But why a Porsche 993? Adrian Crawford takes a closer look.

If I could choose my top 3 memorable Porsche drives, three of them would be in Porsche 993.

Madrid in Spain, through to Northwest Brittany.

To catch the ferry home was some 1300 km and travelling on my own there was plenty of time to get to know every centimetre of the car. What it can do? How does it feel? How does it handle a high-speed journey? This time it was a 95 model Carrera 2 manual coupe, capable of 170+ mph.

What was so impressive, on that sunny November day, was its ability to cover the ground fast, to give the driver real confidence, and to build up to its cruising speed and well beyond…

Plymouth to Paris.

I had agreed to deliver this vesuvio purple LHD C2S tiptronic to a client in Paris, and I had promised my wife a lovely weekend too. But it was dark, dirty, and incredibly cold. However, i could not have wished to be travelling in a better car. Arrow straight at any pace it delivered us to Paris feeling great, though the purple was by now completely invisible, along with the rear number plate. 543 miles and 10 hours…so says Google maps, but in a 993 we arrived early.

Saltash Sunday drive.

Getting up before the birds one Sunday morning for a ‘drive out’ that would see me passing through Tavistock, Okehampton, Launceston, and back home before breakfast. 88 empty miles in a left-hand drive 993 Turbo was unforgettable. Immense power, secure handling a certainly a Sunday to remember.

A car needs to give you confidence in its feedback to cover such long journeys, but too much feedback can fatigue the driver. It’s a balance that Porsche excel at, notably in 993. It should also provide the driver comfort in terms of seating and warmth, whilst keeping the wind, road, and engine noise to a minimum – though at speed you leave the engine noise far behind.

Why is a 993 so special?

It’s the last of a long line of air-cooled development, typical of German engineering, they gradually honed and improved every aspect of the 911. With a 3.6 air cooled dry sump engine, and either a 6 speed or tiptronic transmission, it gives a robust power plant, that’s easy to maintain and a pleasure to use.

Every aspect of the 993 was refined compared to previous generation, but nothing was lost. Some major changes were obvious, but there were hundreds of minor improvements that combined to make the 993 the most refined of all air cool Porsche.

The 993 received improved aerodynamics, flush glass, and with the multi-link rear suspension and wider track it provided a better ride, improved handling, and improved noise suppression too. While cabin noise was reduced, and comfort improved, visibility improved with far better lighting and wipers. Even the fabric roof of convertibles was revised and made more elegant.

We have a selection here in the showroom, which is what prompted me to write this piece. They seem like good value to me. Although we can’t offer ‘cheap’, we can offer value in the things that are ‘beneath the surface’. Preparation, transparency, service, knowledge, warranties and simply looking after our customers.

Whichever model you choose, coupe, cabrio, left or right hand drive, manual or tiptronic, a good 993 is a joy to drive.

To experience one now call us for a test drive. Our selection includes examples from a shade over £45,000. They will not remain at this value forever.

Could you have one on your drive for Christmas? Contact our team for a test drive.