Rumor?? After '91 Euro and US Specs the same??
04-02-2002 | 07:10 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,732
Likes: 1
From: Leesburg, Va
Rumor?? After '91 Euro and US Specs the same??
I friend of mine is looking into getting a 968. I have heard that after 1991 there wasn't a difference between the US and Euro specs, except for the Speedo. Can anyone positively confirm or deny this? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
04-02-2002 | 04:11 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 784
Likes: 0
More information than you ever wanted to know:
Starting in model year '88, Porsche used the same engine and emission controls worldwide in the 944. The engines even have the same engine codes. The 928 got a worldwide engine with the 928S4 in '87, and basically all Porsches by 1991 have the same engines worldwide (for models sold in the US and Europe - meaning rarities like the 968 turbo S don't count).
But the rest of the car isn't quite the same. There's the speedometer like you mentioned, plus a US version has to have a buzzer and a light in it to remind you to buckle up. Euro versions usually have a light, but no buzzer. US versions have to have verbiage on the convex passenger side mirror that says "OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR". US versions have to have a passive restraint like automatic seatbelts or an airbag (although since airbags seem to injur a significant number of people, this law may be relaxing). US versions typically have rubber blocks in the front and rear bumpers, although I don't think this is a legal requirement since the 5mph bumper law was dropped in '88. US versions have crappy headlights but H1 and H4 lights are no longer illegal (since '96 I think). There's an issue between the euro H1's and H4's and the DOT approved H1's and H4's, though. I don't think they're the same. US versions have to have a sticker somewhere that says "UNLEADED FUEL ONLY" even though you haven't been able to get anything else at the pumps for at least 20 years. Euro versions by '92-ish have to have a turn signal that you can see from the side - most have carried this over into the US versions hence so many side repeaters on newer European cars. US versions have to have sidemarker lights - amber in the front, red in the rear, that can be seen from the side of the car. There are some other requirements about the symbols that appear on the dash.
Since a lot of the US specific rules make little to no sense and are just political in origin as opposed to actually being useful, many importers skipped some or all of them.
This topic gets further confused by importers who totally put the screws to people - charging them up the wazoo for unnecessary conversion work. Like replacing cats, etc. If there's a substantially similar US model with the same engine code, importation shouldn't be difficult. But like most people in the car business, if you look like a sucker the importers will take you out to the shed.
Bryan
Starting in model year '88, Porsche used the same engine and emission controls worldwide in the 944. The engines even have the same engine codes. The 928 got a worldwide engine with the 928S4 in '87, and basically all Porsches by 1991 have the same engines worldwide (for models sold in the US and Europe - meaning rarities like the 968 turbo S don't count).
But the rest of the car isn't quite the same. There's the speedometer like you mentioned, plus a US version has to have a buzzer and a light in it to remind you to buckle up. Euro versions usually have a light, but no buzzer. US versions have to have verbiage on the convex passenger side mirror that says "OBJECTS IN MIRROR ARE CLOSER THAN THEY APPEAR". US versions have to have a passive restraint like automatic seatbelts or an airbag (although since airbags seem to injur a significant number of people, this law may be relaxing). US versions typically have rubber blocks in the front and rear bumpers, although I don't think this is a legal requirement since the 5mph bumper law was dropped in '88. US versions have crappy headlights but H1 and H4 lights are no longer illegal (since '96 I think). There's an issue between the euro H1's and H4's and the DOT approved H1's and H4's, though. I don't think they're the same. US versions have to have a sticker somewhere that says "UNLEADED FUEL ONLY" even though you haven't been able to get anything else at the pumps for at least 20 years. Euro versions by '92-ish have to have a turn signal that you can see from the side - most have carried this over into the US versions hence so many side repeaters on newer European cars. US versions have to have sidemarker lights - amber in the front, red in the rear, that can be seen from the side of the car. There are some other requirements about the symbols that appear on the dash.
Since a lot of the US specific rules make little to no sense and are just political in origin as opposed to actually being useful, many importers skipped some or all of them.
This topic gets further confused by importers who totally put the screws to people - charging them up the wazoo for unnecessary conversion work. Like replacing cats, etc. If there's a substantially similar US model with the same engine code, importation shouldn't be difficult. But like most people in the car business, if you look like a sucker the importers will take you out to the shed.
Bryan