1994 Porsche 968 Sport

One of 306 UK-spec, 968 Club Sports ordered by Porsche GB and badged 'Sport'

Widely regarded as one of the finest handling front-engined, rear-wheel-drive cars ever made

Large history file, ú5,240 engine rebuild at marque specialist at 99,693 miles

Four former keepers, 12 years current ownership, MOT until October 2019

Thrilling to drive and rare as the proverbial 'hen's teeth'

Long-term Porsche devotees will be all too familiar with the 968, introduced to the world back in 1991 and which, as it turned out, was to be the end of the line for Porsche's enduring front-engined four-cylinder model line. The 968 was developed directly from the 944, which meant adopting its well-honed and proven running gear, whilst presenting a fresh design aesthetic that made it feel like a significantly new model.

The standard 968 was a great all-round sports car, but as a last 'hurrah' to this enduring lineage, Porsche wanted to create a car tailored more for the pure enthusiast and, in particular, one that would excel in competition. In late 1992, the 968 'Club Sport' was introduced and, whilst it was mechanically identical to the standard 968 and shared the same 3.0-litre engine (240bhp and 225lb-ft of torque) and 6-speed gearbox, it differed in a number of important ways.

This track-focused run-out model adopted the philosophy of 'less is more' by removing all luxury-related equipment from the basic build specification. With this no-frills approach, less weight and clever suspension, Porsche could now focus media attention on the Club Sport's fast road and track abilities. As soon as the press got hold of the Club Sport and discovered what a brilliant drivers' car it was, the credibility of the 968 went through the roof. Even Walter Röhrl reckoned it was the best handling car that Porsche made. The CS achieved a 'Performance Car of The Year' award in 1993 from Performance Car magazine in the UK.

In total, just 1,923 CS examples were produced worldwide, of which only 179 were UK right-hand drive models, making the Club Sport a very rare Porsche indeed. There has been, over the years, a misconception in the motoring press that Club Sports are only Club Sports if they have bucket-seats, wind-up windows, no sunroof, manual hatch, etc., however, the Club Sport was available to order with any number of options - and indeed it frequently was. It's very common to see Club Sports with Recaro cloth comfort sport front seats, electric windows, sunroof, air conditioning and even rear seats whilst still sporting the 'Club Sport' badge - especially in parts of Europe and Australia. However, for the UK market only, a further 306 Sport versions were commissioned by Porsche GB during 1994/1995 and these UK-only models retained all the performance upgrades of the Club Sport but added rear seats, more comfortable front seats and electric windows. Badged as a '968 Sport' in the UK, all are genuine 'P35 Club Sports' produced in Zuffenhausen.

On offer at 'No Reserve'. this smart 968 Sport is indeed one of those cars commissioned by Porsche GB and was acquired by our vendor on 10th November 2006 with four former keepers prior to that. Dating from 1994, this example is finished in Grand Prix White and is fitted as standard with central locking, electric tailgate release, electric windows, electric mirrors, rear seats and black cloth seats. From the car's history file we can see that it had a ú5,240 engine rebuild at a marque specialist at 99,693 miles and that it has been maintained by Two Plus Two Ltd. since 2006 with all the relevant invoices since then. The current indicated mileage is 127,382 and it has recently benefited from a mechanical check with oil, filter and plug change and a new battery.

The MOT is valid until October 2019 and, supplied with its original manuals and service records, this lovely 'Sport' may turn out to be the bargain of the sale.