• Superb to drive, tight as a drum • Just serviced
The Appeal
The Porsche 911 is perhaps the most significant dynasty in motoring history, the roots of the rear-engined and air-cooled formula stretching way back to Ferdinand Porsche’s endeavours with the original ‘people’s car’ back in the 1930s, and the legacy continuing into the showrooms today.
The 911 era we’re considering here, the one designated ‘993’, represents something of a turning point in the model line’s very essence: this generation, built from 1994-98, was the last to feature an air-cooled engine. It was all-change when the water-cooled 996 arrived to replace it, and for many enthusiasts the 993 is the most desirable of the lot – not just for the end-of-an-era definition, but for the fact that it was a magnificent evolution of the formula in its own right.
Whereas its predecessor, the 964, carried over much of the classic 911s in its architecture, the 993 was largely a clean-sheet design. An all-new multi-link suspension setup mated to a light-alloy subframe meant that the car was more civilised and the handling more predictable, while the flat-six motor benefitted from the VarioRam system to improve low-end torque.
The body design worked around the 964’s hard points but entirely reworked the silhouette, with more pronounced wheel arches, revised integrated bumpers, teardrop mirrors and a large retractable rear wing.
A number of variants were offered, including rear- and all-wheel-drive layouts, Targa, Cabriolet and Turbo versions and much more besides. The car we have here is arguably the sweet spot of the range: the Carrera models were the lightest of the bunch, with the 3.6-litre M64 engine having just 1,400kg or so to shove down the road in this Carrera 4 guise.
The all-wheel-drive model benefits from an Automatic Braking Differential system, and the setup was markedly lighter than that in the outgoing 964 Carrera 4. Every individual improvement leads up to a big difference, and the 993 Carrera 4 is widely regarded as a connoisseur’s choice. And with its fully stamped service history and desirable colour combination, this particular C4 looks like a very good buy indeed…xg5ZlXMBtSgIfnc3oGCURncQfFEUQwbLBHaW7PiL.jpeg2.85 MB
The History and Paperwork
• MOT till January 2023
• Fully stamped service book – all by Porsche specialists
• Original manuals in their correct wallet
• 2018 invoice for a full paint correction and detail inside-and-out - £2,645
• 2018 invoice for new front indicators and side repeaters - £252
• 2019 invoice for air-con re-gas, new front bonnet gas struts, and repairs to horn, key remotes, door locks, heater and handbrake shoes - £320
• Dated list of owner changes, noting previous cherished registration numbers
The 993 has a superbly focused interior, beautifully packaged for sporting driving as well as grand touring; indeed, if you’ve got a couple of small friends there’s even room for them in the back! The blue dash and steering wheel are complemented by tasteful light grey leather – there’s wear to the driver’s seat, as you’d expect of this age and mileage, but the rest is in lovely order. (The driver’s seat wear is also just on the bolsters rather than the base or upright, so it should be simple to topically retrim.) The seats tilt forward as they should, and they’re also electrically adjustable in numerous directions.
Everything in the interior is completely standard-spec, except for the addition of an aftermarket Pioneer CD/radio head unit. The gauges are working correctly, as is every switch and button. The car is fitted with a factory sunroof, which is in good working order and slides back and forth with ease. The electric windows raise and lower quickly and freely, and the button to activate the rear spoiler works correctly. The carpets, headlining and doorcards are all in good condition, and inside the front boot we find everything dry and tidy, with the original tool roll, a tyre inflater, and the space-saver spare wheel.
The L39C-code Midnight Blue paintwork is a superb choice for the 993, appearing dark in low light but bursting with dazzling sparkle in the sunshine. The bodywork of this car is beautifully presented, testament to having been so lovingly looked after by its current and previous owners; aside from a small area of surface corrosion bubbling beneath the paint ahead of the nearside rear wheel, it all appears pleasingly solid too.
There are small cracks to each of the taillight units, but the overall presentation of the car is lovely – as the photos demonstrate, it looks great and there’s not a bad angle to be found. All of the correct trim pieces and badges are in place, the window glass is all in good condition, there are uniform panel gaps throughout, and the wheels are in great order with no kerbing and the correct centre caps.
The tyres have decent tread, although the fronts are a little perished and would benefit from replacement before too long. On the whole, a beautifully presented example in just the right colour to turn heads through the summer.jQLeHnY2b5BEoBgXI424OR7iAmV3JCBI4djUUEXs.jpeg2.39 MB
The Mechanicals
• Always maintained by specialists
• Eager performance, and comfy around town
• Sure-footed all-wheel-drive system
The VarioRam-equipped M64 is a trusty and dependable thing, offering a pleasingly Jekyll-and-Hyde character which is both smooth and tractable when cruising and around town, and amusingly hedonistic when you open the taps.
The history with this car proves that it’s always been serviced correctly and at the appropriate times, and this is evident in the manner in which it behaves today: the venerable flat-six fires up without drama, and idles quietly and evenly. It pulls strongly through the revs and performs exactly as a 993 should. The brakes feel strong, although advisories on the MOT suggest that the discs are due for replacement – there’s a warning light illuminated on the dash to reflect this.
The gearbox is slick, shifting with precision, and the owner reports no issues at all with the suspension or steering. This is a very pleasant 911 to drive, and what really stands out is how tight it feels – there are no rattles, squeaks, knocks, or any real indication that this is a 26-year-old car with 99k on the clock. It feels fresh, youthful and eager.
There’s a reason why so many 911 enthusiasts stay so brand-loyal. And it’s not just a case of falling in love; this is a decision arrived at via the head as much as the heart. The quirkiness of the rear-engined platform, the sonorous air-cooled flat-six, the widescreen array of dials, it all adds character to the formula, and these machines are engineered to handle with verve and vivacity.
What really completes the package, however, is how the 911 makes it look so darned easy – there’s no hissy-fits when trying to start on cold mornings, no oozing coagulations of fluids on the driveway, no rattly interior trim; these are well-built cars designed for reliable and regular use, which also happen to be hilariously entertaining sports cars.
For many, the 993 is the one to have for the way it looks and the manner in which it’s engineered as much as the zeitgeist-capturing nature of its air-cooled swansong. And 993s don’t come a lot more alluring than this Carrera 4: solid and provable history, superb running order, maintained by specialists, desirable colour, it ticks all of the boxes. A true polymath, and a superb example of the breed.
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