises as the previous all-wheel-drive system. Its simpler layout also reduced weight, though the four wheel drive Carrera 4 weighs more than its rear wheel drive counterpart.
Other improvements over the 964 include a new dual-flow exhaust system, larger brakes with drilled discs, and a revised power steering.

Variants

Carrera coupé / cabriolet

The Carrera was available in rear and all-wheel drive versions. It was equipped with the naturally aspirated 3.6 liter 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 . This model came with a ground clearance of 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.
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. On average, 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. In contrast with the 964, Porsche deleted the "2" from the rear-wheel drive "Carrera" name tag. However among enthusiasts, to differentiate between the rear-wheel and all-wheel drive variants of the Type 993 Carrera they were commonly referred to as "C2" and "C4". The Carrera 4 has an ABD system ; it brakes the inner wheel when accelerating out of a corner. On the exterior, the Carrera 4 is visually distinguishable by clear front and side turn indicators and rear red turn indicators. The brake calipers are painted silver as is the 'Carrera 4' badge on the engine cover. The center wheel-caps carry the Carrera 4 logo instead of the Porsche crest. The Carrera 4 has a curb weight of, same as the standard Carrera cabriolet, and in both instances more than the Carrera coupé. Key feature on the 993 Carrera 4 is the weight saving in the all-wheel-drive system as compared to the 964, a lower maintenance viscous coupling unit that transfers 5-50% of power to the front wheels and changes the driving behavior of the car compared to the standard Carrera. The 993 Carrera 4 all-wheel drive is suited to cope with bad weather conditions, which provides extra security in rain or snow, though on a dry circuit the C2 is the faster car, and the C4 is of course heavier than the C2. There was no Tiptronic option available on the Carrera 4.
The options list for the 993 Carrera offered many choices, including up to five different styles of wheels, various suspension set-ups, and three different seat styles. In addition, many upholstery options were offered and various sound systems including digital sound processing. Further, customers had the option of any colour other than standard shades. Even more, the Tequipment and Exclusive-Programs added further options and built to order almost any specific wishes of customers such as special consoles, fax-machines or even brightly coloured interior upholstery.
In contrast with most of the other variants, production of the Carrera coupé and Cabriolet ceased with the end of 1997 model year, except for a very few produced in a shortened 1998 model year.

Targa

The Targa version of the 993 was introduced in the 1996 model year and saw the debut of the so-called "greenhouse" system: a retractable glass roof, a design continued on the 996 and 997 Targa. The glass roof would retract underneath the rear window revealing a large opening. This system was a complete redesign, as previous Targa models had a removable roof section and a wide B-pillar functioning as a roll bar. The new glass roof design allowed the 993 Targa to retain the same side-on profile as the other 911 Carrera variants and finish without the inconvenience of storing the removed top of the old system. The Targa is based on the 993 Carrera cabriolet with the Targa glass roof replacing the fabric roof.
The Targa was equipped with distinctive 2-piece wheels, which could be ordered as an option on all cars not having standard wheels. Common problems with the Targa include heat in the cabin, creaking noises on rough roads and a very complicated and unreliable mechanism. In addition, the Targa roof is heavier than the coupé's roof, and that extra weight is at the top of the car, raising its center of gravity and decreasing handling capabilities.
Targa Production Numbers:
The 993 Turbo coupé was introduced in 1995. It featured a new twin-turbocharged engine displacing 3.6 liters and generating a maximum power output of. Air-to-air intercoolers, electronic engine management, redesigned cylinder heads and other modified engine internals completed the new engine. The 993 Turbo was the first 911 Turbo with all wheel drive, taken from the 959 flagship model. The Turbo's bodywork differs from the Carrera by widened rear wheel arches, redesigned front and rear bumper moldings, and a fixed "whale tail" rear wing housing the intercoolers. New alloy wheels with hollow spokes were standard.
The 993 Turbo was one of the first production cars in the world to have OBDII diagnostics system. The successors of the 993 Turbo since have had water-cooled heads. The car also had brakes that were larger than those on the base Carrera model.
Throughout the production run of the Turbo, there were two distinct differences: the 1996 and the later model year cars. The 1997 and 1998 cars had the following differences from the 1996 cars:
The Porsche 993 Turbo is featured in as the flagship car of the game as well as in.

Turbo S

During the second to the last year of production of the 993, Porsche offered the 993 Turbo S which was manufactured by Porsche Exclusiv department. The Turbo S is a high-specification Turbo including a power upgrade to 450 hp achieved by larger KKK K-24 turbochargers, an additional oil cooler and a modified Motronic engine management system. The inclusion of extras including carbon fibre decoration in the interior makes it different from the earlier lightweight, spartan 964 Turbo S. The 993 Turbo S is recognized by yellow brake calipers, a slightly larger rear wing, a quad-pipe exhaust system, a front spoiler with brake cooling ducts, carbon fibre door sills with 'Turbo S' badging and air scoops behind the doors. This was the last of the air-cooled 911 Turbos. The curb weight of the car amounted to. Performance figures include a 0- acceleration time of 3.6 seconds, 0- acceleration time of 8.9 seconds and a top speed of.

