SPORTS CAR WORLD, January, 1959
Road testing can be a tiresome task if the car is a bore, and unfortunately quite a few machines we try from time to time fall into this unhappy classification. The reasons are not hard to understand: in an abortive effort to keep their sports vehicles at a reasonable price, manufacturers have resorted to mass production, using family car components only slightly modified in most cases. The resulting loss of character shows up, but even more so when compared with a pure sports car. That is why testing the Porsche Super 1600 Coupe was such a pleasure.
As sports cars go, the Porsche is unique in as much as it offers an air cooled rear engine. Combined with this there is
independent suspension on all wheels, outstanding comfort and far better than normal finish. Our adventure with the Porsche lasted for one day - just about a lifetime too short - since the car was privately owned and had been loaned to us, with the owner's consent, through the N.S.W. distributor for the marque, Diesel Motors Pty. Ltd. "Our" car, yellow in colour, with black upholstery, had been meticulously prepared and tuned by Diesel Motors' head Porsche mechanic. Sales manager Bob Hadlow demonstrated how everything worked and we eagerly set off, remembering the owner's request not to exceed 5,000 r.p.m. in any gear.
The front seats, we discovered, had a great deal of fore-and-aft adjustment to suit any driver and passenger and a lever on the side of the chairs provided squab movement from horizontal to vertical. Special head rests can be provided as extras, making the car even more suitable for long distance, non-stop travelling. An organ-type accelerator pedal sat conventionally beside the brake and clutch (not pendulum). Foot room was completely unhindered because of the absence of transmission humps and such. The gear lever, centrally mounted on the floor, was rather long, but easy to reach. The handbrake was under the dash.
A rather small
steering wheel, with spokes shaped like an inverted Vee, controlled the Porsche design steering. Instrumentation was satisfactory. The two main dials were a
tachometer and a
speedometer. They were legibly calibrated and the numerals were in green. Other dials consisted on an oil pressure gauge and a matching instrument for fuel capacity. Both the tank and its filler cap were under the boot (or is it bonnet) in the front. Behind the two front seats was the "casual" accommodation. We may as well say right here and now that it is for a couple of small kids. One adult could sit there if he had to, and didn't suffer from claustrophobia. There is no head room in the back and frankly, there was never intended to be.
If you don't like trying to sit people on this seat, the squab can be folded down to make room for luggage. Suitcases tailored exactly to fit the Porsche are available as optional extras. There is also a bag to fit in the somewhat awkwardly shaped compartment under the front bonnet. Here, also, live the tools and spare wheel and battery. Cunningly concealed under air deflecting cowlings was the motor. A flat four affair, looking slightly like a
Volkswagen, the
Porsche motor churns out 75 D.I.N, horsepower at 5,000, or if you use the popular American rating of S.A.E., the power jumps to 88 at 5,000 r.p.m. Cubic capacity of the engine was 1582 c.c., with a compression ratio of 8.5 to 1. The
Valves were pushrod operated overhead type, giving a near hemispherical combustion chamber. Fuel was delivered through two twin choke Solex carburettors.
Back inside the car, we turned the three position ignition key, the motor gurgled into life with typical air cooled noises and short exhaust pipe blap. An instant response from a flick of the throttle pedal sent the tachometer needle soaring. We engaged first gear and gently moved off. The clutch was gentle in operation but at the same time positive and definitely required some "feeling" for smooth - take-offs. Although the change lever had a long movement between gears, it nevertheless was one of the sweetest boxes we have ever tried. The "hot-knife-through-butter" simile fits perfectly. All four forward speeds had the famous Porsche baulk ring synehromesh (even Ferrari is using the same system) and, of course, proved completely un-crashable. We were asked not to engage first at more than 12 or 15 m.p.h., so we naturally respected this request, although it would undoubtedly be possible to jam the lever back to first at much higher speeds.
Visability was very good from the driver's seat, but parking was a little more difficult due to rather high placement of the large rear window. Practice would probably cure any misgivings owners, or potential owners, may have. One of the many amazing things we noticed about the Porsche was the fact that after a very short time in the car, we forgot that we were really in a very small machine. No inferiority complexes here. In fact, we could well understand it if all Porsche drivers had superiority complexes, for these cars make you feel second to none. Looking over the bonnet was impressive because we could see the roadway about three feet in front of the car and this greatly increased the feeling of speed, enhanced in no small way by the general feel of the car.
On the way to our test strip, through suburban traffic, we were impressed still more by the unexpected tractability - unexpected because who would seriously think that a high performance 1600 c.c. car would be gentle as a lamb when mixing with the ratrace? Strictly not a top gear car, the Porsche would potter along at very moderate speeds in third, but this really is not the type of car you just potter along in. The Super was more at ease accelerating briskly away from traffic lights. Even by taking the car to only 3,000 r.p.m. in the gears, it was still faster than anything we encountered. The best method for getting clear of the pack at the traffic lights was simply to press hard in first and second gears then a small jab in third and into top for steady speeds. It was hard to hold the Porsche in its hightest ratio at less than 35-40 m.p.h. and it was certainly unhappy accelerating from such low speeds. Porsche owners, we feel sure, are not top gear fanatics, otherwise they wouldn't have Porsches.
