Very happy memories….I was actually the second owner of this car and consigned it to Hairpin. Purchased decades ago in Germany and I put 30k plus miles on the car and like to think I used as intended. Very many a brisk trip across Europe to Spa, Nurburgring, Dijon, LeMans et all - my preferred weapon of choice ( fortunate in having 2,7RSL and Daytona as options at the time) to get to the event before competing in International GT or Sports Prototypes. I fitted both the radio ( useless ) and smaller diameter steering wheel ( the original was sold with car) and commissioned Ninemeister to do the the Motec conversion. From my modest experience, I believe the quoted power uplift was totally honest - with such a small, light car it was utterly devastating on the road and other traffic was literally treated as a mobile chicane. As Harry accurately communicated, it was a very ‘involving’ drive ( and therein lies the whole appeal) and definitely not passenger friendly….The intensity of the driving experience always made me think it was like an 2.7 RSL on steroids. Why sell? Very simple, today’s roads / traffic / regulations severely limit driving the car as intended and I found myself gravitating towards less extreme 911s in the garage….Fabulous, driver’s tool, still greatly underrated….far more analogue than the latest GT R/S etc etc and infinitely more rewarding…
From a time when cars were less confused by tech nonsense and marketing features. I love how single minded this Porsche RS is, clear, focused, a bit noisy, just a great package. Really engaging and mechanically honest. Great review as always.
You are delusional or dreaming. The 964 RS is not even a "real" RS car. Other RS models have a singularly spectacular engine and a bunch of motorsport tech included. This is just a stripper C2 with 10 extra HP. Are you kidding?
I love his channel as well, however Jay Leno is number 1 for me simply because of the variety he offers from the automotive world. But both are a favorite of mine.
There are so many good car channels on youtube. We live in a golden age of easily accessible car entertainment. But I agree that Harry is on top of this strong field of competitors.
Thanks Harry for taking us back to a better time. So people say you don't realise it till it's gone.. not me I knew we were living through an amazing time in the 90s....
Every single time when Harry is reviewing some brand new hypercar or EV then I never even click on the thumbnail. He must have had a lot of positive comments after the e500 - shortly- this is exactly what I want Harry to review.
I particularly like the fact that he goes for the mix and contrasting both of these worlds. It gives it all more perspective and I m sure his vids have a greater impact coz he knows and loves the old ways but is open to give new trends a try - whilst critiquing or sometimes praising new features or approaches. If anyone has a good and credible shot at calling out misled developments, it s Harry and that s hugely down to him being generally open whilst certainly having some preferences.
Agreed - seemingly trying to keep in the good graces of the manufacturers, who of course, are always trying to push their “latest and greatest” for social media channel promotion, whilst also balancing the curated content for the “old school” crowd that is likely more interested and willing to actually watch the entire episode (which YT algorithm/analytics rewards), if said content is related to the iconic ICE vehicles of our formative years, IMHO
If memory serves, it wasn’t just lighter, but seam welded, instead of normal spot welding, making the whole chassis stiffer. A colleague had one, and took me to Monza and Salzburg in it. Amazing. Leant it to me. Took the Mrs out in it, and just the noise frightened her white. When I stopped in Munich, she got out and walked immediately to the train station, swearing never to sit in the thing again.
"Because you're overloaded with information you feel like pushing on...because you know exactly what it will do." This comment of yours perfectly conveyed what I saw and heard on the video. You were having so much fun driving the 964 RS it was impossible not to be grinning the entire time. I do like watching/hearing the car plus your comments as you drive the same familiar 'favorite roads' in every review. It makes the different driving experiences so evident. Bravo!
Yes, this was the best comment by far. I never got the whole treacherous 911 rear-engine complaints. A properly set-up 911 communicates to you non-stop what it is doing or will do next. If you learn to read this information you can push it so incredibly hard with so much confidence.
As a 964 RS owner (and having owned many other 911 RSs, 2.7, 993 etc, plus several modern GT3 RS) you totally get what it’s all about in this review. It is distilled 911. Thank you Harry, great vid.
@@gairnmclennan5876 "very unrefined.... agricultural" So are some of the old 911s in a way without meaning to be sacrilegious! Not this 964, but the 915 gearbox in the 911 SC is infamous for developing slop in the shifter, isn't it?
Had a ride in a 993 RS, 23 years ago now. I took photos with an old school camera with film in it at the time. I remember the rawness. The squeak of the brake pads, the little red straps to open the doors. Wonderful stuff.
I do love that when you are really impressed with a car, you have big smile and a sparkle in your voice. Your unabashed joy for a great car is wonderful.
I remember my neighbour back in the 90s having one and me listening in absolute delight to it every morning when he went to work and coming back in the evening. I just love the sound of aircooled 911s. Beautiful. There´s nothing that compares to it. Great stuff, Harry. God bless.
It is rather a classic I'd like to see Harry test one of those also, was supposed to be one of the best front engined rear wheel drive cars of its day and cheaper than the stantard 968 ( before Porsche cottoned onto pricing ... ) 3 litre 4 pot thumper, quite unusual.
@@zakelweit sure is. I know, I had one, regular 968 though, but modified to 968 CS specs with THAT steering wheel, m030 suspension, big brakes etc. Unfortunately, it was taken away from me by a drunk driver crashing into me.
Fantastic video . . . probably my favourite this year . . . maybe because I'm an air-cooled 911 nut having owned a '76 Carrera 3.0 and a '78 SC Sport. You can keep all the newer, fatter, heavier and gizmo laden 911s, . . . I just love the light, responsiveness, leanness and purity of this one . . . as did Harry!
I have always wondered if the older Porsches, like the two you owned, allowed the gasoline smell to seep into the cabin. I'm interested to know please.
@@kingsteven891 Thanks for the reply . . . I don't ever recall a gasoline smell in the cabins back then. I'm sure I would have as it was a problem I experienced in one of my first apartments which was over a garage!
@@rogerwatt8491 That is great to hear that not all older cars have gasoline smells seeping into the cabin. Something about carburetors allow the smell where direct injection doesn't. I need to learn more about this. Thank you.
