When Hans Mezger made the first drawings for Porsche’s flat six, the two-litre capacity was chosen, as this was considered to be the right size for Porsche buyers. However, sufficient margin was built into the design to accommodate later capacity increases: in 1969 it rose briefly to 2.2 litres before it reached 2.4 in 1971 and 2.7 (in standard production) in 1974. In fact, before the end of the decade it would reach 3.3 litres for the Turbo engine, and Ferry Porsche was prompted to remark that had he known in 1963 how much more capacity would be possible, he would have started off with a smaller, lighter unit in the first place: “Now I’m glad I didn’t!” he told his biographer John Bentley.
Initial discussions in 1959 were on…
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Total 911 (Digital) - 1 Issue, No. 166