1992 Porsche 968

Finished in the stunning colour of Cobalt Blue Metallic, ‘K552 GEW’ is a Porsche 968 that’s worth coming to see for its colour alone.

Not that it lacks broader appeal: one of the earliest models, it was registered on the 1st of August 1992 (in case you were wondering, Rhythm is a Dancer by Snap! was number one; you can thank us for the earworm later…) and spent its first years as a press car, motor show exhibit, and, finally, showroom demonstrator.

It also has a good service history; with 27 stamps in the book, five owners in the past 25 years, and a wealth of paperwork, having bought so well, the seller had almost nothing to do with his new classic other than drive it. 

After a heady twelve months with it in his life, he’s popped no more than a couple of thousand miles on the odometer and, having ticked this one off his Bucket List and created the space to get his Porsche 996 back on the road, a lack of storage space is the only thing forcing the sale of this early 1990s icon.

The 968 is a great shape anyway but this one’s Cobalt Blue Metallic (paint code L37U) colour elevates it to a whole new level. Beguiling and timeless, the pop-up headlamps and body-coloured bumpers combine to produce what might just be the definite coupé profile.

Even better, it’s also in great shape. With very good shutlines and a complete absence of dents, dinks, and ripples, it has shrugged off 157,000 miles and 32 years with impressive aplomb.

The vast sunroof (option code 650) not only seals tightly in its aperture, it also lifts out completely, turning the 968 into a targa. It’s an impressive trick, and one that extends the Porsche’s appeal considerably in the summer months.

The alloy wheels are the Cup 1 16-inch jobbies; you might think larger rims would look better but Porsche knows that these are the ones, along with relatively high-profile tyres, that give the best handling – and handling is why you’re here, right?

And, to help the chassis, the four wheels are fitted with matching Michelin tyres; no expense spared here, either.

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. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Other notable features include the correct amber indicators and repeaters (none of your aftermarket clear lens nonsense here…) on the front and sides, and flared wheelarches and simple red lenses at the rear (#2 in the charts on the day this registered was, appropriately enough, Baby Got Back by Sir Mix-A-Lot).

Badging is limited to just the one Porsche crest on the bonnet but when a shape is this elegant it doesn’t need jewellery, does it?

But, for all that well-deserved positivity there are a couple of issues you’re going to need to deal with: there is a rust bubble at the base of the offside windscreen pillar and what looks like a bit more rust at the top of the bulkhead in the engine bay.

The interior is grey leather finished with blue piping, making it as elegant and understated and attractive as the coachwork. It’s also in a very good condition, and not only for its age.

You sit deep inside, held snug by the doors and the high centre console as well as the Sports Seats (option code 387 and 388) – and these tombstone seats are not only electrically adjustable, they are as supportive as they are comfortable. 

The leather-covered steering wheel is upright and an arm’s length away, the gearknob falls easily to hand, and the pedals are buried deep in the footwell; even the driving position is very of its time.

Speaking of which, the owner found the presence of a modern Sony headunit jarring, so he splashed out £1,777 in August 2023 to fit a more period-sympathetic Blaupunkt Frankfurt DAB headunit with a hidden active sub-woofer and some upgraded speakers. The result is as easy on the ear as it is the eye.

All the switches, including the bright red hazard (#3 in the charts…) switch are clear and bright, the headlining is excellent, the carpets are tidy, and the door cards are impressive. 

(For further proof of the quality of the 968’s curation please also note the presence of factory labels in the boot, B-pillar, inside the petrol flap, and under the bonnet.)

The elaborately sculpted individual rear seats are barely worn, and they fold forward to provide a useful luggage space. 

Not that you really need any extra room because the boot is huge. It is also nicely trimmed with good carpets. The retractable luggage cover is still in place too, as is the space-saver spare wheel.

As for work you might like to consider, the speaker grille in the driver’s door is missing paint, there’s some colour loss to the outside edge of the driver’s seat, and the gearknob is patinated. 

The service history is fulsome:

• 13.08.1992 – pre-delivery inspection by AFN Porsche Reading
• 04.12.1992 and 4,132 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 26.03.1993 and 11,867 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading 
• 18.08.1993 and 18,138 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 07.04.1994 and 19,620 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 26.09.1994 and 20,847 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading and fresh brake fluid
• 27.07.1995 and 28,866 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 21.09.1995 and 29,547 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading and fresh brake fluid
• 25.07.1996 and 32,138 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 11.06.1997 and 34,831 miles  - service by AFN Porsche Reading
• 09.06.1998 and 38,065 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche plus a new cambelt and fresh brake fluid
• 29.06.1999 and 42,148 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche
• 10.07.2000 and 46,746 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche
• 19.07.2001 and 50,364 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche and fresh brake fluid
• 14.08.2002 and 52,397 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche
• 07.10.2002 and 53,332 miles  - service by Dick Lovett Porsche
• 20.09.2003 and 55,670 miles  - service by Porsche Swindon 
• 17.01.2004 and 57,201 miles – new cambelt by Porsche Reading
• 03.08.2004 and 59,105 miles  - service by Porsche Reading
• 22.10.2005 and 61,225 miles  - service by Porsche Reading
• 09.10.2006 and 62,250 miles  - service by Porsche Reading
• 04.12.2007 and 63,678 miles  - service by Porsche Hatfield
• 24.11.2008 and 73,572 miles  - service by Porsche Hatfield and fresh brake fluid
• 12.11.2009 and 81,473 miles  - service by Porsche Hatfield 
• 09.11.2010 and 89,115 miles  - service by Porsche Hatfield 
• 16.07.2012 and 105,926 miles  - service by European Cars
• 10.09.2013 and 117,591 miles  - service by Parker & Parker and fresh brake fluid
• 26.12.2014 and 129,921 miles  - service by Porsche Sutton Coldfield miles plus a new cambelt and fresh brake fluid
• 02.02.2016 and 134,207 miles  - service by Porsche Sutton Coldfield miles
• 27.06.2018 and 142,058 miles – service by Precision Porsche Specialists plus repairs to the exhaust silencer and fuel pipe 
• 21.07.2021 and 142,999 miles – service and new power steering cooler and hoses fitted by Northway Porsche
• 19.11.2021 and 143,453 miles – oil service plus cambelt replacement including guides by PIE Performance at a cost of £1,211

Other recent work includes:

• 18.08.2017 and miles – new cambelt, balance shaft belt, water pump, all front engine seals, tensioners, top hat seal and oil pump drive by Precision Porsche Specialists
• 07.11.2018 and miles – new power steering hydraulic pump
• 26.07.2019 and miles – new sealing washers, handbrake adjustment and MOT at Porsche Centre Reading
• 30.09.2020 – front discs and pads at Northway Porsche
• 16.09.2021 – repairs to the power steering, cooling fan, and instrumentation at Jacksons Reading
• 07.01.2022 and miles – repairs to exhaust manifold and heatshields by PIE Performance
• 27.06.2023 and miles – new clutch master and slave cylinders by Maundrells Porsche
• As you can see, the three-litre engine starts well and quickly settles into a rock solid idle with good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery. 

The owner might not have used it much but when he did it was generally for journeys of a decent length where he says it drew an awful lot of attention. 

He’s also full of praise for how it goes, saying it “drives beautifully” and is “nicely mechanical” compared to more modern cars, while still being “fun to drive”.

The engine bay is nicely presented with clean plastics and metalwork, and the underside looks very good. Certainly, no MoT tester has ever mentioned structural rust and corrosion. 

After serving as a press vehicle, the 968 remained at a Porsche dealer for the next two years serving as an ambassador for the model and, no doubt, doing double duty as transport for management when they felt like a back-to-basics commute or weekend away.

It also appeared on the Porsche stand at the London Motor Show and became, if not famous, then certainly well known in Porsche circles.

The Porsche Certificate of Conformity that forms part of the car’s history file states the following:

• The chassis number: WPOZZZ96ZNS802504
• Engine: 42N04201,
• Colour: Cobalt Blue Metallic
• Cabin : Classic Grey/Blue Piped
• Reg: K552 GEW
• Factory options include:
• 288 headlight washers
• 383 Sport seat - left
• 387 Sport seat - right
• 418 Protective side mouldings
• 567 Windshield green graduated tint
• 595 Rear spoiler painted to match body
• 650 Sunroof

The 968’s MoT certificate is valid until September 2024, and the only advisory was for a worn nearside rear tyre – but this was taken care of three months later when the seller fitted two new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Porsche comes with two keys, the driver’s manual and service history booklet, a wad of old MoT certificates, and a bunch of invoices for servicing and repairs over the years.

Cars like the Porsche 968 are important because they mark the beginning of the end for analogue sportscars. 

Dating back to an age when manufacturers and legislators were happy for you to make your own decisions rather than forcing their safety-driven algorithms on you, the driver is the one who gets to decide how hard to accelerate, corner and brake; this is a sportscar that will do exactly as you tell it, when you tell it to, with all the benefits and risks that involves - and we don’t think it’ll be long before we’re all ruing the day we passed up the opportunity to buy a car like that.

Which means you’d better act quickly if you want to enjoy one while they’re still relatively accessible.

With a guide price of between £13,000 and £15,000 you might be able to buy more cheaply but we doubt you’ll find a better one for the money – and you just try and find one this good in this colour!

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 Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.