Can someone please explain Porsche model numbers

I'm interested as well.

While you are at it, what will they do after they use the 998 and 999 model names?

 

000.

Or the end of time .

 

Porsche model numbers started as sequential project numbers for the Porsche consulting design group. Between the 356 and 901 they had a whole bunch of design projects. By the time they got to 901, they were a car manufacturer more than design group, though they still had a strong design consulting business.

What was the 901? It became the 911, after Peugeot complained that x0x was a trademark model numbering style of theirs and Porsche agreed to move the number up 10 to 911.

The remaining numbers 9xx were basically set aside for Porsche car models, either sports or race cars. Resulting in 912, 930, 914, 916, 917, 924, 944, 928, 964, 986, 996, etc, etc, etc. These still seem sequential to a large extent through at least 964 or so. I don't know if Porsche has publicly said what their plans would be when they run out of 9xx numbers, but there are probably a bunch of gaps (they may actually have used up the 9xx project numbers internally by now, but not as public model numbers) and Porsche has also become more sparing in the use of those numbers. For example 986/996 and 987/997 have been used for over 10 years despite a bunch of model variations, which were almost certainly different projects.

 

BMWs aren't named like that. The first number is just the series of the car (i.e. 1, 3, 5, 7). The last two digits are close to displacement, though. The 325, 330, and 335 all have 3.0L engines...but only 330 matches that. Same for the rest of their models.

 

I found a project list on the internet, up to the earlier 911's. The first few pages is basically a history of Ferdinand Porsche's engineering career (e.g. Project #60 is the original VW). Not sure how accurate it is, but it makes for interesting perusal...

http://www.stasher.us/porsche_type_list.htm

 

Once again, we all enjoy the benefit of the Yin-opedia.

 

BMW's used to be series (3,5,7,8) then displacement.

The 318 was a 3 series with a 1.8 4, 325 - 3 with a 2.5 6, etc. but at some point (late 90's, I think) marketing changed that and they fudged the numbers as above - as I recall there was a 328 with a 2.5 motor); the numbers are close, though.

They didn't indicate configuration, either. There was a 535 I6 and later a 535 V8 (both 3.5L).

 

To add a little tidbit, the E23 745i had a turbocharged 3.2 liter I-6. How come the 745 moniker? In motorsports then, turbocharged cars had to compete with N/A cars of displacement 1.4 times the turbocharged engine's displacement. 3.2 liter x 1.4 = 4.48 liter

 

Most of the time Mercedes has used the model numbers to signify displacement, but there have been exceptions...which in some cases used an addition badge on the other side of the trunk. The original US spec 1972 350SL used a 4.5 liter engine and had a small badge on the other side of the trunk that said 4.5. The next year to keep things simple they changed the model number to 450SL. Other exceptions with double badges signify displacement were the 300SEL 6.3 and 450SEL 6.9.

Best regards,
Dino

 

One thing I never understood was why Mercedes switched from the type letters being AFTER the displacement number (i.e. 300SL) to being BEFORE them (i.e. S600) - ?

Just somebodies random idea in MB marketing?

 

Hi James,

It is my understanding the reason for the change was marketing and MB wanted to refer to their cars in a BMW sort of way. From the late 1970s to present BMW had the 3 series, 5 series, 6 Series etc.

With Mercedes in the 1980s you had a mix of how they refered to their cars. There were catalogs for the 190 (E and D, or the rare 16 valve), the 300s (which were turbo diesels in 1984/85, but then a new body and gas engine in 1986), and then you had the "S" Class which consisted of the SLs, the SECs, and the SE/SEL. They wanted to refer to everything by a letter class rather than numbers for the small and mid size cars and letters for the bigger cars. So they made the switch and in early 1992/93s, they swapped the letters and numbers on the S and E class cars, and shortly thereafter the 190s were replaced with the 1st C class cars. Now everything is refered to as C Class, CL Class, ML Class, S Class etc.

Best regards,
Dino

 

The Cayenne is considered a 9PA, so I wouldn't be too surprised if they started using letters more in their model designations. The Panamera is 970, so it's not always sequential (although the 911 always has been).

 

Porsche cant use 998 or 999 since Ducati has the rights to those. I wonder which # is next.

 

What number are:
Boxsters
Caymans
Panameras
Cayennes

 

Boxsters: 986
Caymans: 987
Panameras: 970
Cayennes: 957

 

Actually, only the Boxsters built through 2004 are 986s.

The 2005 to present Boxsters are 987s (with the 2009 to present being 2nd generation 987s).

Best regards,
Dino

 

Thank you.

 

I've heard the Carrera GT is 980. Can anyone verify?

 

I was trying to teach my little 6 year old sister how to tell porsches apart... because thats what teenage boys do (about 20 years ago ). She just wasn't getting it. So, I told her its simple...

They all start with 9...

If it has two ones after it, its a cool car...

If it ends in a "4", its cheap, and not really a porsche.

If it ends in an "8", think of it as two 4's, so its still crap...

20 years later, I became more enlightened and after a string of 911's, bought a 944 turbo which I enjoyed...

My sister comes by to visit, looks at the car, and tells me its a "beautiful piece of crap..." I was shocked she remembered our conversation from 20 years ago...

Then I got a 914...she winked, and asked why I didn't just buy a porsche .