POSTER PORSCHE
Images of the Carrera 3.2 decorated many office and bedroom walls when the model was new. In the G-series 911’s fiftieth year, the trend continues...
The classic 911 is Porsche’s ultimate — some would say untouchable — icon. We all know this to be true, but there was a time in the late 1970s, when our favourite manufacturer was preparing to discontinue the rear-engined legend. With square-edged, front-engined, water-cooled models from the brand’s transaxle family of cars ably proving there was life outside the curvy coupé, many saw the 911 as being long in the tooth. Despite these concerns, however, the three-litre 911 SC was a huge success. Even though it was down on power when compared to the Carrera 3.0 it replaced, strong sales forced a rethink in Stuttgart. It seemed there was still life in the 911 concept after all.
Arriving for the 1984 model year, the Carrera 3.2 was arguably the greatest incarnation of Porsche’s sports car icon. A big step forward from the SC it superseded, the new and improved 911 was still very much an analogue sports car, bereft of driver aids and powered by the traditional air-cooled flat-six. It was, of course, based on the ‘impact bumper’ G-series introduced a decade earlier, but the Carrera 3.2’s familiar shape and galvanised body panels clothed a substantial evolution in the 911 story.
The Carrera 3.2 was immediately available in coupé, Targa and Cabriolet variants. It marked the first time famous Carrera script had appeared on a 911 since 1977, but the biggest change was hinted at in the new car’s designation. Enter the 3,164cc flat-six, which Porsche claimed was eighty percent new. The higher displacement was arrived at by using the 95mm bore from the threelitre SC in conjunction with the 3.3-litre 911 Turbo (930) 74.4mm crankshaft stroke, along with compression ratio of 10.3:1. Bosch L-jetronic fuel injection and Motronic 2 Digital Motor Electronics (DME) encouraged smooth engine running and mechanical reliability, while new inlet and exhaust pipework was also fitted. As a result, power was up to 231bhp, with 209lb-ft torque delivered at 4,800rpm. This was the most powerful normally aspirated 911 to date, managing the 0-60mph dash in 6.1 seconds and racking up top speed
1986 BECAME THE CARRERA 3.2’s MOST POPULAR SALES YEAR, RESULTING IN ASSEMBLY OF NO FEWER THAN 14,584 UNITS
of 152mph. The first production 911 to feature an ECU controlling ignition and fuel systems, the Carrera 3.2 achieved the sprint to 100mph from rest in just 13.6 seconds. At a stroke, with performance nipping at the heels of the original 930, the ‘regular’ 911 had gone from sports car to junior supercar.
Carrera 3.2s destined for North America were more super car than supercar. Reduced 9.5:1 compression ratio and a catalytic converter dropped power by 24bhp, resulting in 207bhp (still at 5,900rpm), while the dash to 60mph took 0.2 seconds longer. The sometimes recalcitrant 915 five-speed manual transmission, however, was fitted to all Carrera 3.2s after working well in the SC, while brakes were enlarged, with 286mm front and 294mm rear discs bringing the new 911 to a swift halt.
Elsewhere, the well-documented cam chain tensioner bugbear was remedied with a new oil-feed system, and a fitfor-purpose finned oil cooler replaced the serpentine lines in the passenger footwell. There was a thermostatically controlled cooling fan for Carrera 3.2s built from 1987, but all this extra kit came at the expense of the car’s weight: the Carrera 3.2’s bulk was up fifty kilograms on the discontinued 911 SC.
It’s not easy for the layman to tell the difference between the Carrera 3.2 and its Sc-badged predecessor, but look closely and the clues are there. The new car wore ‘teledial’ wheels (Fuchs were offered as an optional extra), while an airdam with integrated fog lamps tidied up the front end. Until 1986, a red reflector panel featuring Porsche script filled the gap between the rear lights. Elsewhere, though, it was business as usual. In other words, the classic coupé’s curves were left intact. That is, of course, unless you ticked the ‘Turbo Look’ box when specifying options for your new Carrera 3.2. Officially known as the M491 option and available for an extra DM25,590 through Porsche’s Sonderwunsch (Special Wishes) department, the Carrera 3.2 Supersport gained Turbo-aping wide wheel arches, a ‘whale tail’ rear end and a wraparound front spoiler. The 930’s stiffer suspension, superior braking system and wider wheels also migrated to the Supersport. Largely thanks to Stateside non-availability of the 930 from 1984-1986 (on account of strict US emissions regulations), the wide-hipped, big-tailed Supersport was particularly popular in the USA, becoming an 1980s automotive icon. A separate Sport pack (comprising a reduced equipment list) was offered in the UK.
On launch, the Carrera 3.2 coupé was priced at DM68,560, rising to DM71,660 for the Targa. Ironically, as become the norm, less car meant a bigger price tag, with Porsche asking DM75,980 for the fabric-roofed Cabriolet. And, as was always the case with Porsche’s creations, evolution and a programme of subtle lifecycle improvements began without delay. Indeed, only a year after the first Carrera 3.2 appeared, the model
gained a shorter gear shift, a radio aerial embedded in the windscreen and slimmer front seats (with the option of electrically controlled adjustment). For the 1986 model year, all Carrera 3.2s received a redesigned dashboard with larger air-conditioning vents, while the front seats were lowered by twenty millimetres and boasted increased fore and travel. Central locking became standard equipment, and all cars were fitted with the ‘Turbo Look’ kit (known as ‘Carrera with Sport Equipment’ in the UK). Engine management and fuel map changes for North America brought power up to the 217bhp mark, and body shells were guaranteed against rust perforation for ten years. These changes wowed the car-buying public, with 1986 becoming the Carrera 3.2’s most popular sales year, resulting in the assembly of no fewer than 14,584 units.
