Porsche history · 1978–1983

Porsche 911 SC: History, Specs & What to Know

By CarWhere Research · Updated

The Porsche 911 SC is the G-model 911 built for model years 1978 to 1983. It replaced both the 911 and Carrera with a single 3.0-liter air-cooled flat-six: 180 PS for 1978–79, 188 PS for 1980 and 204 PS for 1981–83. It came as a Coupe and Targa, and in 1983 as the first factory 911 Cabriolet.

For the 1978 model year Porsche cut the 911 range to two models: the 911 SC and the Turbo. The SC — Porsche expands it as 'Super Carrera' — used the wider Carrera body and a 3.0-liter engine, and its galvanized body gave it better corrosion resistance than earlier 911s.

The SC is part of the G-model generation (1973–1989), for which Porsche gives one combined total of 198,496 cars; it does not publish a separate SC figure. The Carrera 3.2 replaced it for the 1984 model year.

911 SC history: what changed, year by year

  1. MY1978 — 911 SC replaces the 911 and Carrera; 3.0 liters, 180 PS.[1],[2]
  2. MY1980 — Output rises to 188 PS; the Targa gets a black roll bar and a safety-glass rear window.[1]
  3. MY1981 — Output rises to 204 PS; side indicator lights move onto the front fenders.[1]
  4. 1981 — Walter Röhrl drives a 911 SC at the Rally San Remo.[3]
  5. MY1983 — The SC Cabriolet, the first fully open 911 with a fabric roof.[1],[2]
  6. MY1984 — The 911 Carrera 3.2 replaces the SC.[1],[2]

How many 911 SCs were made?

Porsche 911 SC production figures (units). ≈ marks a figure Porsche gives as approximate.
Model / variantYearsUnitsWhat the figure counts
G-model1973–1989≈ 198,496[4],[5]total builtGeneration history: 198,496; 2017 milestone page: 198,414.

More model-by-model totals: Porsche production numbers.

911 SC variants and engines

Key Porsche 911 SC variants. Power in PS (metric horsepower) as Porsche quotes it, or hp where marked.
VariantYearsEnginePowerNotes
911 SC Coupe / TargaMY1978–19793.0 L air-cooled flat-6180 PS[1]
911 SC Coupe / TargaMY19803.0 L air-cooled flat-6188 PS[1]
911 SC Coupe / TargaMY1981–19833.0 L air-cooled flat-6204 PS[1]Turbo 3.0-style spoilers optional.
911 SC CabrioletMY19833.0 L air-cooled flat-6204 PS[1]Manual fabric roof, plastic rear window.
911 SC RS—3.0 L flat-6up to 250 PS[4]Competition-based special model.

Full trim-by-trim figures (US hp, torque, 0–60, weight, launch MSRP): Porsche G-series 911 specs.

911 SC engine and drivetrain facts

  • 3.0-liter (2,994 cc) air-cooled flat-six, rear-mounted, rear-wheel drive.[1],[6]
  • Body shell shares the wider rear of the 911 Carrera; standard 15-inch ATS cast aluminum wheels.[1]
  • In the US, the SC Cabriolet outsold the Targa and quickly reached about one-third of 911 sales.[2]

What to check before you buy a 911 SC

  • Know the model year: power differs (180, 188 or 204 PS), and only 1981-and-later cars carry 17-character VINs.[1]
  • Even galvanized G-model bodies corrode around previous accident repairs; inspect floors, suspension mounts and the Targa roll-bar area.
  • Engine history matters on any air-cooled 911: ask for leak-down figures, rebuild invoices and evidence of chain-tensioner updates.
  • Spoilers and wheels were optional and are easy to add later; the factory record shows how the car was delivered.[1]

How to verify a 911 SC's factory options

1981–1983 911 SCs have 17-character VINs, so a build sheet can check for factory paint, interior and option codes. 1978–1980 cars use short chassis numbers; for those, Porsche's Certificate of Authenticity is the record.

Earlier cars with short chassis numbers are covered by Porsche's own record instead — see the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity guide.

See a 911 SC's factory options from its VIN.

For US-market cars with a 17-character VIN (1981 and later), the CarWhere build sheet lists the factory paint, interior and option codes recorded for that VIN. $9.99, and the free availability check shows whether build data exists before you pay.

Porsche build sheet by VIN

Porsche 911 SC FAQ

What years was the Porsche 911 SC made?

The 911 SC covers model years 1978 to 1983. The Carrera 3.2 replaced it for 1984.

What does SC stand for on a Porsche 911?

Porsche expands SC as 'Super Carrera'.

How much horsepower does a 911 SC have?

By Porsche's figures the 3.0-liter engine made 180 PS for 1978–79, 188 PS for 1980 and 204 PS for 1981–83.

How many 911 SCs were made?

Porsche does not publish a separate figure for the SC. It counts 198,496 G-model 911s built from 1973 to 1989, which includes the SC, Carrera 3.2 and Turbo.

Was there a 911 SC Cabriolet?

Yes. The 1983 SC Cabriolet was the first fully open 911 with a fabric roof.

Related Porsche history

Specs, production and buying research

Sources

Production counts, power outputs and dates on this page come from the sources below. Where sources disagree, the page says so or uses Porsche's own figure.

  1. Porsche Classic model history: 911 SC — Porsche (porsche.com)
  2. Porsche Historical Background: 1948-2025 — Porsche Cars North America (Porsche Newsroom)
  3. How the 911 became all-wheel drive (911 Dakar press kit: the history) — Porsche Newsroom
  4. Seven generations of the 911, part 2: the G-model — Porsche Newsroom
  5. From zero to 1,000,000: Seven generations of the Porsche 911 — Porsche Newsroom
  6. Porsche 911 specs by generation (US-market figures, each sourced on the page) — CarWhere Research

Independent reference published by CarWhere — not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG. Porsche, 911, Carrera, Targa and Boxster are trademarks of their owner.