One of the main aspects of a classic car that some owners wish they could change is the stereo system. Of course, some owners may wish to keep their pride and joy as is, as it represents the pinnacle of technology at the time it was built. But fast forward to the modern-day and the necessity to have a phone connected to a hands-free system can be vital, and being able to play a library of music at the touch of a button is almost non-negotiable.
But when it comes to Porsche, you may think that the purists out there will want to keep their car in pristine, original, untouched condition.
Porsche themselves disagree, and as a result has recently announced the Porsche Classic Communication Management system. The PCCM is available for 911 models from the very first generation built in the 1960s all the way up to the 993 911 series that was introduced in the early 1990s. A second PCCM Plus system is available for the 996 911 and 986 Boxsters.
A simple swap out of the single-DIN unit found in your early-generation Porsche 911 to the PCCM will gift you DAB+ radio, Apple CarPlay, SD-based maps with navigation, USB and AUX inputs and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. Even though the PCCM might have all the bells and whistles you’d expect on any modern car – including 3.5-inch touchscreen display – Porsche has been careful to remain faithful to the design language of its early models and as a result, has given it a similar black surface finish and older-generation style control knobs.
So has Porsche correctly identified a feature its customers want? After all, owning a classic Porsche in original condition is something many will aspire to, so making modern upgrades – no matter how well they integrate with the original aesthetic – could be seen as a waste of time.
We reached out to Damian Royce, Porsche collector and owner of the Classic Car Addict Instagram account, to get his expert opinion. To our surprise, Damian started off by saying, “I think this is a great idea from Porsche.”
“It shows how mindful they are about their classic model customers who want the best of both worlds and makes real sense for the modern classic 996, which is still used as a daily driver.”
Damian was also highly receptive of the angle Porsche took in the design, “What’s really smart is the way they have designed this modern system for the old classics, which integrates quite well in Porsche’s iconic spartan dash.”
However, he admits it won’t be to everyone’s taste, “While some enthusiasts will no-doubt stick with period correctness, others will like the opportunity to blend old with new tech.”
“It’s a win for those who want it.”
Reddit appears to agree with Damian too, with many users praising the OEM-style design path Porsche has chosen.
“This is really cool. I don’t know why so many aftermarket head units still look so neon and sci-fi,” says one user.
“That 1999 Boxter S for like $7k is starting to look a LOT nicer now. Apple CarPlay and modern phone connectivity is the only reason I don’t want to buy something older than ~2016 or so,” adds another.
Another references the prices (the user in question references the US prices, we’ve displayed the Australian prices here), A$2,643.10 for the PCCM and A$2,968.33 for the PCCM Plus, “Honestly, for the car, that’s a great price. Most people who own a classic Porsche and are thinking about things like adding CarPlay would jump at a true Plug-n-Play solution from Porsche themselves.”
“Plus, being a head unit that doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb in a classic car is a good touch. Keeping the buttons was a classy move.”
We also noticed some comments asking whether the system would fit 997 generation 911s, or if Porsche planned to release one that would fit in the future. We reached out to Porsche for comment on this. They told us the system won’t work with 997 generation cars, nor do they have any plans right now to release such a system.