Tag: Carrera S

2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet

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I post this mainly out of curiosity because that’s pretty much what this 911 is: a curiosity. This is a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Cabriolet. It’s located in California, has an Arctic Silver Metallic exterior over a Sand Beige interior and has 77,243 miles on it. Nice car!

The current owner decided he wanted a little more out of his Cabriolet and has attempted in some regard to replicate both the appearance and performance of the 911 GT3. As I’m sure you are aware the GT3 does not exist as a Cabriolet. I don’t imagine it ever will, nor do I imagine there is much desire for such a machine. But car enthusiasts being what they are, they tend to crave more performance even when the performance already is pretty good or even when they’ve chosen the model with somewhat compromised performance because the roof has been cut off. And I guess that’s how we got to where this 911 is now.

I will say it does look great. The GT3 front always has looked better than that of the standard 911 and here juxtaposed with the Cabriolet rear it’s a pretty attractive design. It’s party in the front, business in the back. It’s a reverse mullet. Personally I’d actually be satisfied with the alterations to its appearance, but this owner didn’t want to stop there and put in a bit of effort to improve its overall performance. I doubt it’s up to GT3 levels, especially given that I’m sure this Cabriolet still weighs a good bit more than a GT3 (according to Excellence a Carrera S Cabriolet weighs around 250 lbs more than a GT3), but performance should be elevated nonetheless. As I said, it’s kind of a curiosity. I don’t know that I’d ever think to do this to a 911 Cabriolet, but it’s not a bad idea.

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2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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Let’s really get into some value here. Here we have a Midnight Blue Metallic 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe, located in Chicago, with Sand Beige leather interior and a 6-speed manual transmission. It’s been driven a bit, to the tune of 133,948 miles, which accounts for the pretty low price: $23,995. For a Carrera S!

We usually look to the 996 when thinking purely about performance value, but the 997 has offered the same perks in a better all-around package. Gone are the droopy headlights and somewhat wavy lines. The interior, while still not awesome, is much improved. And from a performance perspective everything has taken an evolutionary step forward. In the case of the Carrera S that means you’re getting 355 hp from the 3.8 liter flat-6. That’s 35 hp more than you could get from the 996. Larger brake discs front and rear along with PASM as standard helped fill out the package. And unlike the 996, where the S only was available as the Carrera 4, this one sends its power only to the rear wheels. For pure value this might be as good as it gets.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe on eBay

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2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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When searching for value among 911s I typically turn to the usual suspects of the 996 or, when I want to turn the clock back a bit, the 911SC. Where I rarely look is the 997 and I think that’s probably been a mistake. Naturally prices will tend to be a little higher for one relative to its earlier peers, but you are getting more car for that money. And while some buyers might still prefer a 911SC or 3.2 Carrera for the simple fact that they come from the 911’s air-cooled years, many are happy to have a modern Porsche with all of the refinement (and extra performance!) that comes with it.

Here we have one that’s fairly standard as 911s go, but which does come in a nice specification and should come in at a fairly good price: a Black 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe, located in Northern Virginia, with Camel leather interior, a 6-speed manual transmission, and a fairly reasonable 54,400 miles on it.

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1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S

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A black 911 isn’t always going to be the thing to draw our attention. After all, we see black 911s all the time. But when the color is covering one of the best looking 911s, then I think we have something. Here we have a 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S, located in Brooklyn, with a reported 68,000 miles on it. The black exterior is contrasted with a beige interior. For some, and that includes me, that light and dark juxtaposition between exterior and interior is just about perfect. For others it doesn’t work. If you happen to be one of those in the former camp, then I think this one deserves a look. Like with any C2S the price is pretty high, but you are getting one of the best naturally-aspirated air-cooled 911s Porsche produced and certainly one of the most attractive overall designs.

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1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S Vesuvio Edition

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Keeping track of special options packages isn’t easy and I will admit I did not know this existed. I’m still not entirely sure it does, but after some searching I’m pretty sure.

This is a 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S with the Vesuvio package, which was an optional package offered through Porsche Exclusive that provided a few contrasting cues to highlight that stunning exterior paint. We have featured the 993 in Vesuvio Metallic before; we’ve even seen the 993 C2S in Vesuvio Metallic before. But the full package? That I have not seen.

From what I could gather it appears there originally were 24 of these 993s produced. One of those has been totaled, which leaves us with the figure this seller gives us that this is 1 of 23 known to exist. That’s pretty rare. To make this one even more rare – though probably not more desirable – this one is a Tiptronic. There are only a couple of those, so if you’re uninterested in a manual transmission, or if the years simply have passed you by and driving a manual no longer is feasible or desirable, then this should mark one of the very rare opportunities to get your hands on one of these cars.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S Vesuvio Edition on eBay

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2015 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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It has taken me a while to warm to the 991’s design. I’ve always found it too flat and that’s coming on the heels of the gradual flattening of the 996 and 997. It has sort of a stepped on beetle look. I still prefer the more upright windshield of earlier 911s, but ultimately aerodynamics seems to have won out.

