The 10 greatest Porsches ever made...

[Luccia at Pelican Parts]

This article popped up and I wanted to share it with the 986 community to get your feedback on what you believe are the 10 greatest Porsches ever made. Do you agree with the article or would you add/subtract any of what they listed?

The article is HERE and the notes added to each option they listed.

Here is what they listed:

1. Porsche 918 Spyder
2. Porsche 356
3. Porsche 917
4. Porsche 959
5. Porsche 911 Carrera RS
6. Porsche 550 Spyder
7. Porsche Carrera GT
8. Porsche 986 Boxster
9. Porsche 928
10. Porsche 930 911 Turbo

Let's keep this list to 10, but what would you change? I do not believe the list is in any particular order, but if you if you were to order it from your #1 pick to #10 pick, what would it be in?

[billh1963]

Originally Posted by Luccia at Pelican Parts

This article popped up and I wanted to share it with the 986 community to get your feedback on what you believe are the 10 greatest Porsches ever made. Do you agree with the article or would you add/subtract any of what they listed?

The article is HERE and the notes added to each option they listed.

Here is what they listed:

1. Porsche 918 Spyder
2. Porsche 356
3. Porsche 917
4. Porsche 959
5. Porsche 911 Carrera RS
6. Porsche 550 Spyder
7. Porsche Carrera GT
8. Porsche 986 Boxster
9. Porsche 928
10. Porsche 930 911 Turbo

Let's keep this list to 10, but what would you change? I do not believe the list is in any particular order, but if you if you were to order it from your #1 pick to #10 pick, what would it be in?

1. 356 for introducing Porsche to the world. The 356 set the standard
2. 930 Turbo. While certainly not the first car to be turbocharged, it was the first mass produced "supercar" to do so.
3. 550 showed that Porsche was a serious about racing. A David meets Goliath sort of deal
4. 917 Ultimate iteration of the aircooled engine and unequalled badass. Nothing else will ever sound the same
5. Carrera RS shows that you really could have a street/race car. That handling and finesse could beat cubic inches
6. 928 set the stage for the panamera, cayenne, etc. Awesome car in its day that left the "quirkiness" of air cooled behind
7. 986 for making a modern Porsche affordable again to masses for the first time since the 914
8. 959 for the many modern features it introduced to the 911 line
9. Carrera GT for simply showing Porsche could build a supercar that was reasonably affordable and could be used daily
10. 918..really? While a cool test bed of technology, it's just another "me too" in the world of supercar hybrids. Nothing new to see that other manufacturers weren't already doing

[BIGJake111]

@billh1936 to be fair the 918 wasn't a me too, it was out first then everyone else made their hybrids. The 918 was the original hybrid doesn't mean Prius. Plus the track record of the ring is significant.

[Gelbster]

To be meaningful, we need to define "Great".
Great for what,for who.
Some of those listed were awful for owners because of frequent/expensive repairs. Good for Pelican maybe?
Some were awful for depreciation.Pity the first owner
Many were difficult to work on.Pity the diy owner
Some were good in many respects but ignored. Example - the 968.Yes 968 ,not 986.

[billh1963]

Originally Posted by BIGJake111

@billh1936 to be fair the 918 wasn't a me too, it was out first then everyone else made their hybrids. The 918 was the original hybrid doesn't mean Prius. Plus the track record of the ring is significant.

Not that the 918 isn't great. But first? That's hard to pinpoint

I believe the McLaren P1, BMW i8 and maybe even La Ferrari were in development and even became available for sale around the same time.

My "me Too" comment comes from the fact that they didn't invent the concept...merely jumped on the bandwagon

[mikefocke]

Porsche 356 - because it was the first
Porsche 550 - because of who owned one RIP
Porsche 911 - because it established that the shape was the thing (even if the early ones rusted)
Porsche 917 - racing reputation established
Porsche 986 - because it saved the company
Porsche 959 - because it helped cement the exclusivity being beautiful, powerful and unattainable
Porsche 930 Turbo - because it established a top end of the 911 line
Porsche 912 - because it established a low end version could be sold without damaging the 911

[thstone]

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Porsche 356 - because it was the first
Porsche 550 - because of who owned one RIP
Porsche 911 - because it established that the shape was the thing (even if the early ones rusted)
Porsche 917 - racing reputation established
Porsche 986 - because it saved the company
Porsche 959 - because it helped cement the exclusivity being beautiful, powerful and unattainable
Porsche 930 Turbo - because it established a top end of the 911 line
Porsche 912 - because it established a low end version could be sold without damaging the 911

Mike, damn you beat me to it. My list was the same!

[Pdwight]

It certainly increased in value very quickly

[thstone]

IMHO the 918 is too new to understand its significance or insignificance on the Porsche brand. Only time will tell.

My vote for #11 on the list would be the 996 GT-3. The Porsche GT-3 moniker has become so familiar that its easy to forget that its only been around since the launch of the 996.

[Giller]

Surprised to not see any of the SUVs. Much like the 986, the SUVs are bringing in ooddles of cash, allowing Porsche to push forward on R/D and build cars like the 918. While they aren't saving the company like the 986 did, they sure are allowing it to expand and grow. For Porsche, they are certainly one of the best they've made.

[schnellman]

Surprised to see that no one has mentioned the 956's since they finished 1, 2, 3 at LeMans in 1982 with Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell. Now that's Grrrrreat.

[germaneighter]

IMHO these have to be on the list.......

356 #1 - mid engine prototype
904
914

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by billh1963

Not that the 918 isn't great. But first? That's hard to pinpoint



I believe the McLaren P1, BMW i8 and maybe even La Ferrari were in development and even became available for sale around the same time.



My "me Too" comment comes from the fact that they didn't invent the concept...merely jumped on the bandwagon

They all went on sale about the same time (mainly because Porsche was producing far more cars and needed a more serious production set up.) but the 918 concept was first shown march 2010. Laferrari not until 2011. Mclaren p1 concept not until 2012. The i8 had a very concepty concept in 2009 lol, then a more serious close to production concept in 2011, but at the end of the day the i8 is very far from any sort of high performance hybrid it's more in line with the fisker karma and tesla model s just with more interesting styling.

So by these standards the 918 was by far the first of the bunch and at least publicly truly did invent the concept, quite literally.

[paulofto]

Interesting only one 911 variant is above the 986 and 5 of the top 8 are mid engined.

[BIGJake111]

Originally Posted by Giller

Surprised to not see any of the SUVs. Much like the 986, the SUVs are bringing in ooddles of cash, allowing Porsche to push forward on R/D and build cars like the 918. While they aren't saving the company like the 986 did, they sure are allowing it to expand and grow. For Porsche, they are certainly one of the best they've made.

The suvs arnt just keeping Porsche afloat they're keeping VAG as a whole afloat after the emissions scandal.