Did you ever have any thought regarding the safety of a 80-odd liters gas tank just a few centimeters from your feet in the event of a front end crash?

The literature hardly contain result any crash test results for aircooled Porsche 911.

Should we be content thinking the Autobahn was a very good testing ground for the German engineering safety incorporated in the cars?

Well, something is indeed out there. We recently got our hands into an original WerkFoto issued from the French importer Sonauto showing what looks a unlucky 1991 MY 964 Turbo 3.3 being sacrified to the altar of safety (or regulations, whatever ...).

In fact, the tank is set well back from the front of the car. All the sheet metal and framing ahead of it are designed to crumple, absorbing the energy of the impact before it gets to the fuel tank.

It is worth recalling that Porsche was one of the first manufacturer, if not the first, to offer airbags for both driver and front seat passenger (since 1987, in the USA) and starting in 1991 in the RoW, initially LHD only.