C4 Corvette Drag Races 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, Sad Trumpet Noises Ensue

Pictured on a Colorado airstrip on a rather cold day for quarter-mile shenanigans, the American sports car has to prove itself against a 1987 model year Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2, named this way after the displacement of the six-cylinder boxer hiding out back. Tommy Mica of The Fast Lane says that approximately $45,000 was the starting price of a Neunelfer back then, which was quite a bit more money than the ‘Vette.

Adjusted for inflation, the aforementioned prices balloon to $78,700 and $118,050 sans taxes and optional extras. The Carrera 3.2 for the U.S. market produces 214 horsepower and 195 pound-feet (264 Nm) of torque, with most of those resources getting to the rear wheels via the G50 five-speed manual. Tommy believes the 911 cranks out 217 horsepower, most likely making a confusion between metric and mechanical horsepower.

Considerably lighter than the front-engined sports car from Kentucky, the Neunelfer in this particular specification will top 240 kilometers per hour (nearly 150 miles per hour) if you keep your foot planted on the loud pedal. That is pretty similar to how the C4 with the L98 likes to roll, although these cars are different in their peak power and torque bands.

Porsche quotes 5,900 and 4,800 revolutions per minute, respectively. The Corvette, on the other hand, needs 4,300 revolutions per minute to develop 245 horsepower and 3,200 revolutions per minute for 340 pound-feet (461 Nm) of torque. In other words, it gets into the groove that bit quicker.

From a mechanical standpoint, the only downer that isn’t going to help the C4 in a straight-line showdown is the Doug Nash transmission, a four-speed manual with automatic overdrive. General Motors would eventually replace this gearbox with a ZF-supplied manual that flaunts six gears.

From a dig, the 911 launches an idea better, although plenty of wheel spin ruins any chances of an impressive quarter-mile time. But as expected, the Corvette passes the Neunelfer with relative ease, recording 17.06 seconds at 89 miles per hour (143 kilometers per hour). The Porsche follows suit with Kase van Rees behind the steering wheel, clocking 17.46 seconds.

The second dig is pretty much a repeat of the first, with both contenders improving their times to 16.47 and 17.31 seconds, respectively. The 30-mph (50-kph) roll race also favors the Corvette, and in the braking test from 60 mph (97 kph), Tommy locked up the brakes. Alas, the 911 needed 143 feet (44 meters) compared to 113 feet (34 meters) to come to a stop.