1994 Porsche 968 Sport

A genuine UK-supplied Porsche 968 Sport, ‘SJI 1248’ is finished in Riviera Blue, which most enthusiasts would agree is the best colour for the best version of one of the best-handling cars of its era.

This one was also previously owned by Andrew Frankel, widely regarded as one of the best motoring writers of his era too.

Which makes it a very special example.

Fitted with the Luxury pack comprising Recaro ‘Comfort’ front seats, a rear seat, electric windows, sunroof, electric tailgate release, thicker glass, and extra soundproofing, it’s essentially a Club Sport with an extra layer of civility.

Which hasn’t hampered its dynamic ability one iota: Andrew Frankel tested it alongside a Porsche 918 Spyder and wrote that his 968 and Porsche’s hypercar always finished the Scottish Highland routes at the same time, which is remarkable given the disparity in their age and power.

Interestingly, his brother owned it first, selling it to a cardiologist friend of theirs who lived on the Isle of Wight. Andrew bought it from him for that very test; to be eligible for the press event he couldn’t cadge one from a mate or borrow one from Porsche’s press fleet: He had to own his own. 

In all, he ended up knowing the car for eighteen years and given his contacts and the test it was to face, we doubt he’d have settled for anything but the very best.

Porsche cast its eye over it for him, changing the cambelt as a precaution, but otherwise pronouncing it sound. In fact, the senior technician told him: “If you don’t buy it, I will.”

The result was cover features for the Daily Telegraph on the 10th of September 2016, and GT Porsche magazine in the August 2016 issue. (Copies of both are included in the car’s extensive history file.) It’s since been written about extensively, including for Autocar.

He refurbished his beloved Porsche 968 Sport’s alloy wheels before fitting them with a set of the correct N-marked Michelin Pilot Sport tyres. A Porsche 'Classic' combined entertainment and satellite navigation unit, complete with twin USB charging ports, was also fitted under his stewardship.

The seller bought it in January 2024 after seeing it at Bicester; he’d just sold his Miami Blue Cayman GTS and was looking for something he’d feel a bit less precious about.

Things didn’t quite work out as planned, as his OCD meant he had to refresh it before he could enjoy it properly. However, he tells us it was worth the effort: “It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever driven. Andrew Frankel was absolutely right!”

Part of the refresh involved the seller tidying up the bodywork as there were a few scratches he wasn’t happy leaving, mainly to the front and rear bumpers. 

One side of the Riviera Blue coachwork had already been resprayed following an unsatisfactory repair after the Porsche’s only known accident, an incident a previous auction listing described as being nothing more than a dented wing.

The result is a pleasant surprise given Andrew Frankel described it as “scruffy’ when he bought it back in 2016. With a very good shine to the paintwork, consistent shutlines, and nicely aligned panels, it is still every inch the thoroughbred that went head-to-head with a million-pound hypercar.

There’s a marked absence of the sort of dents and dinks you’d have every right to expect to find on a car that’s just celebrated its 30th birthday too but then it’s only covered around 1,500 miles since it left his hands in 2018. 

The refurbished 17-inch alloy wheels are holding up very well, as are the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres he fitted. They’re getting on a bit now, but they have plenty of tread left, so if you’re not planning on anything too challenging, they’d probably be okay still for gentle runs and car shows. 

As for flaws and faults, the nearside door has a noticeable paint touch-up just above the door trim, while the offside door drops very slightly when you open it. It also has the usual swirls and light polishing marks across the coachwork, but we think a professional paint correction would remove most, if not all, of those.

The front sidelight also has some condensation inside it, but the lamp lenses are all otherwise excellent. The rear screen is also delaminating.

It also has a quirk in that you must also lock and unlock it whenever you turn the engine off or it won’t start.

The black interior is simple and purposeful; the Recaro Comfort front seats are grippy while still being easy to get in and out of, therefore perfectly judged for a fast road car then that’s still comfortable enough to potter down to the shops in or take your dear old mum out for Sunday lunch.

The old girl would struggle to get into the rear seats though, but then so would most people. Probably better to think of them as a +2 option, the corollary of which is that they’re in an even better condition than those in the front – and the two front ones are pretty darned good with no obvious wear or even bobbling to their fabric finish thanks to a retrim of the seats in 2016.

The steering wheel is a fat-rimmed, three-spoke jobbie that’s as good to hold as it is to look at. The gearlever is short too, and while the gearchange up and down the six-speed ‘box is on the firm side, the payoff is a precise change. 

The dashboard, carpets, door cards and headlining are all in good order too, and the white lettering on the switches is still nice and legible.

