In 1978 Porsche replaced the fourth generation Porsche 911 with the Porsche 911 SC, and this model came with 180 HP and in 1978 there were just two version of the Porsche 911 available, the new 911 SC and the 911 Turbo (Porsche 930).
The Porsche 911SC came with the same 3.0 litre engine that was used in the 911 Carrera, although it only has 180HP as opposed to 200HP in the previous model, this was done to keep up with the ever changing emission regulations.
The 911 SC was available in two trim options, a standard option which came with 6Jx15 ATS wheels, the other trim option was called the Group Sport and with this you got the famous ‘whale tail’ rear spoiler and a set of Fuchs alloy wheels.
In 1978 Porsche had plans to kill off the 911 and they introduced the Porsche 928 which came with a V8 engine, this car was actually designed to replace the Porsche 911.
Porsche has plans for three models, the Porsche 944, the Porsche 928 and the Porsche 911, although the plans for the 911 did not continue after 1981, and the car could have very well have been killed off had it not been for Peter W. Schultz, the CEO of Porsche AG from 1981 to 1987, you can see what he had to say about the 911 below.
The decision to keep the 911 in the product line occurred one afternoon in the office of Dr. Helmuth Bott de:Helmuth Bott, the Porsche operating board member responsible for all engineering and development. I noticed a chart on the wall of Professor Bott’s office. It depicted the ongoing development schedules for the three primary Porsche product lines: 944, 928 and 911. Two of them stretched far into the future, but the 911 program stopped at the end of 1981. I remember rising from my chair, walking over to the chart, taking a black marker pen, and extending the 911 program bar clean off the chart. I am sure I heard a silent cheer from Professor Bott, and I knew I had done the right thing. The Porsche 911, the company icon, had been saved, and I believe the company was saved with it.
In 1980 Porsche 911 Turbo was cancelled in the US, although the car continued to be sold in Europe, so just the Porsche 911 SC was available in the U.S. and this model came with 172 HP and a catalytic converter.
In 1981 at the Frankfurt Motor Show Porsche showed off their new Porsche 911 SC Cabriolet, which was based on the 911 Targa. Porsche launched their new 911 SC Cabriolet in Europe in 1982 and in the US in 1983.
The 911 SC Convertible came with a manually operated canvas hood, and the launch of the cabriolet reduced sales of the 911 Targa significantly.
Image Credit Kastner & Partners, Classic Cars