With just under 8 billion people in the world, it’s not surprising that some of us long to stand out from the crowd. Some people choose to boycott Facebook. For others, it’s the choice of mobile phone, iPhone XS or Samsung Galaxy S10? (We won’t judge.)
We don’t believe that you can ever take customization too far, and in the auto world, we like to celebrate a driver’s unique expression of themselves in their vehicle (hot rods anyone?) Nobody drives the exact same way, so why should our cars all be alike? Porsche recognizes this with their 911. Every single Porsche 911 is uniquely designed for it’s intended driver.
When it comes to cars today, we are usually quite limited in what is available from a single manufacturer, especially in the modern arena. Cars are becoming more and more similar in their looks and performance. Manufacturers are even trying to standardize on infotainment systems. (If you’ve ever tried to Bluetooth pair your phone in a range of different cars, you might consider this a relief.)
Granted there are many auto manufacturers to choose from but usually, there is a set amount of paint colors and trim levels. Surely it should be the same for Porsche?
Porsche thinks outside-the-box, by allowing for the almost infinite customization experience. They’re so confident in the variety of options available, that when Autocar interviewed their Zuffenhausen plant manager, Christian Friedl, he said that despite his 25,000 strong yearly 911 manufacture figures, identical cars are made ‘a maximum of two times per year.’
On the standard 911 Carrera (without even considering the S model) there are 13 different colors and five different wheel types available. Porsche has thought of everything, including model designation deletion – they keep the rear Porsche badge though. You can choose from rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, 12 different upholstery color schemes with custom options available for both paint and interior. Two different sound systems are available and you can even change the windows.
When all of these possible combinations are analyzed from a statistical point of view there are many more combinations then Porsches produced every year, which is why it is so unlikely that two are actually alike.
The only thing that you can’t really customize on a 911 is the standard shape. There is no getting away from the iconic 911 look, but seriously, would you really want to? If there is some performance feature that Porsche doesn’t offer standard which you feel would give you a performance edge, why not head over to Foreign Affairs Motorsport and check it out?
If you are longing for the return of the golden era of the automotive, where no two manufacturers seemed to be looking over each other’s shoulders or even communicating with each other. Weird wonders like the Ford Edsel, Citroen Pallas and, BMW Isetta were available alongside their even stranger commercials and normal was considered to be the VW bug, we’re sorry to say that it won’t be returning. To quote Billy Joel, “The good old days weren’t always good and tomorrow isn’t as bad as it seems.”
Modern cars are forced to be similar to meet grueling economic and environmental constraints. In this censored automotive environment though, Porsche’s car configurator finally gives a little more freedom of speech.
Another unavoidable option is that the new 911 is true to the pedigree. The excellently designed engine and drivetrain, meticulous interior and gorgeous exterior combine regardless of your customization to give you that unique Porsche experience. You don’t just drive a Porsche, you own it.