The boot looks solid, and it plays host to a space-saver spare wheel. 

The Porsche entertainment system is very discreet, cleverly hiding its modern internals behind a period-looking fascia. It’s got all the good stuff like a sat-nav and Bluetooth connectivity, and Clarion speakers have been fitted in the doors. 

Cosmetically, there are some wear marks to the rear of the driver’s seat, the nearside door pocket has been repaired with a screw, the boot trim has eased away from the rear panel, and the roller blind that hides your luggage from nefarious eyes is a bit saggy.

The Porsche’s service history is recorded as follows:

• 22/10/2020 and 88,889 miles – service plus front dampers replaced and more by ePorsch at a cost of £2,873
• 14/12/2018 and 88,157 miles – service by Plans Performance
• 20/10/2014 and 86,094 miles – service by SK Automotive Engineers
• 12/03/2012 and 84,948 miles – oil service by SK Automotive Engineers
• 20/09/2010 and 84,095 miles – oil service by SK Automotive Engineers
• 22/04/2009 and 82,706 miles – service by TM Sayers
• 08/08/2007 and 78,986 miles – service by TM Sayers
• 09/06/2005 and 75,066 miles – service by 9-Eleven Mobile
• 22/04/2004 and 69,500 miles – belts and pulleys by Mithril Racing LTD
• 08/04/2004 and 69,168 miles – service by MR Performance Cars
• 27/02/2003 and 65,887 miles – service by Mithril Racing Ltd
• 08/03/2002 and 60,187 miles – belts by Tognola Engineering
• 20/02/2002 and 60,150 miles – service by Tognola Engineering
• 24/01/2001 and 50,486 miles – service by Tognola Engineering
• 22/02/2000 and 46,506 miles – service by Specialist Cars of Malton
• 14/07/1999 and 45,415 miles – service and belts by AFN Reading
• 01/07/1998 and 38,184 miles – service by Carrs Porsche of Exeter
• 03/07/1997 and 31,676 miles – service by Carrs Porsche of Exeter
• 02/07/1996 and 23,416 miles – service by Arlington Porsche of Northampton
• 16/05/1995 and 10,394 miles – service by H.R. Owen Porsche
• 27/07/1994 and 2,307 miles – service by Merlin Cambria – 2,307 miles

There are many receipts on file for other work, up to and including February 2025.

As well as being “a bit OCD” the seller is also a BMW Master Technician, so of course he’s been through the car from front to back; “I wanted it to be the best it can be!”

His work included:

• Full brake service, including fresh brake fluid - £345
• Repair glovebox - £24
• Replace nearside rear light cluster - £300
• Oil change - £86
• New Bosch wiper blades - £24
• New battery - £128
• Replace remote alarm fob - £85
• Aerial rubber replaced with OEM unit - £84
• New OEM door panel screws and clips plus door handle rubbers - £122
• Rebuild numberplate lamps - £45
• Replace a power-steering clip - £22
• Refit front lower spoiler with new fasteners - £80
• Rebuild steering short shaft as the cv joints were failing - £230
• MOT and full check over - £55

All this hard work paid off because, as you can see, the 968 starts on the button, idles like a sewing machine, and explores the upper reaches of the rev counter with enthusiasm. 

The dashboard also shows both good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery. No warning lights either, although there is a rattle when you rev it, which is audible inside the cabin and at the rear of the car. 

The hidden parts of the Porsche present well. The engine bay and underside were cleaned with dry ice, still an unfamiliar procedure to most of us. We suspect it’ll gain wider traction though as it is remarkably effective in gently cleaning areas you would previously have had to use steam or harsh chemicals on.

The seller then carefully treated any rust before leaving it otherwise bare, allowing prospective buyers to see for themselves how good the underside is. 

And his confidence is clearly warranted because the 968’s MoT, which is valid until February 2026, was issued with no advisories, like so many before.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and it comes with two sets of keys.

It doesn’t have a service history booklet, but it does come with a large number of invoices and expired MoT certificates in addition to the Porsche book pack and the instruction booklet for the upgraded Porsche headunit. 

After a few years when cars like this were fetching silly money, the market has now calmed down a bit, and the subsequent readjustment in value had made them accessible again to the sort of folk who want to drive ‘em rather than polish ‘em.

And this one would be the ideal candidate for the enthusiast who wants to discover for themselves what all the fuss is about.

With a guide price of between £20,000 and £25,000, there’s plenty of headroom for the winning bidder to tidy up its few remaining cosmetic issues – and, in a few years time, its provenance and condition should make light work of selling it on – and with a following wind, it might not end up costing you that much either…

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) 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’.