Porsche Introduces Touchscreens, Apple CarPlay

The stereo system's head units keep that vintage feel while sharing new technology drivers have learned they don't want to live without, and it all costs under $1500.

• Porsche has rolled out touchscreen-equipped yet vintage-looking stereos that will fit into Porsche 911s from the '60s through the '90s and come with Porsche's navigation system and Bluetooth support.
• Both Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) units support Apple’s CarPlay, and the larger PCCM Plus also supports Android Auto.
• Currently, the two stereos are available from the German Porsche Classic online shop, priced starting just over $1500.

UPDATE, 9/15/2020: Porsche has announced pricing for its Porsche Classic Communication Management system: $1300.00 for the standard PCCM or $1475 for the uplevel PCCM Plus. The SD card with navigation maps costs an extra $150. The SD card with maps for navigation is available for an additional $150.00. Installation by a Porsche dealer partner is recommended. All are available now at authorized Porsche dealerships or online.

For owners of vintage Porsche 911s, the car stereo experience can be a bit lacking, especially if you've become accustomed to navigation and the ability to play every song you own at a moment's notice. For drivers who want the experience of an air-cooled Porsche while listening to Spotify and getting turn-by-turn directions to the nearest vintage-911 meetup, Porsche now has them covered.

The German automaker unveiled two new vintage-looking Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM) car stereos. The first PCCM fits the single-DIN space (a size standard set by the Germans in the '80s that stands for Deutsche Industrie Norm) found in Porsche 911s from the 1960s to the early-1990s 993 models. It has a 3.5-inch touchscreen with Porsche’s route guidance system integrated and support for Apple CarPlay. To make it look like it belongs in the vehicle, it has two knobs on either side of the display and six buttons. It actually looks like it belongs in the vehicle that was built when Apple founder Steve Jobs was only about 10 years old.

The second is the PCCM Plus stereo that fits 996 generation and boxer models of the 998 generation that have a double-DIN space for their stereo. The taller space naturally gets a larger 7.0-inch touchscreen that supports Apple's CarPlay, but unlike the smaller stereo, it also supports Android Auto. Unfortunately, if you have a CD changer, it will no longer work with this new unit.

Both units support SD card media, USB, aux input, digital radio stations, and Bluetooth connections. Mapping data is pulled from an SD card provided by Porsche, but since you can plug in your iPhone, Google Maps is probably the best best for constantly updated information.

These aren’t the first stereos like this from Porsche. The previous version of the PCCM head unit added navigation and Bluetooth phone support to vintage 911s. The new versions will set you back $1300 for the single-DIN version and $1475 for the double-DIN unit.

Right now the two stereo units are available on the German Porsche Classic site but don't show up on the U.S. site. Porsche told Car and Driver that the units should show up in dealerships this summer so Porsche enthusiasts on this side of the Atlantic will get a chance to taste the present in their vintage 911s.