993 Carrera S v Turbo
Nat-asp versus forced induction, rear drive versus all-wheel drive: which is the best widebody 993?
Which of these widebodied wonders signs off the 911’s coveted air-cooled era best?
After all these years it shouldn’t smell like a new car inside. And yet it does. The gleaming Guards red paintwork of this 993 C2S is shining in the winter sun. As I slide down into the black leather seat the actual aroma of new Porsche meets me. Gripping the steering wheel, there’s absolutely no sign whatsoever of wear and tear. It’s crisp and fresh.
The tread plates on the doors are similarly unmarked, none of the signs of feet climbing in and out, and the sides of the seat bolsters are also immaculate. The odometer says 9,400 miles. It could just as easily say 94.
It’s as if someone had transported a 993 C2S from a dealer’s forecourt in 1997 through time and dropped it into 2018. 9,400 miles. Truly remarkable. Twisting the key, another surprise. This car has the factory-option sports exhaust, springing to life with a motorsport-flavoured bark before settling into a deep rumble. The hairs on my arms stir as I look in the mirror and see the Arctic silver 993 Turbo S behind me. It’s going to be a special day.
Into first, no sight of any play in that lovely, slick gearshift, a blip on the throttle, then a second purely self-indulgent one simply to hear that exhaust as we head out into the Yorkshire countryside. I glance into the driver’s door mirror as the low winter sun picks up on the curvaceous, wide Guards Red rear wheel arches, the top of the curve visible in the lower edge of the mirror. The silver Turbo S is sitting a short distance behind. Low, ever so wide, gleaming as its nose nods gently over the Yorkshire B-road undulations. Damn, these widebody 993s are handsome.
I have an admission to make. I love widebody Porsche. Not in the extreme, cartoon-like RAUH style of grotesque body extensions. More that I love the factory treatment of the 911 shape that is always achieved when Porsche sets its mind to it. And I love the 993. It’s probably my definitive Porsche 911, capturing the charisma of the air-cooled flat six while mixing in modern elements that still make the 993 a perfectly viable daily driver even today. Coilover suspension, six-speed gearbox, yet still with dimensions, even in widebody form, that make the car compact and agile in ways that, with the best will in the world, a 992 doesn’t achieve. So, a widebody 993? My perfect Porsche.
Given that I love the widebody 993 and have a choice of two ultimate versions to choose from today, which one would I choose should I find myself adequately funded? The silver 993 Turbo S with twin turbochargers, four-wheel drive, beautiful rear wing, plush leather and carbon interior, or the two-wheel drive C2S? Guards red, still six-speed and wide bodied, though with rear drive only and a normally aspirated engine? It’s a tough question.
We continue our journey to the photo location, the narrowing Yorkshire lanes markedly serving to remind me of one of the minor drawbacks of the widebody – that the rear of the car is wider than the front by a significant amount. Just because the front of the car is going to fit through that gap between you and the oncoming farm machinery it doesn’t mean that the rest of the car will. It’s actually only 63mm, though it feels and looks so much more.
It’s the time of year when agricultural machinery is particularly active. The oncoming tractors these days seem to get bigger each year, and the accompanying gleaming steel of the plough blades swinging pendulously from side to side behind them certainly focuses the attention. I never normally consider the value of the cars I am fortunate enough to be trusted with. For me that’s a recipe for lapsed concentration; I simply drive it. It’s just a car. However, that plough blade does look close, and for a moment the combined value of these two machines does enter my head. I watch the huge wheels pass by, checking the mirror for that wide wheel arch clearance. Breathe out.
I press on down some of our favourite country roads, ever aware that the combination of sunshine, agricultural machinery and Britain’s current fascination with cycling and Lycra outfits means that I’m wary to commit with these wider arches. Even so, the C2S feels super crisp in handling. Tight as a drum, its stiffer suspension would probably be more at home on a smoother A-road. These wide arches may have to be considered, and yet there’s no denying that this is a really great drive. The sports exhaust encourages the most flamboyant of downshifts, the firm brake pedal the perfect pivot point, enticing rapid shifts down the gear: four, three, two in quick succession make a beautiful aural experience, the odd pop on the overrun adding to the mix.
Arriving at our chosen location, the second consideration of widebody 911 ownership is apparent. Those lovely rear arches are particularly vulnerable to road dirt, constantly sitting out in the airstream, taking the brunt of road dirt even on a crisp dry day like today. We break out the detailer as Cusick sets up his photography magic.