Another great video. I had a Porsche 2.7 RS back in 1976, found it very usable and I prefered driving it on normal UK roads to a Ferrai Daytona or Maserati Bora. Coming back from a great trip via Switzerland, Italy and St Tropez arrived in Southampton off the ferry at 6am one fine Sunday morning and less than an hour later was at the outskirts of Birmingham some 120 odd miles away. That was how to use a 2.7 RS.....wish I'd kept it!
Seems like pure heaven ,true driving machine.Thanks Harry for showing us true cars.I don’t find the new overweight,overwhelming cars today interesting anymore .Thanks Harry and The Hairpin company ,for letting Harry and son,show us these wonderful older vehicles.Much appreciated.🙏
I've owned very stiff riding extreme versions of various cars and honestly, it's a short thrill. Now I think supple suspension that absorbs whatever the road surface hands out and gives you superior control over real world surfaces is what I consider superior and now expect. Hard short travel suspension is for the circuit. If the road unsettles the car because of it's suspension, it's not a good car, end of story.
When you see Gordon Murray using the new Alpine A110 as a handling benchmark for his cars it means a lot. Crashy hard suspension is good for either track abuse or your chiropractor.
I sincerely feel for you for the pain and shame you must have felt at the time and I can only hope your friend had a racer s attitude about it and the crash wasn t all too severe.
I fell in love with these when Richard Meaden bought that black one. When I was a young evo subscriber. Absolute peak of performance cars imo. Everything you need for driving joy, nothing you don’t.. I hope I win the lottery one day.
Truly enjoyed this one. I have a 964 C2 coupe, which obviously is portly compared to the RS. But you’re spot on when you say that it doesn’t feel like an old car. They kept the original size, visibility, and vault-like build quality, all of which was perfect back then and even rarer now. Even the C2 is a joy to drive. The early’90s were, in hindsight, a great era for future classic driver’s cars.
3 หลายเดือนก่อน +2
So much prefer this to today's overly conjugated Porsches. I've driven this car, its a bumpy ride, but on the other hand, you are in touch with every aspect of the driving experience, and it it robust. Great review Harry.
My brother used to buy them for Josh at Autofarm in the 90's....he would travel all over Europe for them , I think £25k was the going price for one back then (which was a lot of money then) We took one to LeMans in 96 and opened it up flat out in France somewhere and it touched 160 briefly before we ran out of road. They were insanely fast in the day and the brakes were incredible which allowed overtaking lots of traffic a breeze and very safe.
I have a 964 with an RS clutch and slightly low suspension and live in Menton France, the lumpy off camber roads and slow speed driving really is an effort but once up on route Napoleon or Greolieres roads the car comes into its own and just feels the right size and horsepower level for a weekend toy. Aircon is a must down here and I like my unfashionable sunroof too 😀. Thanks for a great honest RS review
Although I do think prices of 964s are ludicrous relative to what you're actually getting, it's still probably one of the best examples of modern-retro design to date.
No better 911 than a 992 with a manual. Remember all you 964 lovers today used to crap on it 15 years ago. Your money your opinion - do as you want but nothing about these older 911s make the prices people pay for them today worthwhile.
Very happy to echo all of Harry's analysis. The suspension is off-putting initially, making it difficult to relax into a spirited ride. However, and it might sound sacreligious, but there are loads of aftermarket suspension kits and geometry can play a big part as the RS track set up doesn't work on the road - tramlining is extreme and the narrow track exposed. I inherited a very well judged KW-3 set up which Center Gravity then toned down the geometry so I wasn't bounced into the hedgerow. Now I have GT-esque comfort, and though the noise is ever present, equally every trip in it is an event - and the advantage of being able to sense every change of revs. And it feels unbreakable.
14:00 - The ride does look absolutely brutal for this class of car. I'm nearly 30, and as time's gone on, I've grown intolerant of road cars with horribly stiff suspension. A lot of people incorrectly attribute an excessively firm ride to being sporty or faster. However, some of the best sports cars of all time have amazing compliance in the suspension because lots of good driving roads don't have the best pavement quality.
My 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 rides very nicely on its refurbished suspension. It also has no power-steering and is surprisingly fast for its age. Hard riding cars are just unpleasant.
The whole idea is to keep the tyre in contact with the road. To do that you need compliance and travel. These stiff set ups only work on billiard table smooth circuits, they are a living hell on a British B road!
@@ralphmillais5237 I read an article in a JDM tuning magazine going back 20-odd years ago that has stuck with me, where the writer mentioned that they nearly totalled their car because they had to do an emergency brake and because their suspension was too stiff they ended up getting a bit of bounce on the bumpy road they were on, which of course meant they lost control (IIRC they had to put the car into the shoulder to avoid a collision).
@@ralphmillais5237 It's a tradeoff of faster transient response versus grip. By definition a softer suspension has lower natural frequencies (i.e., inversely proportional to response time) and takes a little longer to respond to driver inputs. Recall Tiff Needell waxing lyrical about how the stiffly sprung Vauxhall Cavalier Super Tourer is hoppy and turns in on a dime giving the driver confidence in its instant adjustability, even if the stiff setup may (theoretically) reduce peak grip compared to a softer setup with more roll and more mechanical grip.
Was a Junior in a trading room when this came out, senior colleague bought one new …… his companies cars in the previous few years were a 3 door whale tail sierra cosworth and a lancia intergrale. Can’t imagine how many amazing cars he has in his collection now.
Yep. Taking into account inflation etc, I think around £50k would be a good price these days, well worth it then. These need to be used. So paying over the odds and then not using it is mad.
@@tonychavez2083 Actually 300kg is about 300kg for a car with sporting intentions. It's also coincidentally 300kg for a car with non-sporting intentions. That's around 607kg less than a ton. The more you know!
Thanks for the lovely review, Harry. You really got across the character of the car really well. I am able to imagine it so well. Loved the video of you slightly sliding the rear of the car going around turns. Fantastic.
Great commentary on a legendary car. Harry’s extensive vocabulary and use of voice tone really triggers your synapses to imagine that you’d re actually in the car. Really enjoyed that trip with you sir! 👍😎
Absolutely love these, small, the most pugnacious stance of any Porsche and sounds glorious. Tried to get my dad to buy a rubystone one with under 20000 miles that was up for 24k sometime in early 2000’s. Same spec as this but didn’t like the driving position or colour. I do like to remind him of the prices now occasionally 😂
The Porsche 911 993 is without doubt my favourite 911, absolutely adore them. But this car is fantastic and what a treat to have a proper car on the show, one that doesn’t have touch screens and soft limiters. Beautiful!
