1996 Porsche 993 Targa

Finished in Iris Blue, ‘C2 HFY’ is a 1996 Porsche 911 Targa that comes with an exceptional service history, including time spent with renowned independent Porsche specialists No.5 Garage, who continued the previous owner’s refurbishment of the suspension helping the seller exploit the new Pirelli P-Zero tyres he fitted.

Bought from us four years ago, he’s enjoyed every single one of the 10,000 or so miles he’s covered in his beloved 993, miles that were largely accumulated on long runs into Europe.

These road trips have brought the total mileage to a little over 185,000 but fear not; providing they’ve been serviced properly these cars shrug off the sort of mileage that would kill a lesser car; in fact, we’d much rather see one like this than a trailer queen with a low mileage and all the problems such a lack of use brings with it…

Sadly, an upcoming move abroad means he’s not going to be able to use it as much in the future, and rather than letting it languish he’s decided to follow the advice of pretty much every poet and lyricist of the past couple of hundred years, and free the one he loves.  
 

The 911’s Iris Blue coachwork, colour code L39V, looks stunning, doesn’t it? Both timeless and contemporary, the shade isn’t one we’ve seen very often, which makes it all the more refreshing.

It’s all in great shape too, partly thanks to careful curation and partly due to some judicious refurbishment over the years.

The underlying panels fit together very well with razor-sharp shutlines and the sort of hewn-from-solid look the 993 is famous for. The doors shut with an authoritative thud too, and if you were to suggest this was the last of the 911’s to be designed by engineers rather than accountants few would argue…

There are no dents or dinks anywhere either, and the flanks are free of the sort of ripples that betray a careless driver.

Speaking of which, the split-rim alloy wheels are free of scrapes, scuffs, and other kerbing damage too, AND they’re fitted with matching Pirelli P-Zero Rosso tyres. The front ones, in size 205/50ZR17, show a build year of 2021, while the rears, which are slightly wider at 255/40ZR17, are date-stamped 2022. All have good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The window rubbers all look good too, as does the glazing itself but then the windscreen was replaced only a few years ago.

The rear spoiler deploys as it should too, and the rear wash/wipe is a feature you’ll appreciate on every rainy day.

Problems, therefore, are few.

Apart from the stonechips every car accumulates over the years, there are a couple of marks on the driver’s door plus another couple on the offside door mirror. The rear wheelarch protectors have also crazed, the rear bumper is scuffed, the red paint is flaking away from the brake calipers, and the lacquer on the alloy wheels is coming away in a few places.
 

The grey leather seats and the rest of the 2+2 interior were all professionally refurbished in July 2023, during which the crumbling sound-deadening insulation was replaced. The final bill came to more than £1,800.

But, as you can see, it was worth every penny because it all looks terrific; whereas some restorations seem to comprise nothing but a thick layer of leather paint, this work has been done with conservation in mind rather than restoration. In fact, it’s been so sympathetically done that you’d scarcely know any work had been carried out, which is about as high as praise gets.

Because they look like they’ve got 10,000 miles under their belt rather than 185,000. Firm of bolster and free of then usual sagging and cracking to the leather seat covers, they look remarkably good with only the gentlest of creases ruffling their surface.

The rear seats might be tight on legroom but there’s ample on offer for small children or adults over a short distance, plus they fold down to give extra storage space for stuff like coasts and shopping bags. Of course, given their limited use they are in an even better condition than the seats in front of them.

As for the glass roof that adds so much to the 911 experience, there’s no Old School weirdness here just a slick glass panel that slides up and down at the press of a button; it really does give all the benefits of both the coupé and the convertible with none of the drawbacks. Of course, it all works as it should including the pop-up wind deflector and the sliding sunblind

Should you prefer to keep the outside world at bay you’ll be pleased to hear that the air-conditioning system was recharged at recharged at independent Porsche specialists No. 5 Garage in September 2021 and still works perfectly.

The headunit is a perfectly-judged modern Bluetooth jobbie from Porsche whose style suits the 911’s period interior while providing all the 21st century tech we’ve all come to rely on. There are plenty of speakers too, including tiny tweeters on the top of the doors. The vendor tells us 'I seem to recall the headunit display showing 'No Service' when you select the radio function, although the headunit and speakers all work when playing music from a USB stick. I am not an expert, but it could be a loose radio antenna connection.' 

Other mod cons include electrically operated front seats, windows, door mirrors, door locks, rear spoiler, and roof; this is not a sportscar you need to wrestle into submission.

The frunk is as tidy as everywhere else, and it plays host to a space-saver spare wheel.

Oh, and the original factory build specification sticker is still present on the ‘bonnet’, which, taken in conjunction with a clear HPI report, bodes well as to the car’s history.

