1994-1998 (993)
The 993 holds a special place in Porsche history as the last of the air-cooled 911s, produced from 1994 through 1998 before water cooling took over for the 996. It's remembered by enthusiasts as a generation that perfected the classic 911 formula right before that formula changed forever, with a new multi-link rear suspension that finally tamed the air-cooled car's notoriously tricky lift-off oversteer, and smoother, more integrated bodywork than the 964 it replaced.
The base Carrera ran a 3.6-liter flat-six at 272 hp initially, with a VarioRam intake system bumping that to 285 hp starting in 1996. The Carrera 4 brought all-wheel drive to the range, and the Carrera 4S paired that AWD system with the Turbo's wide body and brakes without the turbocharged engine. The Turbo arrived in 1995 as a genuine milestone: the first 911 Turbo to use twin turbochargers and the first to come standard with all-wheel drive, borrowed from the 959 flagship, producing 408 hp. The Turbo S followed for 1997 and 1998 as a limited run of 345 cars, boosting output to 424 hp for US-spec cars via revised turbochargers and unique Aerokit II aerodynamics. The GT2 sat above even the Turbo S for outright focus, stripping the AWD system entirely to meet motorsport homologation rules that banned all-wheel-drive competitors, and used that rear-wheel-drive-only setup with 424 hp at launch, rising to 450 hp for its final 1998 model year. A limited European-market Carrera RS, using a 3.8-liter naturally aspirated engine at 300 hp, was never sold new in the US.
- Model years: 1995 to 1998
- Trims: Carrera, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, Cabriolet, Targa, Turbo, Turbo S, GT2 (Carrera RS not sold new in the US)
- Power range: 272 hp (early Carrera) to 450 hp (GT2, final year)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual standard, 4-speed Tiptronic automatic optional (non-Turbo/GT trims)
- Notable firsts: last air-cooled 911; first 911 Turbo with twin turbochargers and standard all-wheel drive; first 911 with a multi-link rear suspension
- Available as: Coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa depending on trim, with GT2 offered as Coupe only