Hi Harry, the rival for this car was in 1991 the TVR Griffith 4.3. Porsche had the RS version and TVR came out with the Big Valve. FAST LANE magazine tested an 911 RS in the december issue of 1991 (Andrew English), and then in the june issue of 1992 a TVR Griffith 4.3, not even a Big Valve. Guess what, the Griff was driven by Mister Mark Hales, TVR works driver and CARS and CAR CONVRSIONS magazine track tester, and it made no prisoners : 1 minute 10,5 secs around Castle Combe. That was even half a second faster than the Griffith 500 tested in the november issue of Fast Lane. I would be honored to lend you my 1991 Griffith 4.3 Big Valve for a review, and maybe you could interview the man himself, Mister Mark Hales. Not to forget Mister Neill Anderson, TVR chassis development engineer and Mister Dominic Trcikett, from TVR Power, ex TVR.
Harry, owning an 964RS since 1998 I think the 964RS has steel doors, but the 964RS 3.8 has Aluminium doors. Love to see you doing an video on this car!
I had one for 10 years and stupidly sold it, I didnt think the doors were aluminium ? I did do a bit of work to mine with full MoTEc throttle bodies, headwork, cams etc. It was sublime - what an idiot selling it as I spent months looking for a mint Maritime Blue on in 1997, I bought it from Rook racing for 77.000 DM (£25k) with 9,000 kms on the clock and one previous owner....
The older I get, the more I love classic Porsches. Although I personally chose the 997 generation as the place to hang my hat (and wallet), I absolutely love 964 and 993 models. It's not hard to imagine the RS models of each of those being some of the greatest Porsches of all time. Thanks for another fun video!
964 RS and 993 RS are the ones I'd buy if I had unlimited money. Sure the 964 and 993 Turbo S-models and 993 GT2's are even more expensive but there's just something about the narrow body design and the understated look that these cars had (compared to modern RS cars). And they have already produced 8000 new 992 GT3-versions. That's a crazy number as these were made in hundreds.
@@Nord_Mann Yes. Insane. And some people paid double for these cars and thought they'll be as valuable as something like 964 Turbo 3.6 Leichtbau or 993 GT2. A fool and his money are easily parted.
My 964 C2 had been garaged for the best part of 2 years. Took the cover off after watching this video and it started first time. It's now enjoying daily drives, including school runs and supermarket trips.
I would love to hear your opinion on the 996.2 GT3. I drive one for 4 years and although it is a 20 years old car it drives better then most modern cars IMO 🤷♂️
I bought my 964 C2 (rs replica) and modified it even more since 2019, exactly to get as close as possible as an rs with daily usability. Did so many road trips since and 25k kms in 4 years. Love it more and more everyday. ❤
The Hairpin Company couldn’t generate a better endorsement for this RS sale than having Harry take us all for a virtual ride along and of course Harry’s infectious commentary.
That photo of RGO 2L sideways in Evo has stuck in my mind after reading that EVO article all those years ago. It was a great article and an excellent piece of auto journalism
Epic footage, well done Metcalfe. Put a 3.6 RS engine in my 85 3.2 Carrera. Beautifully torquey engine, Wayne Schofield at Chip Wizards tuned the Motec and rolling road confirmed 292 bhp, which was plenty.
@Harry: We can see clearly the FIAT 500 standing in the back ground. But you never continued the series of the engine rebuild. We have seen the goods you bought for it, a look inside the FIAT specialist garage, and some very interesting specs were discussed, but we never never have seen the actual rebuild nor the finish engine. I do believe that a great mis. Especially for them who are building a 500-126 engine from the ground up. And lack some experience to get best out of it.
Thanks Harry, now I miss my '91 C2 that I had pretty much mod'd into an RS so I guess could call it an RS Clone, and yes it was very analog.... pure. I did PCA Club Race it for 3 years, and sold it in 2003, would pay 3x to have it back. Great review, thank you.
Harry. 300 kilos in 30 years is splitting hairs. I thought I’d found my ultimate Porsche. 912E. 92bhp. Almost, my dream 95bhp car in reverse. But then I discovered, 200kg heavier. So a 911T to achieve the same power to weight as my 839kg Alfasud Ti. Great video
Wow, that was a truly splendid 20 mins of video!! My goodness that’s such a pure drivers car, being driven by a pure driver. I wish I had £200k to spare 😢
My first proper petrolhead experience was being taken around Brands Hatch GP circuit by a family friend in a raspberry pink 964 Carrera RS at the tender age of 14yrs old in 1993. Truly life affirming stuff! ❤ Thanks for triggering those memories.
Impressively quick edit and upload considering I saw you in the car on Saturday afternoon, 3 camera suction mounts where the driver should be were the giveaway :)
Looks great in your garage. Goes great on a clear Autobahn. On UK roads I forget it, an exercise in pure masochism. I would recommend harvesting some nettles before they die off for the winter. Give yourself a good lashing. That's a pure experience too. And Cheaper.
Another Great Review by Harry. The 964 fits perfectly on these type Roads, the 992 is far too big and bulky, so i can understand the reasons they're wanted but 200k is a lot of money considering a 964 can be had for 65k+ Also most 964 RS's are Garage Queens because of their value. If i had the money, I'd probably buy a normal 964 and build a Replica but make it into more of a GT RS with some KW's or JRS dampers.
A friend of my Dad, went to Porsche back in the days to buy an RS for his son (txs Dad!!), and the Porsche engineer told him that all the engines made over 300 horses.
