Porsche 911 (996 SERIES) (1997 - 2005)
MODELS COVERED: (2 dr coupe, 2dr convertible 3.4, 3.6 petrol [Carrera 2, Carrera 4, Tiptronic S, Turbo, GT2, GT3])
BY ANDY ENRIGHT
If ever a sports car could be described as a legend, the
Porsche 911 is it. Around in one form or another for over a quarter of a century, the 911 had carved a reputation as a slightly malevolent, air-cooled rear-engined beast. In 1997, with the launch of the 996 series, the 911 had malevolent and air-cooled struck from its vocabulary. These water-cooled Porsches were a huge step forward, their dynamic excellence silencing most of the critics who felt it heretic to liquid cool a 911.
The handling was transformed as well, giving the 911 a more mature, benign personality. Tracking down a good used 996 series Porsche 911 is a quick way of jumping the waiting list without taking a wrong turn down the road to financial ruin.
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Whichever model you choose, youll find yourself with a car that ironically, is actually more closely related to the smaller Boxster than the previous shape 911: over 40% of the componentry is shared. You notice this most of all inside, where the previous haphazard array of knobs and switches has been replaced with the Boxsters far more cohesive layout. Theres more cabin space too but dont let this lull you into thinking of the new 911 as a realistic four-seater. It isnt.
The front boots bigger too, but you still cant fit more than two bags in it. Antilock brakes and twin front airbags are included, although side bags and the excellent
Porsche Stability Management electronics are extra. The Convertible features automatic roll-over protection, but you dont tend to see too many of the soft top cars around, possibly due to the unintended cosmetic similarity between it and the much cheaper Porsche Boxster. All the 996 series 911s feel incredibly well built.
The cabin, which even in the previous generation 993 series had far too much VW Beetle DNA evident, is now befitting of a serious sports car. Certain design cues remain; the slab sided dashboard and simple switchgear, and that Weissach crest staring at you from the steering wheel let you know that youre about to get a return on the millions Porsche have invested in research and development.
Whilst you hear tired old clichés about how, in the long term, a 911 is a relatively cheap car to run, nothing comes for free, and the big punch in the wallet comes with the up front price. If youre set on a 996 series, youll need to pay at least £36,000 to get your Weissach Wings, This will get you the first of the 1997 R-registered 911 Carrera 2 Coupes, whilst Tiptronic gear changing comes at a £2,500 premium. If the purity of classic rear-wheel drive handling appeals, a later 1999 S registered Coupe is £39,000, and the Convertible will require £42,000. The Carrera 4 model isnt too much extra, and many drivers prefer its additional traction.
A 1998 S registered Coupe is just over £41,000, with Tiptronic costing an extra £2,000. Carrera 4 Convertibles of the same year go for £43,000 manual and £44,000 Tiptronic. The ultra-rare 911 GT3 models are still changing hands for not much less than their £76,500 new price and look destined to be squirreled away in dehumidified garages as investments. What a dreadful waste.
The 911 Turbo is a similarly in-demand car, and prices open at £68,000 for a 2000W plated car. Naturally, all Porsche 911s are insurance group 20.
The 911s engine, although maybe not as charismatic as Porsches of yore, is nonetheless a reliable unit which has yet to show up any significant problems. Check the tyres for wear and also have the rear axle and suspension inspected as heavy acceleration from a standstill on a dry surface leads not to wheelspin, but to quite severe axle-tramp. This is a condition where the rear of the car judders under the torque of the drive going to the grippy rear tyres and is a potentially damaging and uncomfortable sensation. A whining axle or drive shaft will bear testament to this.
Go over the bodywork carefully looking for evidence of accident repair. Although the 911 holds the road well, there are no shortage of drivers who feel that Porsche ownership means special dispensation from the laws of physics. Check the condition of the alloy wheels for kerbing damage. Check the bodywork, especially the bonnet, as this can easily be damaged by owners slamming them onto protruding items in the front boot.
911s are very colour sensitive, and dark blue, white and green cars are harder to shift than ever-popular silver and black. Otherwise insist on a proper Porsche main dealer service history, invest in an HPI check and buy the best you can afford.
(Estimated prices, based on a 1998 Carrera 2) Consumables for a 911 are almost laughably cheap. Youll pay £15 for an air filter, £4 for each spark plug, £10 for an oil filter, £16 for a alternator chain, and £15 for a fuel filter. Offset these costs by running any 911 exclusively on synthetic oil.
The switch from air to water-cooling was realistically the only solution for the technical team if they were to achieve the tougher goals set in terms of emissions, economy and refinement. The chances are that you wont care about the first two (though they are much improved). Aural accompaniment however, is a different matter altogether. The 911s noise has always been an integral part of its appeal.
That flat six has always produced the most marvellous mechanical music. At full throttle, there was never a finer automotive ensemble. Nor is there still. Though the orchestra has been tempered somewhat at lower revs, press the new pendant-mounted throttle a little further and the engine is restored to full voice.
The difference is that youre not stuck with this bellow when you dont really want it. On the motorway, you can talk over the engine; heavens, you can even hear the stereo. Around town, you dont get the feeling that the car is constantly straining at the leash. Instead, it will happily potter around as long as you can resist the temptation of the open road, particularly if you choose the optional Tiptronic semi-automatic gearchange with its steering wheel-mounted controls.
Once you do venture on to open tarmac, a theoretical 174mph is possible, with rest to sixty occupying a scant 5.2 seconds in the 296bhp Carrera 2 and Carrera 4s. Though this is slightly faster than the old models, Porsches real achievement is in making the latest cars actually feel slower. You could credit this to any number of factors; the lower engine noise, the slippery new bodys greater wind resistance, the lighter power steering, the awesome new brakes.
The 320bhp models dont feel significantly slower than most air superiority fighters. Perhaps the real reason, however, is to be found in the reduced amount that the new car demands from its driver. You dont feel every bump or sense every crevice and the result is that cranking on, several disbelieving glances at the speedometer are required to confirm just how fast youre travelling. The incredible Turbo takes this a step further again.
Far from feeling like an overblown pendulum, as traditional 911 bar talk dictates, the Turbo disguises the weight in its tail remarkably well. Only when loading the suspension into dips and then peeling off at the next apex does the rear of the car feel at all hefty, and then the sensation is subtle. As speeds build into the realm where only Porsche Stability Management stands between you and the district coroner, the reason why enthusiastic drivers rave about the 911 becomes apparent. The steering is more alive than a tramps vest.
As the fuel tank empties, the wheel becomes more insistent, kicking and jiggling constantly, reminding the driver where the boundaries of grip are. The brakes are equally crushing. The first emergency stop feels like driving into a pool of pitch. Your eyes will hurt, especially if the Turbo youre driving has been fitted with the optional ceramic brake discs.
A top speed of 189mph and a rest to 60 time of 4.2 seconds can be reduced to nought in seconds with this latest braking technology. Its certainly not cheap, but could make a vital difference.
If you cant afford a 996 Series Porsche 911 dont drive one. Resist the temptation. Just say no. As one of the best drivers cars around, it will transform you into a motoring malcontent, cursing your cars flabby steering and gutless throttle response.
If you can afford one, look at a few and go for the best you can afford. Chances are youll be keeping it for a while. Best picks? Either the basic manual Carrera 2 coupe or a fully specified 911 Turbo stand out, but its genuinely tricky to put a foot wrong. Just make sure youre getting an honest example.
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