Rugged, Retro, and Ready: More special Porsche 911 editions on the way

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Porsche has been busy cranking out special – and sometimes unexpected editions – of its 911 sports car, occupying itself with creating retro throwbacks and high(er)-riding off-road variants. Of the latter type we can cite the 911 Dakar, which surely caused more than a few traditionalists to reach for their smelling salts. The rest of us simply leaned forward and cheered.

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It seems as if the German automaker has no designs on slowing down. In a wide-ranging interview with U.K. rag CAR Magazine, chairman Oliver Blume said Porsche isn’t done creating these types of branches off the 911 family tree — far from it, in fact. Adding to retro flavours like the Sport Classic and its duck-tail spoiler, Blume suggests stylists may reach into the bag of tricks from the ‘70s and ‘80s to create even more throwback designs. We’re personally jonesing for a return of the famed whale-tail, as found on numerous 911 models from our youth.

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Timing is right for these moves. The 2023 calendar year will see a trio of important milestones being celebrated by P-Car fanatics: 60 years of the 911; 75 years of the company; and the 80th birthday of Wolfgang Porsche. You can bet your bottom deutschmark that Porsche will launch special products to celebrates these anniversaries.

There’s also an argument to be made that Porsche has been the cheddar being raked in by boutique restoration houses like Singer, a company which refurbishes 911s unto the zenith of quality and charges exorbitant sums which the moneyed set are only too glad to pay. If the company can offer a retro feel or look blended with modern tech and performance, it’ll likely be a license to print money. It’d also be the right time to bring back the ‘Porsche: There is no substitute’ tagline as a thumb in the eye to all those aftermarket companies.

Until then, a quick hit of the online configurator for Porsche Canada reveals no fewer than 25 distinct trims already on offer for 911 shoppers, including the Sport Classic and Dakar, which carry base prices of $307,600 and $251,800, respectively, before adding a myriad of options.