Buyer’s guide Porsche 964
The ultimate ‘classic era’ 911 is now firmly in the collectable spotlight
Coil springs, power steering and ABS were big steps for the 911 but, with the bestsounding and most powerful normally aspirated flat-six yet, the 964 was an instant hit. Porsche showed its intent by launching the manual four-wheel-drive Carrera 4 coupé first, five months ahead of the two-wheel-drive version and other body styles, and a year before the Tiptronic auto option (which was only offered on the Carrera 2).
The four-wheel-drive car was very surefooted but heavy, so the Carrera 2 is now the purist’s choice, especially in hardtop coupé form because the convertible and targa are inevitably slightly less rigid. That said, most drivers would never notice the difference, and when Autocar drove the Carrera 2 Cabriolet Tiptronic in 1990, testers deemed it a hugely impressive car that was, for many, the ‘best of all worlds’ model.
The two-wheel-drive turbo that followed, especially in 3.6-litre form, was the ultimate enthusiast’s 911 turbo, with major lag and raw performance. Autocar was less impressed when it took it to Le Mans alongside a Ferrari 348, Honda NSX and Lotus Esprit Turbo, deeming it the harshest and most uncomfortable, with unacceptable tyre roar. But if you’re not going to use it long-distance, that might not put you off: it was certainly the fastest of the four. The even harder-riding lightweight Carrera RS is now highly sought-after, being the foundation of the successful Carrera Cup race cars, and the turbo S with 381bhp and the RS body is phenomenally quick. The Speedster and 911 Celebration, Porsche’s response to falling sales in the worldwide recession, are increasingly collectable, too.
Check the VIN’S 10th digit for production model year because some cars sat around for a long time during the recession before being registered. K is MY1989, L ’90 (Aug ’89-Jul ’90) and so on. Construction quality improved on cars from MY1991 on, so this is significant. 964s, especially but not exclusively early ones, can suffer severe bodyshell rot that can be expensive to put right, so body condition is a vital check, alongside the engine – as on all air-cooled 911s, neglect can lead to costly bills. Identity checks (labels under the front compartment lid, on each side inside and under the fuel tank) are especially important on more desirable models, as is a full, documented history. Modifications are common and generally reduce values.