Sales debate

Is the 3.2 Carrera Clubsport misunderstood?

It’s one of the great conundrums of the air-cooled world: why isn’t the 3.2 Carrera Clubsport widely revered as one of the most collectible classics? It certainly seems to have all the makings of a collector’s dream: a competition road car that’s lighter than standard, just 340 examples were produced for worldwide markets (only 53 of which were right-hand drive). That’s nearly five times rarer than the 2.7 Carrera RS, for reference, and the 3.2 Clubsport also knocks off seven tenths of a second in the 0-62mph sprint compared to Porsche’s iconic performance classic.

Sure, it might not have the fabled ‘Rennsport’ moniker attached to it, but the fact remains the Clubsport was the Leichtbau 911 of the 1980s, the car built especially for those who wanted to take their G-bodied 911 into competition. So why do values continue to hover around the same money as a 911S?

“It’s an interesting enigma,” so says Jonathan Ostroff at Hexagon Classics. “There’s only 53 UK C16 cars, but is it different enough to justify two-to-three times the value of a standard 231bhp Carrera Sport? Is it a case of one-upmanship? Most certainly, the rarity takes care of that. Looks-wise as an RS homage, most buyers like it. Is it a run out model? In truth it probably was, but it’s much more than an edition car. I’d like to see real proof from rumours of subtle power gains not officialy registered, but the 40kg weight saving, short shift G50 box and increased rev limit are all positives! We have collectors on our waiting list for low mileage examples, so whatever the general consensus, people are definitely prepared to pay for Porsche rarity,” he says.

Anthony Pozner at Hendon Way Motors reckons its numbers as well as name might work against it. He told us: “With such low numbers made, some fans might never have even heard of the car, which might make them dubious. Everybody knows about the RS but the Clubsport is a little more under the radar.”

Both specialists though are quick to lavish praise on the Clubsport, but do they think its stock will ever rise? “I certainly hope so,” Ostroff says.” Pozner though thinks differently: “Unless Porsche releases a new model with the same name, which will then pique interest for the original among a larger audience, I can’t see it happening. It says more about us enthusiasts than it does about the car!”

It looks like the 3.2 Clubsport could be set to remain a hidden gem in the automotive world – until now…