By Eddie Alterman of Men's Journal.
To paraphrase spinal tap's Nigel Tufnel, Porsche now goes to 11. For 2004, the 40th anniversary of the 911, Porsche is offering 11 models of its landmark sports car, from the basic Carrera coupe all the way up to the superhairy GT2. No other car offers this many variations on a single theme, and no other car could stretch itself this far without crossing the fine line that separates clever from stupid. There are universes in the 911. Here, a guide to all of them.
911 CARRERA COUPE Narrow body, rear-wheel drive, non-turbocharged, 315 hp, $68,600. This no-frills model can easily exceed $70K once you add essentials such as floor mats. It's the entry-level 911, for your entry-level midlife crisis.
911 CARRERA 40th ANNIVERSARY Narrow body with turbo face, rear-wheel drive, nonturbo, 345 hp, $89,800. Only 1,963 produced, to honor the year of the original. Costing an extra $20,000, it's the 911 for the guy who has the other ten.
911 CARRERA CABRIOLET Convertible narrow body, rear-wheel drive, nonturbo, 315 hp, $78,400. The mistress's 911. Or, as they say across the pond, the hairdresser's 911. Still, a stiff and satisfying convertible sports car.
911 TARGA Narrow body with fixed roof featuring retractable glass section, rear-wheel drive, nonturbo, 315 hp, $76,000. For the purist who wants the classic look of the coupe with all the toupee-detaching atmosphere of the Cabriolet.
911 CARRERA 4 CABRIOLET Convertible narrow body, all-wheel drive, nonturbo, 315 hp, $84,000. Four-wheel drive, for the Alaskan mistress. Or the Siberian hairdresser. Looks just like the 2WD Carrera Cabriolet, save the badge on the rump.
911 CARRERA 4S COUPE Wide, turbo-look body, all-wheel drive, nonturbo, 315 hp, $83,400. Fat-boy body without the turbo's whale tail (or turbocharger) looks extraboss. This is the cognoscenti's Porsche coupe.
911 CARRERA 4S CABRIOLET Convertible turbo-look body, all-wheel drive, nonturbo, 315 hp, $93,200. It might cost as much as a house, but you'll never have to replace the roof. The flashiest Carrera, and the one to drive if you live in Miami Beach.
911 GT3 Narrow body with especially high rear wing, rear-wheel drive, nonturbo, 380 hp, $99,900. The 911 without all the ballast (i.e., a backseat), and the least domesticated nonturbo model ever. Chimps may swing from its rear spoiler.
911 TURBO COUPE Wide body with fixed rear wing, all-wheel drive, turbocharged, 415 hp, $118,400. The supercar so docile a grandmother could drive it. Little room in here for cakes, hand-knit sweaters, or small dogs.
911 TURBO CABRIOLET Convertible wide body with fixed rear wing, all-wheel drive, turbocharged, 415 hp, $128,200. Porsche: the home of the $10,000 convertible top. Still, this is the seller: Fewer than a hundred fixed-roof versions will be made.
911 GT2 Wide body with high rear wing, rear-wheel drive, turbo-charged, 477 hp, $191,700. The 911 that inspires fear in its test drivers. Like 911s of yore, this version can still demonstrate the lunacy of the rear-engine layout. The ultimate 911.
