Honestly Though, Who Cares?

How do you write a car review for something like this without resorting to tired, old cliches? I'm not sure you can, but what I am sure about is that this car deserves all of the praise it's been given. If you don't like 911s don't read on. Admittedly I was afraid to drive this car, not just because I didn't want to wreck a car that didn't belong to me, but I was afraid to be disappointed. The fear of being let down by one of my hero cars was great, but thankfully not greater than my desire to drive it. I'm glad I did because holy crap, it's one of the best cars I've ever driven. It's all the car I'd ever want. This car belongs to my father, who bought it last November after getting fed up with restoring an Austin-Healey 3000, after it caught fire in the garage (British cars, am I right?).

He'd hated the 911 for years and years, but I encouraged him to reconsider citing the 911's everyday reliability. He came around to my viewpoint and started hanging around some Porsche mechanics, one of whom found this car for him-a 1987 Carrera 3.2 with the much-heralded G50 gearbox. A previous owner installed Michelin Pilot Sport tires (255 rear, 225 front), different rims, aluminum pedals, and a modern head-unit, but otherwise it's exactly as it was when it left Zuffenhausen. It's pretty much the ideal spec for a late-80's 911 Carrera. The car evokes the 1980s and the same time, manages to transcend it. Let me explain. To paraphrase Jalopnik alumni Sam Smith's review of the McLaren F1, great cars evoke the time period they were built in, while amazing cars are timeless. Somehow, this 911 manages to do both. In Guards Red with the whale-tale, it's such an '80s icon, but driving it doesn't feel '80s at all-it transcends the time period.

Again, if you don't like 911s, I highly suggest you don't read on because the rest of this review will just be me babbling on about how fantastic this car is. Some Jeremy Clarkson wannabes deride the 911 for "not being passionate enough," or for "looking like an overgrown Beetle," and they're all wrong. There isn't a line that's out of place and the gentle, swooping curves are subtle, but gorgeous. If you look at this car quickly it won't seem all that special, but take the time to drink in the lines and it's beauty will reveal itself. The only reason I wouldn't give this car a 9, is because that would be reserved for something like a 356C, which is one of my all time favorite car designs. Personally, I think this particular car would look better with a set of Fuchs wheels, but that's my only complaint and something easily remedied. This 911 is styled just enough, without being over the top and silly. The HVAC controls are medieval, there's a button for locking the doors but you have to twist a knob on the doors to unlock, and did I mention the HVAC?

Honestly though, who cares? The interior is simple, well built, and reflects the intent of the car. The sport seats hold you in place during spirited driving, while being comfortable enough for longer journeys. The visibility is fantastic thanks to a fairly upright seating position and tiny a-pillars. Additonally, the gauges, especially the gigantic tach, are easily legible-a nice touch for when you're concentrating on the road ahead. Overall it's a great interior for both spirited driving and relaxed cruising, and feels more like a normal car than a sports car. Also, I can't not mention the doors. They're so tight and solid, it's silly. It's oddly very satisfying walking away from this car listening to the lovely "thunk" of the doors. It only weighs 2,866 pounds, it's got decent low end torque, and all the weight being on the rear axle aids in traction, so it moves surprisingly well. The acceleration is fast enough to keep you entertained, but not crazy enough to get you in trouble. The Porsche 911 is a car for dentists. A car with the engine in the wrong place.