Winning Amount: £ 30,050.00
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‘It is only once properly installed behind the small steering wheel, falling boot lid in eyesight, a beefy engine behind, that one realises what one acquires with a Porsche: pure driver’s pleasure. A full bore accelerating Carrera 3.0 will stimulate your senses and is an acoustic delight.’
Dirk-Michael Conrad - Sport Auto Magazine, January 1976.
If as a classic car fan you also happen to share the legendary German quality of cold calm logic in the face of raw emotion, then you may enjoy engaging in the watertight arguments that we are about to make in favour of you purchasing a 3.0 Carrera. Sit back in your Gropius F51, savour (with the correct percentage of satisfaction) the Wagner emanating from your Scheu Analogue turntable (same price as a Beetle) and read on...
As enthusiasts, we are naturally allergic to all talk of cars as pure monetary investments, but we also understand that not everyone is in this game purely for fun, and most owners (quite reasonably) would like to have their carburettor and eat it – in finding a classic that will be useable every day, won’t dissolve over the course of a British winter, and once enjoyed to the full can then be sold on, hopefully for a decent enough profit to fund the next extravagance.
The Carrera 3.0 coupe certainly fits that category, and is also arguably the missing link in truly great 911s from the 1970s, thus defining itself as one of the last ‘sleepers’ still available in this relatively mature market. Sure, ‘modern classics’ are arguably the next big thing in investments, but what if you like your classics to be more, er, ‘classic’?
Every enthusiast knows the story (and present day astronomic value) of the 2.7RS (of which 1580 examples were built), and also of the later 930 Turbo (2819 built between 1975 and 1977), the latter being until quite recently relatively affordable but will now set you back upwards of £150,000. Sadly, we can now park both these exotics firmly in the ‘missed boat’ (or car ferry) category.
By comparison, consider the ‘humble’ 3.0 Carrera: With 3,687 examples built between 1976 and 1977, it might at first appear relatively common compared to the duo above, until you consider production numbers for the models that bookend it, the 911SC (58,000) and 3.2 Carrera (76,500). Then we need to factor in that of these 3,687, only 2564 were coupes, and only a few hundred of these were RHD.
The example offered here is one of those factory RHD examples, and is further blessed with the ‘Sport’ pack – a list of M codes available only in the UK including anodized aluminium window trims, Bilstein dampers, sports seats, front and rear spoilers and subtly flared rear arches to accommodate wider 8” Fuchs. Cognoscenti (or in German: ‘persons who are in possession of all the relevant data’) believe that there are less than 40 original factory RHD 3.0 Carrera Sport Coupés in existence – so if rarity is your bag then this car delivers.
In terms of the dynamics, the engine was developed from the power plant in the very rare Carrera 3.0RS and was fitted with the brand new for 1976 K-Jetronic fuel injection, resulting in 200bhp at 6000 rpm (compared to 210bhp for the 2.7RS).
As Dirk-Michael Conrad noted in his Sport Auto article:
'The legendary Porsche fist treats its passengers to an unimpaired punch. Only 6.3 seconds pass when the speedometer indicates 100 km/h. Thus, the 1976 Carrera is actually a tenth of a second faster than its 210bhp predecessor. Largely identical values are to be observed at the typical km/h markers: up until 180km/h the new car gains 0.2 seconds with 21 seconds in comparison to its predecessor.’
All this was down to the new car’s improved torque, measured at 188 lb/ft at 4,200 rpm when the 2.7 hit the same 188 lb/ft at a significantly more aggressive 5,100 rpm.
‘A comparison of power delivery diagrams explains the miracle: up until 5000 rpm, the three litre machine delivers considerably more power than the 2.7 litre. Only over that marker can the old Carrera finally get by and overtake.’
The increased torque also means that the 3.0 pulls from 25 to 100mph in top gear a good 3 seconds faster than either the 2.7RS or 2.7 Carrera. All this in a car that was 45kg heavier, largely due to the inclusion of extra sound deadening, the bloomin’ softies.
