A combination of economic recession and outdated production techniques created a crisis at Porsche in the early 1990s. Porsche’s North American sales fell from 30,000 units in 1986 to 3,700 in 1993 and the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. The company only just survived, by adapting, which meant hiring Japanese consultants Shin Gijutsu, who specialize in the Toyota Production System. They dramatically streamlined not only the manufacturing process, but also the designs of the cars themselves in order to make them more efficient to produce.
The result was the 986 and 996, which certainly lost some of the perceived quality of earlier Porsches, but dragged Porsche’s design and manufacturing processes into modernity. This ultimately allowed a return to profitability and saved the company together with the Cayenne. With the crisis averted, Porsche was able to loosen its belt a little for the 997, spending more cash to differentiate the 911 from the Boxster and solve some of the complaints leveled at the 996. Styling and finishes were improved and the 997 is now regarded as the Goldilocks generation of liquid-cooled 911s, meaningfully improved over the 996 which was developed in a climate of crisis, but more compact and experientially visceral than the 991.
The aughts saw significant development in the 911, with the 2009 facelift bringing the ultimate variants to market. All 997s received a new direct injected engine, a massively improved two-pedal gearbox solution, and many detail improvements. And for 2011 and 2012 only, the Carrera GTS was available. It offered higher performance than the base Carrera and Carrera S models, but without the uncompromising track-oriented feel of the GT3, which was available with manual transmission only, no back seats, and had a heavy clutch, shifter, and stiff, track-oriented suspension.
The short production run and relatively high price of the GTS meant that it sold in low numbers, with the rear wheel drive manual transmission coupe version, the pick of the bunch for enthusiast drivers, being particularly scarce. This is one such car, sold new in New York, where it remained until the current owner bought it in 2023 and brought it to California. The car has been regularly serviced, and recently received routine maintenance, a new OEM windscreen, and new TPMS sensors. The car is equipped with a Sharkwerks exhaust and is otherwise unmodified.
Included with the car are documents dating back to when it was nearly new, plus original books set.
