- The Porsche 968 lives in the shadow of the 911, but it offers a great driving experience and balanced handling.
- This example was originally sold in Japan and has some unusual equipment.
- It’s also as brightly colored as they came, in eye-popping Rubystone Red.
With 911 prices through the roof (Ruf?), Porsche fanatics have long been looking around for any remaining bargains wearing the crest of Stuttgart. Which means that the “Poor Man’s Porsche” is a thing of the past (although maybe a ratty Boxster is a possibility). Thus, why not celebrate your non-911 Porsche purchase by picking something that broadcasts your choice to the world in technicolor?
Something like this bright pink Porsche 968, currently up for auction on Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. You’ll need to have poise to pull off driving this front-engine, rear-transaxle Porsche, but if you do, it’s a wonderful experience.
The Porsche color code for this car is G4/L82N, and reportedly it was a one-year-only offering on the 968. The color launched in the 964 series 911s, back in a time when people actually bought cars in technicolor. Remember those days?
This car was originally delivered in Japan, a country which is not afraid of pink automobiles. In fact, the official color of Subaru’s STI performance division is pink, and Toyota once sold a pink version of the Toyota Crown Athlete (similar to the Lexus GS) at a considerable premium.
The 968 was a development of the 944, or rather, so similar to the 944 as to be a refinement of it. It featured near-equal front-rear weight distribution (thanks to a rear transaxle), a big 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 236 horsepower at 6200 rpm, and a curb weight under 3100 pounds. Porsche eventually made a Club Sport version of the 968, and non other than rallying legend Walter Rörhl called it the best-handling Porsche ever.
This example has the equivalent of just 55K miles on the odometer, and recent work includes replacement of the transmission, flywheel, and clutch. As a Japanese-spec car, it has some unusual features like a recessed hood badge, and no sunroof—although it is left-hand drive.
In the photos, the seller (a Massachusetts dealer) appears to have another 968 in that hue. However, it’s incredibly unlikely that you’ll come across another even if you were to drive this car down to the big Porsche meets during Monterey Car Week. Should you be the winning bidder on this brightly colored coupe, you’d be the standout in a sea of silver and Guards Red Porsches.
The auction ends on December 26.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.