Porsche 964 Carrera (1989)

A welcome opportunity to get to grips with the 964 Carrera 2

This 1989 Porsche 964 Carrera 2 runs on 17 inch “Cup 1” alloys, and  new Porsche approved Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres. The engine is a 3.6 litre flat 6 putting out a modest 250 bhp. This first-rate example is entirely stock bar Eibach sports suspension, and has had a full engine rebuild by JZM Porsche.

 Historically, the 964 has arguably been amongst the most unloved of 911s. They were only made for a short time (1989-1993) and with only 63,762 built, have the lowest production numbers of any 911. Whilst this one is a manual and two-wheel drive, the 964 was the first 911 model to also be offered with Porsche’s Tiptronic automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Is it a future classic? Of course

On first acquaintance

 For a 36-year-old car with no significant body restoration throughout its life, it has remarkable build quality, and the whole car feels unpretentious and quality throughout.

 The steering wheel position can be adjusted for height, but remains in a fixed position from the dash. For tall people, the lack of steering adjustment flexibility makes pedal control, especially for braking, feel a little unnatural. This is in part due to the higher setting of the brake (and. Clutch) arising from the floor mounted pedal structure and closely positioned foot pedals; thus requiring you the driver to adjust to the compromises rather than the car adapting entirely to your comfort.

Fixed distance steering wheel can be a bit awkward for long legs

 The seats in this 964 are manually adjusted fore, aft, and rake but seat height is set electronically with good range, thus compensating for the awkward position of the steering wheel. Once all is adjusted, however,  it is acceptably comfortable for driver and passenger alike.

 A great advantage of performance cars of this era is their relatively compact size compared to modern vehicles. The 964 is 4,272 mm long and 1650 mm wide and this, combined with good all-round vision, proving a boon for swift b-road driving. It makes for a more engaging drive not having to forever slow down (too much) for wider vehicles from the opposite direction.

 What makes this car extra special, however, is that it is meticulously maintained and drives like new; its owner, enthusiast and friend Vimal Talapakala, has spared no expense in keeping the car in tip top condition. The bodywork is spot on and has so far needed no attention other than being kept pristine, so it’s a bit of a ‘jewel in the crown’ really.

Ride & Handling

 Newly fitted Eibach performance springs bring down the ride height approximately 10 mm from standard (165 front/285mm rear). Vimal was keen not to make the ride too stiff, the Eibach’s making for a ‘sweet spot’ combination of slightly sharper handling, whilst not sacrificing long distance ride comfort. It’s a definite improvement on the stock set up in aligning the handling prowess of the car to that of more modern comparable performance machinery. Add to the equation the factory 17 inch Cup1 wheels with new Porsche approved Michelin Sport 2 tyres and we are talking a B-road projectile here.

964 sits 10mm lower on Eibach springs

 That lovely and familiar guttural roar you get at the turn of the key of a ‘flat 6’ quickly turns into poetically smooth progress finely attuned to your throttle inputs in its keenness to climb to peak torque (310NM at 4,800 rpm). You’ll relish the precise feel of working your way up through the five gears. If you’re in fast winding cross country territory you’ll probably get no further than 3rd gear anyway for much of the time, as the 964 will spurt you effortlessly between the bends in that gear alone. Be ready to take advantage of the first overtaking opportunity you get, as third gear will take you well past legal limits without having to think about changing up to fourth. This is a 911 just being a 911; exactly how we like it.

Flat Six purity sounds amazing, yet smooth as silk

 What is surprising on a quick overtake is just how promptly the car picks up from low speed in that third gear and rockets (gently) up to warp speed. If you were being overtaken by this car, you’d be surprised at just how quickly it passes you. First time round it’ll surprise even you the driver, as it did me. It feels more like 350 bhp rather than 250 bhp, and never once do you feel at any performance disadvantage to any other ‘modern’ car on the road.

So too is the reassuring feel of the steering and gearbox. The 964 Carrera 2 was the first 911 to be equipped with power steering as standard, but in no way does it take away that excellent driver feel you get from the steering; in fact it enhances it, as the weighting of the steering seems to adjust perfectly to the cornering forces you place on the car at any speed. Anything different would have ruined that 911 feel we have come to know and love.

Gearbox has slick assured feel

The 964 loves to be driven enthusiastically. The Eibach’s make for chassis confidence on acceleration, braking, and especially hard cornering. The 964’s grip thresholds are surprisingly high and potential oversteer on fast bends is much better contained as is your ability to read the all-round grip thresholds of the car. It’s a purer cornering experience than the Carrera 4, as it lacks that dead feeling you get from the tightening up of the differentials on heavy cornering load. The only disappointment is the characteristically spongy feel of the brakes, impacting on your confidence to scrub the speed off in good time. Yet it is less about braking competence and more about brake feel, but it does slightly take the edge off this car’s B-road ability.

Notice how small the 964 appears next to a standard saloon

Surprise number two is the 964’s long range cruising ability; it is remarkably refined, and dare I say ‘quiet’ on a long run. There’s always the pleasing rumble of that air cooled flat six for entertainment, but it is by no means intrusive, just great background noise.

 Overall the 964 is surprisingly ‘fast’, due to a combination of exceptional grip, the dexterity of small (by today’s standards) diameter 17’ Cup Wheels, the excellent grip of the Michelin Sport 2s’, and a remarkably smooth and torquey engine.

The B road king

 Summing it up

 Added together these characteristics give the driver a whole lot of confidence to enjoy and explore the 964’s potential. It is an incredibly rewarding car to drive well; smile a minute stuff, a car to be driven for the purity of driving alone. The icing on the cake is that you can even use it as your daily. I would.