1994 Porsche 968 Cabriolet

The Porsche (project no.) 968 made its debut in 1991 and was effectively, the last gasp for the long-lived 924 line. Originally mooted as the 944 S3, the new number was probably more a result of pressure from the marketing department, but it was right for recessionary Porsche wrestling with struggling sales. Visually, it was the biggest step forward since the launch of the original 944 in 1981, with only the doors, roof and tailgate being carried over from the 944. The new front-end with 928 style pop-up headlamps did bring a touch of modernity.

The 968 was powered by an updated version of the 944's straight-four engine 3.0-litre, now with 237bhp. Changes to the 968's powertrain included the addition of Porsche's then-new 'Varioram' variable valve timing system, newly optimised induction and exhaust systems, a dual-mass flywheel, and updated engine management electronics. A new 6-speed gearbox replaced the 944's old 5-speed, and Porsche's dual-mode Tiptronic automatic became an available option. The Varioram system was first introduced on the 968 and would later become a feature of the much revered 993 air-cooled six-cylinder engine.

The car presented here is a 1994 968 Cabriolet and is a C16 (UK-market), right-hand drive model with the desirable 6-speed manual gearbox. It is a very genuine car, in the particularly attractive colour combination of Cobalt Blue with a Grey leather interior and black fabric roof (with matching tonneau). It was delivered new through Merlin Porsche Centre of Nottingham and has a good service history with 18 stamps in its maintenance booklet. It was recently subject to a major service (including belts) just 3,000 miles ago and the odometer currently reads 110,500.

The 944, the 968 and even the 928 are seeing their values rise in the wake of the '911 explosion' and front-engined Porsches are having the Renaissance they so richly deserve. Spring is just around the corner and this Cabriolet is a lovely example in a super colour, with decent history and very sensibly guided.