TIME MACHINE

Journey through 911&PW’S past

NOVEMBER 2003 (ISSUE 116)

The supercar edition we called this one, thanks to a first drive in the amazing Carrera GT and a 959 buyers’ guide. According to the coverline: now was the time to buy one. And with prices starting at £95,000+ we were probably right, particularly given that the most valuable 959s these days are selling at auction for over £1m. Our crystal ball was clearly a bit wonky though as we predicted: ‘If you buy a 959 today it should, given suitable care and attention, be worth at least the same in 10 years’ time.’ Yes, and the rest!

Back to the Carrera GT and Porsche hosted the launch at a former Russian military base deep inside what used to be East Germany. The Cold War facility had the required space to blitz the Carrera GT back and forth at 200mph, which is what we did with consistent ease. Editor Horton got the invite for this gig and naturally revelled in the experience of driving one of Porsche’s true greats, apart from the clutch that is. The Carrera GT is famed for its tiny ceramic clutch, specified so the engine and gearbox could be mounted as low down in the chassis as possible.

It’s a tricky unit, which requires a certain technique of easing it up virtually on tickover and then, when the plates bite, gently feeding in a bit of throttle. As Chris noted, fine when you’re in a no pressure surrounding, but perhaps a different matter in the cut and thrust of modern motoring. Indeed, current Editor, Bennett, can confirm that the Carrera GT’S clutch is no fun in the cut and thrust of modern motoring, when for example you’re trying get accross a busy roundabout, with a queue of rush hour traffic behind you.

Elsewhere in the issue, Keith Seume debated his perfect Porsche in his regular ‘Carte blanche’ column. He decided it would be a 993 Carrera 2 and used a very nice Mexico Blue example to illustrate the point and rather like the Mexico Blue 993 C2 cover star that he’s driven in this very issue. Of course the 993 was still relatively contemporary in 2003 so prices in the classifieds were holding up, the cheapest being a LHD C2 at £23,995. Rather more of a bargain, though, are the newly refurbed 7 & 9in Fuchs for £550!