Gallery: The 25 Greatest Porsches of All Time
By Matthew de Paula | Jan 4, 2012 | 10:12 am | Permalink
Picking the greatest Porsches is like splitting hairs. All of them are excellent on some level. But some have become legendary, and a handful of modern models are destined to become classics. With the help of Dave Engleman, media relations manager for Porsche in North America, we have highlighted 25 models for their impact on the company, on racing, and on the history of the automobile. We ranked 10 race cars, followed by 15 road cars, rather than mix apples with oranges. We did not consider cars from tuners like RUF, nor ones still under development, such as the 918 Spyder. The latest 911 looks like a winner, but it's not ranked either, because it was just released, and it has to prove itself over the long haul. As hard as we tried to be circumspect and all-inclusive, this list will certainly spark debate. We welcome it.
Pat January 8th, 2012 at 07:55 PM
Missed the Porsche 928 GTS... a FAR BETTER Porsche than the 944 Turbo.
Cameron January 8th, 2012 at 08:27 PM
The 928 was a luxury grand tourer, which is likely why it didn't make the list. They were heavy, 90 percent of the time automatic, and never really raced on a large scale like the 911 and 944 were, its an old mans porsche :/ Yes i knew it held the landspeed record, but that is not a race.
GMaster January 8th, 2012 at 08:49 PM
Without the Slant nose (which was the flagship) and 928, its a rather off list. Too many typical new school turbo's.
Chas January 8th, 2012 at 09:04 PM
Not one (1) 911SC Targa; mine's 30 years old last month @175K miles looking good and running strong. How come???
Stephane January 8th, 2012 at 09:20 PM
I'm a bit surprised that the 918 is not mentionned, i would remove the 944 and replace by the great 918 Spyder
Ray January 9th, 2012 at 10:14 AM
The author made it clear that 918 Spyder was not included because it is still under development. Go back to the beginning and read again.
Kevin January 8th, 2012 at 09:26 PM
What no Cayenne?
Ray January 9th, 2012 at 10:22 AM
Yuck...it's a truck, not a sports car and Porsche is a maker of sports cars since its beginning and should remain the same as Dr. Ferry Porsche intended.
Edmund January 8th, 2012 at 09:38 PM
904!! You forgot the 904!! And the 906 for that matter, also the 914-6GT, the 550 Le Mans Coupe. You could have replaced some of the 20 odd 911 varients you listed.
Ron January 8th, 2012 at 10:03 PM
You missed the 1970 914-6!! Or the 914 LE' from 1974.
sue esponte January 8th, 2012 at 11:18 PM
First of all, the list is flawed in that it combines rising cars with street cars. Second, the list panders to the whiners. While I'd love to see my '04 C4S on the list, I do believe the oft maligned 996 desevs a place on the list. It broke the mold for Porsche by ushering in the water cooled engine and the 997 is often acknowledged as being an exterior freshening more than a new model. Also, as others pointed out, the 928 also deserves a place on the list. It's too bad that hindsight isn't clearer for some when looking back on some of these cars.
Ray January 9th, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Seems like you are the one who is the whiner.... 997 is more than a facelift version of the 996. It handles better with a more powerful engine and a prettier body and headlights.... Just because you have a 996 doesn't mean that it should be chosen as one of the greatest Porsches of all time.
Melvin Vaughn January 9th, 2012 at 12:16 AM
No 911 speedster? It's perhaps the sexist car Porsche has ever built.
Chris January 9th, 2012 at 07:19 AM
Porsche road-cars are to be seen on 2 different angles: These that have countless fans all over the world and those which - although criticized - saved the company from bankrupcy. You have listed in 5th place the Boxter that saved them in the mid-90s, you could have added along with it the modest 924 that saved the company in the mid-70s and that gave versions of exception: 924 Carrera GT, Carrera GTS, Club Sport and the badass Carrera GTR. I used to have a Carrera GT Club Sport running 240bhp for 980kg and we used to kick some 911 3.2litres right in the arse.... To me the list has too many 911, that the company has tried so many times to abandon but has never been able to let go because of the 911 drivers' lobby. Nevertheless their created so many amazing cars: 914-6, 928 GTS, 944 turbo cup 300bhp, 968 3.0 liters turbo (the most powerful standard 4 cylinders)... Well to me each and single car they have developped diserved to be in the hall of fame!
Ray January 9th, 2012 at 10:50 AM
911 is the icon of the company and that's why there are so many versions of it chosen. 924/944 never could approach the driving thrills and satisfaction which the different generations of 911 have been offering. I had owned both a '88 944 Turbo S and a '89 911 Turbo brand new back then, the 911 was always the fave of my ride. Wish I still had that car around.