![Aetna Blue: Porsche Paint to Sample]()
by John Glynn | Jun 8, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Flicking through Instagram this morning, a 356 friend on there posted this picture of his stunning Coupe. Turns out the colour is Aetna Blue – a new one on me, available on 356s for just two years: 1960/61. Porsche paint names intrigue me, so I got onto Google.
You’ll have guessed that Aetna is a Greek word. In classic mythology, Aetna was the daughter of Uranus and Gaea: nymph goddess of a Sicilian volcano said to entomb the giant Typhoeus, whose frequent restlessness led to the eruptions from the mountain, and terrifying earthquakes that shook the island.
That Sicilian volcano is, of course, Mount Etna. It is easy to understand how a sojourn alongside the Sicilian coast could have led to this rich melt of sky and sea finding its way onto a svelte 356. Continuing the Google led to a thread on Rennlist, which once again proved to me how small this Porsche world is. But that’s another story.
Marc L in Houston, Texas shared how he had bought this used Porsche 991 C2S manual from a Houston Porsche dealer, in paint-to-sample Aetna Blue with Espresso leather and wood trim. Apparently the car had covered less than a thousand miles but had come back in soon after delivery, as part exchange on a C4S 911. Numerous local Rennlisters contributed to say it had been at the dealer’s for a while: the unique colour and trim proving difficult to sell.
Marc walked in looking for a Cobalt Blue 997 Turbo, but was struck by the luxurious combination of this custom-built 991. While there is the usual backlash on the thread against the wood trim, seeing these things in person is a totally different experience. No surprise Marc was smitten, buying it on the spot.
The original owner of the Aetna Blue 991 also chimes in to the thread, sharing how “that vintage feel is what I was looking for. My dealer would never order wood in a 911 but after this car they’ve done it several times. With the right colors it looks good.”
Porsche’s paint to sample facility is a wonderful thing. A skilled aesthete can build a beautiful car that would be kept forever. It can also go exceptionally wrong, of course, but to me this 991 sums up the best of modern Porsche. Perhaps it also shows that the 991 is now a car for fifty- rather than thirty-somethings (I’m at the wrong end of that scale), but now the young folk have the Cayman and Boxster, let all 991s look as special as this. It’s my favourite 991 to date.
by John Glynn | May 16, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Porsche of the 1990s was a very different company to the one we know today. Squeezed by recession, Stuttgart turned to final evolutions of its classic designs and pushed to slash production times (and therefore cost) on new models, to increase profitability.
The 964 Turbo – often referred to as the 965 – was one of the last Porsche models to be built in the old fashioned/traditional way, with plenty of hand-finished aspects. Good examples of 964 Turbo are amongst the most sought after 911s in the current classic market and this one may be the rarest of the rare: an X88 964 Turbo, ordered and owned by the Sultan of Brunei.
Sultan of Brunei Porsche Collection
Depending where you look, estimates for the Sultan of Brunei’s Porsche collection ranges from 160 Porsche models to over 200. The only one I have seen up to now was a special 959 at William Loughran’s in Preston, but now there is an X88 pack 964 Turbo with just 18,200 miles.
First registered on April 8 1994, this Horizon Blue 964 Turbo is amongst the last ‘965’ models built as part of Porsche Exclusive’s 964 Turbo run-out programme. The 3.6 already had a number of improvements over earlier 3.3-litre cars, including a 360 bhp engine, bigger brakes, upgraded final drive and the iconic Speedline split rim wheels. The X88 Turbo S versions had another jump in power: dyno testing this car a few years ago showed 402 bhp and 556 Newton metres of torque.
Delivered straight to Ruf in Pfaffenhausen, the car was fitted with the Ruf electronic clutch system, which has since been removed. The car now runs a five-speed transmission, albeit still Ruf badged. Post Ruf, the 964 Turbo entered the Sultan’s collection where it remained until 2003, when it was sold back to the UK.
Porsche 964 Turbo S X88 Spec
Originally supplied through Porsche Centre Malaysia, the Horizon Blue exterior is matched with a Marine Blue full leather trim, featuring electric ‘Comfort’ seats and the X26 leather steering wheel with airbag (bespoke to the Sultan’s collection). Options on the air-cooled cars are always amusing compared to today’s plethora of PCM, PMS and the rest, but this has an on-board computer, rear window wiper and holder for cassettes and coins. Plush to the max.