So, the 3.0 is as fast, as rare, and demonstrably more useable than the 2.7, yet it’s currently valued at less than 20% of its more famous brother. As Porsche’s post-1974 styling updates become more acceptable and dare we say fashionable, one has to ask oneself (as an enthusiast and an investor), how long can this ratio be maintained?
This particular matching numbers example, resplendent in its gorgeous Minerva Blue (W9W9) paintwork, is one of only a handful of similar cars we can find currently for sale anywhere. Until recently for sale at with marque experts Export 56, the vendor has consigned the car at a significantly reduced asking price, and with other ‘non-Sport’ examples being advertised at prices well into six figures, this example without doubt offers fantastic value by comparison.
First registered on 23rd April of 1977 to a Mr W. H Cowling of Uckfield via Malaya Garage in Billingshurst, the car comes with a large and meticulously compiled history file dating back to the early eighties. This treasure trove includes a large number of bills from various 911 specialists that all indicate much love (and cash) being lavished on the car over the years to keep it maintained to the highest standards. It also features a virtually complete set of MOTs dating back to 1980, which support the current indicated mileage of 109,560; a fully stamped Service Book showing a near faultless service history; and of course a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity (see photo gallery).
The car has been used only lightly recently, covering just over 10,000 miles in the last 18 years – a fact that’s not lost on its current owner and which is the catalyst for its sale at this point.
Overall, the 911 is in extremely good condition throughout. A thorough inspection of the exterior revealed what would be described as perfection by all but the most pernickety of concourse judges. The paintwork has a lovely deep lustre and is free of chips, scratches and (heaven forbid) dings. All rubbers and seals are in perfect condition and all glass-wear is devoid of cracks, scratches or discolouration. The chrome-work is remarkable, if only for the fact that there isn’t any, anywhere.
The Fuchs’ are all similarly faultless (with newly rebuilt callipers twinkling away behind them), and are shod in Pirelli P6000 rubber all round with a decent amount of tread remaining.
Inside, the car features its original 70’s black leatherette interior with ‘tartan dress inlays’, a combination so evocative of the time that if you press your ear to the door cards you can probably hear the chorus of ‘Maggie May’ wafting from the fabric. The Sport seats are in perfect condition and the carpet shows very light wear considering the miles covered. The rear seat material has come un-stuck at the base of the upright squab (see photos) but this would be very simple to repair and would be the only item on our personal ‘to do’ list in the entire cabin, which also features a wonderful and period-correct Blaupunkt radio.
All electrics function exactly as they should do, including the very rare factory electric sunroof. The driver’s seat release to allow access to the rear has recently given up the ghost, a fault that the vendor assures us he will have attended to prior to collection by the new owner.
The car starts instantly on the turn of the key and settles down to a smooth idle with all gauges reading as they should. On the move, this example belies its age, if not perhaps its heritage by being entirely rattle and graunch free. Rapid progress is available on tap and, having been treated to a full demonstration by the current owner, we can report that burying the throttle at 3,000rpm leads to unavoidable smirking a very short time later.
Just over a year ago marque specialists Export 56 removed the engine which was then cleaned and detailed, as was the engine bay itself before being treated to new sound deadening and heater hoses. All tin-wear was restored, the transmission was cleaned and new oil pipes were fitted. This work added up to a bill leaving little change from £3,500, and the results are, as you might expect, extremely smart. Before and after photos are available on file.
The bonnet compartment features the original space saver, original Porsche tool kit (not quite complete but it’s good to have something that can be improved on), unmarked carpeting and a cut-off switch for the battery, should the new owner ever decide to lay the car up for a while (perhaps while off to have his or her head examined).
All in all, this is a unique combination of, by some way, both the most valuable and best value car to have come across our books here at Berlinetta. A very rare opportunity to acquire a highly original and sort after classic 70’s Porsche which is now appreciating fast, the car is supplied with UK registration and a current MOT and is therefore ready for immediate enjoyment.
We’ll leave the last word to Dirk-Michael:
‘In short: A turbo is more a sports car for level-headed people whilst the Carrera attracts more dynamic characters. It would be ideal however, when your garage housed both a turbo and a Carrera: one for the motorways and one for the A-roads.’
(…and we know which of those roads we enjoy using the most.)
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