Purists will tell you the 993 is where the 911 story reaches its natural conclusion: the final air-cooled generation, and by most accounts, the finest. It carried the 911's original mechanical soul, that flat-six howl behind the driver's shoulders, into a chassis finally refined enough to match it, the new multi-link rear suspension taming the old car's reputation without dulling any of its character. The styling softened, too, smoother and lower than the 964 before it, without losing a single line that made the shape unmistakable.

It marked the end of an era on purpose. Porsche knew water-cooling was coming next, and built the 993 as a proper send-off, the last 911 that sounds and feels the way the 911 always had. For enthusiasts, that's exactly why it still commands the respect it does today.