1991 Porsche 944 Turbo

This fabulous example was brought to us by the family of the late owner, a man known to us here at THE MARKET.

The first and most important thing to tell you about it is that it is in really very good condition indeed.

The second but equally important fact to convey is that it hails from an era in Porsche’s starry history when everything they made was massively over-engineered, built to the hilt, and designed to withstand thermonuclear events.

Walking around the car, opening and closing the doors, appraising the materials, pressing buttons and flicking switches – it all adds up to a powerful and somewhat poignant reminder that modern cars just aren’t built to anything like the same standards.

We keep having to pinch ourselves to remember that this car is now 35 years’ old, because everything about it suggests that it’s a fraction of that age.

We’re finding it equally hard to believe the odometer reading of 189,000 miles.

We’d believe it if it read 18,900 miles.

When Gunther and Wolfgang waved this one goodbye from the end of the production line at Neckarsulm, they must have been very proud of themselves.

It’s an absolute corker.

The car starts, goes, presses on, handles, grips and stops with all the pedigree poise, panache and performance for which the 944 Turbo was rightly lauded and applauded.

At the time of writing the battery is struggling to hold a charge, but that will be rectified before the auction concludes.

The bodywork is straight, true and devoid of any dinks, dents, creases, ripples or folds that shouldn’t be there.

The shut-lines and panel gaps are consistent and even, too.

The 35-year-old doors close with all the weight and certainty of bank vaults. You’ll want to keep closing them just to enjoy the sound of Teutonic precision engineering at its very finest.

You’ll be relieved to hear that they both open as intended, too, although the passenger door needs a little more encouragement to open than its counterpart on the other side.

We have to say we’re big fans of the Baltic Blue Metallic finish, which has plenty of shine and depth of lustre to it – particularly in the sunshine.

Faults are very few and far between but it’s our job to find things to moan about, so here goes.

There’s a scuff on the n/s/r corner below the light cluster; a few stone chips around the ‘nose’ of the car, the bonnet and the wing mirror housings; a split to the rubber trim on the offside ‘A’ pillar; a few scratches on the driver’s side of the roof; some scuffs to the rear of the rubbing strake on the passenger door and on the front valance; and a small chip at the centre of the windscreen (although not directly in the driver’s eye-line).

The wheels, which are shod in matching Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, are in fine condition and appear to be largely unacquainted with kerbs or other roadside obstacles.

The lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are all in very good order, and the rear spoiler is firm and solid.

The pop-up headlights, you’ll be pleased to hear, pop up promptly when asked to do so.

If anything, the interior of this 944 Turbo is even more remarkable than the exterior.

This car must have a portrait of a decrepit version of itself gathering dust in an attic somewhere.

Let’s talk about the seats.

As we write, there are numerous cars in our unit that are 25 years’ younger, with 150,000 fewer miles on the clock.

Almost without exception, they have far more wrinkles, creases and signs of wear and tear to their seats than the black leather upholstery to be found in this time-warp example.

It really is in outstanding condition.

Yes, there’s a little light creasing around the bolsters, but few of us who are over 35 and have some miles on the clock could claim any different.

The black plastics on and around the dashboard, centre console and door handles have stoically resisted any temptations to fade or crack.

Porsche’s seats have long been a tough act to follow when it comes to comfort and support in a sportscar, and these are no exception.

The rear seats, unsurprisingly, look virtually unused.

The fact that they fold down flat makes the already practical luggage bay really very capacious indeed.

The luggage bay, like the rest of the car, belies its age with a casual insouciance verging on disdain.

Equally impressive in terms of condition are the door cards, headlining, carpets and mats.

The steering wheel, gear lever and handbrake appear remarkably untroubled by use or the passage of time, as do the dashboard and centre console.

As far as we’re aware, all of the refreshingly analogue buttons, knobs, switches, dials, levers and instruments do what they’re supposed to do without complaint, delay or dissent.

The engine bay looks to be reassuringly clean, dry, tidy and everything appears to be in its right and proper place.

The undersides are showing some rust in places, as you’ve every right to expect on a car of this age, but nothing we’ve seen has given us any cause to doubt the car’s structural integrity or character.

The car’s service books are full of stamps, mostly from main dealers and a few from marque specialists, up until 2023.

The Loe Bank Motors (marque specialists) stamp from September 2019 suggests that in addition to a full service, the work carried out on that occasion included a new cambelt, auxiliary belts, turbo and water pump.

The car’s last service, again by Loe Bank, was in October 2023 and included all filters and oils, new front discs, and new pads all-round.

It comes with a few bills and invoices for various work carried out, its original manual and service book, a continuation service book, and an MoT certificate that’s valid until 26th September 2026.

If ever you needed a reminder of just how substantially built and precisely engineered some cars used to be, this is it.

Even aged 35 and with plenty of miles under its various belts, it feels as if it’s been milled from billet steel or hewn from granite.

Yes, we know it has 189,000 miles on the clock.

But it’s in fabulous, age-defying condition, mechanically, dynamically and aesthetically.

And it’s really only in the UK that people consider anything over 100,000 miles to be some sort of risk.

Our European and American cousins, people who occupy far larger land masses, routinely cover much greater distances and think we’re a bit odd for attaching such significance to something as arbitrary as a number on an odometer.

Besides, this car is a Porsche and was built in Germany, by Germans, at a time when the marque built up to a standard, not down to a price.

We confidently predict that this splendid machine is good for many, many miles yet.

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £10,000 - £15,000.

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’.