Alfaguy2

I must admit that even when I went searching for my 997 I did not fully understand the differences between a 993, 996 or 997 other than the 996 was the one with the horrid headlamps.

I was totally oblivious as to the meaning of GT3, GT3RS or GT2. To me there were all just 911's.

I was told I should look for a 997 C2S - but went searching for a C1S and when I heard there was a C4S I wondered whatever happened to the C3S.

I am lucky I ended up with the right Porsche at all.

No HTwo O

To answer your question, I'd say no.

KeninBlaine

When I mentioned to my girlfriend that I may remove my model designation on the trunk, she asked how people would know what my car was. My response was that people that know the car don't need the name on it, and those that don't won't be helped by the name, or wouldn't understand what it meant anyway.

LlBr

Here's the classic pic showing the five generations of 911. Ours, as the sixth gen., is missing. Whomever can give them their number names wins!

KeninBlaine

I'll try: 996, 993, 964, 930, 911?

scott10s

996,993,964,911,901?

Edgy01

Come on you guys! This is too easy!

901 aka 911 on the left and from front to rear, 996 Carrera, 993 Carrera, 964 RS. and finally a '911' Carrera 3.2 from 1986 to 1989. (Earlier 911SC cars had the fog lamps not integrated in the front bumpers.)

And in answer to the OP question, most people, including many who own these later Porsches, have no clue about the year of a car or the model designation, other than possibly that it's a "Porsche" or a 911. It just doesn't matter to them.

Nugget

The exception being that nearly everyone seems to know that there's a turbo model and that the turbo model is "the fast one." I have this conversation on a monthly basis:

"Nice car, is it a Porsh?"

"Yeah"

"Is it a turbo?"

"No"

...and then they look at me with sympathy and pity in their eyes because I don't own the fast one.

Nugget

I also had someone (not a gar guy) explain to me once that they were told "With Porsches you count the number of tailpipes. If it has two tailpipes it's an expensive one and if it has one tailpipe it's a cheap one."

911SLOW

Not knowing the 911 models is one thing, being stopped by the police and then ordered to open the trunk while policeman walks to the rear of the car is another.
I kind of like em both.

John

Mike in CA

Correct, except for a point about the Carrera 3.2. It first appeared in 1984 not 1986 and indeed, unlike the last SC's in 1983, had the foglights integrated into the body under the front bumper. The '84 Carrera was my first Porsche!

Edgy01

That right! I've been living these things so long I have FORGOTTEN more than most know! Thanks for the correction. However, the early 911 Carreras from 1984 through 1985 did not have the heated windshield washer squirters--which are seen on this photo. That car is at least a 1986 car.

ADias

The 2 top cars are internally 911 - the silver is the original '64 901. The white still is a 911 an 80s model either 2.7/3/3.2/SC.

The purple is a 964. The silver is a 993 and the black is a 996.

Mike in CA

An easier way to tell, as I'm sure you know, is the headlight lens; the '86 and later had a "beveled" top edge, which does make the white car at least an '86. A bit more obvious than the heated windshield washer squirters.

Edgy01

What throws off some of the recognition issues is that all of these cars are European models (which had either H4s or H1s on those era 911s).