Specialist commentators have been peddling the motion for some time now, certain that for the very reasons here mentioned, the 993 is a sure-fire bet as a safe place to put your money; we’ve printed it enough times in the magazine. Though this rhetoric has been the same for the last five years or so now, the reality has never really materialised.
Instead it is values of the generation before it which have continually pushed skywards, a manual 964 C2 Coupe fetching more money than a requisite 993. Even the 996 generation which followed it has enjoyed a better upturn in values, percentage-wise, than the 993 over the last half decade. So, does the 993 remain an undervalued classic, or should we start accepting the fact that despite all that’s going for it, the 993 might not hit the spot with enthusiasts?
Paragon Porsche’s Jamie Tyler is a clear advocate of the 993, despite owning a 964 himself for many years. “It’s a real favourite of ours and we firmly believe it’s a car with a bright future. The fact a 964 Carrera is worth more than a 993 Carrera presently is all due to the backdate craze. It’s supply and demand, so the market currently isn’t a fair representation of either car.”
However, Chris Wright at Oxfordshire-based specialists Wrightune is quick to point out the merits of the 964 over the 993: “964s still have the original 911 DNA, with the rear swing arm retaining the feel of an early classic. This has lead to them being desirable for backdates – you can’t do this easily with a 993. The 993 is far more complicated, heavier, and expensive to repair, which may be affecting its market value currently. More 993s were made, too.”
Our specialists are divided, then, but both back the 993 to eventually come of age. As ever it is the market which provides the ultimate acid test, so we’ll all be watching with interest to see if 993 values do mature to match the title of ‘most desirable classic’ for which they are often touted.