In 1987, a substantial change came in the form of the Getrag G50 five-speed gearbox, Borgwarner synchronisers and a hydraulic clutch. Much more helpful in letting the driver get on with the job of driving, the revised transmission was one of the Carrera 3.2’s most celebrated refinements. In a spot of tidying, Porsche also made changes to the car’s rear lights, moving fog and reverse lamps into the red reflective fill strip. Electric power roof operation became standard functionality for Cabriolets, while 911s with catalysts were introduced in Europe.
Fifteen-inch Fuchs alloys replaced the standard Teledials (sixteen-inch wheels were still an option) in 1988. More impressively, Porsche added a passenger door mirror free of charge. A year later, door locks were fitted with flashing red diodes designed to repel opportunist car thieves, while sixteeninch wheels became a standard fit. The famous Flachbau ‘slant nose’ body style was also available to order, although only sixty-three Uk-bound cars ever received the treatment from Porsche Exclusive.
1989 marked the end of the G-series 911 and the arrival of the 964, but Porsche continued to develop the Carrera 3.2 until the bitter end. The Speedster variant (option M503) borrows its inspiration, name and style from identically named 356 of the 1950s. Essentially a low-roof version of the Cabriolet, the DM110,000 two-seater featured a cut-down windscreen and a pair of body-coloured polyurethane ‘humps’ behind the front seats, covering an unlined, manually-operated hood. Buyers could choose narrow-body or ‘Turbo Look’ versions, each benefiting
from a model-specific front valance. Between January and July 1989, 2,104 Speedsters were built. Only 161 were narrow-bodied, and only 139 were righthand drive. One of the most visually arresting 911s ever made, the Carrera 3.2 Speedster idea was first floated in 1983. Yes, it took an astonishing six years to reach production and, although very much a ‘fair-weather’ 911, Porsche made buyers sign a weather damage waiver before allowing dealers to supplying sold cars.
The limitededition Anniversary (a low-volume Carrera 3.2 celebrating twenty-five years of 911) also arrived in 1989. As was the case with the Commemorative 911 produced in 1988 (to celebrate the 250,000th 911), changes were only skin deep: Anniversary 911s were Silver Metallic or Satin Black Metallic and featured body-coloured Fuchs wheels, front and rear spoilers and a plush leather interior accompanied by a commemorative plaque. A total of fifty Anniversary 911s are believed to have been sold in the UK, totalling thirty coupés, the remainder being a split of Targa and Cabriolet models. Exclusivity had been available from the very beginning, though. Made to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the original Carrera RS, the Carrera ST (Senza Turbo) was limited to just ten cars for the 1984 model year. Solely produced for the Italian market, power was hiked to 255bhp, while Grand Prix White paint was offered with blue or red body graphics and colour-matched Fuchs. An engraved dashboard plaque and a ‘ducktail’ rear spoiler were other special features of this very rare car.
WITH PORSCHE EXPERIENCING A BARRAGE OF COMPETITION FROM THE FAR EAST, THE 911 NEEDED ANOTHER SHOT IN THE ARM
A favourite of the red-braced, champagne-quaffing, Filofax-toting Yuppie, the Carrera 3.2 was one of the most popular 911s: 74,026 examples were built (35,571 coupés, 18,468 Targas and 19,987 Cabriolets), each representing the ultimate development of Porsche’s torsion bar suspension concept. With Porsche experiencing a barrage of competition from the Far East, however, the 911 needed another shot in the arm. Consequently, a rebirth of the model came with the end of the G-series line and arrival of the 964 in 1989. More usable and more refined, the 964 featured vastly updated body styling and new braking and suspension technology delivering superior performance and handling. Not one to shy away from percentage-focused marketing snippets, Porsche claimed the 964 to be eightyseven percent new.
Many saw the newer 911 as a reassuring move away from the reputation of high-powered Neunelfers as ‘widow makers’, but this accusation is unfair, certainly when it comes to the Carrera 3.2. Only under serious provocation will the model’s rear ‘pendulum effect’ come into play — surefootedness is encouraged by an impressive 42/58 percent front/rear balance. What is deserved is the Carrera 3.2’s standing as a 911 cementing Porsche’s reputation for quality of vehicle build and reliability.
Today, the Carrera 3.2 offers lucky owners performance and panache with few drawbacks, but prices are rising accordingly. If you want the best in normally aspirated 911 from the 1980s, then you’d better act fast, else you might just find yourself staring at the poster on your bedroom or office wall for far longer than you imagined.
Budget between £50,000 and £55,000 for a Carrera 3.2 Targa or Cabriolet, and upward of £60,000 for a coupe, although a left-hooker will cost less in the UK. ●