Carrera 4S / Carrera S

The Carrera 4 S and the later rear-wheel-drive Carrera S shared the Turbo model's bodyshell, but housed the naturally aspirated engine in the rear. Both of the S models had slightly lowered suspension as compared to standard Carrera models. The all-wheel-drive 4S is heavier than the S due to the former's all wheel drive system, resulting in a curb weight of for the C4S vs. for the C2S. Due to this, the S has a quicker acceleration time and a slightly greater top speed than the 4S. Although a Carrera S Cabriolet was never officially offered by the factory, a small number were specially ordered through the Porsche Exclusive department in 1997 and sold as 1998 models by Beverly Hills Porsche in California and only 1 was ordered by a VIP client through Porsche Exclusive department for the European market. The wide bodywork is widely acclaimed for its rear looks. It creates more aerodynamic drag, leading to slightly lower top speeds compared to the narrower siblings, but the wider tyres result in excellent roadholding. The Carrera S is one of the most valuable 993 variant and achieves the highest sales price. Production of the Carrera S amounted to 1,752 examples for all of North America during the entire 993 series production run, though the special extremely limited run models such as the 993 RS, GT, and Turbo S are rarer and more expensive.

Carrera RS

The Carrera RS is a lightweight variant of the Carrera. It features a naturally aspirated 3.8 liter engine generating a maximum power output of achieved by the use of lightweight forged pistons, dual oil coolers, big intake valves, Varioram variable-length intake manifold, a modified Bosch Motronic engine management system and lightened rocker arms. The 6-speed G50/31 manual gearbox with a short shifter used on the Carrera RS had modified gear ratios for the first three gears. The larger 322 mm cross drilled and ventilated discs brakes front and aft with four piston calipers were shared with the 911 Turbo and limited slip differential was included as standard equipment. The exterior is easily distinguishable from a normal Carrera by a large fixed rear wing, small front flaps and 3-piece aluminum wheels. The headlight washers were deleted for weight saving reasons. A seam welded body shell with an aluminum bonnet supported with a single strut was used along with thinner glass. On the interior, the rear seats were removed, and special racing seats along with spartan door cards were installed. Sound proofing was also reduced to a minimum. The suspension system used Bilstein dampers and the ride height was lowered for improved handling. Adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars and an under-bonnet strut-brace further increased handling. The final weight of the car amounted to be.
The Carrera RS Clubsport was a track-oriented iteration of the Carrera RS with relatively limited road usability. The Clubsport came equipped with a welded roll cage. Certain comfort features such as carpets, power windows, air conditioning and radio were deleted. Exterior wise, it sports a larger rear wing and a deeper chin spoiler than the standard RS.
The Carrera RS was produced in model years 1995 and 1996. It was street legal in European and many other countries around the world, but was not approved for export to the United States. Production amounted to 1,014 cars including 213 Clubsport variants.

GT2

The GT2 was the racing version of the 993 Turbo made to compete in the FIA GT2 class racing. By the mid 1990s, most of the sanctioning bodies of road racing had placed severe limitations, if not outright bans on the use all-wheel-drive systems, due in part to Audi's earlier success in campaigning their various Quattro cars in touring car races around the globe, to Porsche's 959 and its racing version the 961, and in part to the Nissan Skyline. It was in this atmosphere that in order to take their turbo-engined 993 racing, Porsche developed the rear drive GT. The deletion of the all-wheel-drive drivetrain also brought with it the benefit of significant weight savings to the competition car. To qualify the car for racing, a limited number of street legal variants were created for homologation purposes, which are now highly prized and valued by collectors. The interior treatment of the GT2 is similar to that of the sibling Carrera RS. Exterior wise, the fenders of the Turbo have been cut back and replaced with bolt-on plastic pieces in order to accommodate large racing tyres and to help ease the repairs of damage to the fenders that are an often reoccurring event in auto racing.
Until 1997, the street legal version of GT2 racecar, named GT had almost the same engine as the Turbo, but operated with higher boost pressure and generated a maximum power output of. In 1998 model year, a twin ignition system was added; power was raised to at 6,000 rpm and of torque at 3,500 rpm. Only 57 road legal variants were built.
The racing variants have different engine set-ups depending on the applicable racing series. By 1996, the factory-quoted power rating was at 5,700 rpm and torque of of torque at 5,000 rpm. Power output came as high as in an "Evo" version designed for the GT1-series of which only 11 cars were built before it was ultimately replaced by the mid-engine 911 GT1.
Additionally, the rear deck lid of the street legal version of the GT2 will also sport "911 GT" instead of "911 GT2".

Speedster

The Speedster model, was a variant of the 993, with a lowered roof, and a redesigned interior.
In contrast to the G-model and the 964, Porsche never officially offered the 993 in a Speedster body style. However, two were built by the factory: a dark green Speedster equipped with Tiptronic S and wheels for Ferdinand Alexander Porsche in 1995 and another wide-body, silver Speedster with manual transmission and wheels for American TV star Jerry Seinfeld in 1998. The Seinfeld speedster was originally delivered as a cabriolet model and later sent back to the factory "Exclusive" department to be "rebuilt" as a speedster. Additionally, a few 993 convertibles were converted to the Speedster body style by aftermarket coach builders.

Turbo Cabriolet

After the 3.3 liter G-model Turbo convertible, Porsche never officially offered an air-cooled Turbo convertible again. However, in 1995 a small number 993 Turbo Cabriolets were sold before the introduction of the 993 Turbo coupé. They featured the single-turbo engine of the 964 Turbo 3.6, a 5-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive and the rear wing of the 964 Turbo 3.6. This cost a premium of DM 89,500 over the standard 993 Cabriolet's price.

Performance

Production figures

Media

The 993 generation of the 911 is often referred to as the best and most desirable of the 911 series, not only because of its beauty, but also because of its great performance, even by modern standards. 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." 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."
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."

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."