I would probably feel different about the suspension if I still had mine, but I never found it crazy hard. Unforgiving and jarring but not 'crashy' or too jarring, juts very stiff and you moved around a bit as the wheels showed how much rebound the dampers had. Skittish at times, but easy enough to catch and you really, really needed to be pushing on for it to feel overwhelmed. I had one from 97-2008 and went all over Europe many times and many track days, wonderful car
@@adrianadrianp5305 Surprise surprise... He drove the 964 RS in England, which has the most shittiest road infrastructure in the Western world! No wonder, that the ride quality felt quite bad 🤦♂ You would NEVER feel such suspension harshness with a 964 RS here in "continental" Europe! Greetings from Germany
@@atom999 I stupidly thought as I was renting and didnt own a garage it wild be more economic to sell while the prices were high and buy another in a few years (I sold with 50k kms for £50k !)
Thanks Harry. Totally absorbed in yet another wonderful review. So refreshing to see and hear that fabulous, raw, unfettled machine, particularly in this modern world where unnecessary in-car 'bings and bongs' of digital technology and increasing attempts made to eradicate the combustion engine, threatens our very being! Thanks again for keeping our pulses racing. Take care for now.
Thanks Harry, awesome review,if money was not an issue I would have one of these over some restomod and when you look at the prices there charging for one of those this car is a bargain 😊
Drove one when i was a nightwatch at a campsite in holland. German car journalist came in late and wanted it to be within the camping gate for the night. In return to have me open the gate he let me drive it around Ouddorp dune winding roads. He took the airfilter of to have it sound better. It was absolutely amazing for a 19 year old boy... best drive of my life!
Great vid Harry missed out almost buying one of these when they were around £30K in the early 2000's , If you want I will lend you my Lotus 340R for a review which I have owned from new (190bhp upgrade and UCR) very similar to your old car and nearing 25 years before they can be imported for road use in the USA
Marvellous. Got to love a 964. Remember your features on C6 (?) UFO well! Never saw the point of the RS though. Just buy a tidy C2, spend the money on an exhaust, intake, some nice seats and top quality aftermarket suspension and you've probably got a better everyday driver's car for a lot less money. Ho hum.
@@TheFonz-AKAFonzy Agree though Harry still seemed to think 200k for a 964 "that's a bit sharper" than a stock C2 was worth it - because factory. Yeah ok then.
Wish I could still get in & out of cars like this with the nimbleness that you display Harry;ah well,the curse of old age! Nice machine ,my solicitor had one when they first came out.
Very happy memories….I was actually the second owner of this car and consigned it to Hairpin. Purchased decades ago in Germany and I put 30k plus miles on the car and like to think I used as intended. Very many a brisk trip across Europe to Spa, Nurburgring, Dijon, LeMans et all - my preferred weapon of choice ( fortunate in having 2,7RSL and Daytona as options at the time) to get to the event before competing in International GT or Sports Prototypes. I fitted both the radio ( useless ) and smaller diameter steering wheel ( the original was sold with car) and commissioned Ninemeister to do the the Motec conversion.
From my modest experience, I believe the quoted power uplift was totally honest - with such a small, light car it was utterly devastating on the road and other traffic was literally treated as a mobile chicane.
As Harry accurately communicated, it was a very ‘involving’ drive ( and therein lies the whole appeal) and definitely not passenger friendly….The intensity of the driving experience always made me think it was like an 2.7 RSL on steroids. Why sell? Very simple, today’s roads / traffic / regulations severely limit driving the car as intended and I found myself gravitating towards less extreme 911s in the garage….Fabulous, driver’s tool, still greatly underrated….far more analogue than the latest GT R/S etc etc and infinitely more rewarding…
From a time when cars were less confused by tech nonsense and marketing features.
I love how single minded this Porsche RS is, clear, focused, a bit noisy, just a great package. Really engaging and mechanically honest.
Great review as always.
Yet 10-15 years ago you could barely give them away! As low as £20K used!
I love all the tech "nonsense" - would never go back 😁
@@EvoraGT430in your wet dreams. Porsche prices have been on the rise for at least 15 years.
@@EvoraGT430
Longer ago than that unfortunately. 1998-2000 they were £22k-£28k. They were rocketing in 2010 and went nuts in the 2013/14 boom.
You are delusional or dreaming. The 964 RS is not even a "real" RS car. Other RS models have a singularly spectacular engine and a bunch of motorsport tech included. This is just a stripper C2 with 10 extra HP. Are you kidding?
13:51 "Its just pure... but iIiIitTtT iSs ToUgH RiDeEeE" lmaoooooo
😂😂😂😂😂
harry looked like he was having a blast, ride notwithstanding !
Are you 15?
@@johnsmith1474At the most, I suspect.
There are only a few treasured car channels that are even worth bothering with on YT nowadays. Harry is no.1.
I love his channel as well, however Jay Leno is number 1 for me simply because of the variety he offers from the automotive world. But both are a favorite of mine.
Harry and Iain Tyrrell - both incredibly good imo
There are so many good car channels on youtube. We live in a golden age of easily accessible car entertainment. But I agree that Harry is on top of this strong field of competitors.
Jayemm, Hagerty and Drivetribe also great channels
Thanks Harry for taking us back to a better time.
So people say you don't realise it till it's gone.. not me I knew we were living through an amazing time in the 90s....
The zenith of Western Civilisation.
Every single time when Harry is reviewing some brand new hypercar or EV then I never even click on the thumbnail. He must have had a lot of positive comments after the e500 - shortly- this is exactly what I want Harry to review.
I particularly like the fact that he goes for the mix and contrasting both of these worlds. It gives it all more perspective and I m sure his vids have a greater impact coz he knows and loves the old ways but is open to give new trends a try - whilst critiquing or sometimes praising new features or approaches. If anyone has a good and credible shot at calling out misled developments, it s Harry and that s hugely down to him being generally open whilst certainly having some preferences.
I'm no Porsche fan, but that old Porsche is a very elegant car compared to the ugly monster of the modern equivalent.
I do watch his EV videos also because I like his balanced and informed view on all cars, EVs too.
@@Nord_Mann He hasn't given a balanced view on EVs yet.
Agreed - seemingly trying to keep in the good graces of the manufacturers, who of course, are always trying to push their “latest and greatest” for social media channel promotion, whilst also balancing the curated content for the “old school” crowd that is likely more interested and willing to actually watch the entire episode (which YT algorithm/analytics rewards), if said content is related to the iconic ICE vehicles of our formative years, IMHO
If memory serves, it wasn’t just lighter, but seam welded, instead of normal spot welding, making the whole chassis stiffer.
