2011 Porsche 911 Turbo (997)

First registered on 3rd June 2011, this 911 (997.2) Turbo cabriolet with PDK gearbox has now covered 61,000 miles, which is fairly low compared to some and works out at fewer than 7,000 miles a year on average. Being the cabriolet, the performance figures are a little lower but still very impressive, reaching 62mph in 3.5secs and powering on to a theoretical top speed of 194mph.

The car was bought by the current owner in June 2018. He had owned various 911s before and liked to step up in power each time so he’d “been pining for” just such a car for five or six years.

What he liked most about the car was how it looked, especially when he took it up the Champs Élysées, and the combination of its everyday usability with exhilaration on tap for the weekend. He reports that there are bucket loads of fun to be had with the PDK gearbox in Sports mode as well as, for the more daring, a pant-soiling Sports Plus setting!

Having done it’s stint, covering around 13,000 miles over two years without letting him down, a brand new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio has recently replaced the 997 turbo as his daily driver which has even more power and everyday usability. So this glamorous Cabrio is looking for a new home.

The car looks great in its Basalt Black metallic finish which appears pretty good all round with just a few minor issues here and there. For example, there’s a scrape on the offside front corner, light scratching on the bonnet and driver’s door, and some speed-bump scuffs under the front chin spoiler. There’s also evidence of a bonnet respray at some point in its history.

Being the Turbo model this 997 has the characteristic twin side air intakes and the ‘bi-plane’ rear spoiler with electro-hydraulic lift on the top wing. The folding fabric roof looks in good order with no damage or leaks and operates well, as expected. When stowed, the roof cover presents in a good to fair condition with what looks like the after-effects of a little mildew to one side, although this shouldn’t be difficult to rectify.

The car sits on upgraded 19-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels from the 997.2 Turbo S all in good a condition.

Through the alloys, you can clearly see the yellow brake calipers denoting the presence of PCCB (Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes), an expensive option over the standard setup and not commonplace, even on the Turbo models.

We’re looking after this 911 Turbo at The Market HQ near Abingdon, Oxfordshire during the sale so why not use the ‘Contact Seller’ option to arrange a personal inspection. If you’re limiting travel at the moment we can always set up a video call and give you a closer look at any areas of concern.

When specifying a cabriolet, the inside is even more important than for a coupé as, when the top is down, all is on show. What could have been all black and rather nondescript is brought to life with flashes of bright red in the seat panels and stitched Porsche crests in the headrests. Carpets and fitted floor mats all look clean and intact.

The part-leather front seats are electric with memory and present in a very good condition with no discernible scuffs or tears. The steering wheel is also leather around the rim and features the early PDK button-shifters. Whilst some drivers prefer the buttons, being able to shift up and down with either hand whilst turning the wheel, there are straightforward upgrade options for those preferring paddle shift.

The main instruments are in the classic Porsche five-dial configuration and have white faces for greater readability. In the centre of the dash top sits the Sports Chrono clock, which let’s face it is more of a decorative ornament than something especially useful on a daily basis but is still a very desirable addition. The centre console features the original entertainment and nav unit with the optional Bose speakers. All equipment is understood to be working correctly.

As befits its relative youth and lowish mileage, the interior of this car is still very strong.

Inside the front boot all is tidy and clean and the carpeted linings intact. The rubber seals around the opening appear in good order and the lid itself appears undamaged and without corrosion.

The view underneath the car consists largely of acres of plastic undertrays which not only give a degree of protection to the underbody and mechanicals but also form a flatter surface which enables a smoother transit of air under the car for better aerodynamic performance. Further back, the engine appears intact and relatively clean for one that’s hung out behind the rear axle and subjected to all the dirt and grime kicked up by the driving wheels.

Opening the letter-box engine cover, again all looks very clean and tidy although like all 911s very little can be seen of the engine itself through this opening. What hoses, ducting and ancillaries that are visible appear in very good condition.

The car comes with a long current MOT, valid until Sep 2021. The online test history shows that the only issues have been down to consumables like tyres and wiper blades and an illegal number plate. It also shows that most years, the car has been in regular use covering at least a few thousand miles annually and around 13,000 trouble free miles in current ownership since mid 2018.

There is very little in the way of documentary history for the car, save for the last service docket from Porsche Hatfield in June 2019. The original pouch and owner’s manuals are present but the service booklet was never passed on by the dealer, despite a few months of pestering, and eventually declared lost. An enterprising new owner could make contact with Porsche GB, who will have a computer record, and begin piecing its service history back together. Verbally we understand it to be:

- Porsche Bristol - first two services

- Porsche Colchester - next service

- Porsche Hatfield - most recent service (as shown in the gallery)

This 997.2 Turbo Cabriolet presents a fantastic opportunity to get your hands on one of the first Porsche 911’s to feature more modern functionality like PDK and launch control. Added to that it looks amazing and has performance way beyond its non-turbo contemporaries. For even more enjoyment, you can experience the acceleration and thunderous noise of this turbocharged flat six in the open air with the roof down.

Turbo variants of all 911 variants are highly desirable and sought after and values reflect this compared to normally aspirated models. Not quite perfect externally but still pretty good, with solid mechanicals and well specified, we think that this second generation 997 Turbo will fetch between £59,000 and £65,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.