1988 Carrera vs. 1973 Carrera RS test

[randywebb]

from Excellence # 27: 60-64 (June 1991) – Carrera vs. Carrera – On the Road, Dom Milano

- 1988 car had much heavier steering effort than the 1973 Carrera RS, but “shifting was very light and precise, even better than the RS”

1988 car had low engine noise with a purring note – never made itself the center of attention, like the RS – RS motor screamed up to redline, pulling strongly the whole way; 1988 motor was strong but never provided the push of the spine into the seat like the lighter RS did

Road feel and Basic handling traits were almost the same for the two cars, as was driving position.

Very hard to pick only one as the winner: RS had a sweet motor that revs freely, pumps out a lot of power and makes great sounds.

The 1988 car has balance – beautiful motor, precise gearbox, brakes that are w/o equal in stopping power.

[Zef]

Both cars are great ones in there particular era...Wonderful testimony...!

[89911]

How dare you compare the ordinary Carrera against the holy grail 73 RS. I'm surprise the moderators haven't removed it yet!

[Zeke]

Not having ever owned a Carrera RS from the earlier period, but having owned a '71 S, I would tend to agree with what was said in the article. And, if I remember correctly, the performance was similar between the cars with the edge going to the early car in 0- 60 and things of that nature. Strip some weight out of an '88, install a Steve Wong chip and fix the stupid exhaust system, I think the later car would kick ass.

But, that's unfair. Whatever one does to one of the cars should make the counterpart eligible for same or equivalent. At that rate, the '73 might come up a winner each and every time.

[ZOA NOM]

Why so surprised???

[89911]

Originally posted by milt
. Strip some weight out of an '88, install a Steve Wong chip and fix the stupid exhaust system, I think the later car would kick ass.

But, that's unfair. Whatever one does to one of the cars should make the counterpart eligible for same or equivalent. At that rate, the '73 might come up a winner each and every time.

What you have mentioned, I have done to my car and even more so. The biggest problem is that no one is going to touch a 73 RS and rightfully so. Do what you mentioned to the Carrera and for the money, your still way ahead.

[Zeke]

I sill don't think there's all that much difference. We're talking about a stock '73 Carrera RS with 9.0:1 compression and a little over 200 HP, IIRC. An S motor punched to 2.7. Not some hot rod that we see here often. Another 30 HP will pull a lot more weight just as fast.

Someone once posted a chart of all the cars to the 993 or 996 AFA overall straight line performance. They were all close with the early T's being the laggards.

[livi]

They should have chosen a 85.

But seriously, on a related topic, would there be a significant difference driving a stock 88 US version against a ROW 85 ? Is the slight weight and hp difference noticeable ?

[randywebb]

probably not - but note the ergonomics conclusions re the gearbox in the article - that has to be the G-50

[Zeke]

'88 = G50. Nice tranny.

[randywebb]

milt - here is a graph of hp from an old R&T - probably in mid-1990s as the data run from 1965 to 1996 & they extrapolate it out

[randywebb]

Ooops - here is hp:

[GrantG]

Originally posted by milt
I sill don't think there's all that much difference. We're talking about a stock '73 Carrera RS with 9.0:1 compression and a little over 200 HP, IIRC. An S motor punched to 2.7. Not some hot rod that we see here often. Another 30 HP will pull a lot more weight just as fast.

The 73RS had 8.5:1 compression and 210hp. Often overlooked is the higher redline (7,300rpm) which allows its lower gearing, combined with the lower weight and instantaneous throttle response of MFI makes for quite a package...

So, in the US 1988 Carrera, you had an additional 4hp and 7 ft-lbs. pulling all that additional weight (around 400 lbs) with taller gearing...

[rdane]

Many of the cars here on Pelican easily best a factory '73 RS in every catagory.

Drop weight in the same manner as the RS did to a '88 and it will then have more HP, (even more with a back dated exhaust and a better chip) more Torgue, better gear box (better yet if you match the '73 short stack gearing) and much better brakes. And it won't rust.

The '88 car will have a stiffer in the chassis, bigger wheels and tires and have a better suspension.

'73 RS was a very fast car in '73. 15 years later not so much. You can do much, much better today with a little imagination and some cash.

[GrantG]

Originally posted by rdane

'73 RS was a very fast car in '73. 15 years later not so much. You can do much, much better today with a little imagination and some cash.

Agreed. Drop 400 lbs from the 73 911, use even lower/closer gears with Guard LSD and all the WEVO 915 parts, juice the 2.7L MFI motor to 240hp @ 8,000rpm, add RSR coilovers and 930 brakes and it's a fun package

Hard to make a naturally aspirated 88 3.2L keep up with that (but far from impossible)...

[Randy W]

I've driven both - they are quite different IMO.

The '73RS points better, is much more nimble, has better throttle response and has a higher redline.

The '88 911 is more comfortable for long range cruising - it has more torque and is quieter, and it has an easier transmission to use.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by GrantG
The 73RS had 8.5:1 compression and 210hp. Often overlooked is the higher redline (7,300rpm) which allows its lower gearing, combined with the lower weight and instantaneous throttle response of MFI makes for quite a package...

Ah, that was it. 8.5:1. I knew that.

Originally posted by GrantG

So, in the US 1988 Carrera, you had an additional 4hp and 7 ft-lbs. pulling all that additional weight (around 400 lbs) with taller gearing...

I'll have to fix that part.

[rdane]

Agreed. Drop 400 lbs from the 73 911, use even lower/closer gears with Guard LSD and all the WEVO 915 parts, juice the 2.7L MFI motor to 240hp @ 8,000rpm, add RSR coilovers and 930 brakes and it's a fun package

Without looking it up could you actually drop 400# from an RS? They came with a ZF ls I think so that is pretty much a gimme. Lower gears?

7:31 with a set of hill climb gears? Make a fun hill climb car I guess but the gear set up in a stock '72 is pretty short as is for 250hp. But very fast to 100. But I hve heard a RSR was fun

I'd go with Randy W's take on it.
Not much comparison between a '73 and a '88 in stock condition. But then then Porsche never intended for them to be compared. One was a grand touring car the other a sports puprose car.

In the grand scheme of things the sports pupose car has held its own longer that the touring version.

[Bill Verburg]

The 4/07 issue of GTPorsche has a comparison of all the RS models(except '74 3.0RS)

It's interesting that, according to them, a '73 2.7RS goes for close to the cost of a full boat 997RS.

They did say they liked the '73 best, though it's certainly not fastest or even best at any other particular thing.

[island911]

Originally posted by rdane
...
Not much comparison between a '73 and a '88 in stock condition. But then then Porsche never intended for them to be compared. One was a grand touring car the other a sports puprose car.

In the grand scheme of things the sports pupose car has held its own longer that the touring version.

good one Dane. --Riiight . .. GOD & Ferry rested, in 1973. Good thing we have the r-gropers to point that out. . .again, and again ....

Who was it that took an 80's Carrera and back dated it? Sheesh ... trying to pass-off a "grand touring car" as an RS ... how could he!?

"grand touring car" . ..