There wasn’t any particular turning point in my perception of the 991; over time I suddenly found myself walking past them and admiring their looks. Simple familiarity I suppose. I wouldn’t say it’s become my favorite 911 design or anything of that sort, but I have finally begun to enjoy the styling. The performance, obviously, always was easy to appreciate as each iteration of the 911 tends to improve in that regard. There’s no particular reason for leading with these thoughts, though I do wonder if others have found themselves feeling similarly.

It does help explain why a 911 like this, which I might have previously ignored, now seems so appealing to me. This is a Sapphire Blue Metallic 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe, located in Pennsylvania, with 15,350 miles on it. It has the manual transmission and sport seats. It looks phenomenal!

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2015 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe on eBay

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Cream White 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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Do I like this color? I realize that’s a strange way to begin a post, but it’s my primary thought when looking at this 2010 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe. As noted in the title the color is Cream White. I can think of few times, if ever, I’ve seen it. Or, at least, few times I recognized it. Normally a subdued white would not be my thing. Yet, I’m really attracted to this 911. I find it quite striking and dare I say beautiful. I’d love to see it in the flesh (were I a prospective buyer I’d have to see one in the flesh before committing to the color) because I’m curious how it looks up close and under various lighting conditions. White 911s can look very good. These cream or off-white options have long been offered by Porsche and this one reminds me of Ivory, which can be very pretty on the 356. But this is one of the few times that I’ve really liked it on the 911.

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1998 Porsche 911 Carrera S

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The 993 C2S always has been one of the best looking 911s on the market. Maybe even the best. Combining the wonderful curves of the 993 itself with the wider rear of the 993TT made for a perfect marriage for those seeking a beautifully refined 911, but without the additional costs of the Turbo (nor all-wheel drive). That it also offered improved suspension, also borrowed from the Turbo, made it even better. (While this one does have the red calipers that would tend to designate the Turbo’s brakes, the C2S didn’t come with those. For the Turbo brakes you’ll need to find a C4S.)

While looking at this one I started to ask myself whether the proportions are off. It looked too squat and I began thinking it needed the rear spoiler from the Turbo to provide balance. Perhaps it’s just an effect of the angles and lighting of the photography, or maybe because it’s black, which doesn’t really show the curves as much as brighter colors. On the rare occasions I see one in the flesh I do find the 993TT to be a gorgeous car that snaps my head around in a way no modern 911 Turbo ever could. The C2S reminds me a lot more of those modern Turbos.

The picture I chose to lead with is the one I think looks the best. Perhaps it’s telling that the presence or lack of the spoiler isn’t readily apparent from that angle. It’s still a beautiful car, possessing all of the attributes that make a 911 so captivating; I’m starting to wonder if it could be better. Maybe it’s not perfect after all.

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2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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I sort of don’t know what to make of this 911. I like the look. I was drawn to it immediately. I like the model itself: a 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe with around 85K miles on it. Originally it was Seal Grey, now it wears a red full-body wrap. In general terms, the model itself is a fairly desirable one when considered for performance per dollar. But as should be entirely apparent it isn’t original. Nor are its modifications of the sort that I would think would really attract other buyers.

So I’m curious. I’m curious where bidding will take it. Like just about any modified car of this sort, in order to reach its asking price the right buyer – someone for whom these modifications are just right – will need to come along. Could you buy a similar 997 and perform these modifications and come in under the asking price? Probably not. Could you find a less expensive Carrera S Coupe that remains unmodified and is a lot of fun to drive? Certainly. It all comes down to what these modifications mean to you.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2005 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe on eBay

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2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe

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I kind of stumbled into this car by accident. And I like it so I guess it’s a happy accident! This is a 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe. It’s done around 61K miles and has a 6-speed manual transmission to deliver its 355 horses to the rear wheels. I don’t know quite how I ended up on its page. I certainly hadn’t set out to look for an early 997. But there I was and here we are.

I have been taking a look at more examples of the 996 lately because they do come in at pretty nice value. I’ve also grown to like the design more on some of the models. It’s all sort of a compromise though as I try to find examples that make the best of the model’s design flaws. When we step up to the 997 those issues mostly fall away. Many viewed the 997 as a return to where it appeared the 911 was headed following the 993. The 996’s divergences were smoothed over or replaced. In general, the 997 design has been better loved and we’ve seen its basic ethos carried on through the 991.

All of this is to say that if you can afford a little bit more car, then you can still do well for performance value with an early 997. And that’s why I stuck with this 911 after I stumbled into it. I wouldn’t say there’s anything particularly special about it. It looks like a nice, honest, 911 and at a pretty good price. There’s nothing wrong with that.

CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S Coupe on eBay

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