You can now stick a modern infotainment system in a classic Porsche

Old Porsches are great. Modern infotainment systems are great, too. But what if you could combine the two? That’s the question Porsche has asked, and answered, with its new offering: Porsche Classic Communication Management (PCCM), that brings modern conveniences to its vintage “and young classic” cars. "Young classic," isn't that cute?

Each PCCM module includes a 3.5-inch touch-sensitive display, six buttons, and two rotary knobs, supports DAB+ and Apple CarPlay, and brings onboard navigation to drivers who’ve likely had to rely on a smartphone and a windscreen suction-cup phone cradle until now. Don't feel too sorry for them, though, as they were still driving a Porsche after all. But the addition of PCCM does mean they'll likely be less distracted, which is good news for everyone else.

Broad compatibility — The PCCM comes in two variants, each designed to replace the original radios from classic Porsches that used either "1-DIN or 2-DIN dimensions.” Both iterations come packaged in suitably faux-retro packaging, with puns like "Born to be loud" and "Highway to yell" proudly printed on them.

Designed to match — Both versions of the PCCM are finished in black and are intended to blend in with Porsche’s overall aesthetic. They’re compatible with everything from “the first 911 models of the 1960s and the last 911 with air cooling from the start of the 1990s (993 model series.)” Though, if you’ve got an even earlier model, Porsche says it can probably make the units work in it, too.

Unsurprisingly, the company recommends buyers let it do the fitting, but if you’re far from a Porsche center or a DIY sort, mail order and self-installation is also an option. The units are available for €1,606.51 (in keeping with the German precision of that price tag, that's $1,732.22 at the time of writing) but presumably there's also a labor charge if you get the pros to do the installation.

Kids from the '90s can play, too — If you own a 911 from the 996 generation or a '90s era Boxter, your car is already compatible with 2-DIN radios and infotainment systems. For you, Porsche has the PCCM Plus, which boosts the display size to 7 inches, works with the existing navigation displays in the instrument cluster, and includes support for Android Auto.

Classics are getting modern — We love the idea of a vintage Porsche with new-age features. But then, we love the thought of ultra-modern apocalypse-grade Porsches, too. Perhaps we just like Porsches. But Porsche isn’t the only car company mixing retro charm with contemporary features and toying with our emotions in the process.

Two years ago, Jaguar infamously offered those with an E-type lying around the option to make it fully electric via a retrofit. A year later it announced plans for a production version called the E-type Zero, which we'd gladly have traded a vital organ for, before tragically reneging on that plan.

Meanwhile, an entire cottage industry has sprung up around converting vintage gas-guzzlers into EVs, and companies like Porsche are looking for ways to bring contemporary convenience to collectibles. Blessedly, it turns out living in the future doesn’t have to mean turning your back on, or your taste away from, the past.