German car companies just love initialisms. From PDCC to DTC to ESP to PTS, it’s enough to make the average person go WTF. Just when you thought you had everything figured out, Porsche is giving owners of 997-generation 911s, 987 Boxsters and Caymans, and 955 Cayennes a brand new initialism to consider: PCCM, short for Porsche Classic Communication Management.
While the full version of PCCM may sound like a business seminar, it’s actually a line of infotainment systems that’s been around for a minute. Previously, these factory-looking upgrades added some very modern flourishes to various classic P-cars. Now, these new head units will also bolt right up to your 2005 to 2008 911, 2005 to 2008 Boxster, or 2003 to 2008 Cayenne and look properly OEM.
From carefully-chosen fonts to physical volume knobs, these units are carefully crafted to blend in while offering all the latest tech. I’m talking about Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto on PCCM Plus units, and available SiriusXM satellite radio and modern native navigation on both PCCM and PCCM Plus units. Formats like CD, DVD, DAT, and Hit Clips aren’t supported, but that feels like a small price to pay for modernity.
In addition to working with all your devices, these systems maintain full car-side functionality, meaning a trip computer, vehicle setting adjustment, and even being able to beam navigation directions up to the gauge cluster. Plus, everything’s displayed on a beautiful seven-inch touchscreen, more inches than a lot of us 2000s German car owners are used to having.
With a list price of $1,475.99 plus fitting for the PCCM Plus system, these latest PCCM units aren’t cheap. However, they’re not much more money than many high-end double-DIN aftermarket head units and are a hell of a lot less expensive than a brand-new Porsche. That last one may sound like a silly comparison, but hear me out.
If you don’t care much for driving aids and are willing to shrug off small-overlap impact protection, infotainment and driver engagement are the only real differences between 2000s cars and new cars. Buy just about any enthusiast car from 2006 and you’ll realize that it has just about all the toys you’d want, won’t overheat in traffic, and is still plenty quick. While it’s hard to add steering feel and manual gearboxes to new cars, putting OEM-like modern infotainment in older cars should give you a daily driver that’s the best of both worlds.
Ultimately, I’d love to see carmakers capitalize on a circular economy for vehicles. I’m talking about factory-authorized refurbishment services so that customers can keep driving their old cars. Really rotten examples can be stripped for parts, decent ones can be partially disassembled, have the rust blasted off, get some fresh paint, and be sent right back out on the road.
In a way, Porsche already pays mind to older car owners with continued parts support and in-dealer restoration programs, but I want to see other automakers get with the program and then take it further. Plus, why not offer financing so that continuing to drive an old enthusiast car isn’t just for rich idiots and idiots who can wrench, but for all idiots? Of course, interest rates would likely be astronomical and approval rates would likely be low given that these loans would essentially be unsecured, but still. A guy can dream, right?
Anyway, the line of Porsche Classic Communication Management systems for the 2005 to 2008 911, 2005 to 2008 Boxster and Cayman, and 2003 to 2008 Cayenne are available now. Part numbers in North America are 99764259100 for 997s and 987s, and 95564259100 for Cayennes. Now if Porsche would put the Roof Transport System for the 986 Boxster back into production, modern water-cooled owners on a budget would really be cooking with gas.
(Photo credits: Porsche)
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I really liked the simplicity of the install and the OEM look/feel of the one I out in my 996, but I will say it is rather unacceptably buggy and lacking in super basic functionality that makes me hope that Porsche can actually tie this into the much more complex 997 system more effectively.
Talking about old-car upgrades from fantasyland, what I personally would love to see is the ability to retrofit an airbag steering wheel to older cars. I know it ain’t gonna happen for a whole bunch of reasons, but there are a lot of cool vehicles out there which I personally wouldn’t feel comfortable driving on the daily for safety reasons. Maybe I’m just a safety dork, but I’d love it if you could fit a period-looking (or at least not glaringly anachronistic) airbag to your older car, to make it just a bit less of a deathtrap.
You and me both. I really really want a 70s MG or Austin-Healy, but the lack of shoulder belts and airbags means I don’t want to even ride in one.
