The year was 1997, the 2000s were fast approaching and Porsche needed to make a radical change to the 911 to keep it up to date in the coming years. Porsche waved Goodbye to the 993 and here to replace it was the 996, an evolution for Porsche. As soon as the car came out there was an outcry, one of the main reasons was because of the engine, it was water-cooled.

All 911s leading up to the 996 had been powered by air-cooled power units, which worked by the circulation of air over dissipation fins. The engines were simple and made they had a signature clatter that was loved by 911 fans. However, emission rules were getting tighter, along with noise regulations, this meant the air-cooled engine had to be killed off. And along came the 996.

The 996 shared almost 0 parts with its predecessor, giving Porsche a clean slate to work from. Development of the car was shared with its younger brother, the boxster. The 2 cars shared front suspension and a handful of interior components. The rear suspension was taken from the outgoing car, this was because Porsche was strapped for cash at the time, lowering development costs by almost 30%.

The exterior of the 996 was something that shocked fans the most. The car had a sleeker, more aerodynamic body, a step away from the 993. The car also had more of a raked windscreen, adding to the sportier look. However, this car had what was deemed, “Fried Egg” headlights, this was down to the shape of the lights looking somewhat like an egg, and it had the amber turn signal in the bottom corners, creating a design that wasn’t loved by hardcore 911 fans.

From launch, the 996 was offered in 2 body styles, Coupe and Cabriolet which both came with rear wheel drive, later in production these were also offered with 4-wheel drive, which would be deemed the Carrera 4. The C2 and the C4 were powered by a 3.4 Litre Flat 6 producing a healthy 296hp. These early base models had an issue, owners complained that the front end looked too much like the cheaper boxster so in 2002 Porsche redesigned the front end to match the looks of the Turbo.

996 Turbo

The turbo was released to the public in 1999 and was available for sale in 2000. Just like its less powerful stablemates, this car sported a water cooled 3.6 Litre flat 6, an engine that shared parts with the GT1 race car. This was also the second most powerful 911 model, producing 414Hp, that put its power down the road to all 4 wheels through a 6-Speed manual or an option 5-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. This car also offered the X50 package, which included larger turbos, intercooler, revised ECU along with a quad pipe exhaust that raised power to 444hp. This was later replaced by the turbo S model in 2005, that featured PCCB brakes, 6-disc CD changer along with fancy aluminium faced dials.

The GT Range

The 996 was also the first model that we saw the name GT3. The 996 GT3 was based on the body of a Carrera 4 and featured a wide range of changes from a base Carrera, such as upgraded brakes and adjustable suspension. It was powered by a 3.6 Litre naturally aspirated flat 6, producing 355 hp, a power output that put it in the middle of the range. The second gen 996 GT3 produced even more power, 375HP, this was also the first GT3 to be sold in North America.

The car also pulled 1.03G on a skid pad test, the second highest number that had ever been recorded for a car with number plates. The GT name didn’t just end with a 3, it came with a 2. The GT2 was a twin turbo rocket ship that could propel its occupants up to 208MPH, this was down to the 476 HP 3.6 Litre flat 6, and all of this power was sent to the rear wheels. This car came factory with no Air conditioning and was fitted with a track ready roll bar, making this a fitting top of range 911.

In 2004 the 996 was replaced with the 997 911, which continued the trend of a water-cooled engine, but fixed a lot of issues that the 996 had, like the infamous IMS bearing. GT models continued to be sold until 2006, and this is when the last 996 rolled off the production line. The 996 will always go down as a 911 that shifted the brand into the 21^st century.

Video Review

Head over to our YouTube channel to watch our video where we talk about Lee Sibleys 996 (AKA Little Irish) in depth and take a look at the parts he has put in. Is this the best value for money Porsche? Watch below!

If you are a 996 owner looking for parts. Shop here on our website – https://www.design911.com/

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