964
The 911 dragged into the modern era — power steering, ABS, and a reputation for leaking.
- Years
- 1990–1994
- Trims
- 6
- Power
- 247–360 hp
- Known issues
- 6
- Lightest
- 2,954 lb
- Quickest 0–60
- 4.2 s
Overview
Porsche described the 964 as 85 percent new, which was close to true. It brought power steering, ABS, coil springs in place of torsion bars, a proper heating system and an automatically deploying rear spoiler to a car that had been running on incremental updates since 1963. It also launched with all-wheel drive first, which tells you what Porsche thought the 911 needed most.
It was not well loved when new and it is not the air-cooled car people put on posters, but it occupies a specific and increasingly appreciated position: the last 911 with the old semi-trailing-arm-derived feel and torsion-bar-era character, combined with enough modern equipment to drive every day. The 993 is more capable and more forgiving. The 964 is more of a handful, and some people want exactly that.
The catch is that it is the most mechanically troublesome air-cooled 911. The early engines leak in ways that require the engine out to fix properly, and the twin-distributor ignition has a failure mode that can destroy the engine without warning. A sorted 964 is a wonderful thing. An unsorted one is a bottomless invoice, and the difference between them is not visible in the paint.
The range
6 Sorted by output| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Weight | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrera 4 Manual only Coupe / Cabriolet / Targa | 1990–1994 | 3.6 L | 247 | 228 | 5.5 | 3,210 | AWD |
| Coupe / Cabriolet / Targa | 1990–1994 | 3.6 L | 247 | 228 | 5.3 | 3,031 | RWD |
| Coupe | 1993–1994 | 3.6 L | 247 | 228 | 5.2 | 2,954 | RWD |
| Speedster | 1994 | 3.6 L | 247 | 228 | 5.7 | 3,020 | RWD |
| Coupe | 1991–1992 | 3.3 L T | 315 | 332 | 4.8 | 3,274 | RWD |
| Coupe | 1993–1994 | 3.6 L T | 360 | 384 | 4.2 | 3,307 | RWD |
Power in hp, torque in lb-ft, 0–60 in seconds, weight in pounds. Hover a badge for what it means.
Year by year
5- 1990
US launch of the 964 as the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4, with power steering, ABS, coil springs and an automatic rear spoiler. Carrera 2 follows in the same model year.
- 1991
Turbo arrives using a developed version of the 930’s 3.3 rather than the new 3.6.
- 1992
Final year of the 3.3 Turbo.
- 1993
Turbo 3.6 arrives with 360 hp. RS America added as the US-market lightweight.
- 1994
Speedster built in a run of roughly 930. Final 964 model year before the 993.
Known issues
6- Distributor drive belt failure Critical
Naturally aspirated 964 with the twin-distributor ignition. This is the failure the generation is known for.
- Engine oil leaks Critical
All 964, and worst on the earliest cars.
-
All 964, early cars especially.
- Valve guide wear Major
All 964.
- Weak air conditioning Minor
All 964.
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All 964.