SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera Supersport |
| Number Produced: | 75 (RHD Supersport) |
| Original List Price: | $36,450 |
| Tune Up Cost: | $500 (not including a valve adjustment) |
| Engine Number Location: | Right side of fan housing |
| Club Info: | Porsche Club of America PO Box 1347 Springfield, VA 22151-0347 |
| Website: | http://www.pca.org |
| Investment Grade: | C |
This car sold for $32,967, including buyer’s premium, at H&H’s auction in Buxton, Derbyshire, England, on December 9, 2009.
The Carrera Supersport was what one got when one checked the box on the Porsche option sheet marked M491. Better known in the U.S. as the Turbo-look, the option was introduced in 1984 and sold reasonably well here during the dark years when the actual Turbo wasn’t available. The option cost a staggering $18,000 and gave the poseur-buyer the wider front and rear fender flares of the Turbo, front and rear spoilers, and bigger brakes.
The last of the “proper” 911s
Although as hyperbole-laden as most auction descriptions tend to be, in this case the catalog noted several points that make the 3.2-liter cars what many people believe (myself included) to be the last of the “proper” 911s.
With the introduction of the Carrera in 1984, Porsche had solved nearly every issue that had plagued the 911 since its introduction in 1964. Improved oil-fed chain tensioners and the world’s first real engine management system, the Bosch Motronic unit, were added to the fully galvanized body shell introduced in 1976 (galvanized front fenders waited until mid-year 1981).
The Getrag G50 gearbox (which this car lacks) replaced the somewhat recalcitrant 915 box in 1987. Only ineffective air conditioning remained to be addressed. 3.2 Carreras are heirloom-quality cars that are capable of lasting almost indefinitely, and they give little trouble along the way.
The M491 option is undeniably desirable to some and until the 930 market woke up recently, Turbo-look cars often traded within spitting distance of actual Turbos. While this curious situation has changed, this car brought justifiably strong money.
There are several reasons: If you live in the U.K., Japan, Australia, or any other RHD market and simply must have a wide-body, normally aspirated car, your options are limited-assuming the catalog’s accuracy on this point-to 74 other specimens, hopefully none of which sport the same lurid blue interior.
49,000 miles is nothing on one of these
If there haven’t been any protracted lay-ups in the car’s past, the 49,000 miles are a plus. For a car capable of doing 250,000 miles between rebuilds, it’s no miles at all. Finally, it’s a cabriolet. And while a sunroof coupe is superior in every way, when it comes to the fun factor, the open car always wins.
When the gavel fell, the buyer paid a roughly $10,000 premium for the M491 option. Given the original cost of the option, it’s not unreasonable. I’d almost be tempted to call it well bought and would, had it been a G50 car with a navy interior. The bright blue seats, dash, and door panels are particularly jarring with the lovely navy top and will likely be an impediment at sale time for the new owner, but I bet that won’t be anytime soon. So let’s call it fairly bought, especially if the new owner happens to be color blind.