In September 1963, Porsche presented the Porsche 901 at the IAA in Frankfurt as a successor to the Porsche 356. One year later, as of model year 1965, series production of the model began and it was renamed the 911 shortly thereafter.

Originally built only as a Coupé, the 911 had an integral body-frame and was powered by a new 2.0-litre flat-six engine, which initially delivered 130 hp.

As of model year 1967, the 911 was also available as a "safety cabriolet" (Targa) with permanently mounted roll-over bar and removable soft top. As of model year 1969, the wheelbase was lengthened by 57 mm, resulting in increased driving comfort and simultaneously more stable driving dynamics.

The 911 S, the first engine derivative of the 911, was also launched on the market. In the years that followed, models bearing the additional designations T, L and E were launched.