2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Convertible (997)

Highlights

• Desirable manual ‘S’ specification

• Just 47,811 miles, verified

• Comprehensive service history

• Porsche ceramic composite brakes

• PASM, PSM, LSD, Sport Chrono

Overview

If you want the world’s best cake, you go to France. If you want the finest marble known to man, Italy is your best bet. Want a brilliantly engineered sports car that you can genuinely use every day? It’s the Germans you’ll need to speak to.

More specifically, you’ll need to have a quiet word with the Stuttgart based geniuses at Porsche. Because when it comes to crafting a sports car that feels simultaneously like it’s carved from granite but can still carve through twisties with the grace of a Bolshoi Ballet great, then Porsche are the masters. No ifs, no buts, no pretenders to the throne, they’re the best.

When the 997 first came along, we were all blown away by the stellar blend of supercar performance, subtle yet timeless styling, deft handling, great ride and the sort of build quality that wouldn’t look out of place on a Victorian steam engine. There’s a reason that every car journalist on the planet gushes about modern 911s – they’re damn near unassailable as an all-round sports car.

For our money, the sweet spot is the Carrera 2S with a few choice options. That naturally aspirated flat-six brings plenty of drama and genuine thrust, and the rear-drive chassis with standard PASM offers the most wonderful compromise between agility and comfort. This handsome example adds to an already compelling list of ingredients by giving you a million miles of sky as a roof too. Once you get that flat-six on song, you’ll understand why so many love a 911 convertible.

With less than 48,000 miles to its name, an artfully understated aesthetic and a cracking service record, this 911 is a joy. In fact, we can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t want to park this beauty in your garage. 

Unless you don’t like joy or something. Which would be weird.

History and documentation

• First registered on 9 January 2005, from Porsche Centre Glasgow

• Current MOT with no advisories expires 30 March 2026

• Unmodified and in factory specification

• Just 47,811 miles on the clock, verified by the service and MOT records

• Stamped service book with services as follows: July 2007 @ 9,825; September 2009 @ 17,668; September 2011 @ 25,218; June 2014 @ 26,746; July 2015 @ 28,504; May 2016 @ 30,868; May 2018 @ 36,593; June 2020 @ 40,516; October 2022 @ 44,285; November 2023 @ 46,371

• Full document pack

• Current owner since 23 July 2021, seven former owners

• Collection of invoices for servicing and maintenance

• Two keys

• V5 present in owner’s name

• HPI clear

• Private registration will be removed for sale

• London ULEZ compliant

• Porsche branded, fitted car cover

Interior

• Black leather upholstery with white contrast stitching

• Leather stitched dash and leather horn cover

• The leather all shows very well, with some gentle creasing to the bolsters of the front seats, but no significant wear, and no damage we could see

• Perforated leather to the front seats, which are also heated

• Electric adjustment on both front seats, with the driver’s seat having a 3-memory function

• Black carpet and complementary Porsche branded overmats, all of which look to be in good order with light wear commensurate with the car’s mileage

• The dark grey headlining looks taut and undamaged, with no staining, sagging or damage evident

• BOSE sound system with multi-CD/radio

• Air conditioning

• Electric windows and door mirrors

• Electrically operated fabric roof

• There is wear evident on some of the rubber switchgear, particularly on the centre console

• The rest of the instruments, controls and switches all present well, with clear graphics and no notable wear or damage

• The interior trim is in good order, with an expected amount of wear and some light scuffing in the usual areas, such as the sill covers

• Removable mesh wind deflector

• Generous “frunk” space, trimmed with dark grey carpet and containing a warning triangle

• We’re assured that everything in the cabin functions as it should, with no faults or issues declared

Exterior

• Handsome silver paintwork really suits the clean, modern lines of the 997

• The paintwork is in fine condition, appearing to all be original and with no significant issues or damage

• We noted a few minor blemishes and scuffs, including a couple of scratches on the off-side corner of the front bumper, but nothing that would concern us

• The bodywork is all in similarly fine fettle, with no notable corrosion, damage or misalignment we could discern – just a couple of small surface corrosion spots on the inner lips of the wheel arches

• All of the external trim and badging appears to be present and correct, with no signs of UV damage or cracking

• The light clusters and glass elements all look to be clean and clear, with no misting, cracking or chipping we could identify

• The black fabric roof looks to have been kept in very good order, with no unusual fading, no tears and no threading on show

• We love the quad exhaust tips and yellow brake callipers, which offer a tantalising hint of the performance on offer

• Underneath everything looks straight and neat, with no significant corrosion or damage

• The car rides on a correct set of OEM 19-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels, which are in excellent condition for their age, with no obvious kerbing or lacquer peel

• A matched set of Bridgestone Potenza tyres has been fitted (235/35 front and 295/30 rear), and all appear to have good tread depth and no sidewall damage we could see

Mechanical

• 3,824cc naturally-aspirated flat-six

• 6-speed manual transmission

• Rear-wheel drive

• Factory performance figures: 350bhp, 295lb-ft, 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 182mph

• Sport Chrono pack

• PASM chassis (Porsche Active Suspension Management) as standard

• Porsche Stability Management (PSM)

• Porsche ceramic composite brakes

• Factory-fitted limited slip differential

• Cruise control

• Comprehensive service record and great MOT history

• May 2023: new front springs, shock absorbers, top mounts and bearings, bump stops, gaiters, anti-roll bar links (work completed by Bahnsport)

• We’re assured by the vendor that the car drives extremely well, with no known mechanical faults or issues

Summary

This is the kind of car we should all have in our garage. Extremely satisfying to own, with a range and depth of abilities that’s pretty much unmatched by anything other than another Porsche, the 997 is one of those cars that’s just… right.

As our friends Smith ‘n Sniff might say, this is a lovely example of the marque too. Low mileage, clearly well cared for and possessed of a very pleasing specification, it’s the kind of vehicle we’d be awfully chuffed to own.

We have a feeling that the new owner, whoever that lucky guy or gal may be, is going to be walking away with an absolute cracker.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Andover, Hampshire.