Noob Porsche question
 

I've started getting in to cars about 3 years ago, so forgive me if I don't know this. I searched How does Porsche do the numbers on the 911? Last gen was the 997, so I thought this one would be the 998. Instead it's the 991. I don't get it. I tried searching it but I didn't get a clear answer.

Don't try and understand the Germans. The bmw 330 had a 3.0 liter I6 but the 328 has a 2.0 liter I4t. The MB x63 has either a 6.2 liter V8 or a 5.5 liter V8TT...i could go on for quite some time.

Before the 997 was the 996, before that was the 993, and before that was 964. So the answer is it's just a number and there is no clear pattern.

LOL about the Merc C63, E63, Anything63 AMG that actaully has a 6.2L

The G63 is the 5.5TT, as well as i think the GL/ML(?) maybe just the SUV's get the 5.5

Often car manufacturers use internal chassis designations to track design evolutions that never go public. In other words, maybe Porsche made a 994 and 995 before finally reaching the "996" that became a production model.

Interesting bit of trivia: Back in the 60's, Porsche launched their new model with the name 901. Peugeot cried foul (claiming all three-digit names with 0 in the middle) so Porsche quickly changed the name to 911 as it has remained ever since.

Also the numbers are used for other models as well. 986/987 boxsters, 951 is a 944 turbo, etc. they aren't used just for 911s. In the end they are just design numbers that are then used for the basis of part numbers specific to the chassis/spec so it's semi logical really.

Extra trivia, despite the French the early cars maintained the 901 part/design designation :)

Yep, and since @airjonny is new to the marque, some good numbers to learn about are 917/30 and 935 and 953 and 961.

Cool!

Thanks guys....Germans and their crazy logic.

It's not exactly a German thing though, every company in the world has internal designation numbers. The fact that they're not in order is mostly down to the fact that Porsche has had some many models, they'd eventually start running into one another if they just kept increasing by one.

In fact they've used so many numbers, the Porsche RS Spyder LMP2 was known as 9R6.

Further, before the 9XX thing became commonplace, there was the 356, 550, and 718.