1971 Porsche 911E
All three had a dib in the design of the 911 - Dad was the boss, Butzi looked after the body design and Ferdinand was the engineer.
"OK" says Ferdinand "I'll put the engine in the back, but I don't do the dishes for the next fortnight and I'm allowed to bring the girlfriend to my room for an overnighter".
"And I'll drop the idea of it being a four-seater if I can have a TV in my bedroom", says Butzi.
"Whatever", says Dad "Just make sure it lasts 40 years without me having to go through all this again."
Actually, the "lets put the engine in the back" conversation would never have happened because no other alternative was even considered for the 356's replacement. But initial planning for the 911 did envisage it being a larger, full four-seater, code-named 'T-7'. In the end however, Dad's decision was to go 2+2 and the car became a true successor to the 356 rather than the "model above" that was initially considered.
Apart from the basic configuration, almost everything else on the 911 was new. The 4-cylinder engine became a six, a five-speed gearbox joined the options list, brakes became four-wheel discs and voltage was upped to 12v.
Out went the swing axle rear suspension of the 356, replaced by transverse torsion bars and semi-trailing arms. MacPherson struts were used on the front.
Also out was the VW-derived worm gear steering, replaced by ZF rack and pinion - not power assisted though, so steering was heavier than might be the case today.
The base 2 litre engine started out giving around 130 hp; but the 'S' engine with 160 hp soon followed it. Since the donk was designed for capacity increases from the start, the first lift (to 2.2 litres) was not long in coming with the C series in 1969. Our test car (a D series, 911E), comes with the mid-spec engine available at that time. With its fuel injected 2.2 litre engine, the 911E was good for 155 hp (DIN) and a top speed around 220 kph.
The entry-level model was the 911T (Touring). The 911E (for Einspritzung or injection) sat between the T and the 911S (Super). There was also, briefly, a 911L (Luxus) in the lineup.
Another, possibly unexpected, innovation that came with the C series was the Sportomatic transmission.
Never popular at the time, it is interesting to note just how close this was to the 'gee-whiz' sequential systems that adorn today's supercars. In essence, it was a 4 speed Porsche manual gearbox that operated by a three-element hydraulic torque converter with a single dry-plate clutch. The gearbox was a standard all-synchro 4-speed, but with a parking pawl added. Putting a hand on the gear lever replaces putting a foot on the clutch pedal. A torque converter smoothes out the lumps in the operation.
Car and Driver (US) magazine were enthusiastic in their praise of the Porsche auto - "just grab the lever and move it. No matter how fast you do it, it's impossible to beat the clutch or the synchronizers".
While there was nothing wrong with the Sportomatic mechanically, the notion of an "auto" wasn't a neat fit with the Porsche image of the time - real men drove manuals, wimps drove autos. And who wanted to be a wimp in a 911?
Nowadays, it's flavour of the month to have two pedal, sequential sportscars, but back in the early 70's it was the kiss of death.
Having the Sportomatic on the test car has dropped its asking price by many thousands compared to a manual in the same condition. And the condition is really excellent. Enter a concours for non-restored Porsches and this car would be a serious contender. As far as we can see, it's original apart from a quality respray and new carpets. The interior trim, seating, dash & steering wheel are all in close-to-new condition. We were told the car has lived most of its life in Australia, which accounts for the absence of rust. A comprehensive service history is also included.
When it came to driving, these early Porsches still hadn't quite beaten the 'dead-weight-in-the-boot' syndrome that had been eliminated in 80s-era 911s.
That said, it's great fun to drive, and rewards a skilled driver with a level of satisfaction few cars can match. On wet roads, the driver needs to be throttle sensitive - slow in, fast out is the advised cornering method. In the dry, just remember to avoid mid-corner throttle lift!
Even today, early 911's remain one of the truly great cars for the enthusiast driver. Add its rock solid investment value, and a 911 in top condition, like this one, is probably the best classic buy around today. Trevor West
WHAT, WHERE, WHEN & HOW MUCH
Model: Porsche 911E Sportomatic
Year: 1971
Dealer: The Healey Factory
75/79 Heatherdale Road
Ringwood, VIC, 3134
Ph: (03) 9872 3900
Price: $89,500
0-100 kph: Around 7 seconds
Best point: It's an original Porsche
Worst point: It's a Sportomatic
Recommendation: A car for the classic collector
Trivia: All through its development, the 'new' Porsche was going to be called the 901. That was until Peugeot said they owned the rights to car numbers with a 'zero' in the middle of three digits. So the zero became a one, and the 901 became the 911.
And the family did split up in the 70s. Ferry held on to Porsche GmbH, Butzi left to form Porsche Design, and Ferdinand Piech went on to run VW-Audi.
