1997 Porsche 993 Twin Turbo Coupe

Summary: A very nice and honest 993 Twin Turbo that has always been in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sold new on 11 December 1996 at MY Porsche to a gentleman in Los Gatos. Four owners from new, current owner since 2004. Extensive maintenance history including new clutch, new clutch slave cylinder, new turbos, new brake rotors, new brake calipers, new tires, new shocks, new torque tube, and resealed transmission. One partial respray (due to crazing and a few chips), no modifications other than steering wheel, strut tower brace, short shift kit, and Fabspeed mufflers. Original steering wheel and mufflers included. Complete with service records, window sticker, books set, compressor, jack, and tools.

The Model

An instant classic, the 993 generation of the Porsche 911 is now highly sought after for a number of reasons. As the last of the air-cooled 911s, they are the most developed of the original formula that first appeared in 1963. The layout of the instruments, the sheetmetal of the door, and the entire greenhouse is fundamentally unchanged from the original 911, and these cars have a feeling of solidity and craftsmanship that was not only missing from the 996 generation that replaced the 993, but is missing from almost every car made in the last 20 years.

Yet despite this old-world craftsmanship and the occasional sign that the fundamental architecture dates back to the 1960s, the 993 is impressively modern, even twenty years after its introduction. The sophisticated multilink rear suspension and massive rear tires tame the often-derided rear placement of the engine, while the twin plug 3.6 liter flat-6 is a torquey high-performance unit that is easy to live and use. The brakes, always a Porsche strong suit, are superb, and the gearbox is Porsche’s robust 6-speed G50 unit. Thus, the 993 lies at a fascinating intersection that separates it from every other 911. Sophisticated and high performance even today, yet capturing the classic essence of the original 911, the 993 is the best of both worlds, and it’s no surprise that they are worth considerably more than the cars that replaced them. 993s are true classics that can be driven and enjoyed daily, and from an investment standpoint, are positioned to continue to appreciate.

The 993 was available in a variety of forms, with naturally-aspirated and turbocharged engines, rear and four wheel drive, wide and narrow bodies, and in open and closed forms. The most iconic of those, at least in the United States, is the 993 Twin Turbo. Fully twenty years after it was introduced, the 993 Twin Turbo remains an impressive performance machine. Its specification bears remarkable similarity to the 959 that stunned the motoring world ten years before that, including 6-speed manual gearbox, all wheel drive, twin turbochargers, 400+hp, which permit 0-60 in the low 4 second range. The grip and performance of the car was virtually unparalleled at the time, and for that reason and many others, they are now highly collectible and have appreciated considerably in the last two years.

This Car

This particular car is a 1997 example, which features a few updates over the 1996 models. In addition to being quite a bit rarer, the 1997 models also featured a stronger main shaft in the gearbox, more easily reflashed ECU, and other detail updates such as a light to illuminate the key hole. Consequently, they are more desirable than 1996 models. This particular car is finished in Arctic Silver with Classic Grey supple leather interior. The other options included aluminum shifter and handbrake handle, color wheel crests, and floor mats. The original sticker price, per the included window sticker, was $111,114.00. It was sold new in Northern California on 11 December 1996 and has always been in the San Francisco Bay Area. Its first owner lived in Los Gatos and is a Silicon Valley tech executive. He retained the car for 2 years before selling it to its next owner.

The car then lived on the peninsula before being acquired by its current San Francisco owner in October 2004 with 42,500 miles. Since then, it has been extremely well-maintained and is a very cosmetically attractive and mechanically sorted example. Over the 10 years its current owner has had it, the car has been maintained at Devek, Hi Tec, and S Car Go. In addition to routine services, the car has had several significant maintenance items addressed including all four brake rotors, all four shocks (Bilstein HD), and new clutch 6500 miles ago. The driveshaft was replaced and the transmission resealed 1000 miles ago. In 2005, the turbos were replaced (with stock turbos) and a new clutch slave cylinder installed. A pair of uninstalled stock turbos with 20,000 miles is included with the car. The front half of the car was repainted in 2007 due to rock chips and some crazing to the paint.

The car is largely unmodified, with a few easily reversible modifications including Fabspeed mufflers (the originals are included), three spoke Porsche Tequipment sport steering wheel with suede rim (the original is included), strut tower bar, and short shift kit. Neither of the last two is visible. The car is also complete with window sticker, complete books set (including stamped service book), tool roll with tools, air compressor, and service records from the current ownership period, in addition to a Porsche dealer VIN printout that details the dealer service history of this car prior to the current ownership period.

Condition

Cosmetically, the car is excellent overall. The body is straight with excellent presentation of the paintwork. There are very few paint blemishes, just a few small chips. The repainting work the car had was done to high standards and matches the rest of the car well. There is crazing visible on the side mirrors and tail in direct sunlight and the engine lid grille is slightly warped. The factory clear fender protectors on the rear fenders are slightly yellowed. The wheels are in very good condition with minor curbing on the rear wheels only. The glass and lights are excellent throughout, as is the trim.

The interior is also in excellent condition, with excellent leather dash. The leather on the seats shows some mellowing but no major wear or damage, and the balance of the leather shows essentially no wear or aging. The gauges and instruments are excellent throughout, and the carpets are similarly nice other than four screw holes visible on close inspection on the transmission tunnel just aft of the center console, between the rear seats (likely from a car phone or similar). The driver’s side door check strap is noisy.

The engine compartment is dominated by the massive intercooler, but is clean and stock in appearance. The factory decals are in place throughout. The trunk carpet shows some discoloration but is intact. Beneath the carpet, the inner fenders, trunk floor, and other visible structural elements are excellent, being straight and very clean. A cut off switch has been added to the battery and the factory options sticker is still present on the underside of the front deck lid.

Summary

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire an unmolested example of the highly desirable 993 Twin Turbo. They are in many ways the ultimate 911. The last and fastest air-cooled 911, their performance is impressive even twenty years on, yet they retain the character and quality that has always made the air-cooled 911 so desirable. As a result, their values have exploded in recent years, yet they still represent strong value, particularly when compared to older 911s, which suggests that there is plenty of room for continued appreciation. This particular example is very complete, has been maintained without regard for cost, and has good history, having always been in Northern California. It runs and drives great and is ready to enjoy.