If you aren’t following MotorWeek on YouTube yet, you really should be. Lately, they’ve taken to hosting a few of their more choice segments from days gone by on the channel, and its really very fun to watch. Recently they put up their 1993 review of the 964 RS America. The video is quite entertaining, and gives a pretty favorable review of the RS. The highlight of this video is the lap around Roebling Road with the legendary Mr. Brian Redman.
About The 1993 RS America
The 1993 RS America was the first Porsche RS model we’d gotten stateside in decades, and it certainly caused a stir, because it was actually less expensive than its equivalent Carrera 2. Granted, the Carrera 2 had more standard equipment, and was fitted with nicer appointments, but as a sporting version, the RSA was quite a treat for the American market.
When you boil it down, the RS America was a Carrera 2 that had been fitted with a manual steering rack, a fixed rear wing on the engine lid, and a rear seat delete. The car also had cloth seats, and came standard without a sunroof, stereo, or even A/C. It was sold under the auspices that it was a more sporting driving machine, but the reality was that Porsche was having a hard time moving 964 model units from their dealers in 1993, and they wanted to offer a less expensive model to try to stimulate sales. The bang for the buck was pretty darn good on these, but for a while they were looked down on as inferior to the standard Carrera 2. It’s safe to say that is no longer the case.
Because only 701 of the RS America units were sold in 1993 and 1994, the car has become a sought after rarity for collectors to track down and covet. Add in the better steering feel of the manual rack, and the superior driving characteristics of the lighter weight car, and you’ve got a whole lot more than 700 people that want one. Because of that rarity and high-demand/low-supply nature, the value of an RS America has grown at a rate that vastly outstrips its Carrera 2 brothers.
These days, you’d be hard pressed to find an RS America for anything less than one hundred thousand dollars. In fact, there are three of them on eBay right now well above that price point.
Example 1 – 1993 Porsche 911 RS America
This one has 50,400 miles, looks fantastic in Guards Red, and is the absolute lightest you can get one, as it has the sunroof delete, radio delete, and A/C delete options. Of the three available for sale, this is the one I’d most like to have, but then again, I’d rather build a Carrera 2 with the same specs for less than half the price.
Asking price – $134,895
For more pictures, and information, click here.
Example 2 – 1993 Porsche 911 RS America
This one has 19,300 miles, and while it isn’t beautiful red, it still looks like a prime example. The options list on this car is surprisingly short, as the original buyers opted for air conditioning, but not a stereo or the sunroof. For a guy like me that lives in the desert, but still wants to have some fun with a lightweight car, A/C isn’t a bad trade off. The low miles of this one carries a hefty premium at almost 150K.
Asking price – $147,900
For more pictures, and information, click here.
Example 3 – 1994 Porsche 911 RS America
This one has 52,900 miles, and is presented in a gorgeous shade of optional Midnight Blue Metallic. This is probably one of the rarest shades of RS America, as it was quite an expensive option. It is also a 1994 model year car, which only accounts for about 10% of RSA Production. The downside of this car is that it’s definitely the heaviest of the three. It’s been outfitted with a sunroof and air conditioning from the factory. It appears that someone has added an aftermarket stereo to the dash, because there isn’t one on the options list, but one is pictured. Additionally, the original options list shows that this car was actually fitted with rear jump seats instead of the standard rear seat delete.
Asking price – $129,500
For more pictures, and information, click here.