One to Buy: Coppa Florio Blue 5000km 1993 Porsche 968
/
Owing to a global economic downturn, the early 1990s was a tough time to be in the prestige auto making business.
A few years prior Porsche sales had been booming, but by 1993 orders had collapsed to the extent that the firm briefly teetered on the edge of bankruptcy. With a product line that dated back to the 1970s and inefficient production techniques, the outlook seemed dire.
The model that perhaps best exemplified Porsche’s struggle during this period was the 968.
Launched in August 1991 as a face-lifted and mildly updated replacement for the 944, commercially the 968 absolutely bombed with a little under 13,000 produced during a five year production run. This was less than a third of what Porsche had been expecting.
Originally, the overwhelming majority of 968 Coupes were ordered in mainstream liveries and pressed into daily driver duties, quickly racking up a substantial mileage. The result is that, today, only a tiny number exist that offer the right combination of mileage, condition and specification to interest serious collectors.
However, one such 968 Coupe is currently on offer at the Early 911S showroom in Wuppertal, Germany.
A 1993 model year Rest of World example originally delivered to Japan, chassis WP0ZZZ96ZPS800247 was ordered in Paint to Sample Coppa Florio Blue with Marine Blue leather upholstery and matching carpet. This almost certainly one-off specification was further enhanced with the optional air-conditioning upgrade and a passenger airbag.
Remarkably, having resided in the care of two Japanese custodians prior to its return home, the six-speed manual non-sunroof car has covered just 5200km from new making it an unrepeatable opportunity.
