Introduced in 1989, the 964 generation 911 was a big change over the previous generation. Power steering, ABS, all-wheel drive and automatic transmissions were all available for the first time on a regular production 911. The 964 was only on the market for 6 years, eventually replaced in 1995 by the 993 generation.
Released sometime in the mid-90s, the Anson was the only 1:18 964 available, made in Coupe, Cabrio and Targa forms. AutoArt released the RS, Welly the Turbo and GT Spirit has offered various sealed 964 models, all within the past 10-15 years. Norev has been on a roll lately with all sorts of interesting and generally very well-done models. They’ve released numerous colours and wheel options for the 964 in both Coupe and Cabrio form, but for me, I really wanted this model, the base Carrera 2 in Guards Red with the D90 7-spoke wheels.
The exterior looks very good to me. I have zero complaints about the overall shape and stance. Lucky for us collectors, everything opens, (unlike Norev’s somewhat recent 993 Coupe and Cabrio). The shut lines all look great to me, so great in fact, that I had a difficult time opening the engine lid and trunk. The Porsche crest on the trunk feels like an actual badge versus a sticker.
The side mirrors are from the updated 964, which the U.S. got in 1992. The earlier cars had rectangle-shaped mirrors. The placement of the passenger side mirror is different than every other 964 model I have, but I have seen at least 1 real car with the exact placement as the model. So, I honestly have no clue what is correct. The 993 also had a staggered mirror placement.
The front and the rear lights look good, and the Porsche name is visible through the reflector. I like the fact that Norev included a rear wiper. It would have been very nice if the rear spoiler operated, like AutoArt’s RS, but that is by no means a deal breaker.
The D90 wheels look great, though the Porsche crest in the center cap is not visible enough for my tastes. They’re not incorrect as Porsche offered silver, black or coloured crests, I just prefer black or coloured, personally, so they stand out a bit more.
The trunk and engine lids open with dogleg hinges, while the doors open with the correct folding style hinges. There isn’t much to see in the trunk, but it is carpeted. The engine compartment looks very good and isn’t just a black blob. There are numerous details painted in silver and many yellow warning labels.
The interior features the optional Sport Seats with larger side bolsters. The floors are fully carpeted as are the bottom of the door panels. The steering wheel, gauges and shifter are all very nicely done.
Overall, this is a really nice model for about $125 shipped. I find it very much on par with Norev’s recent 992 GT3, but actually trumps that model with an opening engine compartment. If you’re a Porsche collector that has missed having a 964 in your collection, Norev’s effort is a great model to fill that gap.
Gavin, thank you for this detailed review. Having recently accused the same model we can safely say A LOT of value here!
My pleasure…more to come, hopefully!
It should have staggered mirrors; otherwise your view will be obscured by the “A” pillar. Also, Norev says this is the first version of the 964 so it should have the flag mirrors since it has the Design 90 wheels. The Aero mirrors originally appeared on the 1991 964 3.3 Turbo and the standard 964 thereafter. However, by then the Design 90 wheels were replaced by the Cup wheels. The other 964 they released are correct. These two details are incorrect on this one. A friend asked Norev about the wheel/mirror mismatch but they claim it is correct for this 1990 model.
That’s how I remember the detail changes as well. That being said, if those minor errors are important to you, Norev has multiple other specs available, which as you point out are more correct. I found a Guards Red 964 with aero mirrors & D90 wheels when I was doing research for this review (https://www.elferspot.com/en/car/porsche-964-carrera-2-1993-419509/). No clue if its 100% stock or not.
I knew of these errors when I ordered the model & have had no second thoughts about it.
Norev has already corrected the mirror placement in their latest batch of Guards Red 964s. They tend to correct such minor errors mid-production. I’m not sure whether they lied to Al Tan’s friend or gave in to criticism despite being correct… but if the mirrors themselves are not correct for 1990 model, I know where I’d place my bet ;)
I paid $100 shipped for this. Great value for money
That is a fantastic price, Wes.
Fantastic, thanks for the review. A great model, even if it’s not perfect.
Thanks very much!
I enjoyed your post. For me, Norev’s array of 964s is the highlight of my year in collecting, at least thus far. The inclusion of all three body styles and a great variety of colors has led me to buy 6 – which may be a bit crazy – but I think that they are an amazing value.
wow…6. That’s impressive. I agree with you, its definitely one of my favorite buys this year. Norev’s 992 GT3 Touring is right up there, too.
Yes, what have they completed to date? Please share.
Very interesting model. My only complaint is about the size of the bolts on the wheels. They’re too small. And that is regardless of the wheel design.
Just received my Carrera 2 in mint green and I could not believe how amazing the quality, fit and finish is for a Norev model. I am usually a collector of more high end models and I have to say for $125 this model is up there with Autoart. The only detail that is missing from this model are the lines from the rear view window. Other than that, everything else is of quality and one thing that stood out was the paint job that is smooth, rich, and consistent.
The Porsche logo isn’t even printed in the centre of the wheel
Actually, that isn’t true…you can see the Porsche crest in the close up shot of the wheel above.