** Regretfully Withdrawn ** 1979 Porsche 911 SC Coupé

The arrival of the 3.0-litre 911 SC in the 1978 model line up brought some semblance of order to the Porsche range after the mid-seventies. The middle of this decade was a period epitomised by the once maligned "impact or big bumper' models, and when launched, the SC looked modern, clean and fresh in comparison to the dated overall appearance of the original 911, now over a decade old. With new and innovative design features like the reflective red strip between the tail-lights with PORSCHE capitalised across it, the '78 cars looked altogether sharper.

With an engine based on that of the 930 Turbo, the SC was a real gem with a strong reliable drivetrain. The 2994cc engine produced 180bhp at launch, rising to 188bhp in 1979 and then, just one year later, to 204bhp - only 6hp shy of the output of the legendary 1973 Carrera RS! It used the same strong 5-speed 915-series gearbox as its predecessors but was the first 911 to feature servo-assisted brakes. The SC was offered as a coupé, Targa and, in late 1982 (for the '83 model year), as a cabriolet.

However, as time passed and the 911 evolved further, SCs became less desirable and consequently cheaper, resulting in them becoming an accessible route into first time Porsche ownership and were not necessarily looked after properly by their impecunious new owners. Today, with the benefit of hindsight, they are seen as being properly engineered sports cars that drive well with the classic look and feel of an era that is now rightly back in fashion.

The sparkling, left-hand drive, manual gearbox, 3.0-Litre SC on offer here dates from 1979 and has recently been repainted in Slate Grey Metallic. The interior has also benefitted from considerable attention and has been retrimmed in Marble Grey at a cost of £3,500. The engine didn't miss out either, with a top-end rebuild, new clutch, a full stainless steel exhaust and one or two mechanical items all being addressed at a well known Porsche specialist in exchange for around £10,000.

This car has covered 150,000 miles in the hands of five owners and there is a letter in the history file from Porsche at Reading confirming that it's a 'Matching Numbers' vehicle.

It appears that this UK car was specified with the Sport Group Package (UK) which added stiffer suspension, the rear spoiler, front rubber lip, and black Fuchs wheels. It's fitted with a Pioneer Radio and CD Player, the period 16” Fuchs alloys have just been clothed in a set of new tyres and the car's preparation for sale was completed with a service and a fresh MOT.

The history file contains old MOTs, all the invoices for the recent work and historical invoices and service records indicating that this lovely SC has been cared for in the past.

SCs in this condition are getting increasingly hard to find and this carefully recommissioned example could be an easy way into Classic Porsche ownership.