ThePorsche 911(pronounced asNine Eleven, German:Neunelfer) is a 2-door sports coupe made byPorscheAGofStuttgart, Germany. It has a distinctive design, rear enginedand withindependent rear suspension, an evolution of the swing axleon thePorsche 356. The engine was alsoair-cooleduntil the introduction of theType 996in 1998. Since its introduction in autumn 1963[1], it has undergone continuous development[2]. The basic concept has remained little changed throughout its evolution.[2]
Throughout its lifetime, the 911 has been modified by private teams and by the factory itself forracing, rallyingand other forms of automotive competition. It is among the most successful competition cars ever. In the mid 1970s, normally aspirated 911 Carrera RSRs won major world championship sports car races such asTarga Florio, Daytona, SebringandNürburgring, even against prototypes. The 911-derived935 turboalso won the coveted24 Hours of Le Mansin 1979.
In the 1999 international poll for the award ofCar of the Century, the 911 came fifth. It is the only one in the top five that has remained continuously in production, [3]and was until 1998 the most successful surviving application of theair-(nowwater-) cooled opposed rear engine layout pioneered by its original ancestor, the Volkswagen Beetle. It is one of the oldest sports coupe nameplates still in production.