A colleague had one, and took me to Monza and Salzburg in it. Amazing.
Leant it to me. Took the Mrs out in it, and just the noise frightened her white. When I stopped in Munich, she got out and walked immediately to the train station, swearing never to sit in the thing again.
I remember the violet RS in all the magazines in high school
@@johnj.baranski6553yeah the Rubystone Red was perfection on this car👌
Right car, wrong woman
Harry said it was based on the contemporary Cup car which I assume was seam welded.
What a sound!! Think this is one of the best sounding cars you have ever had on the channel, Harry. Pure. Beautiful.
Pure eargasm
"Because you're overloaded with information you feel like pushing on...because you know exactly what it will do." This comment of yours perfectly conveyed what I saw and heard on the video. You were having so much fun driving the 964 RS it was impossible not to be grinning the entire time. I do like watching/hearing the car plus your comments as you drive the same familiar 'favorite roads' in every review. It makes the different driving experiences so evident. Bravo!
Yes, this was the best comment by far. I never got the whole treacherous 911 rear-engine complaints. A properly set-up 911 communicates to you non-stop what it is doing or will do next. If you learn to read this information you can push it so incredibly hard with so much confidence.
As a 964 RS owner (and having owned many other 911 RSs, 2.7, 993 etc, plus several modern GT3 RS) you totally get what it’s all about in this review. It is distilled 911. Thank you Harry, great vid.
How would you compare it to the 993 RS?
And a 2.7? Surely still the GOAT RS?
@@000GunterGabriel000993RS the better car. 964RS too firm. Have driven both. Bought and kept the 993RS..
@@DCBath Thx!
The size difference between the 2 was insane
Yep, crazy side by side visual
Wait until you see trucks/utes. Get a Hilux from 30 years ago and compare it to now...
Yeah like the old mini vs the BMW mini.
@@deanchur
Yeah size wise I follow your comment. But that Hilux of old drives very unrefined.... agricultural compared to the new ones.
@@gairnmclennan5876 "very unrefined.... agricultural" So are some of the old 911s in a way without meaning to be sacrilegious! Not this 964, but the 915 gearbox in the 911 SC is infamous for developing slop in the shifter, isn't it?
Had a ride in a 993 RS, 23 years ago now. I took photos with an old school camera with film in it at the time. I remember the rawness. The squeak of the brake pads, the little red straps to open the doors. Wonderful stuff.
I do love that when you are really impressed with a car, you have big smile and a sparkle in your voice. Your unabashed joy for a great car is wonderful.
I remember my neighbour back in the 90s having one and me listening in absolute delight to it every morning when he went to work and coming back in the evening. I just love the sound of aircooled 911s. Beautiful. There´s nothing that compares to it. Great stuff, Harry. God bless.
Not that anyone still had any doubt, but Harry is an absolute legend for mentioning the 968 CS steering wheel :)
It is rather a classic
I'd like to see Harry test one of those also, was supposed to be one of the best front engined rear wheel drive cars of its day and cheaper than the stantard 968 ( before Porsche cottoned onto pricing ... )
3 litre 4 pot thumper, quite unusual.
@@zakelweit sure is. I know, I had one, regular 968 though, but modified to 968 CS specs with THAT steering wheel, m030 suspension, big brakes etc. Unfortunately, it was taken away from me by a drunk driver crashing into me.
Fantastic video . . . probably my favourite this year . . . maybe because I'm an air-cooled 911 nut having owned a '76 Carrera 3.0 and a '78 SC Sport. You can keep all the newer, fatter, heavier and gizmo laden 911s, . . . I just love the light, responsiveness, leanness and purity of this one . . . as did Harry!
I have always wondered if the older Porsches, like the two you owned, allowed the gasoline smell to seep into the cabin. I'm interested to know please.
@@kingsteven891 Thanks for the reply . . . I don't ever recall a gasoline smell in the cabins back then. I'm sure I would have as it was a problem I experienced in one of my first apartments which was over a garage!
@@rogerwatt8491 That is great to hear that not all older cars have gasoline smells seeping into the cabin. Something about carburetors allow the smell where direct injection doesn't. I need to learn more about this. Thank you.
@@kingsteven891
It’s about making sure that the plumbing to the gas tank is sealed properly … that’s all
Another great video. I had a Porsche 2.7 RS back in 1976, found it very usable and I prefered driving it on normal UK roads to a Ferrai Daytona or Maserati Bora. Coming back from a great trip via Switzerland, Italy and St Tropez arrived in Southampton off the ferry at 6am one fine Sunday morning and less than an hour later was at the outskirts of Birmingham some 120 odd miles away. That was how to use a 2.7 RS.....wish I'd kept it!
Seems like pure heaven ,true driving machine.Thanks Harry for showing us true cars.I don’t find the new overweight,overwhelming cars today interesting anymore .Thanks Harry and The Hairpin company ,for letting Harry and son,show us these wonderful older vehicles.Much appreciated.🙏
I've owned very stiff riding extreme versions of various cars and honestly, it's a short thrill. Now I think supple suspension that absorbs whatever the road surface hands out and gives you superior control over real world surfaces is what I consider superior and now expect. Hard short travel suspension is for the circuit. If the road unsettles the car because of it's suspension, it's not a good car, end of story.
Colin Chapman proved the stiff suspension proponents wrong over 60 years ago and still manufacturers persist in doing it.
When you see Gordon Murray using the new Alpine A110 as a handling benchmark for his cars it means a lot. Crashy hard suspension is good for either track abuse or your chiropractor.
Yep. This is why most performance cars now have adjustable electronic dampers.
the engine note from the roadside is fabulous, a benefit for any fortunate spectator 🎶
Somebody in my neighborhood has a splendid 964, off-white, bronze wheels and ducktail spoiler. One of the prettiest cars I've ever seen.
Harry looks so happy driving this car!
Looks fantastic 😍
0:57 That factory rubystone red paint wouldn't look good on most other cars but does on this 964. Beautiful!
My friend owned the first 911 RS in the Netherlands, I was the unlucky one who crashed the first 964 RS in the Netherlands.
Oh dear...
I sincerely feel for you for the pain and shame you must have felt at the time and I can only hope your friend had a racer s attitude about it and the crash wasn t all too severe.