It’s offered for sale at just under £200k. Given that a standard 911 964 Turbo with this mileage could sell pretty quickly for around £130k, it’s conceivable that someone will pay this.
by John Glynn | Apr 23, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Another highlight of our trip to the 2014 Essen Techno Classica was this Porsche 968 Turbo S, spotted on the Porsche Centre Bensberg stand. OPC Bensberg has built a strong reputation for finding rare Stuttgart machinery, and the 968 Turbo S is one of the very rarest ’90s Porsche products.
Weissach made just 16 of these cars: turbo 4-cylinders with the late 3.0 block and larger 8-valve head, giving 304 horsepower, 368 ft/lb of torque, sub-5 seconds to 60 and a top speed of 180 mph. The interior is trimmed, but stripped to lightweight buckets with a rear seatback delete.
It’s one of those machines that new Porsche would not contemplate, but the pressured Porsche of 1993 was all for, to get some press interest going. 1993 was the middle of some tough times at Stuttgart: then along came Wendelin Wiedeking.
by John Glynn | Apr 22, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
We’re doing a week of Essen Techno Classica posts as a catch-up post Easter. This second post looks at a classic 1965 Porsche 901 911 I definitely would not have kicked out of bed.
Located in Hall 3 near where the Porsche AG stand used to be when Porsche was still independent, Manfred Hering’s Early 911S stand has become a bit of a touchstone, and was my first port of call on arrival at Essen.
This year, the firm brought a good mix of air-cooled ‘money’ Porsche cars, including this 1965 901 911 in Emailblau (Sky Blue) which had ‘sold’ signs on from the start, an early project 911 example and a mix of impact bumper 911s and the most desirable 964s: 964 Turbo in Rubystone and another 3.6 Turbo in black with Green leather.
Plenty of impact-bumper Turbos on the stand mirrored the 930 content all around the show. These cars are clearly capturing buyers’ eyes. Here’s a link to the Early 911S website.
by John Glynn | Apr 21, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Back from a week in Ireland, I’ve had a chance to reset and look through a few stories that got missed in the rush through Q1 2014.
I haven’t said much about Essen Techno Classica. This year’s fair was as fun as ever: some great finds dotted around and not all Porsche. Being up close to a works Lancia Delta Group A rally car was quite a treat, as was seeing some of the very high-end handcrafted machinery.
One Porsche stood out in the ‘for sale’ car parks: a 1983 Porsche 930/911 Turbo with Per Eklund as first owner. Very clean in Silver, I couldn’t find much to mark it down on: over-glossy wheel centres maybe if I’m OTT nitpicking. It had recently enjoyed some restorative attention, but everything was super pukka.
Just 57,000 kilometres and up for €67,000, it made my pick of best 911 buy on Day 1. We had currywurst for lunch, sitting on beer crates alongside the Turbo: definitely a high point of 2014 so far.
As all 930s start to climb in value, and early 3.0 Turbos and later blingy 5-speeds get tarted up and sold for silly money, the early ’80s models with low mileage and good provenance seem the ones to go for. Not much advance in an ’87 930: their purple period feels early ’80s to me, unless we’re talking Turbo SE…
by John Glynn | Apr 10, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Spent some time with a very sweet 1966 Porsche 912 at leading classic Porsche specialist, Tuthill Porsche today. Owned by a single family from new, this 94,000-mile Light Ivory car was being prepared to depart for the Silverstone Auctions classic car sale at the NEC this weekend.
Sitting behind the wheel in peace and quiet, the air was filled with the smell of old car. Wood dash, leather seats, simple machinery with so much presence. A fantastic way to unwind for five minutes.
Silverstone Auctions estimate the selling price somewhere between £28,000 and £32,000. I might place it slightly higher. I didn’t have a good look at the car but it does have a sense of ancient solidity: not too many RHD 912s around in this condition.
Slightly sad story, as the owner who inherited the car from his dad – the original buyer – is suffering the indignities of age and can no longer use the 912. None of us know what’s around the corner: enjoy your cars while you’ve got the chance.
See the full range of collector cars on offer at the NEC Classic Car Auction this weekend.
