If it feels like this year has been dominated somewhat by a limited run, front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car, one that’s revelatory to drive with about 240hp and costing £30,000, then look away now. Because here’s another. The Porsche 968 Club Sport feels like the only comparison the Toyota GR86 hasn’t faced yet (probably as pitching new cars against 30-year-old ones is silly), though it’s fascinating to note how similar they are on paper. Proof, if ever it was required, that certain formulas just work when it comes to fast cars. What was fast enough, exciting enough and engaging enough 30 years ago remains so now, because you really don’t need any more.
The Club Sport story is well known, Porsche’s early-90s line up desperately needing an injection of drama while the new generation - the Boxster and 996 - were in development. The air-cooled 911 was old by this point, and while the base 968 looked reasonably fresh, it shared more than was ideal with the 944. The Club Sport was a track car overhaul before they were cool, and in the way Porsche knew best: the 968 was gutted, doing away with rear seats and electric windows, lower and stiffer than a standard car. Many reviews raved about it, but others found the Club Sport a bit too hardcore. This was just as the E36 M3 had launched, remember, with its glorious straight six and lavish (by comparison) interior.
Nevertheless, the genius of the Club Sport has come to be appreciated over the years, along with many of the lightweight Porsches. Despite actually costing less than standard when new, prices have climbed in recent years to reflect the esteem in which they’re held. A 968 Sport is very good for less money, combining some of the CS upgrades with a bit more standard kit, but there’s still nothing quite like the real thing.
Especially when it’s Riviera Blue. Wheels colour matched to the body became something of a Club Sport trademark, and it undoubtedly still has impact today. How this must have looked in 1993! This 968 has a curious spec, in fact, going full race car with the colour and wheels but with four seats, a sunroof and an airbag, equipment initially deleted to save weight. You might say it only adds to the rarity, and there’ll be absolutely no qualms about the condition, having been serviced at a Porsche main dealer until 2021. For a car so overtly track focused, moreover, the 968 shows precious few signs of wear for its 100,000 miles.
The asking price for this one is £29,750, or within a thousand pounds of what it would have cost new 30 years ago. And £245 less than a standard GR86, or a bit more for an Electric Blue one that almost looks like a bit like Riviera. As the last of their respective eras - because the Macan doesn’t count as a front-engined, four-cylinder sports car - as well as being superb to drive, both Toyota and Porsche will have collectors climbing all over them for years to come. New versus old is never a fair comparison, of course, but it’s nice to see the classic recipes reimagined so well. Perhaps a 9686 feature isn’t such a bad idea, after all.
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