Wednesday want: Porsche 993 Carrera RS

The Porsche 993 modernised the air cooled 911 in its final iteration by adding a new multi-link rear suspension system which retains agility whilst feeling more planted, a six speed manual gearbox with a shift quality that became famous in later water-cooled cars, and a hydraulic power assisted steering rack which definitely shouts rather than murmurs. It’s also an achingly pretty car for which we can thank renowned British Porsche designer Tony Hatter – to which the RS adds a muscularity and stance which improves it further still.

 

993 RS production estimates vary between 1,104 and 1,203 but what is understood is that 1,000 were required for homologation and C16 RHD production was extremely limited – 49 cars with only 7 made in Clubsport spec.  Only one of those seven had air-conditioning and this is that car. And it’s Riveria Blue.

The body shell of the RS was seam-welded, and it was equipped with thinner glass and an aluminium bonnet panel. Its suspension was a bespoke setup using Bilstein shock absorbers, lowered springs (30mm at the front 40mm at the rear), and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. A strut brace was also installed under the front bonnet. Engine capacity was up 146cc and power up 28bhp. VarioRam was seen for the first time which improved mid-range torque, and all four wheel arches were subtly rolled to accommodate the bigger 18-inch Speedline wheels – one of the great Porsche wheel designs.

 

The Clubsport pack seen here (option code M003, of which 227 in total were produced across all markets) included the more extreme RSR spoilers and an even lighter specification. Cockpits were fully stripped of all interior trim – even the passenger sun visor was discarded. Porsche then added a welded-in roll cage, fabric bucket seats with six-point harnesses, a fire extinguisher, an RSR front strut brace, and single-mass flywheel. 

Any 993 RS is a joy to behold and offers one of the great 911 driving experiences, and is rarer than an F40, making it one of THE great sports cars – full stop. Add in the rarity of this particular car and the genuine ‘race car for the road’ vibes and you can stake a claim to having the greatest 911 ever. A word of caution though: if you’re lucky enough to become the next owner of this car and you decide to actually use it – and you really should – make sure you secure everything inside. Another of the handful of lucky C16 Clubsport owners tells me that anything rattling around that bare metal interior makes an unholy racket – especially keys!

 

This car has been with the same avid collector for the last nineteen years and is priced at £429,995.