Thanks to Classic &  Sports Car Magazine

The car featured in this web site and the car used in the test are one and the same.

Photos by Tony Baker

IF PUSH COMES TO SHOVE

How many of us dreams of having one – or both!- of these ‘80s sports car legends tucked away for the right driving occasions, when open roads and bright weather beckons?  It’s hard to think of more irresistible recent classics than the Porsche 911 Cabriolet and Ferrari 328 GTS, both open- top versions of truly charismatic designs from manufacturers of unbeatable pedigree.  And what better, as here, to have them in national racing colours of red for Italy and silver for Germany?

Arguably a more accurate 911 rival to the 328 GTS is the Targa version, since the Italian car’s design – with a lift-out solid roof that’s stowed behind the seats-mimics the concept conceived by Porsche back in the ‘60s.

But after the Cabrio arrived in 1983 as the third body style in the 911 range, wind-in-the-hair Porsche enthusiasts tended to opt for the full convertible, leaving the Targa as the relatively rare model that’s somewhat shunned today. Whereas GTS versions from the 308/328 Ferrari family of 1976-89 tend to be worth about 20% more than comparable fixed head GTBs, the 911 hierarchy sees targas fetch 15% less than regular models in contrast to the Cabrio’s 15% price premium. For the extra money, you get a 911 that normally turns open mode at the touch of a button, powered operation of the top having been a commonly specified option early on and standard for 1987.

Performance is the lifeblood of both cards and the two statistics suggest uncanny similarity between them. First their engines, both nominally 3.2 litres, differ in size by just 21cc, the water cooled Ferrari V8 displacing 3185cc compared with 3164cc for the air-cooled Porsche flat-six. Second, the 0-60mph acceleration is almost identical, the Ferrari just beating the Porsche with 5.5 seconds as opposed to 5.6. Thereafter, however, subtle contrasts start to open up. The Ferrari feels the significiantly quicker carm although the 911’s exuberance and intoxicating aural commotion disguise the gap. The Porsche’s closeness in the 0-60mph sprint comes mainly from its off-the-line traction advantage, endowed by the rearward weight bias of having the powertrain  slung behind the rear axle line.

Porsche 911 is full cabriolet, with roof operated electically; five spoke fuchs wheels the best looking on 911s; excellent steering and handling quite predictable-understeers the more you push it, oversteers when you back off; buyer beware-false turbo badges abound; mild 3.2 flat six flies up rev range to give 231 bhp with absolute docility

Contemporary mid-range acceleration figures (from Autocar) demonstrates the Italian car’s extra thrust: 30-50mph in second gear in 2.2 secs (2.6 for the Porsche), 50-70mph in third in 3.0 secs (4.1), 70-90mph in fourth in 4.5 secs (6.1), and 90-110mph in fifth in 7.9 secs (11.6).

What gives the Ferrari this edge? For a start, it delivers more power- 270bhp at 7000rpm against 231bhp at 5900 rpm-thanks largely to the innovation of four valves per cylinder, introduced in 1981 for the Quatrovalvole (QV) version of the previous 308. That engine speed for peak output also indicates this V8’s superior lungs: the Italian V8’s rev-limiter comes in at a heady 7700rpm, a full 1500rpm more than the 3.2 Carrera’s flat-six can tolerate. The Ferrari additionally has a torque advantage of 223lb ft at 5500rpm against the 911’s 210lb ft at 4800rpm, although both cars are so flexible that they deliver a good wad of pulling power far lower down. Finally, the 328GTS has slender advantages in weight and aerodynamics, especially when measured, as here, against a “wide-body” 911 with Turbo wheel arches and “whale-tail” rear spoiler.

Other aspects of the Ferrari endow easier drive-ability. The steering is lighter, the gear lever – located in the quintessential polished metal gate – moves more silkily than the slightly loose action provided by Porsche’s 915 ‘box, and the pedals all operate with a lighter touch.

Refinement is another virtue, thanks to the combination of a more luxurious cabin, better ergonomics, lower noise levels and superior ride quality. Such factors add up to a more subtle and user-friendly experience behind the wheel – the 328 GTS is a car in which you feel immediately at home.

The Porsche demands more commitment from its driver in order to demonstrate the true breadth of its capability. Herein lies much of a 911’s appeal; any devotee will tell you that Porsche’s finest is a driving challenge of the highest order, a car that repays the effort you put into your relationship with it.  True, a 911 is generally weightier to control, but a good example of its traits as an acquired taste is the steering.  The wheel, which needs a firm grasp, dances in your hands with every nuance of the road- surface ripple and camber, telegraphing messages more clearly than any other car you could name.  Spend time getting to know a 911 and you find that you can do seemingly amazing things with it.

An example is cornering behavior.  In fast corners the Ferrari provides fail-safe neutrality moderated by a touch of lift-off oversteer, whereas the Porsche is much more sensitive to your efforts as a driver, good or bad.  That tail-end weight bias(front/rear distribution is 42/58 compared with the Ferrari’s 46/54) might have been the design’s Achilles’ heel in the 911’s early days, but 20 years of development turned the 3.2 Carrera’s handling into a wonderful blend of safety and challenge, moderating the tendency of the car’s rear wheels to step sideways if you get withdrawal symptoms mid-corner.  Accurate inputs with steering, brakes and throttle really do leave you with the feeling that you’ve conquered a beast and come out on top.One other Porsche virtue is build quality –a 911 feels indestructible both structurally and mechanically.  While all Ferraris had become well made by the ‘80s, German engineering retained an air of unbeatable durability and the promise of lighter demands on the wallet.  Maybe that’s why, when head rules heart, a 911 ultimately ends up as the preferred choice.