Nothing becomes a classic randomly and without reason. Take the Porsche 911 as an example. Its looks, performance, and driving experience have impressed enthusiasts—and, most importantly, buyers—for decades. Another great example is a convertible, which makes spirited drives even more stimulating. Our Pick of the Day, a 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet posted on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Georgia, is both of those types of classic—with a twist.
When you read the words “classic” and “Porsche 911,” you probably envision the car in Guards Red. That’s understandable because Guards Red is a great color for a Porsche.
But one of the things that makes classics so cool is that one minor change can make them refreshingly distinctive yet comfortably familiar at the same time. Think of an oxford cloth button-down shirt in a color other than white or light blue, or a pair of Chuck Taylors in dark green leather. That’s what’s going on with this Turquoise Metallic 911 Carrera Cabriolet. Given the power-operated black soft top, you might assume it has a black leather interior, but once again, this Porsche goes a different direction – in this case, with its Marble Grey leather upholstery.
As a whole, the 993 generation of the 911 (1994-1998) was a variation of the tried-and-true formula for Porsche’s signature sports car. Although it had the same general silhouette and air-cooled engine layout as its 964 predecessor, the 993 was fitted with wider and flatter front fenders that housed polyellipsoid headlights, broader haunches with higher-mounted taillights, and a new 3.6-liter flat-six. According to Porsche, “The 993 was the first 911 with a chassis designed around the LSA concept, which stood for Light, Stable and Agile. The new aluminium chassis married lightweight materials with a complex, motorsport-derived, multi-link suspension set-up. It featured a particularly flexible fifth link that helped evolve the ‘Weissach effect’, which was found in the engineering of the Porsche 928. In the days before active rear-wheel steering, this helped manage both longitudinal and lateral forces to stabilise the car’s handling and reduce lift-off oversteer.”
Porsche remembered its history when it created the 993; the three previous owners of this particular 993 kept its history intact by hanging onto its service records from new. Those should reflect this six-speed car’s low mileage (25,568), new Hankook Ventus tires, new power convertible top hardware, and recent oil change.
Summer is almost here. If you want to cruise through it in this 1996 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet, expect to put down $96,900—then drop the top and go.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com