Both Porsche and the Porsche Museum have not been very helpful in finding the history of this car and all information has had to be gleaned from what documentation I can find, from magazine articles, specialised books and from information from previous owners.
The following is the information I have, so far, been able to find.
The Little Blue Porsche was ‘built’ in July 1993 according to Porsche although the ‘Date of Production’ was 20th August 1993.
The build specification included:
o Dual Scale Instruments
o English Model
o English Language Labelling
o More Powerful Battery
o Differential
o Bridgest/ Conti/ Michel / Pirrelle / Yoko
o Headlight Cleaning System
o Bucket Seat Left
o Bucket Seat Right
o Cup-Cast Wheel 17” (Al)
o Cassette / Coin Holder
o Atiwe Leather Steering Wheel
o Reduced Radio Preparation (Presumably because radio had CD capability but no CD changer)
o Anti-theft protection for wheels (Presumably lost when Techart wheels were refitted later after initial sale)
o 5-gear Manual
o Headlights for driving on the left
o Speedster Anti-Theft System
o Without Airbag
o Power Steering
o Numeric Model Year ’94 (R-Programme)
o Boot lined with Velour Carpet
Optional extras
o Recoil Bumpers
o Standard Coloured Rims–Silver (not A1A1 - note - original wheels replaced Techart Wheels after the motor show)
o Air Conditioning
Outside the Porsche AFN works showing the front and rear spoilers and the Techart Wheels
Following manufacture the Little Blue Porsche was taken to Porsche Exclusive's workshop at Werk 1 (Factory 1) for engine modifications.
I have details that the following modifications were made to the car although I cannot now find out where I found these details. However, I cannot think I imagined the changes and am still trying to find where I found out this information. Porsche Factory technicians disassembled the engine and installed factory RS parts. The upgraded engine features Carrillo rods, RSR 3.8 Liter pistons and cylinders, 993 sport cams, modified oil pump, modified air cleaner, flowed heads with racing three angle valve seats, light weight flywheel and new EPROM. A different source (911 and Porsche World August 1994) suggests she just had sport exhaust and Porsche GB’s own ‘chip tuning’ fitted giving the car at least an additional 25 bhp increasing the standard power to approximately 275 bhp. (This increase in bhp is achieved by the modified exhaust and chip tuning alone.)
Rather than post-production body modifications being undertaken at Werk One in Stuttgart, they were undertaken by the new alternative specialist conversions source, AFN. Porsche had approved Techart products, as alternatives to Werk One modifications, whose components were offered through official Porsche Dealers in several countries as TechLine by TechArt. In the UK, the Porsche Spezial division was set up for the incorporation of Techart post production modifications at AFN which, ironically, started to run a dealership from the same building. Porsche named the one-off cars made there ‘Porsche Technik’. Steve Kevlin was the Manager of Porsche Spezial who oversaw the department that catered for aftermarket conversions, one-off cars and restoration of older Porsches. The conversions were undertaken by Porsche not Techart. The Techart products were bought by Porsche and installed by Porsche to ensure the quality of the final product was not compromised. Here she had a lower front spoiler fitted. Short springs were fitted (these have been replaced with adjustable KW Variant 1 sports suspension as she would ‘bottom’ at every roundabout), Techart wheels and a large rear fixed spoiler.
The car was then featured in 911 and Porsche World, July / August 1994 (Right)
The article states “The Carrera 2 Speedster is a spectacular machine … the add-on bits suit this outrageous looking car even more than a Coupe. It looks the part and is a real head-turner.”
The frontispiece picture shows the Little Blue Porsche outside the Porsche AFN works where all the modifications had been made. The rear spoiler can be readily seen.
I personally feel that the Techart wheels are a great deal more attractive than the colour matched wheels fitted as standard to the other Maritime Blue cars – as below
She was subsequently shown at the 1993 Motor Show on the Porsche Technik stand to demonstrate the Techart modifications. The Earls Court Motor Show 21st – 31st October 1993 official show guide states that Porsche showed 10 cars. It names eight of them but the Little Blue Porsche is not one of them. Presumably it was one of the two not mentioned. Gordon Maclean – the third owner - saw her at the show. He writes “I know it was there because I was there and saw it. It was on a specific ‘Techart’ Porsche stand together with a yellow 968 also with lots of Techart kit on it. The blue car also had a prominent rear spoiler which had been removed by the time we got the car. “ The yellow 968 is also not mentioned so, presumably, the Porsche Technik cars may have made it late to the line up so missed inclusion in the show guide. Fortunately Stuart (Stewie) Brown – the first owner – photographed her at the Motor Show so here we have definitive proof she was there. The Mint Green 968 Cabriolet in the background was Paddy Patel's company car for a few months!
After the Motor Show the rear spoiler was removed as were the Techart Wheels. It seems to me to have been disappointing these modifications were reversed – particularly considering the costs involved. The front spoiler was kept, however, and is still on the car.
She was subsequently delivered to Lancaster Cambridge Porsche Centre. Here the Sales Manager was Peter Petrovich. Paddy Patel and Jon Day worked in sales, from where she was sold by Jon Day, as a SFK (Special Products Car) and registered to Coversure Insurance (specifically to Stewart Brown) on 31st May 1994 under the registration number L 605 UEG. Jon (who now works in Miami at a Swimming Pool company) all other contemporary sales staff and all previous owners (other than Jinno-San) are still in mutual contact through WhatsApp.
