Porsche Torque with Beverly Hills Car Club’s Alex Manos

The Beverly Hills Car Club CEO highlights a 911 Coupe made during a turning point in Porsche history

Stymied financially to a worrying extent by the Arab oil price hike of the early 1970s and the subsequent recession, Porsche needed to adapt and – to an extent re-launch. There had been talk of replacing the 911 altogether with the 928 – but, thankfully, sensible thinking won out.

Accordingly in 1974, while essentially retaining the same timeless profile, the Porsche model line changed to the more marketable 911, 911S, and 911 Carrera. It was still a sensational car, but now a more mature, refined version: taut, smooth and brimming with vitality, with greater performance power permanently available. It had a longer wheelbase, tougher bumpers, and a robust, powerful engine with a top speed of 130mph.