That's quite an accolade 😮
Are you still friends? 😂
What happened?
Fantastic review. I'd love to see a 993 carrera RS next if at all possible!
@@callummccubbing4506 happy to offer mine for review!
I love it when Harry has some kind of old 911. The last episode I enjoyed this much was the road trip to Spain in that Special Wishes 911. Cheers!
Was thinking the same. Watching this video, I'm wondering where that car is? Did Harry sell it?
I fell in love with these when Richard Meaden bought that black one. When I was a young evo subscriber. Absolute peak of performance cars imo. Everything you need for driving joy, nothing you don’t.. I hope I win the lottery one day.
Truly enjoyed this one. I have a 964 C2 coupe, which obviously is portly compared to the RS. But you’re spot on when you say that it doesn’t feel like an old car. They kept the original size, visibility, and vault-like build quality, all of which was perfect back then and even rarer now. Even the C2 is a joy to drive. The early’90s were, in hindsight, a great era for future classic driver’s cars.
So much prefer this to today's overly conjugated Porsches. I've driven this car, its a bumpy ride, but on the other hand, you are in touch with every aspect of the driving experience, and it it robust. Great review Harry.
Thanks for this Harry, as an older Porsche owner this is perfect 😁 Keep up the reviews on older stuff too
My brother used to buy them for Josh at Autofarm in the 90's....he would travel all over Europe for them , I think £25k was the going price for one back then (which was a lot of money then)
We took one to LeMans in 96 and opened it up flat out in France somewhere and it touched 160 briefly before we ran out of road. They were insanely fast in the day and the brakes were incredible which allowed overtaking lots of traffic a breeze and very safe.
The lusty bass from the engine on overrun is delicious. Have experienced a standard Carrera 4 964 - it always felt way more than 250bhp.
I have a 964 with an RS clutch and slightly low suspension and live in Menton France, the lumpy off camber roads and slow speed driving really is an effort but once up on route Napoleon or Greolieres roads the car comes into its own and just feels the right size and horsepower level for a weekend toy. Aircon is a must down here and I like my unfashionable sunroof too 😀. Thanks for a great honest RS review
Although I do think prices of 964s are ludicrous relative to what you're actually getting, it's still probably one of the best examples of modern-retro design to date.
What you're getting is a time machine. That's worth quite a bit.
Rarity now, 90s recession none were sold, they were worthless at one point and scrapped off, any others are retro back dated.
No better 911 than a 992 with a manual. Remember all you 964 lovers today used to crap on it 15 years ago. Your money your opinion - do as you want but nothing about these older 911s make the prices people pay for them today worthwhile.
@@davidmiller2973 🤣
thank the boomers.
Thank you Harry as a 991.2 4s owner it certainly makes me think of an older 911 when I come to change 👍
Concise, passionate, unpretentious, and vivid. This is simply the best car video I've ever seen on TH-cam. Bravo Harry!
Very happy to echo all of Harry's analysis. The suspension is off-putting initially, making it difficult to relax into a spirited ride. However, and it might sound sacreligious, but there are loads of aftermarket suspension kits and geometry can play a big part as the RS track set up doesn't work on the road - tramlining is extreme and the narrow track exposed. I inherited a very well judged KW-3 set up which Center Gravity then toned down the geometry so I wasn't bounced into the hedgerow. Now I have GT-esque comfort, and though the noise is ever present, equally every trip in it is an event - and the advantage of being able to sense every change of revs. And it feels unbreakable.
14:00 - The ride does look absolutely brutal for this class of car. I'm nearly 30, and as time's gone on, I've grown intolerant of road cars with horribly stiff suspension. A lot of people incorrectly attribute an excessively firm ride to being sporty or faster. However, some of the best sports cars of all time have amazing compliance in the suspension because lots of good driving roads don't have the best pavement quality.
My 1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 rides very nicely on its refurbished suspension. It also has no power-steering and is surprisingly fast for its age. Hard riding cars are just unpleasant.
I agree. I wish they'd pay a bit more attention to comfort. Stiff suspension and large cartwheels spoil many a modern car.
The whole idea is to keep the tyre in contact with the road. To do that you need compliance and travel. These stiff set ups only work on billiard table smooth circuits, they are a living hell on a British B road!
@@ralphmillais5237 I read an article in a JDM tuning magazine going back 20-odd years ago that has stuck with me, where the writer mentioned that they nearly totalled their car because they had to do an emergency brake and because their suspension was too stiff they ended up getting a bit of bounce on the bumpy road they were on, which of course meant they lost control (IIRC they had to put the car into the shoulder to avoid a collision).
@@ralphmillais5237 It's a tradeoff of faster transient response versus grip. By definition a softer suspension has lower natural frequencies (i.e., inversely proportional to response time) and takes a little longer to respond to driver inputs. Recall Tiff Needell waxing lyrical about how the stiffly sprung Vauxhall Cavalier Super Tourer is hoppy and turns in on a dime giving the driver confidence in its instant adjustability, even if the stiff setup may (theoretically) reduce peak grip compared to a softer setup with more roll and more mechanical grip.
I love how much Harry loves namedropping his Countach. Real love
Was a Junior in a trading room when this came out, senior colleague bought one new …… his companies cars in the previous few years were a 3 door whale tail sierra cosworth and a lancia intergrale. Can’t imagine how many amazing cars he has in his collection now.
Spoiled for choice on a Sunday evening! Mat Armstrong’s and Harry’s garage uploads. Clicked on this vid first ngl 🙌🏼
What a beautiful car.
100%
I had one, as did many friends. Great car, especially when you were buying them for £25-30k in the early 2000s. Quite comfortable on a long journey.
Now that would actually be a sensible price. £200k - more money than brain cells.
Yep. Taking into account inflation etc, I think around £50k would be a good price these days, well worth it then. These need to be used. So paying over the odds and then not using it is mad.
Wow 😮
The 3 RS is only 300kg heavier??? That's actually incredibly impressive for a car that's 30 years newer and so, so much bigger...
Agreed
@@MacellaioNero I was surprised too. It’s impressive.
300 kg. is a ton for any motorcar with sporting intentions.
