I got my latest 911&Porsche mag (#107) last week, and it had an interesting article on the 989 project car from 1990. Front engined V8, 4 doors, and looked a lot like a cross between a 968 and a 996. According to the article, this is the first time that these photos have been posted to the public outside of the inner circle.

Has anyone seen this car? Is it in the Porsche Museum? Very cool, looking at the photos it is easy to see where a lot of the design ideas for the 993 and 996 came from.

Tifo

 

Can you scan them, or are they online?

Id like to see!

 

Did a search, found a couple fuzzy pics:

<img src="http://www.flat-6.net/photos_new/989/989/001.JPG" alt=" - " />

<img src="http://www.flat-6.net/photos_new/989/989/002.JPG" alt=" - " />

Conor

 

looks just like a long 993 to me...

 

I hope that Porsche never makes a sports car with 4 doors!!!!!!!!!

 

Uh, The "pepper" has 4 doors, and if it races in Paris-Dakar... then does it become a "race car"?

Just stirring up a pot of conjecture..

BTW I hate the 4 door sedan. But others would probably buy it.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Chris_924s:
[QB]Uh, The "pepper" has 4 doors, and if it races in Paris-Dakar... then does it become a "race car"?
QB]</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">No, it becomes a racing truck

 

It's amazing that they had such a beautiful design so long ago. Gotta like those 996's. I guess they just thought that they shouldn't upset anyone with the front engine v8 but decided to keep the nice style around.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by TarHeel 944S:
<strong>looks just like a long 993 to me...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">You mean long 996 right??

 

I was in B&N on Friday and saw the article. Pretty interesting, but ugly! IMO

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Matt Olde:
<strong> </font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by TarHeel 944S:
<strong>looks just like a long 993 to me...</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">You mean long 996 right??</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva"><img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" /> Precisely <img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" />

 

The interesting thing is the date that this car was made......1990. At that time Porsche was producing the 964 and the 968 hadn't been made yet.

According to the article, the radical new rear suspension that made it's way into the 993 was made for and tested in this car. Porsche had spent $350million (in british pounds, which means a a lot more in USD) in R&D for the 989.

I'd like to see one in person, and see exactly how tight the fit is for that v8 in front. Performance was impressive: 0-62mph in 6.0 seconds. The idea was to go after the Mercedes-buyer market. Interesting stuff.

Tifo

 

But fellas', the "sport sedan" is a happening segment. The Mazda 6, Subaru WRX, Altima are all cramming the manufacturers high performance drivetrains and upgraded suspension into 4 door family sleds. Porsche has released their version of the SUV,,,could it be time ??

 

Wasn't that car destroyed on the way to an autoshow in the early 90's. If it is the one I'm thinking of it being flat bedded somewhere and the driver rolled the flat bed turning the one off shoe car into a pile of scrap....

 

I don't think those pics are the same as in the mag - that car has the 996/986 teardrop lights, but the 911&P-car world had 993/968-esque singles IIRC.

Micah