I understand. I have 4 point belts and headrests in my 79 MGB, as well as a rollbar, but my most active safety feature is just being a defensive driver and having the visibility that a convertible allows. It’s still tiny compared to the cars on the road today though. With regard to airbags, they wouldn’t help much without modern crumple zones and being properly engineered for the airbags. Aside from that, I just carry very good insurance limits with the hope that I never need coverage for injuries.
Agree completely. I think there are a lot of great cars that I really want but which are now utterly unsurvivable on American roads.
The friggin porsche tax is nuts. $1400?! I just bought a Pioneer double din, capacitive touch, screen mirroring, car play, for $350. Works/looks great. The master cylinder just went out on my 911 (77), Porsche part was $650. Uro part, probably shared with a VW or something, $60.
I like Porsche but their prices are batshit.
For this particular item, I think it makes sense. It’s an inherently small-volume part, because it needs to integrate in a factory-looking way with specific Porsche models. Also, I’d expect to pay extra for that kind of OEM look. The price also includes installation. If you’re fine with something that looks aftermarket, and you don’t mind doing your own installation, by all means go for it and spend the savings on tires or something.
I’m not aware of ANY other single DIN head units that have single DIN sized-screens (there are some with ugly flip out double screens), except for those on Amazon with advertised prices of $69. I don’t have a lot of confidence in those systems, and I’m not putting one into a Porsche.
“Ultimately, I’d love to see carmakers capitalize on a circular economy for vehicles. I’m talking about factory-authorized refurbishment services so that customers can keep driving their old cars. Really rotten examples can be stripped for parts, decent ones can be partially disassembled, have the rust blasted off, get some fresh paint, and be sent right back out on the road.”
This paragraph got me thinking. It sounds like a really good idea, but how does it truly differ from the current system of used cars being fixed up and resold (other than the OEM involvement)? If a car is desirable enough, someone will fix what needs fixing, replace what needs replacing, and someone will buy it. If too much work needs to be done, the value of the work will exceed what anyone would be willing to pay for the car, and it wouldn’t be economically viable.
The concept of “refurbishment” sounds nice, but replacing more components than is necessary is just overmaintenance and would result in an inflated purchase price.
And I wouldn’t necessarily expect most OEMs to want to get in on the action. They’re set up for mass production — not individual restoration. Such a venture would be a big change to their operations. Some higher-end OEMs might do it. I’m pretty sure McLaren already does. But I wouldn’t expect a company like Toyota to jump on the train.
And that’s too bad because I’d really like to pick up a car type that’s just not made anymore — say, a personal luxury coupe from the ’90s with the peace of mind that the mechanicals are new and the niceties aren’t worn out. I just don’t expect it to be worth FoMoCo’s time and effort to make me a Lincoln Mark VIII whose seats have never been farted in for a reasonable price.
Nissan did that with 240Zs for a while. Could get them factory fresh.
Heck, Porsche Classic’s done some factory-fresh restoration work, too. I love it. More, please.
Unfortunately this is not quite real. I have a 997.1 turbo and I’ve been trying to order the PCCM classic for months. There is no part number for the dealers so they cannot order it, and even suncoast – arguably the biggest Porsche parts supplier in North America is only taking “waiting list orders” Thomas- if you have actual contacts inside Porsche – I’d love to hear how it’s actually possible to buy one of these units.
Suncoast waiting list: https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/sku997pccm.html
The single-DIN is available and orderable, as is the 996 MOST-capable version (996-642-591-00) which replaces PCM 2.0 (the one with the dialing pad.)
The 997+ PCM3.0 replacement has not yet been released, which is why you can’t buy it. It’s a very different beast. My suspicion is that delays are software related, as PCM3.0 must have 30-pin iPod support due to the factory interface. (There’s also an already factory integrated line-in and USB when optioned with that.)
My only nit to pick here is that the 997.1 has PCM 2.0. 997.2 got 3.0.
Looks like the 997 unit is out in the UK, at least. Says on the Suncoast site they expect Feb/Mar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGwilpM3izM
Doesn’t look like a tough install at all.
Thanks for this! Should come out just in time for the weather to thaw. Not that the system is any great shakes sound-wise, but the nav alone will be worth it on my 997.
It appears someone has been able to order the part and receive it –
https://rennlist.com/forums/audio-and-video-forum/1332269-official-997-porsche-pcm-classic-upgrade-thread.html
I’ve been following that thread and called Porsche of North Houston – they had some older recalled units in stock that they sold before Porsche asked them to send them back.
