: Caesar Barton (riviera)
: (chronologically) Citroen AX GT, BMW E30 320i, Peugeot 205 Rallye (white), VW Mk1 Golf Cabriolet, VW Citi Golf CTI, VW Mk1 Golf GTI 1.6, Honda CRX MK2 Twin-Cam, Smart Brabus Roadster-Coupe, Peugeot 205 Rallye (yellow)
Newer Porsches considered ... and rejected
"The Viz readers amongst you may recall the lesser known character Victorian Dad who, though living in the present age, had a zealous disregard for all things modern. Naturally his chosen mode of transport was a penny farthing, accessorised with a top hat, monocle and an ounce of Turkish shag emanating from his bell pipe.
"Whilst marginally less antiquated in my horseless carriage requisites (fuel injection, for example), I desired a RWD, naturally aspirated, two-seat coupe with a manual 'box, that resolutely had an absence of fripperies, but which had character and retro style in abundance.
"Hallelujah then for the 968 CS - those initials standing for Clubsport - essentially a 968 coupe with lowered and more dynamic suspension and all of the electrickery removed. Want fresh air? Wind down a window. Need to move the seat? No thanks - I'm the only driver, so there's no need for a moribund heavy electric motor. Want to open the tailgate? Pull a piece of wire located behind your passenger's left shoulder - seriously!"
Finding the right one was a challenge...
"The sheer scarcity of these cars meant that I had plenty of time to research the better known 968 maladies - with cambelt failure topping the list.
"I had bookmarked the 968 page on Pistonheads classifieds, and knew this Speed Yellow seductress was the one following an inspection on the outskirts of Chester within hours of the ad going live - the absence of the commonly specified sunroof only adding to the appeal of this example.
"Whilst she'd done meagre millage since the last belt change, it had been three years earlier and so I negotiated a replacement in with the asking price."
Things I love:
"The analogue nature of the CS, its rare-groove appeal (is it a 944? no? a 928 then?) and the delicious, beefy weight of its contact points: steering, gearshift and clutch. Oh, and not forgetting the way that it pivots on its rear axle with only the slightest of steering inputs!
"Where I live in Cheshire expensive cars are two a penny - what I've observed though is that the rich are stunningly unimaginative, as they all tend to drive the default bully-wagons or Bentleys.
"Conversely - every time I drive past the highly polished window of a jewellers in town and see the CS reflected in full, Speed Yellow war paint, I can't suppress a smile at owning and driving such a badass, unusual motor."
And they're going up in value too - nice!
"The 968 has a couple of inherent design niggles that only ownership has revealed. Water ingress under the filler-flap drainage seal over the years has required remedial work to the offside sill; while the front jacking points have holes for side-skirt preserving spacer discs that can become muck traps and which ultimately rot the steel. The rubber beading that circumferences the lower half of the body perishes and shrinks - whilst the replacement parts from Porsche are not expensive, it's a labour intensive fix."
Costs:
"All of the above issues have been fully remedied by Paul Moore at Cheshire Accident Management in Cheadle to his exacting standards.
"The two services in my custodianship so far have been at Porsche Centre Wilmslow (they offer a favourable labour rate for older models), while agreed valuation/mileage insurance through Lockton is a very reasonable £360 and tax is a manageable £240.
"A full set of Goodyear Eagles for a few pence under £500 were fitted following a well-caught fishtail on an icy lane the winter before last, whilst returning from a second date with my partner - she screamed - then laughed!"
Not exactly subtle but that's how we like it!
"People are often surprised that I own a CS but don't take it on the track- the reality is that I was drawn to the purity of the speciation rather than motorsport associations and actually prefer spirited open road driving.
"I live close to the infamous A537 or "Cat and Fiddle" as it's better known (named after the public house at its summit) which is ideal for vigorous exercising of my scintillating Zuffenhausen filly, and where, thanks to the myriad of second-gear bends, the average speed cameras only really present a points risk on the final straights into Buxton."
What next?
"I occasionally check 911s and Caymans out in the classifieds - more for fun as us enthusiasts are inclined to do. But, as great as they are, I'm not sure they'd feel as special to own as the CS.
"I've just fitted a Blaupunkt Adelaide head-unit, which does away with CDs in favour of an SD card for AOR/Hair Metal bliss (much to the chagrin of my partner), happily it looks the part too - really subtle.
"A road trip along the west coast of Scotland is scheduled for August, culminating in several nights on the whisky Mecca of Islay."
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!