Lancaster Porsche Cambridge in 1994 prior to its change to an Aston Martin franchise and, below, the same premises on the right hand side with another of Gordon’s 3 964 Speedsters – the only Amazon Green example made.
Ironically the car was sold at a discount to Stuart (possibly about £44,000 from his recollection) as the dealership was unable to sell the car! The basic retail cost of the car, including VAT, was £52,893.80p – so if his memory is correct - he had a bargain! The only obvious post-production ‘extra’ was the Antitheft Immobiliser System which cost an additional £350.
Stewie writes “The purchase came about as Jon was always calling me about cars and he rang re the Speedster at about lunchtime on a weekday. I can always remember myself and the two lads that worked with me standing by the fax machine as a grainy picture of the car, Jon Day and another salesman called Paddy Patel stood next to it giving me a thumbs up … I rang them back and said I would only have the car if it was delivered from Cambridge to my work that afternoon. They did it. The car was delivered by a driver and I cannot remember his name. The evening was a lovely balmy one and I can remember having to follow a colleague home in my now old car and then going back to Putney for some reason or other. The main recall of that evening was the colour that somehow changed to a sort of lilac / lavender at night.”
He continues: “1st private owner with car having been on the Porsche stand before I got it. Colour used to change at night to a kind of lavender shade.. One of 14 and one of 3 with air con. Don’t miss much but I miss this car.” … “The car was, by habit, always carefully warmed up and down, levels checked regularly. It was never crashed or dented. No track days for me. Mainly commuting and fast A road. The car lived at 113 Potters Lane in Send. The garage it resided in was insulated and dehumidified.”
Stewie changed the original registration number to A1 1UVA!
This did not last, though, and the registration was subsequently changed to L47 VFL - that which was still on the car when I bought her.
Note the standard Speedster wheels - later changed back to Techart wheels by Gordon Maclean,
The photograph was taken in the park at Putney Bridge Road. Stewie writes “I remember thinking I am glad I am in this and not a more impractical Supercar as there was a parabolic large hump to get over to (illegally) get in. The picture was used to promote the insurance business in some long-forgotten magazine by me and everyone else in Knightsbridge. The ad worked in getting just one (known) client!” Unfortunately, there is not a known copy of the magazine in which the advert featured.
Stewie has the probable record for the fastest ride in the car, topping 175 MPH with the roof down. He says:
"The 175 was going north on A3 between Guildford and Burnham and required a slight 'ahem' disregard for the 50mph speed limit going over to Guildford. Time was well into late evening with my wife with the top down. Sounded amazing! Remember her clutching her handbag and afterwards saying if she was going to cop it there was no way she was going out without that handbag!"
The car was later traded back to Lancaster Cambridge Porsche so that Stuart could buy Gordon Maclean’s Aston V8 Vantage. It was then sold on to Mr Mitchihito Jinno on 10th July 1995 – a Japanese gentleman who worked in the City in the same bank as a later registered owner – Miss Anita Craythorne. Paddy Patel wrote “…it’s an amazing car – one of my favorites. When I worked at Porsche Cambridge we bought the last seven Speedsters that Porsche had. There were only 14 official UK cars at the time. We sold them all fairly quickly as they were so well priced at the time. It’s good to see a picture of it!! I remember the car well – great colour and spec. We also had a green, silver, yellow and black one. I did sell the car to a client but cannot remember who he was other than he was Japanese, and he traded in a Bimota motorbike for it!!”(Gordon went on to buy the Blue, Amazon Green and one of the Yellow examples.)
Mitchi Jinno traded the car back to Paddy Patel a few months later who then worked at HR Owen Porsche in Hatfield. The car was subsequently sold to Gordon Maclean who later re-registered the car to his then partner, now wife, Miss Anita Craythorne of Pembridge Crescent London W11 on 29th March 1997.
This identifies the four previous owners prior to my ownership.
The picture below shows the Little Blue Porsche outside Gordon’s home in London taken in 1996 next to his other car – an Aston Martin Vantage.
Gordon says “All three ownership changes would have occurred in the space of the car's first year or two - we were all changing cars almost as often as our underwear in those days, quite mad really looking back.”
During Gordon’s ownership of the car, he replaced the standard Speedster wheels for the previous ‘Techart’ wheels “at huge (but worth it) expense from Techart in Germany.” Although these wheels were supplied with the Techart centre wheel caps – which feature in the photographs outside the ANF works, he changed these for the standard Porsche caps. He told me he did not remember why but, to my mind, the Porsche caps look better and highlight the wheels.
When I first met Gordon, amazingly he had found the original Techart centre covers in his garage after selling the car at least 21 years previously. Although these centre covers are now with the car, like Gordon, I prefer the Porsche caps which is how the car is shown now.
Outside Anita and Gordon's home with their dog, Bentley July 2022
While in ownership of the car Gordon’s wife, Anita, took it to Donnington on a track day and, fortunately, there is photographic record of the day.
