On the heels of the Porsche 356 B Carrera 1600 came the upgraded two-litre Carrera 2000 GS. It was Porsche’s top-line production car of the early 1960s, being not only the fastest and most powerful but also the most luxurious and expensive. Now boasting a solid 130 brake horsepower with improved mid-range response, the 2000 GS in both coupé and cabriolet form could reach a top speed of 125 mph. It was also much more costly than other equivalent sports car produced at the time and sales were thus limited.

Here is one of the very best examples of a rare (only 360 examples from 1962 to 1965) and extremely desirable 356 B T-6 Carrera 2000 GS, one that has been beautifully restored. Chassis number 120915 is shown to have been completed on 5 July 1962, and it soon arrived at Sonauto, Porsche’s Paris agency at 22 Rue Valery. Hand-written entries on the factory Kardex list its first two owners as being residents of Paris. It thus appears that this automobile lived most of its life in France.

This lovely Carrera 2 left the factory in one of Porsche’s most attractive colour schemes, with its steel Reutter bodywork wearing Smyrna Green (Code 744) over a black leatherette interior with charcoal carpeting and black rubber floor mats. The complex and powerful Type 587/1 double overhead-cam, air-cooled dry-sump engine produced 130 brake horsepower at 6,200 rpm, which was fed through a pair of large two-barrel Solex down-draft carburettors to a fully synchronised four-speed manual transaxle. Porsche’s unique annular disc brakes were fitted at all four wheels.

Although neither the Kardex nor its Certificate of Authenticity list any options other than a set of Dunlop 165/15 tyres, the car has been fitted with a radio, speaker, and antenna; an Eberspächer auxiliary gas heater; and chrome wheels with raised-centre hubcaps. A Spyder-Spiegel (Spyder mirror) has also been installed on the left-hand front wing. Inside the cabin, a pair of correct leather luggage straps rests atop the rear folding seatbacks, and both the driver and front passenger seats are fitted with adjustable headrests. The factory Kardex shows the car received dealer services at both 35,400 and 41,800 kilometres, and sometime after those were performed, the car changed hands.

The next owner was quite dedicated to both driving and properly maintaining this Carrera. Service records translated from the original French ones show regular, if not frequent, engine oil and transaxle fluid changes and other services and inspections, starting at about 126,000 kilometres and continuing through to 239,000 kilometres. The clutch was replaced at 127,000 kilometres (February 1966) and again under warranty at 146,000 kilometres. Brake pads were replaced at the 146,000-kilometre mark and the fuel pump and generator at 163,000 kilometres (July 1967), followed by new brake discs and a battery. Spark plugs and sockets were also replaced on a regular basis. Porsche’s engineers tried to make this a less onerous task by providing an access panel in the inner rear wing wells so that mechanics could reach the rear-most pair of spark plugs.

According to Roger Bray, one of the UK’s leading early Porsche specialists, this car had been previously restored with new longitudinals, a battery tray, etc., and it had been painted silver by a previous owner. Roger Bray Restorations repaired the nose and latch panels, installed a new bonnet, and gave the car a high-quality repaint in its original colour of Smyrna Green. The engine lid and both doors are marked “915” and are thus the original pieces for this chassis. The black interior is described as being very nearly all original and correct in all respects. The engine was then reportedly overhauled by Porsche in Stuttgart. This Carrera retains its original equipment, including a 52-litre gas tank, correct oil coolers, a dry-sump tank and lines, annular brakes, a Eberspächer gasoline heater, a modern 12-volt electrical system with dual ignition, which can be tested through a pair of switches on the dashboard, and the very appealing louvered rear modesty valance, through which its exhaust tips emerge. It is said to run and drive very well.

Included with this rare four-cam Carrera 2 are a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and a folio of service and parts invoices, many from Derendinger, one of Switzerland’s largest auto parts suppliers. Its original French-language owner’s manual and other documents are also included.

Two-litre Carreras are extremely desirable, and this beautiful example, in a rarely seen colour, would make a wonderful high-speed tourer and a great addition to any collection of Porsches.