Vehicle Description
This tough act to follow is located mostly under the rear deck lid,
which carries the inspirational Carrera nameplate, earlier versions
also having possessed well-deserved reputations for rocketry.
Porsche offers no fewer than three choices of shell configurations
for the 911 Carrera: coupe, Targa, and Cabriolet. In response to
the growing hue and cry among its customers for greater
individuality, the fully enclosed shell is available not only with
the same relatively subdued lower bodywork worn by its airier
brothers (which share a new front spoiler housing the fog lamps),
but also with a larger air dam and the most instantly recognizable
passenger-car aerodynamic device of all time, the Stuttgart whale
tail. And, finally, the killer European Turbo treatment, meaning
full-house bodywork and running gear, is available for everything
but the engine. Given the Carrera's rousing performance, the
current lack of a turbocharged offering is not really very
disappointing, particularly in light of the accompanying
fuel-economy boost. Newly stuffed into the 911's rump are two
additional tenths of a liter of displacement, bumping the
single-overhead-cam flat six to 3.2 liters. At 95.0 millimeters,
its bore remains the same, but its stroke has been elongated from
70.4 to 74.4 millimeters, matching the Turbo engine's. Although
Porsche is perpetually searching for improved mechanical
efficiency, it is nonetheless a surprise that the Carrera's engine
is 80 percent new. 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera VEHICLE TYPE
rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2+2 passenger, 2-door coupe PRICE AS
TESTED $37,075 ENGINE TYPE flat-6, aluminum block and heads
Displacement 193 in 3, 3164 cm 3Power 200 hp @ 5900 rpm Torque 185
lb-ft @ 4800 rpm TRANSMISSION 5-speed manual DIMENSIONS Wheelbase:
89.4 in Length: 168.9 in Width: 65.0 in Height: 52.0 in Curb
weight: 2760 lb C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 5.3 sec 100 mph: 13.9 sec
130 mph: 29.7 sec -mile: 13.9 sec @ 100 mph Top speed (redline
limited): 149 mph Braking, 700 mph: 184 ft Roadholding, 282-ft-dia
skidpad: 0.80 g C/D FUEL ECONOMY Observed: 17 mpg EPA FUEL ECONOMY
City/highway: 20/32 mpg