@@tonychavez2083 Actually 300kg is about 300kg for a car with sporting intentions. It's also coincidentally 300kg for a car with non-sporting intentions. That's around 607kg less than a ton. The more you know!
Thank you for well produced videos. I love watching them while drinking a spot of tea. 👍🏽☕️
Thanks for the lovely review, Harry. You really got across the character of the car really well. I am able to imagine it so well. Loved the video of you slightly sliding the rear of the car going around turns. Fantastic.
Great commentary on a legendary car. Harry’s extensive vocabulary and use of voice tone really triggers your synapses to imagine that you’d re actually in the car. Really enjoyed that trip with you sir! 👍😎
Absolutely love these, small, the most pugnacious stance of any Porsche and sounds glorious. Tried to get my dad to buy a rubystone one with under 20000 miles that was up for 24k sometime in early 2000’s. Same spec as this but didn’t like the driving position or colour. I do like to remind him of the prices now occasionally 😂
Awesome - sounds fantastic. Let's hope the Euromillions numbers come in the the week and I'll be hot footing down it down to Wiltshire.
964 RS, Cup and RSR are my favourites! Great vid!
The Porsche 911 993 is without doubt my favourite 911, absolutely adore them. But this car is fantastic and what a treat to have a proper car on the show, one that doesn’t have touch screens and soft limiters. Beautiful!
I thought it was a 964 RS...
@@123danson It is. A typo which I’ve now corrected, it used to read as, This car is fantastic..
@@AledPritchard 993 RS is amazing as well. Last of the air cooled.
@@detonator2112 Yep, what a lovely sounding engine it is. And the best body shape too, the nicest lines. It is my favourite incarnation of the 911.
One of my favorit 911 ❣️
I love the Cup Wheels 👌🏼
For me the nicest wheel of all time ❕😊
Love from Berlin 🇩🇪
Ramsi 🙋🏻♂️
Hi Harry, the rival for this car was in 1991 the TVR Griffith 4.3. Porsche had the RS version and TVR came out with the Big Valve.
FAST LANE magazine tested an 911 RS in the december issue of 1991 (Andrew English), and then in the june issue of 1992 a TVR Griffith 4.3, not even a Big Valve. Guess what, the Griff was driven by Mister Mark Hales, TVR works driver and CARS and CAR CONVRSIONS magazine track tester, and it made no prisoners : 1 minute 10,5 secs around Castle Combe. That was even half a second faster than the Griffith 500 tested in the november issue of Fast Lane.
I would be honored to lend you my 1991 Griffith 4.3 Big Valve for a review, and maybe you could interview the man himself, Mister Mark Hales. Not to forget Mister Neill Anderson, TVR chassis development engineer and Mister Dominic Trcikett, from TVR Power, ex TVR.
Harry, owning an 964RS since 1998 I think the 964RS has steel doors, but the 964RS 3.8 has Aluminium doors. Love to see you doing an video on this car!
I had one for 10 years and stupidly sold it, I didnt think the doors were aluminium ? I did do a bit of work to mine with full MoTEc throttle bodies, headwork, cams etc. It was sublime - what an idiot selling it as I spent months looking for a mint Maritime Blue on in 1997, I bought it from Rook racing for 77.000 DM (£25k) with 9,000 kms on the clock and one previous owner....
The older I get, the more I love classic Porsches. Although I personally chose the 997 generation as the place to hang my hat (and wallet), I absolutely love 964 and 993 models. It's not hard to imagine the RS models of each of those being some of the greatest Porsches of all time. Thanks for another fun video!
Just brilliant I love these reviews you can see the glee on Harry’s face , but my goodness that sounds tremendous 🎉great vlog harry
964 RS and 993 RS are the ones I'd buy if I had unlimited money. Sure the 964 and 993 Turbo S-models and 993 GT2's are even more expensive but there's just something about the narrow body design and the understated look that these cars had (compared to modern RS cars). And they have already produced 8000 new 992 GT3-versions. That's a crazy number as these were made in hundreds.
There are zero 992 GT2 produced. Are you thinking of the 992GT3? I don’t think there are 8000 of those produced. Do you have a link to that info?
@@Nord_Mann Yes typo of course. Edited.
Put "992 GT3 production numbers to Google".
992 GT3 - PDK 2021-present 2400 *
992 GT3 - Manual 2021-present
992 GT3 Touring 2021-present 650 *
992 GT3 RS - PDK 2022-present 5,000
@@detonator2112I was thinking GT3RS when you said 8000 cars. I’m shocked if these numbers are correct. Double the amount of RS compared to non-RS
@@Nord_Mann Yes. Insane. And some people paid double for these cars and thought they'll be as valuable as something like 964 Turbo 3.6 Leichtbau or 993 GT2. A fool and his money are easily parted.
Last year I got to drive the holy grail, a -91 RS N/GT on track. My GOD what a car. Best track experience ever!
My 964 C2 had been garaged for the best part of 2 years. Took the cover off after watching this video and it started first time. It's now enjoying daily drives, including school runs and supermarket trips.
It doesn't matter a bit if it's any good. It's cool and I want one.
Fair.
I would love to hear your opinion on the 996.2 GT3. I drive one for 4 years and although it is a 20 years old car it drives better then most modern cars IMO 🤷♂️
Always appreciate the ASMR at the end of each video.
I bought my 964 C2 (rs replica) and modified it even more since 2019, exactly to get as close as possible as an rs with daily usability. Did so many road trips since and 25k kms in 4 years. Love it more and more everyday. ❤
Thanks Harry. Great video, as always.
The Hairpin Company couldn’t generate a better endorsement for this RS sale than having Harry take us all for a virtual ride along and of course Harry’s infectious commentary.
Thanks Harry for another excellent video. Great car.
That photo of RGO 2L sideways in Evo has stuck in my mind after reading that EVO article all those years ago. It was a great article and an excellent piece of auto journalism
Epic footage, well done Metcalfe. Put a 3.6 RS engine in my 85 3.2 Carrera. Beautifully torquey engine, Wayne Schofield at Chip Wizards tuned the Motec and rolling road confirmed 292 bhp, which was plenty.
964 and 993 is 911 design perfection! Great video!
