Is the Porsche 993 the perfect 911?

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I had a nice comment on my Facebook page from someone who said “Having had 2 x 993’s, 2 x 996’s and 1 x 997 there is no better car than a 993. Period” A real Porsche 993 fan, then.

It’s a sentiment shared by many people and, whenever we get a Porsche 993 in stock, it’s snapped up quickly. So why is the 993 such a popular 911? There are a combination of factors which come together.

First of, they are great looking Porsches. With their curvaceous flared wheel arches and swept back headlamps, a 993 looks lovely from most angles (although I sometimes thing they look a bit narrow from the front).

It’s often said that the 993 was the last of the aircooled 911s which, of course, it was. That meant it had over 30 years of development time behind it and Porsche pretty much got it right with the 993. The engines are tough and willing, the suspension works (the 993 had an all-new multilink system), and the six-speed gearbox is hard to fault.

The 993 interior is an evolution of what went before it but subtly updated to make it feel and look so much more modern than previous 911s. It’s a car you can still be comfortable in to.

Also, 993s tend to be owned by people with the wherewithal to look after them properly ; it’s rare to find a tatty or neglected Porsche 993 (unlike 964s, then), which makes them relatively safe and easy cars to buy and to own, and one shouldn’t spring any nasty surprises at you. It’ll hold its value, too, or even appreciate.

So what’s the downside of the Porsche 993? Practically speaking, very little. There are people out there who will argue that a 993 is a dull choice and you’re better with a 964 or an earlier 911. That’s as maybe, but good 964s are very hard to find (it’s much easier to buy a 993) and earlier 911s, while lovely, are more of a compromise to live with.

So is the Porsche 993 the perfect 911? In many ways it is, but I would argue that there are lots of perfect 911s out there. Indeed, maybe any 911 is perfect! That said, a 993 is very hard to beat as a good all-rounder. What do you think?

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This Post Has 26 Comments

  4. Neill Watson April 22, 2013 Reply

    It’s assured a place in history as the last ‘real’ 911 in many people’s eyes. Yet I hardly ever see a 993 on the roads these days.
    For me, the 964 was the last 911 that had the ‘classic’ lines, with traditional headlamps and upright windscreen. My favourite would probably be either 964 Anniversary in Viola or a 964 Turbo 2.
    But next week, that may well change…
    NW

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