When Porsche wanted to push the performance of their rear-drive, rear engine sports car to a new level back in the mid 1970’s, they took a very hard look at turbocharging. After their ridiculous 917/30 Can-Am racer obliterated the competition in the US with it’s insane twin-turbo flat 12, the idea of a “turbo” model for the 911 was placed on the table. In 1977, the first 911 Turbo went into production and quickly made a name for itself, becoming a mainstay in the lineup that continues to this day. Most have been well loved, but the most controversial version, the 996 Turbo, has not enjoyed the same level of appreciation as the others. In my opinion, it’s an underrated machine that deserves a closer look.
The first 996 Turbo was based on the facelifted 996.2 variant which many considered to be a step up in the styling department. I suppose Porsche needed some time to get the Turbo setup right for a totally new generation of 911, and it was definitely the right choice because Porsche were able to extract 414 HP out of it – a very healthy number for the time. As the car was also 4WD, it could jump from 0 to 100 KM/H in 4.2 seconds. However the bigger headline was the usability of the car, which Porsche put some serious time into to ensure that you could pull that acceleration number all day long in comfort. The Turbo, unlike the GT2 and GT3, wasn’t designed to punish your glutes every time you hit a bump.
Now the keen observers here would have noticed that this particular 996 Turbo looks a little different compared to the standard model. The extra additions make it look more like a GT2 and I honestly don’t think that’s a bad thing. The front splitter is painted the same colour as the body and sticks out further than the factory item does. Around the rear you will find a GT2 spec rear wing mounted to the engine cover which concels the twin-turbocharged water cooled flat-6. The tech used in this engine comes from the race-bred GT1 racer that won Le Mans in 1998, which itself used an engine based on the legendary 962. Like the cars before it, the 996 Turbo has racing DNA inside.
If you park a non-Turbo 996 next to this one, you will notice that the rear wheel arches are wider with intakes sitting just in front of the wheels. Porsche didn’t just whack a more powerful engine in, they re-engineered the entire rear end because those folks in Stuttgart never do anything by halves. They will do whatever is necessary to ensure that YOU are in control of your machine. Some people did not take this car seriously but Porsche sure did, because the packaging and chassis is tight and battle-hardened like the elite race cars. Not too big, not too small with plenty of poke when the roads get twisty. It’s exactly what enthusiasts crave.
I’ve always liked the 996 generation 911 so it does surprise me how often it gets overlooked, although I’m starting to think that the opinion is shifting as these turn of the millenium cars are becoming more desirable on the whole. It was the first water-cooled Turbo but it still has some of that old-school character, especially when compared to the 992. It’s not loaded with a bunch of digital tech and it still feels like a sports car instead of a grand tourer. Such athletism won’t remain a secret for long so get in now before the prices go stupid. You won’t regret it.
DevMacCars 