The 993
is arguably the most celebrated 911 Turbo of all. “They'll always have the mantle of last air-cooled, last hand-built cars,” says Mark from Specialist Cars of Malton. “Nothing since is like them.” Not to mention the fact that this was the first four-whee drive Turbo to boot. As such, prices have seen strong rises in recent years, with the result that £45,000 is roughly what you’ll need to get into a good, solid 993 these days. “I have seen 993 Turbos for as little as £40,000,” says specialist Philip Raby, “but it's unusual to see them under £50,000 these days, with good, low-mileage ones hitting £70,000.”
That said, some Porsche specialists feel that prices have reached a plateau, and that 930 and 964 prices will need to catch up before the 993 gets any higher, so this might not be the Turbo to choose if you’re looking to make a quick buck. But if you’re buying purely to enjoy the car, and you can stretch to it, the 993 offers the best road manners of the air-cooled bunch. Again, a very limited run of Turbo S models was produced – 182 in total, with around 33 (figures vary according to who you talk to) produced in right-hand drive form for the UK market. These had 430hp, as opposed to the standard car's 408hp, and as with the previous-generation Turbo S, the 993’s exclusivity means it doesn’t come cheap. It's less pricey than the GT2, though, an extremely limited-run (just 57 were produced) homologation special that was available with two-wheel drive only; these now sell for eye-watering figures - think upwards of £300,000 and you'll be about right.
you want the ultimate air-cooled Turbo; you prefer four-wheel drive traction to two-wheel drive lairiness
you’re looking to make a short-term investment; you’re not prepared to fork out for both initial purchase and maintenance costs
1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
, full service history, full extended leather, cruise control, 69,000 miles – £49,950
Price Guide –
Poor: £35,000
Good: £45-55,000
A1: £60,000+
Turbo S: £90,000+
GT2: should be assessed on a case-by-case basis