1991 Porsche 911 (964) Carrera 4 – Classified of the Week
March 26, 2024
We’re pretty sure owning a brand new Porsche is an exciting, life-affirming and frankly joyous feeling. We wouldn’t know, sadly, having never had the means to be so frivolous. Not that we wouldn’t jump at the chance should the opportunity ever present itself though (are they still running the National Lottery?), but frankly we don’t see it happening any time soon. The thing is, as much as we admire the shiny new Porsche line-up and appreciate all of its technical wizardry we would much prefer an older model. That’s just how our brains are wired here at Car & Classic. We embrace the ancient, covet the classics and value the vintage but you can’t exactly go out and buy, say, a brand new Porsche 911 964 Carrera now can you. Or can you?
Well, dear reader, it just so happens that the good folk over at Autofarm, the incredibly genial Porsche specialists nestled deep in the Oxfordshire countryside, have just that. Nonsense! We hear you incredulously cry, there’s no such thing! OK, technically you’re right, but this 1991 Porsche 911 964 Carrera 4 Targa is as close as you’re ever likely to get. But before we get into this particular time capsule of a car let’s have a little look at what makes these classic Porkers so special.
The 964 is very much a fable of firsts. It was the first 911 to be offered with the now ubiquitous Tiptronic gearbox, as well as four-wheel drive, power steering, and ABS, but it’s also the last of the traditional 911 Targa, with Porsche binning removable roof sections from the range after this generation. Designed by Benjamin Dimson the 964 was still very much recognisably a 911, but that’s not to say the design wasn’t significantly updated for Porsche’s third generation of its most iconic model.
Produced from 1989 to 1993 the Porsche 964 was offered in a variety of formats, from the original, all-wheel drive cars fitted with a new, naturally aspirated 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer, to later, rear-wheel drive only cars (both available as a coupé, Targa and convertible) and 3.3 and 3.6-litre turbocharged versions. A 3.8, lightweight RS option was also added to the line up as well as numerous other special editions, too. Along with various design updates, including an electric rear spoiler that would raise when travelling above 50mph – a feature that would become rife in the industry – the 964’s suspension was also completely re-jigged. Gone were the torsion bars of old to be replaced with a much more modern coil spring and shock absorber setup.
Performance obviously varied between naturally aspirated and forced induction variants but the initial Carrera 4 models developed around 250bhp which was enough for a 160mph top speed and a six second 0-60 time. The whirly boys were obviously quicker but the purity of those original Carrera 4s and the improved grip that the all-wheel drive system provides is a draw for many.
And that’s exactly what we have available here from Autofarm via our classifieds. Not only is this a Carrera 4 Targa, but it also has a manual gearbox and just 3,575 miles on the clock! So, whilst you may not realistically be able to buy a brand new 964 straight from the factory, this one right here ladies and gentlemen, is the next best thing.
Correctly stored and fastidiously maintained it’s a proper time warp car and with prices for these 3rd gen 911s continually increasing, it would make quite the shrewd investment, too. A perfectly preserved, UK supplied original right-hand drive model finished in special order Baltic blue metallic paintwork and Linen piped blue interior it’s a stunning looking machine.
Our advice, then, would be to pop along to see Mikey and the team at Autofarm, have a cuppa and a chat and see the car in the flesh, if only to marvel at its condition. We’re pretty sure though that after a short time in both its and the team at Autofarm’s company you’ll be smitten. What these guys don’t know about Porsches simply isn’t worth knowing so you can rest assured that you’re buying from the right people at the right price and not only will you end up with a few extra pals but also an incredibly special Porsche 911 964, if you know what’s good for you.
