By Paul Keeling
The French have a lot to answer for, here in the Keeling household. It was a business visit to Paris in October 1974 that started it all. As a young export salesman I took a call from my French agent that was going to require a visit to his office in Paris.
It was always nice to go to this beautiful city, and all the more so because my colleague had an early 911 – not that we called them ‘early’ 911s in those days, of course. He knew of my passion for cars, and suggested that if I timed my visit well we could take in the Paris motor show the following weekend.
Saturday morning saw us heading for the show, clutching the VIP passes he had obtained for us, and first stop on his list was the Porsche stand. He had been going on and on about this new Turbo model that was making its worldwide debut, how this power-boosting technique was so unusual for a road car, and how it was going to be the future of high-performance motoring for years to come. Looking back, this really wasn’t registering with me. Yes, I liked the 911 – having driven his – but if anything I had a passion for a Lotus Esprit, itself first shown at the Turin motor show in 1972.
When we reached the stand, of course, all that changed instantly. Sitting low under a blaze of lights was the most evocative profile I had ever seen from a 911 to date. Such a muscular shape, with those wide wheelarches – and that massive, trademark rear wing. Plus a luxury interior, and true supercar performance. And all this while the world was in the grip of an oil crisis!
It’s fair to say that this event saw the start of my passion for Porsche, and I vowed that one day, somehow, I would own one of these extraordinary machines. Years passed, my career went well, the salesman became a manager – proud owner of a Ford Granada Ghia – and eventually my salary began to look like it might support an automotive indulgence of some sort. It was never going to get me straight into a 911 Turbo, but a more modest start would certainly be possible. In fact, I enjoyed a trio of the superb front-engined 944 models (one a Turbo, which I still own), and each one was sold for a modest profit.
By 1994 some acquired share options brought the chance of a major leap forward, and my hunt for a late 930-model Turbo began. I worked around London in those days, and often dropped in to well-known specialist dealer Bramley in Surrey – just to keep an eye on the stock, you understand.And one summer afternoon I found there the Porsche that was going to make the dream come true. It was a 1989 930-model 911 Turbo. Guards Red, Linen Leather with red piping, five years old, but with just 4000 miles on the clock, and so virtually as new. I put down a deposit, and the car was mine. I kept it for five years, and can honestly say that it was every bit as exhilarating as I thought it would be. If you ever get the chance, buy a good one and you will never regret it.
By this time, of course, the 993 Turbo was on the market. And beautiful though the 930 was, the 993 – via the 964 model – was a massive leap forward in both style and engineering. Driving dynamics, too, of course. Seeing Tiff Needell hurl that Arena Red press car round Millbrook on Top Gear sealed the fate of my 930. The car had become well known in concours circles, and on winning the Autoglym title sold almost within minutes at an NEC classic-car show.
You might think that it is difficult getting your hands on a 993 Turbo today – and there never have been that many to go round – but in truth it has always been this way. They seemingly sold either on recommendation, or else dealers had potential buyers waiting in the wings before they even advertised them for sale.
To make matters worse I had a rather precise specification in mind, and as this was going to be a major purchase (in other words, about the same price as our first house) I wanted to make sure that I got the right one. Eventually, in mid-2001, a car surfaced at Porsche Centre Cambridge: Polar Silver (my first choice), Midnight Blue leather, one owner, 1995, 38,000 miles, and with the desirable 430bhp upgrade. A deposit paid over the phone, a viewing the following weekend, and the car was mine. Porsche Centre Cambridge trailered it to my home in the Midlands the following week.
Take a look at the pictures accompanying this article. If ever a Porsche was (in my opinion) just about aesthetically perfect then it is the 993 Turbo. From the front, either side, and especially the full rear aspect, it is absolutely stunning. We have British designer Tony Hatter to thank for giving us a variant on such an iconic design that seems to defy the years. It really could still hold its own today if launched with modern technology. It’s a genuine classic. It combines the very best of what Porsche stood for when it was a niche vehicle manufacturer with modern styling and usability. It was lauded by the motoring press as a supercar for all seasons, and there is relatively little to touch it, even today.
My car is very lightly used, covering perhaps just 2000 miles a year, and all of those during the dry summer months. For a car that’s nearly 20 years old it is in remarkable shape, and a real testimony to how Porsche built cars during this golden era.
Keeping on top of any issues is imperative. The cars are getting older, and even in a Porsche things wear out. My cars have been looked after for over 20 years by Porsche Centre Sutton Coldfield, and the service I have received there is second to none. They know these cars inside out, and will preserve your investment for pretty much the same outlay as an independent.
Each turn of the key brings that sound that is so special with these air-cooled cars. With looks this good, and performance to match, it’s not for the shy and retiring. You will find yourself wanting to push ever harder for that seemingly endless power delivery, and a smooth wave of torque with almost imperceptible turbo lag. It delivers all the thrills of the older cars but in a more refined way, and is certainly capable of exceeding my own limits.
Is there anything better? To be honest, I don’t think so. In all my years of Porsche ownership there has always been that next model on the horizon – until now. My advice would be that if you own an earlier Turbo do not be afraid of progressing to a 993. You will have the perfect balance between classic and modern. If you have a 996, 997, or even a 991, then build another garage, and buy a 993 Turbo, one of the most iconic Porsche models ever produced.