STUTTGART (July 21, 2026) – During a three-day investigation on the stunning roads of the Black Forest, Top Gear’s Jethro Bovingdon sets out to determine which 911 is worthy of the title of ‘greatest ever’. This is how it went – from his perspective.

Like anything in life, it’s all in the planning. And, boy, does Jethro Bovingdon hate planning. However, on this occasion he was diligent. He agonized over the contenders list. Attended ‘Zzzzzzoom’ calls. Spent an unhealthy amount of time on Google Maps and then – the horror! – looked for affirmation of promising routes on motorcycling forums.

These didn’t feel like wasted hours or anything even approaching ‘work’, because the reward at the end would be dreamily, extraordinarily, and unforgettably perfect: three days in the Black Forest with six of the most thrilling and entertaining cars the world has ever seen. The mission? To crown the greatest 911 ever and proclaim it to the whole world through the Top Gear YouTube channel and an extensive magazine cover feature.

Why certain icons missed the cut
The list ebbed and flowed over a few weeks, but the team quickly settled on what direction this momentous test would take. Their ‘Greatest’ would be the 911 distilled down to its core ingredients. There would be no concern for everyday usability and practicality; instead, the focus was on response, excitement, entertainment, and the simple joy of a compact, lightweight, stripped-to-the-bone driver’s car on the perfect stretch of road.

Fantasyland, but for the Porsche 911, also highly appropriate. For more than 60 years, this iconic sports car has cut through the superfluous to deliver motorsport glory and road car nirvana. So, they would be just as ruthless.

It was bound to upset a lot of people. There would be no representation for the 911 Turbo. The simple delights of standard Carrera models would be ignored. And, painful though it felt, they even had to cut some truly mouth-watering contenders that met their strict criteria: the sublime 3.2 Clubsport. Ouch. They had to pass on the hardcore terror of the 993 GT (also known as the GT2), the purity of the 996 GT3 RS, and so the list goes on. Honestly, Bovingdon would have happily taken 20 cars to the Black Forest, but common sense had to prevail.

The finalists: Pure driving machines from six decades
Let’s not be too upset about those left behind, though, because the finalists are revered and remarkable. They had to take the Carrera RS 2.7. No arguments. The 964 RS was another no-brainer. Tiny, light, created alongside the new Cup race series, and so pure it even ditched power steering—how could they resist?

911 Carrera RS 2.7, 911 Carrera RS (964), 911 Carrera RS Clubsport (993), Bovingdon’s heart wanted the 993 GT, but in reality, its naturally aspirated sibling would better suit the relentless challenge of the Black Forest roads—and besides, the 993 Carrera RS Clubsport is always in the conversation for ‘best ever.’

Such is the proliferation of models in the water-cooled era that from here it got even tougher. The 996 GT3 RS was highly tempting, but ultimately the sheer brilliance of the 997 4.0 RS made it impossible to overlook. Perhaps controversially, the next hero on the list is the 991 GT2 RS. It beat out various GT3s and even the 911 R for its spot, and the team stands by the decision. What a monster.

Finally, they wanted something to reflect the new branch of GT cars that still reflect motorsport practices but have gently refocused away from lap times and toward driver engagement at road speeds. The 992 S/T launched as an instant classic. The best? They’d soon find out.

Full credit should go to Porsche Cars Great Britain’s press office and the Porsche Museum for supporting this endeavor. It was a huge logistical challenge, requiring delivery trucks, mechanics on the ground (they were never needed, of course), and access to a top-secret storage facility somewhere in or around Stuttgart for the team to handpick the cars.

It’s an extraordinary place, and Bovingdon urges viewers to watch the video just to get a glimpse inside. From Le Mans-winning 956s to weird prototypes (928 Shooting Brake, anyone?), incredible concept cars to the rarest and most sought-after road cars, it’s literally heaven for anybody with even a passing interest in Porsche.

Perfect conditions in the Black Forest
No ego, unbelievable enthusiasm—Bergmeister was just happy to be there and immerse himself in the 911 models assembled. So much so that he left his house at 5:00 a.m. to meet the team for breakfast at 7:30 a.m. That evening, he had to drive another 300 miles to another appointment.

Yet when he saw all the cars together in the hotel’s parking garage, Bovingdon notes he had rarely seen such a wide smile. “This is really cool,” Bergmeister said. “I can’t believe we’re going to drive them all back-to-back. This is perfect.”

Which is the Greatest Porsche 911 of All Time?
And it was. For Bovingdon, the real joy was rediscovering all those core qualities that make the 911 unique and understanding how Porsche has recognized and cultivated them over decades of development. Performance just keeps leveling up, the cars get bigger and more complex, but the innate rightness of the 911 and Porsche’s ability to evolve it so completely without losing its identity is motoring’s greatest story.

Which one is The One? The Greatest Ever? Viewers will have to watch the Top Gear video to find out.

Text: Jethro Bovingdon
Images: Marc Riccioni

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