Just found the articles written about my '03 C4S Press Car in EUROPEAN CAR MAGAZINE!

When I purchased my 2003 911 C4S a month ago, the previous owner said he thought it might have been a press car. It had cool options like PCCB, sport exhaust, Sport Techno wheels, Sport Seats, and a custom ordered lowering the seats 10mm. All of the above and more were listed on the window sticker except for the PCCB and sport exhaust. I couldn't figure out why those would not be listed in there but the -10mm seat lowering (for $740 no less) were. I stopped thinking about it and took the car down to get the IMS Solution installed and have been driving it and never thought about the Press Car thing again. Yesterday I was going through all the service records again and noticed on the build sheet it had option 741 - Press Car listed. I started doing an internet search and ended up finding the car! My car ended up being the 2003 Porsche 911 C4S Long Term Car review for European Car Magazine. How do I know it is my car? 1) They listed the options they ordered and they all matched the window sticker (including the custom 10mm seat lowering) exactly including exact cost of the whole car. 2) In 2 of the article they talk about how they ordered the PCCB through Techquipment and had them installed and they enjoyed the feeling much better than the stock brakes (this explains why I have PCCB but it is not listed on the window sticker) 3) The article said the car suffered catastrophic engine failure sometime between March and Sept 2004.They said they took it to McKenna Porsche to have it fixed. I never knew about this. I looked at my CarFax from when I purchased the car and it said in May 2004 the car was at McKenna Porsche to check engine problem and they removed the engine. 4) They article also said while they were replacing the engine they were flipping through the Techquipment options again and decided to add the sport exhaust. So that was the final piece of the puzzle. There are more things but to much to keep listing. So I an super excited about all of this. Who knew this would all come from trying to figure out the Press Car myth for my car... Here are the 5 articles... Long-Term Intro: 2003 Porsche Carrera 4S Power, handling and looks...what more could you want Sherri Collins – Dec 4, 2003 http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...11-carrera-4s/ Long-Term Update: 2003 Porsche 911 Carrera C4S Painless joy... Greg N. Brown – Mar 2, 2004 http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...1-carrera-c4s/ Long-Term Update: 2003 Porsche Carrera C4S Education through being stupid Mar 19, 2004 http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...1-carrera-c4s/ Long-Term Update: 2003 Porsche Carrera C4S Death Valley daze Kerry Morse – Jun 22, 2004 http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...1-carrera-c4s/ 2003 Porsche 911 C4S: Long-term Update Taking the bad along with the good Les Bidrawn – Sep 13, 2004 http://www.superstreetonline.com/car...1-carrera-c4s/ http://image.superstreetonline.com/f...wheel_view.jpg Car Pics from when I purchased it: and if you are still reading, Im working on contacting the magazine to see if I can get any of the original photos and find out if it was ever in print or just online. I just purchased this magazine as I think this might be talking about installing the PCCB on my car looking at what is written on the bottom right of the cover... We will see when it arrives.

Well I would say that is really freaking cool! Good find.

I'd say that qualifies as a pretty special car!

Thank you. Has anyone else heard of any other press cars where the owners have found which publication had used their car? I haven't been able to find anything else.

Wow that's cool!

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Here's a link to the very first 928 made, which was #1 of 12 preproduction press cars. We had it at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix this past July. A truly historic car, and as you can see, not (yet?) restored. https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...0-928-1-a.html Also, #6 was a big magazine favorite (it's red): https://rennlist.com/forums/928-foru...3-18-13-a.html . This car was also at the PVGP.

Wow, those 928 links are unbelievable! I think that is a whole other pedigree as they were connected to the development of Porsche over all. Thanks for sharing!

First of all congrats on the car, it looks really great. Then the added heritage, pretty cool. You wonder if the car went thru 2 IMS fails, it sounds like it and it would be a prime candidate given its production date. It seems they fixed it with the last engine swap and you've put to to bed forever. Enjoy & drive it as intended!!

Very cool. Nice find!

So I spoke to the original photographer to se if he had the original photos or knew who might. He remembered the car and said the photos were the magazines property so he doesn't have any. He said he believed after the magazine was acquired years later that they just tossed all of the old photos rather than transport them to the new facility. I followed up with the editor today and he confirmed that everything had been tossed in the move. He sounded really annoyed they did that to all the prior work. So that is that. But the editor did let me know about codes in the web address to the articles that I could use to figure out which issue they originally were published in. So I found back issues of them and ordered them. Sure enough, there they were. I'll post them here shortly.

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Wow, That C4S suffered an engine failure and the dealer had several crate engines on hand to deal with the problem.

I know. Isn't that crazy? In the article it sounds like this was before Porsche knew what the issues were. First thing I did when I purchased the car was to put in the IMS Solution.

I was the account Rep for PCNA's press fleet in 2002 when I delivered a new 2003 C2 in the new Cobalt Blue. ($3000. Option) I deliveried it to Greg Brown for a 1 year long term loan. I didn't know European Car repeated this in 2004.

That is awesome you delivered those! I saw that cobalt blue car when I was researching my car as a press vehicle. It must have been the '03 C2 for some and then the '03 C4S for others. I believe this car was special ordered in July '03 just for this as they talk about PCNA said they could pick any options they wanted. Do you know how many press cars there are typically for each year? Is it fairly common to find a press car?

That's very cool that you found that stuff. It's also a unique set of options. I've never seen a 996 C4S with the PCCB option, even though I had heard there were a few out there.

Actually, this car didn't even come with the PCCBs. They are not on the build sheet or the window sticker. In the article they explain that Porsche offered to install them after they already delivered the car. I was looking and my PCCBs even say "Turbo" right on them. I have only seen one other C4S with PCCBs. I am guessing it was just the price is so much that most people who would be willing to buy PCCBs would also be in the market for a Turbo. The only thing I can think of is that someone with the money for a turbo just liked NA over boosted.

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I only know about the So.CA region but it depends on model & option changes. PCNA wants the Press to show whats new every year. PCNA had us send the retired press vehicles to local dealers, which was Newport Beach Porsche at that time. Yes the mag & PCNA work together to order the long term vehicle to order any newly available options.