1973 Porsche 911S 2.4-Litre Coupé
Registration no. J 96513 (Jersey)
Chassis no. 9113300934
Engine no. 6331478

A 'modern classic' if ever there was one, Porsche's long-running 911 arrived in 1964, replacing the 356 that had secured the fledgling company's reputation as producer of some the world's finest sporting cars. The iconic 911 would take this reputation to an even more exulted level on both the road and racetrack.

The 356's rear-engined layout was retained, but the 911 switched to unitary construction for the bodyshell and dropped the 356's VW-based suspension in favour of a more modern McPherson strut and trailing arm arrangement. In its first incarnation, Porsche's single-overhead-camshaft, air-cooled flat six displaced 1,991cc and produced 130bhp; progressively enlarged and developed, it would eventually grow to more than 3.0 litres and, in turbo-charged form, put out well over 300 horsepower. The first of countless upgrades came in 1966 with the introduction of the 911S. Easily distinguishable by its stylish Fuchs five-spoked alloy wheels, the 'S' featured a heavily revised engine producing 160bhp, the increased urge raising top speed by 10mph to 135mph. A lengthened wheelbase introduced in 1969 improved the 911's sometimes wayward handling, and then in 1970 the engine underwent the first of many enlargements, to 2.2 litres, in which form it produced 180bhp on Bosch mechanical fuel injection when installed in the top-of-the-range 'S' model.

All 911 variants received the 2.4-litre (actually 2,341cc) unit for 1972, by which time the 911S featured the stronger Typ 915 five-speed gearbox and 6"x15" alloy wheels as standard. Porsche had already tried a 2.4-litre engine in endurance racing, the stretch being achieved by lengthening the stroke, but the impetus for the larger unit's introduction came from the USA's ever more stringent emissions laws. Not sold in the USA, the 911S produced 190bhp, some 40 horsepower more than was on offer to American customers. The most obvious external change from the 2.2-litre models was the addition of a small chin spoiler, adopted to improve high-speed stability. Porsche had built 1,430 2.4-litre 911S coupés by the time production switched to the 2.7-litre model for 1974. The '2.7' was the first 911 to incorporate the large impact-absorbing bumpers, disliked by many purists for whom the '2.4' is the last 'old school' 911 and therefor all the more collectible.

This left-hand drive, matching numbers 1973 Porsche 911S Coupé was manufactured to European specification and sold new in Verona, Italy in March 1973 via the JV dealership. Delivered with manual transmission and the optional tinted window glass, it subsequently was enjoyed by various owners in other countries in Europe before finding its way to Spain. The car is currently registered in Jersey, Channel Islands. Described by the vendor as accident-free and not rusted, the car was restored in 2010 to presentable rather than concours standard. It was repainted in the original colour of Oxford Blue while the interior was re-trimmed in the correct beige vinyl. We are advised that the engine was refreshed but not restored and is running well. the car is offered with an instruction manual, service book (recording servicing in Italy) and a Jersey logbook.