@Harry: We can see clearly the FIAT 500 standing in the back ground. But you never continued the series of the engine rebuild. We have seen the goods you bought for it, a look inside the FIAT specialist garage, and some very interesting specs were discussed, but we never never have seen the actual rebuild nor the finish engine. I do believe that a great mis. Especially for them who are building a 500-126 engine from the ground up. And lack some experience to get best out of it.
Thanks Harry, now I miss my '91 C2 that I had pretty much mod'd into an RS so I guess could call it an RS Clone, and yes it was very analog.... pure. I did PCA Club Race it for 3 years, and sold it in 2003, would pay 3x to have it back. Great review, thank you.
What would youtube be without contributions from this journalistic genius
Great video. A grail car for me.Thanks for sharing the experience.
Simply stunningly, my idea of the perfect Porsche 911.
Harry. 300 kilos in 30 years is splitting hairs. I thought I’d found my ultimate Porsche. 912E. 92bhp. Almost, my dream 95bhp car in reverse. But then I discovered, 200kg heavier. So a 911T to achieve the same power to weight as my 839kg Alfasud Ti. Great video
Wow, that was a truly splendid 20 mins of video!! My goodness that’s such a pure drivers car, being driven by a pure driver. I wish I had £200k to spare 😢
My first proper petrolhead experience was being taken around Brands Hatch GP circuit by a family friend in a raspberry pink 964 Carrera RS at the tender age of 14yrs old in 1993. Truly life affirming stuff! ❤ Thanks for triggering those memories.
Great video,shows how basic,competent engineering gives you brilliant results…not reliant on electronic devices to perform!
Impressively quick edit and upload considering I saw you in the car on Saturday afternoon, 3 camera suction mounts where the driver should be were the giveaway :)
Another quality video, thanks Harry 👍
Looks great in your garage. Goes great on a clear Autobahn. On UK roads I forget it, an exercise in pure masochism. I would recommend harvesting some nettles before they die off for the winter. Give yourself a good lashing. That's a pure experience too. And Cheaper.
Another Great Review by Harry.
The 964 fits perfectly on these type Roads, the 992 is far too big and bulky, so i can understand the reasons they're wanted but 200k is a lot of money considering a 964 can be had for 65k+
Also most 964 RS's are Garage Queens because of their value.
If i had the money, I'd probably buy a normal 964 and build a Replica but make it into more of a GT RS with some KW's or JRS dampers.
What a nice Sunday surprise. My preference is the Carrera 4 but that’s the nice thing about the 964. Even the Tiptronic is a great ride.
Steering wheel is known as the ‘930S’. I had one in my ‘83 SC coupe and my ‘89 Carrera Targa, they’re a nice upgrade.
A friend of my Dad, went to Porsche back in the days to buy an RS for his son (txs Dad!!), and the Porsche engineer told him that all the engines made over 300 horses.
i absolutely love his reviews and style no matter the current trends he stays true to us and himself
Excellent as usual Harry. Thank you. Only one colour that should be though and it’s Ruby Red met (if my memory serves me right) 😁
Beautiful car. Diamonds are forever... A flawed diamond is still a diamond.
I would probably feel different about the suspension if I still had mine, but I never found it crazy hard. Unforgiving and jarring but not 'crashy' or too jarring, juts very stiff and you moved around a bit as the wheels showed how much rebound the dampers had. Skittish at times, but easy enough to catch and you really, really needed to be pushing on for it to feel overwhelmed. I had one from 97-2008 and went all over Europe many times and many track days, wonderful car
@@adrianadrianp5305why did you sell it?
@@adrianadrianp5305 Surprise surprise... He drove the 964 RS in England, which has the most shittiest road infrastructure in the Western world! No wonder, that the ride quality felt quite bad 🤦♂
You would NEVER feel such suspension harshness with a 964 RS here in "continental" Europe!
Greetings from Germany
@@atom999 I stupidly thought as I was renting and didnt own a garage it wild be more economic to sell while the prices were high and buy another in a few years (I sold with 50k kms for £50k !)
@adrianadrianp5305 ouch! Well at least you owned it once!
Thanks Harry. Totally absorbed in yet another wonderful review. So refreshing to see and hear that fabulous, raw, unfettled machine, particularly in this modern world where unnecessary in-car 'bings and bongs' of digital technology and increasing attempts made to eradicate the combustion engine, threatens our very being! Thanks again for keeping our pulses racing. Take care for now.
Thanks Harry, awesome review,if money was not an issue I would have one of these over some restomod and when you look at the prices there charging for one of those this car is a bargain 😊
Drove one when i was a nightwatch at a campsite in holland. German car journalist came in late and wanted it to be within the camping gate for the night. In return to have me open the gate he let me drive it around Ouddorp dune winding roads. He took the airfilter of to have it sound better. It was absolutely amazing for a 19 year old boy... best drive of my life!
Great vid Harry missed out almost buying one of these when they were around £30K in the early 2000's , If you want I will lend you my Lotus 340R for a review which I have owned from new (190bhp upgrade and UCR) very similar to your old car and nearing 25 years before they can be imported for road use in the USA
Brings back lots of very happy memories, I was lucky enough to own one back in 2003 (Guards Red with triple violet seats), should have kept it.
Marvellous. Got to love a 964. Remember your features on C6 (?) UFO well!
Never saw the point of the RS though. Just buy a tidy C2, spend the money on an exhaust, intake, some nice seats and top quality aftermarket suspension and you've probably got a better everyday driver's car for a lot less money. Ho hum.
That was the conclusion back then and still is 30 years later.
@@TheFonz-AKAFonzy Agree though Harry still seemed to think 200k for a 964 "that's a bit sharper" than a stock C2 was worth it - because factory. Yeah ok then.
Beautiful wee car Harry! Brilliant 👌🏻👍🏼👌🏻🚗🚗
Wish I could still get in & out of cars like this with the nimbleness that you display Harry;ah well,the curse of old age! Nice machine ,my solicitor had one when they first came out.
What a gorgeous looking car
Definitely 👍
My 964 C4 has 363000 miles on the clock .. lightened and lowered they are awesome.
This wheel went into some 959, 968 CS and some 930 S like yours, it's an ATIWE 32 steering wheel for Porsche.