Porsche considered the 964 to be 85 percent new compared to its predecessor, the Carrera 3.2. The most visible exterior changes were the more integrated, flush-fitting bumpers and fog lamps, which improved the car's aerodynamics compared to earlier 911 generations. A new electrically operated rear spoiler deployed automatically at speeds above 80 km/h and retracted at lower speeds.
The suspension was redesigned from the ground up, replacing the longstanding torsion bar setup with coil springs and shock absorbers — the first major suspension engineering change in the 911's history. The front suspension used MacPherson struts, a configuration retained in all subsequent 911 generations. The rear retained semi-trailing arms. Both power steering and ABS became standard equipment for the first time on a 911.
Power came from a new naturally aspirated flat-six engine, the M64, displacing 3.6 litres. It produced 250 PS at 6,100 rpm and 310 Nm of torque at 4,800 rpm. The first 964s available were the Carrera 4, featuring all-wheel drive; Porsche added the rear-wheel-drive Carrera 2 in 1990. Both variants were available as a coupe, targa or cabriolet.
In 1992 Porsche produced the Carrera RS, a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive performance variant for the European market, drawing on the lineage of the earlier 2.7 and 3.0 RS and RSR models. The RS used a revised engine designated M64/03, producing 260 PS, with a lighter flywheel, closer-ratio gearbox, asymmetric limited-slip differential, and a suspension lowered by 40 mm with stiffer springs and no power steering. Two versions were offered: the standard RS Touring with modest comfort equipment, and the Clubsport with a fully stripped interior, rollcage, aluminium bonnet, magnesium wheels and thinner glass. At 1,217 kg the Clubsport was approximately 123 kg lighter than the US-market RS America. Only 290 cars received the Clubsport option code M003.
A further limited variant, the Carrera 3.8 RS, used the wider Turbo body with a 3.8-litre engine producing 300 PS, available also in a 3.8 RSR racing specification.
The Carrera RS was not sold in the United States due to federal crash and emissions regulations. In its place Porsche offered the RS America for the 1993 and 1994 model years, a 701-unit run based on the US Carrera 2 with a whale-tail spoiler, partially stripped interior, 17-inch wheels and M030 sports suspension, though retaining the standard US engine and drivetrain rather than the European RS specification.
Porsche introduced the 964 Turbo in March 1990 as the successor to the 930. Lacking time to develop a turbocharged version of the M64, Porsche reused the 930's 3.3-litre engine with revisions that reduced turbo lag and raised output to 320 PS. A total of 3,660 964 Turbos were built with the 3.3-litre unit.
A high-performance 3.3-litre Turbo S Leichtbau was introduced in 1992, producing 381 PS through larger injectors, more aggressive camshafts and higher boost. Weight was cut by approximately 180 kg versus the standard Turbo through deletion of air conditioning, power steering, soundproofing and rear seats, plus aluminium doors and a carbon-fibre luggage compartment. Around 80 were ultimately built.
In January 1993 Porsche released the 964 Turbo 3.6, now using a turbocharged version of the M64 producing 360 PS and 520 Nm of torque. Fewer than 1,500 were produced for model years 1993 and 1994, making it one of the rarest 964 variants. At the close of 964 production, approximately 90 remaining Turbo chassis were transferred to Porsche Exclusiv and built as the special Turbo 3.6 S, available in standard or slantnose Flachbau body configurations.
The 964 Cup was a racing variant developed for the new Porsche Carrera Cup series from 1990, producing 265 PS with a welded rollcage and substantially lowered ride height. A 1992 revision adopted the RS body and raised output to 275 PS with switchable ABS and 18-inch magnesium rims.
In 1993 Porsche developed the Turbo S LM-GT, a highly modified prototype for international endurance racing based on the road-legal Turbo S. It used a twin-turbocharged 3.2-litre engine producing 475 hp, with wider wheel arches housing 12-inch racing slicks and a full racing interior. The Turbo S LM-GT debuted at the 1993 12 Hours of Sebring, finishing seventh overall and first in class for the Brumos Porsche team. The car was entered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans but failed to finish after early engine damage. For 1994, under Larbre Competition with an updated 3.6-litre engine, it finished second at the 24 Hours of Daytona and won all four BPR Global GT Series rounds it contested, including the 1000 km of Suzuka. The development work on the Turbo S LM-GT contributed directly to the creation of the 993 GT2 in 1995.
The 30th Anniversary C4, produced in 1993 to mark 30 years since the 911's launch, used the wider Turbo body with four-wheel drive and a naturally aspirated engine. Exactly 911 units were produced, offered only in Viola, Polar Silver or Amethyst. The 964 generation also produced two distinct Speedster variants — a 1989 model based on the 930 platform and a more focused 1994 Speedster based on the Carrera 2, of which 936 examples were built.
The 964 bridged the gap between the traditional air-cooled 911 and the increasingly refined cars that followed. Its combination of meaningful engineering modernisation — coil springs, power steering, ABS, all-wheel drive — while retaining the classic rear-mounted flat-six and familiar body shape made it both more accessible and more capable than its predecessors. It remains a highly regarded generation among 911 collectors and enthusiasts, with low-production variants such as the Carrera RS Clubsport and Turbo S Leichtbau commanding particular attention.