• One of just 1,923 968 Clubsports produced, and one of the earliest known examples
• Former factory press car, having covered almost 40,000 kilometres with Porsche
• Featured in Auto Bild, Auto Motor und Sport, and Auto Zeitung, and driven by Walter Röhrl
• Offered from eighteen years of single ownership
• Accompanied by an extremely comprehensive service and history file

Originally Stuttgart-registered “S-LM 5402” on 22 October 1992, this particular 968 Clubsport was specified in Speed Yellow with matching Recaro seats and was fitted with the desirable M220 limited-slip differential and a Blaupunkt RCR-42 radio. Intriguingly, the logbook shows an unusually high delivery mileage figure of 231 kilometres, pointing towards a more rigorous factory-testing process than normal.

The car was initially retained by Porsche as one of several Speed Yellow 968 CS press cars (showing the option code 00681 for press vehicles), its service book displaying three stamps from the factory dealership between November 1992 and September 1993. Having already featured in articles in Auto Bild and Auto und Motor Sport, its most notable appearance in print was in an article in Auto Zeitung in 1992, when it was driven by Walter Röhrl in a four-way road test. Röhrl was effusive in his praise of “S-LM 5402”, and it is thought that his reference to the 968 Clubsport as the ‘the best-handling car that Porsche made’ arose as a result of this test.

In late 1993 the car was sold to its first private owner, Gerhard Sattler of Heidenheim, Germany, with two further continental European owners ensuing prior to its import to the UK by Porsche dealer and ten-time Le Mans competitor Nick Faure in 1997. Having covered just under 80,000 kilometres at this point, the car was sold to Andy Melville before passing to Alex Willard in mid-1999. During Alex’s ownership, it received an engine top-end overhaul, new flywheel, and new clutch at marque specialists Parr Porsche.

Purchased by the consignor in May 2001, the car has since been fastidiously maintained, covering over 50,000 kilometres in the process. Benefitting from fitment of the correct brakes in 2004, as well as M030 shocks, hubs, and anti-roll bars in 2009, and a new clutch in 2011, the car was subjected to a further top-end overhaul and geometric setup by ProMax Motorsport less than 15,000 kilometres ago, as well as cam and balance belts, cam chain change, and the replacement of the front brake discs and pads in the summer of 2019.

With interest in ‘transaxle’ Porsches at an all-time high, this illustrious example would be a welcome addition to any significant Porsche collection. Recently serviced and immaculately presented, it was recently summed up by one reputable Porsche specialist, who described it as ‘the best 968 I have seen’.To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/lf19.