1989 Porsche 930 Turbo G50

This magnificent Guards Red 930 Turbo was built in 1989, which was the model’s final year of production.

That means that the proven and largely bullet-proof engine is mated to the equally proven, just-as-bullet-proof and considerably more flexible 5-speed G50 gearbox.

It’s widely acknowledged to be the best combination and the reason why these final iterations of the 930 Turbo are rightly praised and much sought-after.

The factory specification includes electrically adjustable and heated front seats, electric windows, climate control and a sunroof. A Blaupunkt stereo is also installed.

We have driven the car and can report that it starts on the button, picks up pace with a degree of enthusiasm and urge that’s never less than grin-inducing, and unleashes each tsunami of lag-delayed Turbo lunacy with visceral, spine-tingling, seat-of-the-pants ferocity.

And all to a bewitching soundtrack of metallic shrieks, snarls, pops, roars and barks emanating from somewhere secret and mysterious deep inside the flat-six powerplant.

However you drive it, the car feels properly screwed together, very solid and fettled and tweaked to be the optimal version of itself.

None of which should come as any surprise.

The car has just 70,000 miles on the clock and a recent previous owner was none other than Frank Cassidy, acknowledged enthusiast, afficionado and doyen among air-cooled 911 whisperers.

The car’s service and maintenance history reads like a Who’s Who of 911 experts, with a thick file of bills and invoices from and to Frank Cassidy, AutoFarm, JZM Porsche, RPM Technik, RSR Developments and Paragon Porsche among others.

The work to upgrade the car was carried out by Paragon and included an engine rebuild, period Andial intercooler, Borla exhaust, larger K27 turbocharger, uprated camshafts, uprated Bilstein shock absorbers, and a new clutch.

The car has been the recipient of a full, windows-out respray.

New anti-roll bars have also been fitted, along with a strut brace and torsion bar plates.

Being Guards Red, this is the 911 Turbo that people of a certain vintage (your author being one of them) remember from 1980’s posters, adverts and programmes about loadsamoney city traders.

The only slight deviation from the poster-boy looks are the black powder-coated Fuchs alloys, which were transitioned to their current hue by AutoFarm in 2019.

They are in excellent, unmarked condition and are shod in Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tyres at the rear and Yokohama Advan A052 rubber at the front.

The bodywork is entirely free of any dinks, dents, creases or other aberrations that we can detect, and the shut-lines and panel gaps are all you would wish to find on one of Zuffenhausen’s finest.

The doors close with the uniquely crisp, precise, metallic thunk that only 911s of a certain age seem able to achieve.

It’s a delight to hear and a constant reminder that these things were built to extraordinarily high standards.

Everything is solid and rattle-free.

The rear spoiler doesn’t budge when gently pressed (always a good sign) and the exterior plastics and rubber that can sometimes fade to grey have remained resolutely pitch-black and free of any cracking or crazing.

The red paintwork is vibrant and possessed of plenty of shine and lustre.

Aside from a few stone chips in the usual places - the front bumper, valance and the ‘nose’ of the car – it all looks pretty much as good as new.

We spotted what could be a little bit of overspray or possibly signs of a previous touch-up on top of the n/s/r wheel-arch. The rubber seal around the sunroof is a little crimped in a couple of places.

The lights, lenses, badging and all other exterior fixtures and fittings all appear to be in very fine fettle.

Basically, it’s all very good indeed.

The wonderment and splendidness continue unabated on the inside.

Entirely predictably, given that they’re only suitable for the very young, the very small or the very flexible, the rear ‘seats’ don’t look as if they’ve ever played host to much more than the odd bag of shopping.

The famously comfortable and supportive front seats are in very good condition even for the car’s mileage, never mind its age, and aside from a little wear to the red piping on the backrest outer bolsters, you’d think they were far newer items.

By modern standards the interior of a 930 Turbo is a simple, spartan, uncluttered place.

Which is no bad thing in such a pure and determinedly driver-focussed machine.

The steering wheel, gear-lever, handbrake and other controls are beyond criticism, as is the dashboard’s basic array of knobs, buttons, dials, switches, instruments and dials.

The headlining, carpets and mats are in broadly irreproachable condition.

The door card on the driver’s side is in fine order and the storage bin is solid and secure.

It’s counterpart on the passenger door is rather less solid and secure and could do with being properly re-affixed.

As far as we’re aware, all electrical items do what they’re supposed to do.

The frunk is in good order and contains a space-saver spare wheel. The strut holding the frunk open could do with re-gassing.

Obviously, there’s not much to be learned from peering into the engine bay of a 911.

That said, what we can see appears to be clean, dry and in its right and proper place.

The undersides seem to be particularly well preserved, and everything looks to have a reassuring amount of structural integrity.

Nothing has given us any reason to tut, frown or shake our heads.

Aside from the fabulous provenance of having been owned, fettled and curated by Frank Cassidy, the car can also hold its head high in terms of a fully stamped-up service book and a thick wad of bills, invoices, receipts and other bits and pieces attesting to a life of unbroken care and attention lavished upon it by the best Porsche 911 people in the business.

It has an MoT – with no advisories whatsoever – that’s valid until 14th October 2025.

The car comes with a recent, clear HPI report, full sets of keys and various original guides and manuals.

In the documents section you will find a letter written by Jason Shepherd of Paragon.

He wrote, “This car is in exceptional condition for her age and type. A thing of beauty to behold and to use. She is the best-driving 930 that I have ever experienced; a car that we are proud to have sold (again).”

High praise indeed, and we wouldn’t argue with any of it.

It’s the best one we’ve experienced, too.

Really, we can’t fault it.

We wish it was ours.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £110,000 - £130,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.