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Top five Porsche 911 drives of 2016 – Josh’s picks

After getting behind the wheel of some truly incredible Porsche 911s in 2015, I was worried that my top five this year wouldn’t hit the same high standard. However, a look back over the last 12 months of Neunelfer motoring has shown that I had nothing to worry about. In ascending order, here is my 2016 top five:

5) Porsche 991.2 Carrera
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You may remember that, leading up to the 991.2’s launch, I was pretty uneasy about the reality of a turbocharged Porsche 911 Carrera. However, getting behind the wheel of the 991.2 Carrera for the first time at the start of the year allayed all of my fears.

The chassis is even more accomplished than the Gen1 and the 3.0-litre flat six is a masterstroke, delivering plenty of punch without the usual turbo lag. I even enjoy the more nuanced soundtrack.

4) Porsche 993 Carrera RS
993-rs

The 964 Carrera RS managed to make my top five in 2015 but, after putting one head-to-head with its successor for an air-cooled twin test in issue 140, it was clear that the Porsche 993 Carrera RS is the superior car.

The 3.6-litre flat six is a genuine firecracker but it’s the chassis that is the standout star. I’ve not driven an air-cooled Porsche 911 that has felt so sharp or precise before or since.

3) Porsche 911 Carrera RSR IROC
iroc

Driving any super rare Porsche 911 is always an unforgettable experience but getting into the driver’s seat of a genuine IROC RSR for the latest issue’s head-to-head has to be right up there in my list of top moments ever.

If sitting where the likes of Peter Revson and George Follmer once sat wasn’t surreal enough, the sound from the 3.0-litre engine, piped through an unsilenced exhaust system, now permanently resonates inside my skull.

2) Porsche 993 Turbo
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For nearly three years, the chance to drive a 993 Turbo evaded my grasp. However, when I finally got the chance to drive the last air-cooled Turbo (courtesy of Paul Stephens) it didn’t disappoint.

Like many 993s, it was the perfect blend of analogue sports car and technological tour de force. Unlike the 993 C4S, the Turbo doesn’t suffer from an excess of understeer and the throttle response from the twin turbo flat six is simply phenomenal. It truly deserves its new five-star rating.

1) Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RS
3-0-rs

Forget the 2.7 RS. If you’re in the market for a classic Rennsport then it’s all about the Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 RS. From its dynamics to its dynamism, everything about the 1974 RS’s is sharper and more polished than its more famous predecessor.

The chassis is almost telepathic in its ability to transmit your inputs to the road while the engine fills in the 2.7-litre unit’s torque gaps without losing that inimitable Rennsport fizz. And its styling is so unabashedly Seventies in its execution. What’s not to love? Now to search down the back of the sofa for a spare £1 million…

Which Porsche 911s have you most enjoyed driving in 2016? Join the debate in the comments below or tweet us @Total911.

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