1996 Porsche 911 (993) Carrera 2 Coupé

The 993 was the final generation of air-cooled 911s, and as such will always have a special place in the affections of Porsche enthusiasts. It is also widely said to be the last of the 911s that were built whilst engineering integrity overruled accounting pressures at Porsche. Twenty years on, it still looks modern - a truly timeless design. The 993 was launched in the autumn of 1994 and was claimed to be 80% new. The bodywork was altogether more curvaceous, with a number of new panels and the overall look was much smoother and more integrated. Importantly, this new style was still every inch a 911 in the traditional manner, with the profiles of the doors and rear quarter windows remaining unchanged from earlier models.

The biggest change under the skin was the new multi-link rear suspension, giving greater driver confidence, less road noise and excellent ride quality. Designed to give a level of passive rear-wheel steering (the 'Weissach effect'), thus controlling the way the suspension behaved under cornering, braking, and acceleration, it transformed the 911. It was also the first 911 to be equipped with power steering and an advanced ABS system. The 993 uses essentially the same 3.6-litre engine as the 964, mated to a development of the worthy G50 gearbox, but now with six forward gears. Whereas the Porsche 964 produced 247bhp, the 993 from 1995 produced 272bhp enabling a top speed of over 150 mph and acceleration to match. For the 1996 model year, the addition of Porsche's then-new "Varioram' variable valve timing system was introduced, lifting power further to 285bhp.

The car presented here is a 1996 911 (993) Carrera 2 Coupé, C16 (UK-market) right-hand drive, "Varioram' model with a 6-speed manual gearbox. It is a perhaps the purest of 993 models, with rear-wheel drive and closest to how the original cars were envisaged. The options specified on this particular car include the Motor Sound Package, Sport Seats, 17" Cup Alloys, rear wiper, sunroof, and a 3rd brake light. The car is described by the vendor as in "great condition', and presents and drives very well, belying its current mileage of just over 100,000. It has recently been serviced and we would guess that its youthful appearance is probably due to the diligent ownership of its four previous owners and a comprehensive maintenance history. This very usable car is worthy of a second look, especially at this particularly competitive guide price.

The 993-series 911 is regarded by many as a true modern classic, offering the best of both worlds, really good fun to drive and enjoy whilst quietly being aware that it could be a very sensible investment.