It’s all rather nice and the only job we can see the new owner might want to undertake is to replace the screws that hold on the panel for the seat switches as they’re rusty.
 

As you can see, the 911 started its service history in the Porsche main dealer network before moving to a series of independent specialists as it changed hands; no cheapskate fixed-price servicing from the likes of Halfords here, and only one well-documented home service:

Here then is the 911’s history, in all its considerable glory:

•    21.03.1997 and 11,973 miles – service by JCT600
•    03.11.1997 and 23,667 miles – service by JCT600
•    26.05.1998 and 36,234 miles – service by JCT600 including fresh brake fluid
•    18.12.1998 and 48,478 miles – service by JCT600
•    11.08.1999 and 59,578 miles – service by JCT600
•    26.04.2000 and 70,026 miles – service by JCT600
•    21.02.2001 and 76,713 miles – service by JCT600
•    01.08.2001 and 79,514 miles – service by JCT600
•    02.04.2002 and 81,004 miles – service by Portiacraft
•    03.05.2003 and 85,000 miles – service by Portiacraft
•    30.09.2003 and 97,361 miles – service by Portiacraft
•    02.04.2004 and 108,500 miles – service by Portiacraft
•    09.09.2004 and 119,620 miles – service by Portiacraft including a new clutch
•    29.03.2007 and 145,128 miles – service by Tognola Engineering Ltd
•    02.04.2008 and 151,454 miles – service by Tognola Engineering Ltd including a new clutch
•    20.01.2009 and 153,802 miles – service by Tognola Engineering Ltd
•    31.01.2011 and 156,168 miles – service by Tognola Engineering Ltd
•    28.03.2014 and 161,948 miles – service by Precision including a air-conditioning service
•    05.07.2015 and 163,900 miles – home service 
•    14.09.2017 and 170,499 miles – service by Advanced Car Care
•    02.02.2018 and 172,192 miles – service by Zuffenhaus including fresh gearbox oil and brake fluid
•    04.06.2021 and 173,350 miles – service by No.5 Garage LTD including fresh brake fluid
•    27.11.2024 and 180,126 miles – service by No.5 Garage LTD including new belts and a tensioner, and resealing the camshaft covers
•    09.04.2024 and 180,126 miles – service by No.5 Garage LTD including new pollen filters, wiper blades, brake pipes and hoses, lower wishbones and drive bellows, rear brake pads and sensors, and fresh brake fluid at a cost of £4,718

NB - The last two invoices indicate mileage at 180,126 miles, which the vendor can only surmise was an administrative mistake by No.5 Garage.

Other notable work includes new Powerflex front wishbone bushes in 2015, new rear dampers and anti-roll bar drop links in February 2018, new offside rear upper and lower control arms in January 2023, a new offside rear lower control arm in May 2023 and new front Bilstein B4 suspension struts, brake disc protective plates and front and rear wheel alignment in August 2023.

The speedometer and rev counter were both repaired and a new battery fitted in February 2022.

As you can see, the 3.6-litre flat-six engine bursts into life with enthusiasm and makes all the right noises and none of the wrong; they really are all but indestructible if you look after ‘em – and this one also shows excellent oil pressure too, but then you could have guessed that by now, eh? 

The engine bay is clean and tidy without being overly fussy; it’s good enough that you could lift the boot lid in any company without feeling even the slightest quiver of embarrassment yet is patinated enough that rain isn’t going to stop play.

The underside looks good and solid, and no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural rust or corrosion. It’s still very well undersealed, too with only a couple of small areas where it’s been scraped away.

However, while you’re under there topping up the underseal you might like to replace the cracked plastic trim you can see in photo 39/81 in the ‘Mechanical’ section. There is also evidence of the small but persistent oil leak the man from the ministry keeps bringing up.

NB: A compressor, battery charger/conditioner, both indoor and an outdoor car cover are included in the sale. 
 

The Porsche’s MoT certificate is valid until May 2026, and it probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that it was issued with no advisories.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the 911 comes with two sets of keys and Porsche remote fobs, the Porsche book pack and wallet, a well-stamped service history booklet, and plenty of invoices and bills for servicing and repairs. 
 

Wind in the hair at the touch of a button allied to classic 911 looks and that iconic air-cooled engine help place the 993 Targa at the very top of many enthusiasts’ wish lists.

Only available for a couple of years, it’s a rare car too – and that’s without factoring in the money-no-object servicing and routine maintenance this one’s enjoyed.

Our estimate is that the virtual hammer will fall somewhere between £35,000 and £45,000 but as it sold for slightly more than our upper estimate four years ago, it may again do even better than we predict.

But this should be cause for celebration not consternation; sure, you might pay a bit more now, but you too should benefit from that same lofty value when the times comes for you to let it go.

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’.