Sultan’s Porsche could fetch £700,000 at London auction

A 1995 Porsche 993 Turbo Cabriolet once owned by the Sultan of Brunei is going under the hammer. The car is one of only 14 993 Turbo Cabriolets produced by Porsche - and the only right-hand drive example in existence. It is estimated at £500,000 to £700,000.

It is one of 80 classic and sports cars in Coys’ Spirit of Motoring auction, which takes place at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls on 17 October. This 993 Turbo Cabriolet, which has been part of a significant European collection since 2009, has covered just over 9000km and looks set to be the star of the auction.

Porsche’s 993 Turbo model had garnered praise from the media and owners alike, but the marque had not produced a cabriolet version. Herr Fritz Haberl, owner of the significant MAHHAG southern German chain of dealerships based in Munich, was convinced there was a market for a 993 Turbo Cabriolet, and approached Porsche with the idea.

Chris Routledge, CEO of Coys, said, ‘The retail price at the time was $176,000. These exclusive cars were fitted with unique features, including 17-inch cup alloy wheels, electrically operated Komfort seats, rear spoiler, air conditioning and a special four-brand exhaust system, amongst others. The Porsche certificate of authenticity for chassis number 8513 extends to two pages in order to cover the many options fitted.’

The sale also includes a 1971 Ferrari Dino 246 GT (estimated £200,000-£250,000), a 1965 Jaguar E-type Series 1 rebuilt to semi-lightweight roadster specification (£180,000-£210,000), a 1938 Bentley 4 1/4 Sportsman’s Coupe by De Villars displayed at the 1938 Paris Motor Show (£120,000-£140,000), a 1955 Austin-Healey 100M specification from the Sorn Castle Collection (£48,000-£60,000) and a 2004 Mclaren Mercedes Benz SLR with just 1945km from new (£200,000-£250,000).

For more information visit www.coys.co.uk.