Porsche 911 - A Timeless Icon

This is a 1967 Porsche 911, a classic car with a rear boxer engine, oval headlights, and a flat hood. It has a large tachometer on the instrument panel. The modern 911 still has these features, but this Sand Beige car is smaller, simpler, lighter, and more charming.

The 911 was first shown in 1963 as the 901, but changed its name because of Peugeot. It went on sale in 1964 to replace the Porsche 356, and became popular among sports car fans.

PHOTOS: Porsche’s 911 through the years

Road and Track praised the 911 in 1965 as a car built by and for fast drivers. Fifty years later, Porsche has sold more than 820,000 911s in seven generations and a dozen versions with up to 560 horsepower. The 911 also has a great racing history with many wins in events like the 24 Hours of LeMans.

The original 911’s shape is still recognizable and was designed by Ferdinand A. Porsche, grandson of the company’s founder, who died in 2012. The front had two chrome headlights and a low hood with a trunk. The roofline was teardrop-shaped from the windshield to the rear lid.

Power was modest by today’s standards. A 2.0-liter, air-cooled flat six engine sat behind the rear axle and gave 128 horsepower to the rear wheels. Road & Track tested a 1965 911 and got a zero-to-60 time of nine seconds and a top speed of 132 mph.

A five-speed manual transmission was standard, with reverse where first gear usually is. Disc brakes and leatherette seats were also standard; leather seats and seat belts were extra.

List price was about €6000 — about €45,000 today. That’s much cheaper than the €140,000 or more you’d need to buy one today.

The 1967 model we drove during Monterey Car Week is almost the same as the original 1965 model. Porsche had made small changes to things like wipers and mirrors. But the car’s mechanics and size were unchanged.

The unrestored car is owned by Porsche, which bought it from a private owner. The odometer reads just over 73,000 miles, and the car has many stickers showing where it has been. It is no different from when it left the dealer’s lot 46 years ago.

Inside, there is good headroom and visibility. There are two small folding rear seats behind the front seats that seem more useful than in the 2013 model. The instrument panel has five gauges with a big tach in the center.

There is a small AM/FM radio on the metal dashboard. There are no air vents on the dash, unlike in 2023 models. They are below the door sills and controlled by a lever on the floor near the shifter.

It doesn’t feel very small until you park it next to a modern 911. Time makes us all grow, and this car is no exception.