As soon as he permits in the photography schedule, I slide into the carbon-backed seat of the 993 Turbo S.
The Turbo S is almost disappointing to start after the C2S. No, that’s not fair at all. How can I call a 993 Turbo S a disappointment? That’s the wrong word. Subdued, maybe. The twin turbos do a good job of muting the exhaust note, the car springing to life in a simple, demure tick-over that hides the reserves of power just a wriggle of the right toes away. Into first, the satin-finish alloys, chosen by the Porsche Exclusive department responsible for the Turbo S, crunch on the gravel before the tyres grip into the road and we accelerate away.
Unlike an early 930 where first gear lasts a long time, in this 993 Turbo S the boost comes in way down low to whip around the tacho, meaning we’re only in first for mere moments. Thankfully the slick shift quality means that second is instantly there. Man, this is quick. There’s none of the linear progression of the normally aspirated C2S; the surge forward is surfing on a wave of turbine boost. Strong, mid-range power like a giant hand between the shoulder blades means I’m quickly reminded that you drive these high-output 911 Turbos on boost as much as on RPM.
The Turbo S was the creation of Porsche Exclusive, and this is one of only 26 right-hand-drive cars that arrived in the UK. The visual differences are obvious. The factory Aero Kit adds a biplane rear wing to enclose that huge intercooler, while at the front a scarily low front spoiler reminds me that this car is probably most at home on the vast, smooth, wide Autobahns, péages and Autostrade of mainland Europe. The other external visual cues are the yellow brake callipers and the four peashooter-style exhaust outlets under the tail.
Inside there’s a feast of carbon and alloy everywhere. Silver alloy instruments are surprisingly practical, while carbon trim seems to adorn every surface you may consider. If you’re looking for a conservative interior this isn’t it, yet there are shades of Hugo Boss about the whole treatment.
Mechanically, the horsepower improvement over a Turbo is taken care of via larger K24 turbochargers and revised Motronic engine management. The
“The surge forward is surfing on a wave of turbine boost”
figure increases by 42bhp to 450bhp, though it feels more like 460 to 470 from where I’m sitting.
The stiff springing that seems fine on the C2S seems to be having a harder time coming with the mid-range of the Turbo S. It’s a winter’s day, the roads are cold and the tyres not much warmer. Accelerating out of a second-gear corner you suspect that fourwheel drive isn’t going to be the catch-all solution, and the rears are giving that feeling through the seat that we could be on the grip limit. Keep the shoulders relaxed; now is not the time to tense up…
Yes, this thing could get out of shape very quickly indeed. And with none of the protection of PSM, which as we all know stands for Please Save Me,
I’m aware that it’s down to me if I drop it. Today is not the day to be exploring the outer limits of the collectable 993 Turbo S’s handling.
And both of these cars are indeed very collectable. The Porsche 911 market has been a strange one in recent years. At one point, it seemed as if the only mistake you could make in 911 ownership was not owning one. Today the market seems to be returning to a degree of normality. Some car owners will need to become more realistic. However, the true collectable 911s – those of limited numbers, pristine condition and ultra-low mileage – will always find buyers. These two certainly qualify.
So which one? The colours reflect the charisma of the two cars. The conservative silver of the business suit that is the 993 Turbo S, a car that you can climb aboard as you enter the Euro Tunnel, then drive from Calais to Provence in one hit, contrasted by the Guards red C2S, its operatic sports exhaust adding to the flick-knife throttle response and purity of handling to make it a more real-world driver’s car.
Much as I am on record as loving 911 Turbos of all genres, in this case the deep shine of the Guards red and that exhaust wins the day. It’s the type of 911 that makes you set the alarm early on a Sunday morning, head out on a 100-mile quest for a bacon sandwich then return home before the rest of the household has come to life. Were I buying in as an investor, however, the Turbo S would probably be my choice. It will always be a rare car, whereas the C2S will only be truly remarkable and rare as long as you maintain that incredibly low mileage and utterly pristine condition. I could never manage to do that.
Widebody 911s will always be that little bit special. The suggestion of the extra muscle that the body shape has developed to enclose the wider tyres gives the idea that there’s something there that lies above your standard Porsche 911 experience. For sure, some are indeed body-only models, with no additional performance to back up the muscular form. Even so, I still love them.
A certain Porsche 911 specialist I know, who shall remain nameless, once admitted in print that he found there to be something mildly sensual about running a chamois leather over the rear flanks of a widebody Porsche 911. He has a point.