Porsche 968 Club Sport
TIPPED BY: FELIX ARCHER
Here’s a front-engined Porsche that exhibits the same mix of pared-back driver appeal and spec-sensitive values that you expect from an Rs-badged 911, but at a tenth of the cost. Luckily, we have Porsche-phile Felix Archer to guide us through the choices.
‘There is a huge spread. You can get one for £20k but you can pay £70k too. Find a German-delivered, low-mileage, M030optioned car in its original paint and you’ll be near that top figure. Then again, find something with Comfort seats, huge mileage and a history as a track-day toy, and it’ll be closer to the bottom. All of them are a great drive – a proper driver’s Porsche.’
Felix says there’s still a stigma from those who regard the 968 as a low-end Porsche, descended from the 924, but points out it’s the basis for the 968 Turbo RS – a car it took to Le Mans. The Club
Sport lasted three model years, from 1993 to 1995, and sold between 1750 and 1950 examples (depending which source you believe) with around 180 delivered in right-hand drive.
A proper Club Sport has lowered, stiffened suspension, no rear seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, wind-up windows and Recaro buckets. We say ‘proper’ because there was also a popular variant sold in the UK called the 968 Sport. Still an entertaining driver’s car, this is a Club Sport with the electrical gizmos put back and a set of rear seats, and it doesn’t fetch the same interest from collectors.
Speaking of which, you should get to know the Porsche optioncode jargon. ‘The M030 option has even sportier, track-focused suspension and bigger brakes, and there’s the L220 limited-slip differential option too,’ says Felix. ‘Everything that takes it closer to being a track car – no sunroof, no radio – is probably going to add value. These are the ones that will get more expensive.’
And that value is what at the moment? Felix reckons around £35k and upwards for a good example in a desirable spec. The ‘upwards’ is going to be dictated largely by mileage but also by other choices, with Speed Yellow (pictured) and Maritime Blue being preferred to white or red, especially with matching wheels and seat backs.
For those on a tighter budget, mileages over 100,000 need not necessarily put you off. ‘They’re mechanically solid,’ says Felix. ‘If it’s serviced on time, a high-miles car is nothing to fear.’
‘A proper Club Sport has lowered, stiffer suspension, no rear seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, wind-up windows and Recaro bucket seats’