The History of the Iconic Porsche 911 2.0S

An early 911, sporting Ferdinand Alexander ‘Butzi’ Porsche’s clean lines, embodies one of the most recognisable and desirable forms in motoring. Despite this familiarity, it’s never bred contempt; that teardrop silhouette just keeps looking better and better. The aesthetic may have remained largely timeless, yet the performance of those early cars certainly hasn’t.

The 130bhp offered was ample for most customers back when the first 911s hit the autobahn in September 1964, but even then it was clear the new monocoque chassis could handle a whole lot more. Spirited Porsche enthusiasts wanted something more exciting – and they got their way just two years later with the first ‘go-faster’ 911, the 2.0S.

Brilliant Porsche engineer Helmuth Bott lead a small team at Zuffenhausen on the S project. The engine for this new model was so different from the factory block – upon which it was based – that it was given an entirely new designation (901/02). All that was effectively retained was the bore and stroke (88mm and 66mm respectively). The pistons were swapped out for lighter forged-alloy alternatives, as were their connecting rods. The intake ports on the cylinder heads were enlarged to 42mm and the exhausts were taken out to 38mm. Fuel was now delivered via a pair of Weber 40IDSC3 carburettors. The result was a significant 30bhp increase over the standard 911’s powerplant.

To match this increase in power, the chassis had to be equally capable. Bott added a rear anti-roll bar and a stiffer front bar to match. Damping was now via adjustable Koni shock absorbers and the brakes were upgraded with ventilated discs. Last but certainly not least were the characteristic new Fuchs alloy wheels. These one-piece forged items would become the most recognisable Porsche rim in the car’s long history – with good reason too, as they were lighter and stronger than any previous production Porsche wheel.

This remarkable example pictured is of a very early short-wheelbase (2211mm) 911S that was delivered to Sweden just three weeks after the model’s debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September 1966. It remained near the Arctic Circle until 2016, when it was bought by its current owner, who had the car sympathetically restored to the superb and highly original condition shown in this picture that I took at Concours of Elegance 2020.

ENGINE

2.0-litre, flat-six, air-cooled, 160bhp, twin carburettors

CONFIGURATION

Rear engine, five-speed manual transmission, rear-wheel drive, unitary body and chassis, independent McPherson-strut and torsion-bar front suspension, independent semi-trailing arm with transverse torsion bar rear, discs all round