1997 Porsche 911 (993) C2S Vesuvio Edition

This fabulous ‘Metallic Vesuvio’ colour of this car is mesmerically elusive, shifting and chimeric.

Ask five people to describe it and you’ll get seven or eight different descriptions.

So. Let’s clear it up once and for all.

The vines that climb the slopes of Vesuvius carry the aroma, taste and colour memories of those planted by Roman viticulturalists centuries before the destruction of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Their roots lie deep in the dark and porous lava soil, rich in minerals, ash, and lapilli.

And there you sit, at the foot of the volcano, warmed by the last rays of the Neapolitan sun on a late summer’s afternoon.

You hold your glass of Vesuvio Lacryma Christi DOC up to the sky to see the light dancing across the Bay of Naples refracted in every molecule.

Those are the signature colours of this car, and they ebb and flow ceaselessly with the time of day, the seasons and the weather.

Anyway.

This achingly beautiful car was exported new to Japan in 1997.

Once there, it experienced the pampered and fastidiously curated existence enjoyed by nearly all Japanese imports, and its fine condition reflects the fact that it’s spent most of its life in a country where salt is thrown over the shoulders of sumo wrestlers, not chucked all over the roads with reckless abandon like it is in the UK.

You may be wondering why someone in Japan (a RHD country) would import a new LHD Porsche 993.

Well, it’s not unusual for Japanese buyers to specify their prestigious foreign imports in LHD configuration because it accentuates the exotic, rarefied, special status of their purchase and makes its ‘foreignness’ even more conspicuous.

This car, the vendor tells us, was so cossetted and protected by its previous Japanese owner that he kept a shoe box containing a pair of driving moccasins in the passenger footwell.

Lesser footwear was simply not allowed near the carpets, mats or pedals.

This car was bought by the vendor some seven years ago for his use in the UK.

It is a Carrera 2S, has the Turbo widebody, and only a mere 64,194kms or 39,888 miles from new. This car came with the factory specification of lowered suspension from the Turbo S and a deleted sunroof option.

It also comes with the Tiptronic S gearbox which, for those who know what to do with it, can make for a highly engaging and rewarding drive when mated to the S variant engine and used as the fine engineers of Zuffenhausen always intended.

We have driven this car and can attest to its absolutely driver-focussed dynamics, fabulous balance and terrific performance.

As ever with 993s, the build quality is so good that the whole car feels as if it’s been machined from a single billet.

In his pursuit of achieving the ultimate Porsche-developed suspension set-up, the vendor took the car to specialists Synergy to have the Porsche/Bilstein Nürburgring Edition suspension package retrofitted in 2021.This set-up was developed by Porsche after complaints from Widebody customers that the standard 993 suspension options weren't suitable for their cars.

When it arrived in the UK the car was showing 56,000kms on the odometer. In the intervening years, that number has increased to a still paltry 64,194kms.

It is, in every conceivable way, a delight to drive and behold.

We’re pretty sure Porsche has never made a better-looking car than this.

Squat, purposeful, aggressive and perfectly proportioned, the wide-body stance of this 993 C2S elevates the car’s aesthetics to a new level – and one that’s taken stratospherically higher by the unique Vesuvio finish and Steel Grey highlights on the wing mirrors, wheels and engine cover louvres.

The car presents exceptionally well from every angle and is reassuringly free of any dents or dinks worthy of a mention.

The shut-lines and panel gaps are excellent and the doors close with all the crisp, Teutonic precision and certainty we’ve come to expect of Zuffenhausen’s finest products.

Whilst not without flaws under very close scrutiny, the paint we believe to be original factory and has held up very well over the passage of time and the finish gleams, dazzles and pops in the sunshine.

The vendor has deliberately done nothing to diminish the car’s authenticity and originality.

So, all and any parts that have ever been replaced are OEM, and any stone chips, minor scratches or other aberrations have been left in situ.

There is a barely perceptible dink on the front bumper and a few stone chips and tiny scuffs in the usual places: around the nose of the car, the front of the bonnet, and on the forward-facing aspects of the rear haunches.

There is one small patch of nascent blistering by the lower offside corner of the rear screen.

The front light clusters are clear and bright. The rear light cluster strip is fine aside from one minor touch-up on the offside section.

There is a little kerbing and scuffing in evidence on the rear wheels, which are shod in Bridgestone Potenza S-02A rubber with plenty of life left in it.

The front wheels are very good and are wearing Bridgestone Potenza S001 rubber for optimal front/back balance (according to your driving characteristics preference, of course).

All trim, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings appear to be in very fine fettle.

You really shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the interior is every bit as impressive as its exterior counterpart.

Compared to those found on the latest iterations of the 911, the interior of a 993 is a focussed, simple and minimalist space, devoid of fripperies, indulgencies or other unnecessary distractions from the job in hand - driving.

Everything you need is there, nothing you could do without is present.

The black leather front seats are barely troubled by any creases, let alone patina, and are as supremely supportive and comfortable as this era of Porsche seats were rightly considered to be.

The rear seats are, of course, in more or less pristine condition, and are really only there for the benefit of bags of shopping or people who are very young, small, flexible, or all three.

The carpets and mats are splendid, as are the door cards and the headlining.

The steering wheel, gear selector and other controls are all untroubled by the passage of time.

The vendor tells us that, as far as he’s aware, all knobs, buttons, switches, dials and toggles do what they’re supposed to do without delay or complaint.

We noticed that a small patch of black has come off within the electronic display at the bottom of the rev counter.

Somehow, we don’t think that’ll be a deal breaker with this car.

The frunk is following the same script in terms of condition and quality.

The undersides seem to be well preserved and everything we can see appears to have plenty of structural integrity.

As ever with a 911, there’s really not much to reward anyone who peers into the engine bay. All the important stuff is hidden from view.

What we can see, however, looks fine, and it’s an impressively clean and tidy place.

The car’s stamped-up service book is mainly in Japanese and, we must confess, our command of that noble and ancient tongue isn’t what it could be.

That said, we know how the Japanese look after their prized vehicles, and the evidence of that is clearly there for all to see on this car.

The vendor spent nearly £3,000 with marque specialists Synergy in 2021. The work included fitting the Porsche/Bilstein Nürburgring Edition suspension and replacing the alternator belt, among other routine work.

Prior to that, the vendor had agreed with Porsche Chiswick that he’d let them show his car as part of a Porsche 70th anniversary display in return for a full health check and oil service.

Owners of lesser cars don’t tend to get offered deals like that by main dealers, in our experience.

The car comes with a full set of keys, books and manuals, and has an MoT certificate that’s valid until 15.1.25.

In common with every other MoT certificate this car has had, it comes with no advisories whatsoever.

If you ever happen to see another 993 C2S in the jaw-dropping shade of Vesuvio, it’ll either be a car that’s been resprayed from a different original colour, or one of the other 59 cars to leave the factory wearing this sublime livery.

Either way, you’ll be very, very fortunate to find one that can match this example for low mileage, condition and the obvious quality of care and attention that have been lavished upon it.

With a 'Buy It Now' price of £100,000 (including the buyers premium), it is a truly glorious machine and we like it a great deal.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.