1997 Porsche 911

This great looking 993 Convertible should tick all the enthusiasts’ boxes. Fitted with the more powerful VarioRam engine feeding propulsion through the six speed G50 gearbox and presented in a totally original condition. Lightly used by a number of owners and boasting a sensible sub 100,000 mileage, this example features some sought-after extras too. These include the yellow bezelled Carrera gauges and the wing backed sports seats with composite and Porsche inscribed seat backs.

The car has been in the proud ownership of Chris for the last 11 years. He admits that this was not his first or, by any means, his last Porsche. He is a self-confessed petrolhead with a particular penchant for Porsches, Alfa Romeos and Lancias.

Having previously owned a 997,He became determined to add a convertible 993 to his stable of cars. “For a long time, it was my dream car” says Chris. This car fit the bill perfectly. For a couple of years he used the 993 daily and enjoyed every minute of it. At the time it became the oldest car he owned and yet he found that its performance belied that age. “It goes like a rocket” he confesses.

As other cars arrived he used the 993 less and less, the evidence being that it has covered less than 5,000 miles in the last 10 years. With a collection now approaching 20 cars,he has committed to reducing the numbers a little this year with the hope of freeing up some much-needed space.

With the 993 looking purposeful in its Porsche Arctic Silver (L92U) paintwork and sitting squarely on its original 17-inch “Cup II” five-spoke alloys this is a very original and eye-catching example. The signature Carrera script along the flanks contrasts well with the bright silver paintwork. With the dark-blue fabric hood up or down the car manages to exude an air of power, sophistication and unmistakeable 911 provenance. Tony Hatter’s design, even after 25 years, remains a triumph and it is easy to see why this period of 911 remains a favourite of so many.

Despite that, this remains a 25-year-old car of course. Consequently, there are a number of age-related blemishes and marks inevitably present. Our photographer has captured these in our comprehensive photographic package. Examples include some minor bubbling to the nearside windscreen gutter and some car park related minor scuffs and scratches to the bodywork extremities. The original Cup II alloy wheels exhibit some lacquer or paint bubbling in places, and a light refurbishment may further enhance the excellent presentation of the car.

Overall, however this 993 is a really well-presented example for its age and mileage. The paint exhibits a deep and lustrous shine throughout, and the panel gaps appear of the usual Porsche “vault-like” standard. The dark blue, fabric hood was reportedly replaced around 14 years ago and presents in an excellent, used condition. The rear window is clear and uncracked, and an original Porsche tonneau cover is included. Chris reports that the soft top operates swiftly and smoothly at the touch of the button.

Much like the exterior, the comfortable cabin remains “recognisably 911” with its lineage back to its early forebears still charmingly evident in places. That in no way diminishes the comfort, practicality, and luxury of this leather trimmed interior, however.

Predominantly trimmed in Marble Grey leather, the interior exudes a light and airy ambiance. The wing-backed sports seats are a highlight, exquisitely finished in perforated leather. These feature the composite back panels complete with inset Porsche emblems. The front seats are electrically adjustable and provide an admirable amount of support for those inevitable twisty sections of road. The condition is excellent with only the driver’s seat bolster exhibiting some discolouration and wear.

The rear seats are not for the fainthearted given their diminutive dimensions and upright backs. They are, however, in excellent condition and do fold forward to provide some very useful additional storage.

The carpets are in a complimentary grey and retain a good pile and appear to be in excellent condition throughout. The door cards are trimmed in the same Marble Grey leather and appear pristine. Both the door cappings and the top and bottom dash panels are trimmed in a contrasting Midnight Blue leather. The leather steering wheel is original and also finished in Midnight Blue.

The wheel sits ahead of a comprehensive instrument binnacle with the big, signature 911 tachometer mounted slap, bang in the centre and hence always in the driver’s eye-line. The instruments are attractively edged in yellow, and the tachometer carries the distinctive Carrera script.

The front luggage compartment is trimmed in matching grey carpet and houses the original jack, tool roll and spare wheel. The factory original and informative build sticker is present on the luggage compartment hood, an item of importance and interest to the Porsche connoisseur.

The 3.6L air-cooled M64/21 engine fitted to this car proved to be a gem of a unit. Uprated from the 993’s original engine courtesy of the innovative VarioRam induction system. This bit of Stuttgart trickery optimised airflow at various engine speeds to deliver increased power and torque, especially in the mid-ranges.

Whilst this model was the last air-cooled 911 it was also the first with a six-speed version of the desirable G50 gearbox. This combination of lasts and firsts makes this somewhat of an enthusiast’s dream car. It was certainly Chris’s dream car, and he was initially very impressed with the performance the car delivers and remains equally impressed some 11 years later.

In his ownership the car has enjoyed the two-fold benefit of covering few miles and having been expertly maintained by Welsh Porsche in Cardiff run by Paul Welsh. Paul is well known within Porsche circles for being a specialist in his area. he had them undertake a major service in 2017 and an interim service earlier this year. Between those services the car has covered approximately 300 miles.

It should come as no surprise then that Chris reports the car to be in rude health, running well and sounding amazing. The underside of the car and the engine bay also present very well which is usually a sure sign of fastidious maintenance and sympathetic ownership.

This 993 comes with a range of provenance providing paperwork as you will see from our photographic package. First and foremost is the current V5 registration document in Chris’s name and noting six previous owners.

There are a number of invoices for work undertaken including the two most recent ones for the servicing undertaken by independent specialists Welsh Porsche the latest one being in June 2022 which included a minor service and included exhaust and inlet cam cover gaskets also in October 2019 a major service was undertaken by the same specialists pictures of these are in the gallery . The rest of the paperwork comprises previous hard copy MoT’s which help support and verify the miniscule mileage covered in recent years.

Hindsight truly is a wonderful thing. In this case it has shown us the importance of the 993 in the Porsche 911 lineage, one that is still going strong nearly sixty years after the first car’s launch. In amongst a dizzying catalogue of specification variations, changes and model year refreshes the 993 stands tall as a milestone car. The last of the air-cooled Porsche 911’s.

To suggest that is the car’s only achievement of note, however, would be a travesty as the 993 is an excellent car in so many ways. To many eyes it is one of the most successful, and perhaps dramatic, evolutions of the line. It is more muscular with many of the sharper edges of its predecessors refined into gentle curves. It performs impressively too. Light by today’s standards and with a 282 bhp sting in tail this is a sub six second to sixty car with a 160mph plus top speed.

Combine all these attributes and factor in a relatively modest, by Porsche standards, convertible production run of under 8,000 and we believe this to be a car with a bright future. It’s not just a great drivers’ car still capable of stirring the soul but it shows all the signs of being a solidly appreciating asset too.

Our estimate for this car is £35,000 - £40,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located in Cardiff, to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.