The Porsche 964 RS 3.8 offered here was delivered to Japan in 1993. There the car ended up in the private collection of a Japanese dealer, where it remained for over 24 years. Documents from this time including service history are available. The car was sold to the United States in June 2016. The mileage at that time was 41,800 kilometres. The vehicle was shipped from Nagoya / Japan to Long Beach, where it was imported under an exemption under the ‘show and display’ procedure. When the new US owner took possession of the car, he immediately had it undergo a complete engine service, which included an oil change, fuel filter, belts, spark plugs, ignition cables, clutch disc and pressure plate. Finally, brake discs, brake pads, brake pad wear sensors and a complete system ventilation were carried out. As part of this service work, 4 new tyres were also fitted, which are still on the vehicle today. Just a few months later, in January 2017, the US owner sold the car to a well-known collector in Bahrain via the renowned expert Bruce Canepa. In the course of this, the RS 3.8 underwent another technical inspection and extensive refurbishment at Canepa’s premises.
Canepa described the vehicle before delivery as follows: ‘During our inspection, we realised that this car is absolutely free of corrosion. From the smallest screw to the bodywork, this 3.8 is in amazingly good condition. The previous owners were obviously very meticulous and careful during their ownership. The current condition is more akin to a 5000-mile car that has been driven very conservatively, and with our additional efforts, this 3.8 now presents like new.’ At the time of sale by Canepa, the mileage was 43,183 kilometres.
The Porsche was registered in Bahrain in March 2017 and remained in the possession of a family with whom our company has maintained a friendly relationship for many years. In the summer of 2021, Mechatronik acquired the RS 3.8 offered here, together with other vehicles from this collection, which finally arrived in Pleidelsheim in August. The car remained in our in-house collection for the following years, and we registered it to our company in March 2023. The decision has now been made to sell this extremely rare collector’s item and we are delighted to be able to offer one of the most sought-after Porsches of the recent past. As one of the rarest homologation vehicles of the brand, in combination with its originality, Porsche certification, matching numbers and a great after-sales service by Porsche, this vehicle is undoubtedly an asset for any discerning Porsche collector. Today, the vehicle is ready for its next owner in sensational condition, including the original on-board folder, on-board tools, various other documents and a mileage of just 43,500 kilometres.
Our sales staff will be happy to answer any detailed questions you may have at any time. Please note that vehicle viewings are only possible by prior appointment.
The Porsche 911 (964) Carrera RS 3.8
In 1993, Porsche launched an even more extreme version of the 964 Carrera RS. While the 1992 RS had a restrained appearance, the 3.8-litre version featured the same wide body as the 964 Turbo, with the addition of a large rear wing that was adjustable for different levels of downforce. The new wide-body version featured larger three-piece Speedline wheels and a 3.8-litre engine with increased power output. Only 55 examples of this extremely rare RS 3.8 were built, 52 of which were left-hand drive. The very first examples of this new Carrera RS with 3.8-litre engine went into production in April 1993, with the majority of the vehicles being produced between September 1993 and March 1994. Like the 3.6, the 3.8 was a special homologation model. The racing version of the RS 3.8, the so-called RSR 3.8, won the 24-hour race at Spa, the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, the 1000 km of Interlagos and achieved class victories at the 24 hours of Le Mans, the 1000 km of Suzuka and the 12 hours of Sebring. Together with the 3.6 RS and the Turbo S Le Mans GT, Porsche won either the class or the overall classification in all the world’s major endurance races in 1993. This was a first for Porsche and for GT racing. At its North American debut in 1994, the RSR 3.8 took the first four places in its class at the 24 Hours of Daytona. A few weeks later, it won its class again at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Even though Porsche played down the extent of the development between the 3.6 and the RS 3.8, it was in fact a thoroughly revised engine. The engine type number was Type M64/04 with a specific displacement of 3746 cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 102 mm (instead of 100 mm) and 76.4 mm respectively. Output increased to 300 hp at 6500 rpm, the compression ratio was 11.0:1 (previously 11.3:1) and the new Bosch Motronic 2.10 with digital injection and ignition was lower than the 3.6-litre engine of the 964. In addition to these changes, Porsche installed a new crankcase, new matched cylinders and pistons as well as thoroughly revised intake and exhaust manifolds. The performance of the 3.8 RS was exceptional: the top speed rose to 275 km/h and the sprint from 0 to 100 was possible in just 4.8 seconds. The overall weight of the 3.8 RS with a wide body is only 1210 kg thanks to lightweight thin glass panels, an aluminium bonnet and doors as well as a rear engine cover and a wing made of composite material.