If the Porsche patiently tolerates suburban driving, then it must be in the hope of a run in the country, for this is where the Porsche really can stretch the legs of its herd of horses, so neatly packed into four cylinders. The natural touring speed seemed to be in the vicinity of 80 m.p.h., maybe even higher, but with these days of thick traffic within a 100-mile radius of any big city, such relatively high speeds are difficult to use. Instead, thoughtful use of third can be rewarding, as we discovered. The amount of urge available in this cog was quite sufficient to send the Porsche scurrying in and out of traffic with the ease of a trapeze artist, but without the danger.
Much has been said about the handling of Porsche cars. Some say it takes a Nuvolari or Fangio to drive one, others, more sensibly declare the car is a challenge because of its alleged difficult handling traits. To both these, may we say "utter rot". Certainly it's not the easiest car in the world to drive fast. On the other hand it's not the hardest, either, as some cynics would have us believe. During our test we had no anxious moments because of tricky handling. Once we got used to the moderate amount of oversteer, the Super proved to be a thoroughly stable machine and was no more difficult to conduct at 70 than a VW was at 40 m.p.h. The raw novice may take fright at the immediate response to the helm, especially if he should happen to be used to an understeering Detroiter.
Actual ability to stay firmly on the road was quite staggering, even under the most trying conditions. For instance, a right angle corner taken under full acceleration in second caused no alarm. When the tail did eventually break, it did so with an even action. On loose surfaces we tried a different technique. By using a lot of power in the lower gears, combined with a quick flick of the steering wheel we were able to set the Porsche up in some first class power slides. Just to see what would happen we went to our 70 foot wide gravel patch and flung the Porsche about in wild U turns, expecting at least one complete spin out. It didn't come. We found that by holding the throttle open and keeping on plenty of lock, the car would eventually come out of the slide and snap back into the straight ahead position.
By the way, only two and one third turns of the steering wheel moved the front wheels from one lock to the other, revolving the car in a 33 foot circle. Devotees of the long arm driving technique will be pleased to learn that Porsche is just right for this. We found that we could get full lock correction without taking a second bite at the wheel. The Porsche has got its limitations in the roadholding department. Strangely, the car was affected by the strong winds which were blowing during the latter hours of the day of our test. Admittedly, the wind was strong - but so was the result when it hit the car. We had to limit cruising speed down to about 65 m.p.h., although we felt that experience behind the wheel of a Porsche would enable us to develop the correct technique for countering side winds.
Aerodynamically speaking, the Porsche must be one of the best cars on the road. Unfortunately, the body designers must have forgotten about some of the odd things high speed air currents do. With both the coupe's front windows open, an alarming buffetting started up as the speed rose above 40 m.p.h. or so. We had been warned by Bob Hadlow about this, and were only too willing to accept his advice about leaving the rear quarter lights open, having once investigated for ourselves what would happen with them closed. The
brakes, we found, were very good, although they did require a firm foot on the pedal for maximum retardation. As we expected, they did not fade at all and were progressive and smooth. Not so the handbrake, which proved to be ineffective for anything else other than holding the car stationary, which it did with no complaints.
Careful attention had been given to sound deadening, so that the car is pleasantly quiet inside regardless of speed. Externally, the exhaust emits a distinctly sports car noise, soft enough, on the other hand, not to bring the gendarmes running. Interior appointments of the coupe were simple, but good. A heater and demister were standard equipment, likewise windscreen washers, operated by a pushbutton on the floor. A radio, an optional extra, was not fitted to the car, nor were the disc knock-off (£200-odd worth) wheels. The art of getting in and out of the Porsche gracefully is something which is acquired after a few days of ownership. We therefore blundered awkwardly in and out of the machine through the huge doors, hinged from the leading edges. The approved method was, we discovered later, to lower one's bottom in first, then worry about legs. To get out, simply heave one's legs over the side, then stand up.
Really superb attention to detail is a feature of all Porsche bodies, which, with the exception of the new Convertible D, are made at the coachbuilding works of Reutter. This was our first really close experience with this make of car, so we went over it from top to bottom, observing that the two doors were hung on massive hinges, that the bonnet and boot lids fitted tightly all the way around. Both can only be opened by releasing buttons inside the passenger compartment - a good anti-burglar measure. Interior trim was good and durable, mostly in plastic variations, including the seats which appeared to be a particularly good quality vinyl-based material. Head lining was plastic which could be washed and which must be regarded as essential on cars sold in this country.
There can be no mistaking that for all intents and purposes the Porsche is a hand made car. It shrieks quality and if you want one, you have to pay for it. "Our" car was worth £2,690, which is a lot of money, but I would rather pay a few hundred extra to get a Porsche than put up with some of the lesser machines which call themselves sports cars. Although opinions vary as to whether or not this is a sports car in the true sense (the argument continues even in this office) it is the editor's conclusion that this is actually the modern conception of one. Fast, very roadable, fun to drive, beautifully made, comfortable and in fact the result of more than 60 years of automobile development. Would we have one? You bet we would! There is even some talk among the staff of pooling their current transporters in the hope of raising the wind.
