Ten years ago, heading to the French coast from Cologne early one September morning, with nothing on the road, there I was, travelling at a speed that would get me into trouble in the UK. In front of me was the panoramic view of the road ahead, the big central rev counter at a steady 5000rpm, the engine making that distinct hard growl, though most noise at gets left behind at speed…it felt good to be driving.

That’s what the 993 is all about, the pleasure of the drive.

The 911 993 was the last of the air cool Porsche, the culmination of everything that Porsche had learned from 30 years of 911 evolution, and millions of miles on the racetracks of the world.

This Porsche works.

Introduced in 1993 for the 1994 model year, the 993 was more than a simply restyled 964, under the skin hid a clever multi-link rear suspension, reducing squat, improving handling, and with a system called Kinematic toe to improve high speed cornering (we are one of the few places that can accurately align these cars).

The engines were a development of the 964, known to be immensely strong, built to a quality rather than price, easier to service, and producing more power (272hp up to 1996, and 285hp for 96, 97 and 98). This was coupled with a 6-speed transmission, or the option of a surprisingly effective Tiptronic.

Noticeable is the more aerodynamic shape, with the headlamps laying flatter (like the race cars), and with touches you might not spot such as, the glazing was smoothed out with the front and rear screens providing additional rigidity, the interface between windows & body smoothed, and then there are the tiny seals that keeping the wind out of the edge of the door frame. It’s details like these that are typical of the Porsche attention to detail and combine to make it such an impressive car.

Inside has had the same attention to detail, with seats built by Recaro, better ergonomics, better heating & ventilation, and better sound proofing – all made the 993 a significant step forward.

It’s hard to believe these are now ‘classic’ Porsche.

Today’s market has evolved as all do, with the spotlight of popularity slowly moving forward with the times, and the 90’s becoming ever more popular. I can see 993 accelerating in popularity as they are recognised to be a great option that combines classic Porsche ownership, with a machine that you could hop in and head for Italy without a second thought. It seems to me, that now is the time to pop a 993 in your garage.

There is no duff model, people discuss the merits of manual, though the Tiptronic remains a really good option for those that like driving to be less about max speed and more about calm enjoyment.

The normally aspirated 272hp or 285hp engine, I wouldn’t care which, for me, it would be choices between the coupe, the convertible (with a one button high quality folding top) or the, new for the 993, panoramic glass roof Targa.

The Coupe can also be of turbo appearance, here you find the C2S and the C4S, both with the turbo nose and rear quarters. Lastly, there is the 993RS which has always attracted the experts and investors, and these are now reaching £350,000 and sometimes more. The Turbo 993 are something special too, a transcontinental rocket with 4-wheel drive, twin turbo, and over 400hp, prices for turbo? Typically, £150,000 to £200,000 (May 2023)

So, what to do? Buy on the condition that suits you, buy with KNOWN condition from an expert source, as that way you get less risk of any ugly surprises and almost guaranteed ownership satisfaction. We supply 993 that we DO know, and we DO reveal the actual condition, its better then to have a ‘drivers’ quality example if your aim is to take the dog to the beach and thrash it across the Alps, but if it’s for show and investment, then you need a true high-quality example that’s not a tarted up shiny online mistake.

Final thoughts, right hand drive or left-hand drive? Currently, the market value for left is a little behind that of the right hand, so your budget will go further. We don’t predict this market to fall in value. What will happen is the popularity will increase, the usability will become more valuable, the poor cars will be too expensive to restore (for now), and the good cars will remain in long term ownership, thereby reducing supply. Values are derived from supply (reducing) and demand (increasing). That’s our view.

Can you cope with left-hand drive? Yes, these cars have great visibility, are easy to place on the road, and given an afternoons use, you will soon become accustomed to sitting a metre from the ‘normal’ spot. Crikey, my mum used to drive left-hand just fine, and I am sure you can too.

Do you want to find out more?

Get in touch, we always have Porsche 993 here for sale, and should we not have one that suits, we’re sure we can find you one.

ADRIAN FOCUSES ON THE 993 IN THIS WEEKS WALKABOUT WEDNESDAY