1989 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Sport Coupé - 'Barn Find'

The 3.2 Carrera is revered as the ultimate development of the original 911 that first appeared in 1963. These final cars (before being replaced by the more complicated 964) were the most flexible and usable of Butzi Porsche's original design. Launched in 1984 and reviving the 'Carrera' name for the first time since 1977, these were the ultimate 1980's sports cars.

The all-alloy, flat-six engine, which had been fuel-injected since 1971, received a final stretch to 3,164cc, giving a torque-rich 231bhp - enough to propel the lithe and slippery coupé to over 150mph, with 0-60mph coming up in 5.6 seconds. Cars built from September 1986 onwards were fitted with the more user-friendly G50 Getrag gearbox, but all 3.2 Carreras feature galvanised bodies, which together with Porsche's legendary build quality, ensure that these classics are long lasting.

The car presented here is a C16 (UK-supplied) 1989-model year ('K’ programme) example from the final year of 3.2 production, before the introduction of the 964. More specifically, it is a Carrera 3.2 ‘Sport’ which was a 'UK-only' model and came factory-fitted with a black lip front spoiler, a rear 'whale tail' rear spoiler, Sports seats (more dished squabs than the basic seats) and Bilstein Sport shock absorbers. In addition it was optioned with a Sunroof (650) and the sought-after paint colour of Silver Metallic (980/S7).

This poster-car 911 was first registered as F126 RBM on 2nd May 1989 and passed through five keepers (wearing MEJ 1 as it went) before being purchased by our vendor in October 2002. We believe he bought it from Autofarm of Bicester, the revered Porsche specialists, as their liveried registration plates, showing PBZ 9111 and window stickers still adorn the car. Indeed, Autofarm's records confirm our vendor as their customer, but unfortunately, due to the timescales involved, their paper records were destroyed some years ago. MOT records from 2006 (showing a mileage then of 39,813 miles), up until December 2011, (showing a mileage then of 40,289 miles) indicate minimal usage, just 476 miles covered in five years! This is wholly in keeping with what we know about our vendor, who was a very much a car enthusiast, having owned all sorts of interesting cars from Jaguars to 2CVs, but also a very busy solicitor with little time to enjoy his Porsche. At some point in 2011, he drove the car into his barn adjoining his stone Northamptonshire house and there it has sat ever since. Kept warm and dry by a neighbouring room, this old building has done a very reasonable job of preserving this special car. Its condition when it was put away must have been exceptional, and very much in-keeping with a minimally used 40,000 mile 911, with original features and componentry still in place! Bodywork panels, paintwork, carpets, headlining and factory-finishes all appear to be original - a jack and toolkit complete the picture. The car is a feast of detail for any Porsche enthusiast, preserved in a manner that they will really appreciate.

Sadly the owner passed away in early 2025 and it falls to the family and particularly his son to find it a new home. The car's history file, book pack and paperwork are, for the moment, mislaid and will hopefully be found in time for the auction. This fantastic car is sensibly guided and will obviously require close inspection and a thorough recommissioning before starting/driving, but it offers huge potential and Iconic Auctioneers are proud to represent it.