“Plus, everything’s displayed on a beautiful seven-inch touchscreen, more inches than a lot of us 2000s German car owners are used to having.”
Oooooof.
Gosh darn, I do believe this is good parsh. It’s extra weight as far as mine’s concerned, but I really do appreciate Porsche’s willingness to support its older cars. Shoot, the 944 is the easiest car I own to deal with because most of what it needs is still out there.
(D’oh, that wasn’t supposed to be a reply to you. Anyway, HEY NOW.)
The PCCM is basically THE answer for Porsche owners. Yes, it’s pricey. No, the single DIN version makes no sense. But the PCM replacement version?
That’s the only system you should even consider. One, it integrates with everything, just like the factory PCM. Only better. Two, it’s the cheapest solution. PCM is a non-standard form factor to begin with – it’s not double DIN. PCCM is $1,675 at Pelican for the PCM version (bigger screen, more expensive, obviously.) That gets you literally everything you need for a plug-and-play, factory grade installation.
Doing the same thing with an Alpine head unit as an example? $1000 head unit, $400 to keep steering wheel controls, +$600 if you have a MOST (Bose) system, and you haven’t even got a faceplate, wiring harness, or bracket, forget a USB connector that factory fits into the center console. Oh, yes, that’s the PCCM’s biggest party trick – it includes the MOST fiber optic adapter so you don’t have to replace every speaker and rewire the whole car.
Why do you think the Single DIN version makes no sense? For 911Gs and 944s I think they they make all the sense in the world, price aside. I went with the new(ish) Blaupunkt, but I thought hard about the PCCM.
The single DIN is also great in my 928, and I’m having one put into my 914 as well. Yes, the screen is smaller, but it’s about the same size as the original iPhone. It’s not so small that it’s unusable, and it brings the infotainment up to date. Add in one of the Car2Play or other wireless adapters and you can even have wireless CarPlay. It’s not as good as factory wireless but it does work for the most part.
Exactly right, I actually looked up the screen size of older iPhones to compare. I got Blaupunkts for my 911 and my 944, but I still wonder if they were the right choice.
AND I forgot: the COMMERCIALS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKCPVuKAkfQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eg5M6R6lvZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHvMuWKCgzQ
I’m kinda with you on the single-DIN—I like vintage cars because they don’t have screens or phone connectivity, for Pete’s sake! But my gosh, it’s a better solution than a lot of the gaudy aftermarket head units, so if someone does want all the modern bells and whistles in their car, parsh’s tiny screen would be my pick.
I can’t get away without Waze. The Commonwealth and I have had some…disagreements, so I need to be more careful these days. One way or another.
Also, Stef, if one puts cup holders in race cars, one simply MUST add Bluetooth as well!
I wonder why other OEMs don’t offer these upgrades. In particular a company like Toyota, where people absolutely keep their cars for 10+ years. Aftermarket always doesn’t look quite right IMO. The plastic brackets don’t match. If Toyota would let owners of a 2013 Tacoma upgrade to Carplay/Android Auto, I’d think they’d have some takers.
Planned obsolescence. How can we make money off you every 3-10 years if we are helping you keep a perfectly fine 20 year old car on the road?
That, and it’s a niche part that will inevitably have a very small market. You can get away with that kind of stuff on a classic Porsche (or just an “old” one, I guess) by charging a lot for it, but your average second-gen RAV4 driver is going to go with a cheap aftermarket unit, or more likely just a phone mount, if anything.
Toyota actually offers that.
My biggest complaint with aftermarket systems is that half of them look like shit stuck in an interior. Piano black trim next to grey or black plastic really throws it off.
This is genius, and I’d argue reasonable for a Porsche. Pardon me while I check AutoTempest for a Cayman…
I’m only one sentence in, and i’m already excitedly commenting, because you typed “initialism”.
People are so found of “acronym”, they’ll use it for initialisms that aren’t pronounced as words, so i commend you for selecting the word that means the thing you meant to say.
I can now go back and read the rest of the piece.
Those grey scale icons look so fitting in that red interior, dare I say bespoke? Definitely much better than the standard icons in the lead picture.
How did you not use the most common German initialism ABS?
It’s not Anti-Lock Brake System (it’s missing an L) it’s Antiblockiersystem.