1968 Porsche 912

Sympathetically restored to a very good standard, owned for 30 years prior to import Purchased by a Porsche enthusiast with over 20 years racing experience including 24h Daytona and 24 Le Mans works drives Just under 42,000 miles showing, attractive burgundy metallic bodywork with correct black leatherette interior Revered for their excellent balanced handling, a short-wheel-based Porsche for sensible money The Porsche 911 was introduced in 1963 to great acclaim and has become one of the world's most enduring sports car designs. In replacing the 356, customers immediately noticed the differences from its predecessor, as in addition to being more modern and more powerful, it was also considerably more expensive, especially in the US. In Europe too, this was a problem, so to remedy this, a year after 911 production commenced, Porsche had a bit of a rethink and introduced the similarly bodied 912 as an entry-level/transitional model with the new car entering production in April 1965. Essentially a 911 fitted with the well-established 1600cc 356-type flat four, the 912 was a very capable modern sports-car in period, but was importantly more affordable, selling at near-356 prices. The 912 produced 90bhp, some 40 horsepower less than the 911's six-cylinder engine, but this deficit was offset by significantly reduced weight, resulting in a better-balanced car with greatly improved road manners and better economy. The combination of the four-cylinder engine and the 'slippery' 911 shape was capable of achieving 30 mpg. This new model had all the looks and style of the 911 whilst sharing its gearbox, monocoque steel chassis, independent front torsion bar and trailing arm rear suspension, and all-round disc brakes. Despite being down on power, the agile 912 had a respectable top speed of 119mph, while the UK list price of ú2,467 undercut the 911 by around 16%. A little over 30,000 examples were produced at Karmann's works (Porsche's factory was fully occupied with the 911) between 1965 and 1968, and today the 912 is a relative rarity when compared with its better-known sibling. The car presented here is a left-hand drive, short wheelbase, 1968 (model year) Porsche 912, and although not matching-numbers, is fitted with a correct year 912 unit. Imported from California in 2014, the car is now UK-registered, with a current MoT, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, a driver's manual, tool kit, and spare wheel. Our vendor confirms that the car is in excellent driving condition, being mechanically strong and rust-free, it starts well and the transmission is smooth and responsive. It's attractively finished in a striking Medium Burgundy Metallic with good panel gaps and the interior, refinished with the correct black leatherette, is also in fine order. As enthusiasts know, these 912 models are becoming more and more desirable, with good examples becoming much harder to find. This delightful 912 is certainly a practical classic that could be lovingly used for many years to come.