1993 Porsche 968 Club Sport

• Track-focused run-out model adopting the philosophy of less is more. One of the best-handling Porsche models ever
• First registered as one of the infamous factory S-L cars, spending almost three years in Porsche ownership at Zuffenhausen, performing official duties as a 1994 M/Y car
• Our vendor, a well-known Club Sport owner of almost 20 years, estimates to have spent over 150hrs going through the car working closely with Porsche specialist, 'PIE Performance'
• Subtle driver-focused enhancements including KW Variant 3 suspension system, Quaife ATB differential, M030 callipers, M030 anti-roll bars etc
• Really striking in Speed Yellow, a model-specific registration number and always maintained by renowned marque specialists; 12 months MOT

Long-term Porsche devotees will be all too familiar with the 968, introduced to the world back in 1991, and as it turned out, was to be the end of the line for Porsche's enduring front-engined four-cylinder model line. The 968 was developed directly from the 944, which meant adopting its well-honed and well-proven running gear, whilst presenting a fresh design aesthetic that made it feel like a significantly new model.

The standard 968 was a great all-round sports car, but as a last 'hurrah' to this enduring lineage Porsche wanted to create a car tailored more for the pure enthusiast and, in particular, one that would excel in competition. In late 1992, the 968 'Club Sport' was introduced and, whilst it was mechanically identical to the standard 968 and shared the same 3.0-litre engine (producing 225lb-ft of torque and 240bhp) and 6-speed gearbox (situated at the rear axle, which helped give the car it's excellent weight distribution), it differed in a number of important ways.

This track-focused run-out model adopted the philosophy of 'less is more' by removing all luxury-related equipment from the basic build specification. With the no-frills approach, less weight and clever suspension, Porsche could now focus media attention on the Club Sport's fast road and track abilities. As soon as the press got hold of the Club Sport and discovered what a brilliant drivers' car it was, the credibility of the 968 went through the roof. Even Walter Rohrl reckoned it was the best handling car that Porsche made (after driving an example previously owned by our vendor). The CS achieved a 'Performance Car of The Year' award in 1993 from Performance Car magazine in the UK.

In total, just 1,923 CS examples were produced worldwide and it's now rightly regarded as one of the best driving Porsche cars ever made.

The car presented here is a very special Club Sport and was first delivered new to Dr Ing h.c.f. Porsche at PorscheStraße 42, Stuttgart 70435; chassis 96ZRS815311 was ordered in almost standard specification with the only exceptions to Clubsport puritanism being a sunroof and a Blaupunkt RCR42 radio cassette.

As enthusiasts will know, the standard factory Club Sport specification comprises lowered suspension, colour-coded wheels, lightweight fixed bucket seats, reduced sound deadening, manual window regulators/mirrors, cable boot release, a lighter wiring loom/alternator/battery and only a single radiator fan.

Registered as one of the infamous factory 'S-L' cars, S-LU 8167 spent almost three years in Porsche ownership at Zuffenhausen performing official duties as a 1994 Model Year car.

Between 1994 and 1996m, the service book shows 4 services, all stamped by the factory service centre at 4,900km (03/94), 22,783km (09/94), 44,680km (06/95) & 58,460km (01/96) and showing the same Auftrag Nr. (order) of 73534530.

On the 3rd July 1996, an official warranty card shows the warranty being extended at 61,000km and a TUV Certificate in November 1996 shows 63,000km

In November 1996, German documents show the ownership was transferred from Porsche to Friedemann Schnieder of Furth, Nuremberg and registered as Fu-E 7635.

In January 1998, the car was imported into the United Kingdom at 82,200km by a James Whitely who passed the vehicle to renowned Porsche specialists, 'AutoFarm' in Oxfordshire. Its first MOT was dated 27/01/98 and it was registered as L826 LTF on the 30th January 1998 prior to being sold on the 6th February 1998 to Alan Durrant of Bristol.

It then passed through two more owners until purchased by Bob Maclaren & Steve Bennet of 'Circuit Driver' magazine (Steve subsequently became editor of '911 Porsche World') in April 2005 at 118,000km. A change of circumstances meant the car was sold on to Alan Smith on the 15th August who then embarked on an extraordinary list of improvements and upgrades to the car over the next two years. These included, but were not limited to: rectifying any paint defects, the fitting of KW Variant 3 suspension system, a Quaife ATB Differential, M030 callipers, cross-drilled discs and pads, Goodridge hoses, M030 anti-roll bars, and a new clutch & dual mass flywheel; all new belts, rollers, tensioner, Variocam chain and tensioner pads, engine mounts, installing a rear half cage (bolt-in) and harnesses, plus the refurbishment of the wheels, starter motor, alarm/immobiliser, clock and undertrays. During his two-year ownership, there are bills on file amounting to ú24,000 with work carried out by Porsche Specialist, Steve Bull.

In October 2007 at around 130,000km, the car passed to Richard Fenton of London and it stayed in his ownership until 2020. In 2014 he moved to rural Herefordshire where the car remained stored until 2019 when it was recommissioned by Chris Denning Sportscars at 143,800km (89,353 miles) receiving new belts and rollers and a thorough inspection.

Our vendor, a well-known Club Sport owner of almost 20 years, then bought the car and estimates to have spent over 150 hours going through it and completed, amongst other works, in conjunction with Porsche specialist, 'PIE Performance', the following: fully serviced (October 2020) and MOT'd, an inspection of camshaft teeth, chain and tensioner, a change of gearbox oil, cleaning of the injectors, inlet manifold and throttle body; plus new coolant and power steering fluid, a new carbon canister, new pads & calliper inspection (rears benefitting from new plates), fully refreshed anti-roll bar mounts, an inspection of the torsion bar mounts, 4-wheel alignment, refit the bumpers, a repaint & refit of the side skirts with new seals, a stripping down of the the rear hatch and a refit of the glass (a common weak point for 968s), a repaint of the alloy wheels, a replacement original clock with lap timer function and the fitting of a Vodafone Cat1 alarm/immobiliser.

The 944, the 968 and even the 928 are seeing their values rise in the wake of the '911 explosion' and front-engined Porsches are having the Renaissance they richly deserve. This is a simply super example of arguably the most coveted front-engined Porsche model and, competitively guided, opens the door into a very exclusive club.

(NB: please note the correct chassis number for this car is WP0ZZZ96ZRS815311 (it is a typo / human input error on the V5C showing a 5 instead of an S, an easy rectification).