84 Carrera Car-and-Driver Test

Early_S_Man · 07-21-2002, 07:22 PM

Since I ran across this one ...

Bill Douglas · 07-21-2002, 07:37 PM

Warren, I love reading those write-ups. I've got the Brooklands books for '73 to '77 and the '77 to '83 (or thereabouts). It's intersting to see their thoughts at the time; "horizon grabbing exceleration" etc. Bill '79SC

Kurt B · 07-21-2002, 07:49 PM

Told you turds my carrera does a mid 5's 0-60.

Joeaksa · 07-21-2002, 08:00 PM

Warren,

Thx and nice to see what was written the year before my car!

Just how big IS your library???

Joe

Chuck Moreland · 07-21-2002, 08:30 PM

So often the Carrera and other earlier 911s look weak and underpowered compared with today's performance cars. We forget that these are old cars that absolutely dominated in their day. That '84 is 18, old enough to vote.

It's hard to imagine a more glowing review. They chose to compare it with the Ferrari, Lotus and Vette. And the 911 kicked ass.

Joeaksa · 07-21-2002, 08:37 PM

Chuck,

You are correct and even more so, compare the same cars now and realize that the majority of the others have fallen by the wayside now, but these old 911's just keep marching on... and still usually kick ass in the process!

Joe

GSpreeman · GSpreeman's Garage

Thanks for the posting. I just love reading that stuff.

Does anyone have anything for the '87 Carrera? I'd love to see what they were comparing it to and how it faired.

speeder · speeder's Garage

I remember when the '84 carrera came out like it was yesterday. L.A. harbor dock workers were on strike, wouldn't unload the ships, cars were extremely scarce for a while at the dealers and customers were threatening violence. You can imagine the price-gouging that must have been going on.

The 911SC was such an unqualified success that they could have left it as it was for years more and sold every one. Those were great years for the 911, cabriolet came out one year then 3.2 the next. Since the SC was worshiped at the time, the introduction of new car that was much faster and torquier but identical looking made customers go NUTS. I've always liked '84's, SC styling but carrera power. When I saw my first '85, hated it. Seats looked too tall in convertible.

What a great car and time for Porsche, thanks Warren.

dickster · 12:10 AM

wow, thanks for that.

amazing comparisons. i would have put money on the lotus winning the 0-60.

and those brakes are that good! i just bought turbo brakes for mine!

btw - interesting comment on the steering (bump steer??)

and the comp. ratio quoted is row??

motion · 07-22-2002, 06:20 AM

Fastest production car available in America... wow. I had no idea. And here I thought my car was a slug. Imagine their reaction if a 993 had appeared from nowhere back in '84! Thanks for the post Warren.

NYSCAR · 07-22-2002, 06:48 AM

Hmm not to be 'the skeptic' or anything, but are the 3.2 engines underrated...or do the 84's actually weigh less than 2760 lbs? The reason I ask is that a car with a 200hp engine that weighs 2760 lbs (test weight of at least 3000 lbs) should be more around high 5's low 6's in the 0-60, and high 14's in the 1/4 mile in the low 90mph range.

Brad

motion · 07-22-2002, 07:14 AM

Actually, I thought it was 207hp.

Bigbartguy · 07-22-2002, 07:38 AM

Very interesting read. I'll look at my 85 with even more awe than before. Surprising stats also.

JavaBrewer · JavaBrewer's Garage

I have an '84 issue R&T with full test of the 'new' Carrera - cover car that month. Unfortunately their test is not nearly as glowing and the performance numbers are not as good. I will try to post some pages for comparison the next few days.

My favorite magazine is now Car and Driver!

Kurt B · 07-22-2002, 09:18 AM

The performance numbers are there. 5.3? No doubt you'll be laying rubber to get that number. I don't lay rubber on my tests; my car only screeches in 2nd, but I do not screech in first, and I'm sure if I wanted to kill the car, I could shave something off the ~5.6 I'm getting now.

speeder · speeder's Garage

Car and Driver has never been considered exactly the "last word" in auto journalism, but fun to read with things like this test, ie. nun pictures, 'objective' writers drooling all over a new Porsche, etc. FWIW, factory #s were 6.1sec. 0-60 for this car. And 200hp is correct. I'm not sure if you can calculate accelleration purely by HP/weight. Torque figure and gearing/weight would get you closer.

Jim T · 07-22-2002, 10:15 AM

I know I must be getting old . . . I remember reading that article (several times!) when it came out, and it seems like 18 weeks ago, not 18 years ago.

Kurt B · 07-22-2002, 12:18 PM

Just reading this review gets me so amped, I want to go kick some ricer right in the ass.

MIK911 · 07-22-2002, 12:21 PM

Thanks, Early!!
Makes for better reading this time around (compared to dreaming about it in my dorm room 18 yrs ago).
I remember R&T ran a similar article (red carrera on cover) when the 3.2 Carrera was introduced.
Anyone have this article and can post it like Early did?

Thanks
MIK
'86 Coupe

NZ9Iwon · 07-22-2002, 01:11 PM

Yup, couldnt have written it better myself. In my totally unbiased view, the '84 Carerra is the pick of the bunch, and Ive been a Porsche owner for....lets see....over 3 months!. Thanks for the great post!