1997 PORSCHE 911 Turbo Only 7,045 Miles

With 400 horsepower on tap the advertising slogan for the 993 Turbo was  “Kills Bugs Fast”!

The $105,000 price tag 20 years ago ($155,000 in today’s dollars) meant these cars were then and are still today a rare sight to behold. Manufactured over only three years – 1996, 1997, and into 1998 – these are the last evolution of the iconic air-cooled Turbos on the durable 3.6-liter flat sixes. The Turbos hit 60 miles per hour from a standstill in 4.4 seconds, with exceptional stability due to the car’s all-wheel drive. Porsche quoted a top speed of 180 miles per hour. According to Jürgen Barth and Gustave Büsing, co-authors of The Porsche Book, Zuffenhausen assembled just 556 of the Typ 993 Turbos for all the world’s markets in model year 1997. How few are left is anybody’s guess.

With new loaded-up 991 turbo priced at more than $200,000, I start to look at these as a bargain. They are more expensive than a new one if you want a low mileage, spectacular example. The flip side of the coin is that you will lose a lot less money putting a few thousand miles a year on this one than on a new one. And you will be one hell of a lot more involved in the driving enjoyment.

If we have to try to explain the difference between the air-cooled and water-cooled Porsche Turbos, this car just isn’t for you.

But if you want to travel back in time 20 years, when this car was an unobtainable dream, now is the chance to “Kill Bugs Fast”

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