AN ICONIC 1980s Porsche left abandoned in a barn for 14 years has sold for over £76,000, which was over triple its estimate.
The dust-covered 911 3.2 Carrera Sport coupé was put into storage by its owner in 2011 after being bought in 2002.
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Its three litre engine produced 231bhp with a top speed of over 150mph.
And it was capable of doing 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds.
According to records, the car only covered 476 miles in the five years before it went into the barn.
It was owned by a busy solicitor near Northampton who barely drove it for years, as reported by Luxury Auto News.
Ahead of its auction its listing said: “The car presented here is a C16 1989-model example from the final year of 3.2 production before the introduction of the 964.
“It is a Carrera 3.2 Sport which was a UK-only model and came factory-fitted with a black lip front spoiler, a rear whale tail rear spoiler, sports seats and Bilstein Sport shock absorbers.
“It was optioned with a sunroof and the sought-after paint colour of silver metallic.”
The iconic 911 was first registered in May 1989 and had five previous owners before being snapped up in October 2002, the listing read.
It added: “This 911 was first registered in May 1989 and passed through five keepers before being purchased by our vendor in October 2002.
The listing added: “We believe he bought it from Autofarm of Bicester, Oxfordshire.
“MOT records indicate minimal usage – just 476 miles covered in five years.
“This is wholly in keeping with what we know about our vendor, who was a very much a car enthusiast, having owned all sorts of interesting cars from Jaguars to 2CVs, but who was also a very busy solicitor with little time to enjoy his Porsche.
“At some point in 2011, he drove the car into his barn adjoining his stone Northamptonshire house and there it has sat ever since.”
Despite being abandoned, the barn’s warm, dry air helped preserve the rare car remarkably well.
“Its condition when it was put away must have been exceptional and very much in-keeping with a minimally used 40,000-mile 911, with original features and components still in place.
“Bodywork panels, paintwork, carpets, headlining and factory-finishes all appear to be original – and a jack and toolkit complete the picture.
It tripled its estimate amid a bidding frenzy
A spokesperson
“The car is a feast of detail for any Porsche enthusiast, preserved in a manner that they will really appreciate.
“Sadly the owner passed away in early 2025 and it falls to the family, particularly his son, to find it a new home.
“This fantastic car is sensibly guided and will obviously require close inspection and a thorough recommissioning before starting/driving but it offers huge potential.
“Cars built from September 1986 onwards were fitted with the more user-friendly G50 Getrag gearbox.
“But all 3.2 Carreras feature galvanised bodies, which together with Porsche’s legendary build quality, ensure that these classics are long lasting.”
It was expected to fetch around £25,000 when sold on Saturday by Iconic Auctioneers in Northampton.
A spokesperson said: “It was driven into a barn for storage in 2011 and offered exactly as found, dust and all.
“It tripled its estimate amid a bidding frenzy.
“With 33 registered telephone bidders as well as numerous bidders in the room and online, bidding raced to £76,500.
“This wonderfully preserved G50‑gearbox example that remains largely original, obviously captured bidders’ imaginations with its untouched state and clear potential.”
It comes after astonishing images showed an abandoned graveyard of vintage cars and fire engines left to rot.
And a classic car dealership worth a whopping £200,000 has been discovered – after sitting in the dark for 20 years.
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