Porsche 911 Carrera (993)

The joys of driving a classic

RECENTLY I’VE BEEN EXCITED TO GET out and drive the 993 as much as possible. The latest upgrades – a ‘9m lite’ flywheel and Sachs Pro Street clutch kit (see evo 296) – have made it even more addictive to push on and explore the available performance. The entire car has come to life, encouraging you to keep your foot down to hear that glorious flat-six note change after 5000rpm, which now arrives noticeably quicker.

There’s always a risk when modifying a car that you might spoil it rather than improve it – just ask Adam Towler about his 996 – so I’ve been pleased to discover that the 993’s ability to drive around town and in traffic hasn’t changed. The only thing that’s less easy is reversing: it’s a little more tricky than before to do it completely smoothly, but nothing that can’t be mastered.

Spending large amounts of time in new cars is brilliant, and the advancements in technology and performance are mind-blowing, but every time I get back in the 993 I’m reminded that there is still something to be said for smaller, older performance cars. Not only is it refreshing not having to worry about the width of the car on narrow B-roads, but you also get to enjoy the thrill of driving at much lower, saner speeds. For these reasons, cars like the 993 really do feel like they were built for British roads.

I’m really happy with how my 933 is turning out. Every step I’ve taken to improve it has delivered what I was looking for, enhancing the magic that’s already there. I can’t wait to drive it more this year and I have lots of car shows and road trips already pencilled in. Now let’s just hope fuel prices magically start to go down…

(@Astonparrott)

Date acquired April 2016 Total mileage 89,871 Mileage this month 151 Costs this month £0 mpg this month 28.1