**Vehicle is classed as Category D**
Highlights
- Three owners from new
- Lots of high-end extras
- Sport Chrono Plus pack
The Appeal
First launched in 1964, Porsche’s 911 has been continually enhanced and upgraded over the years but the essential concept has remained the same: a two-door, 2+2, high-performance rear-engined sports car. The engines were air-cooled until the ‘996’ (Porsche’s internal model designation) iteration of the car which arrived in 1998.
The 997 version came to market in 2004 and remained in production until 2013. An evolution of the 996, the main changes were to both the interior and exterior styling, in particular a return to the ‘bug-eye’ headlamps of the car’s earlier incarnations. The Targa 4 and 4S variants of the 997 were introduced in 2006, and featured the glass-canopy roof system that can be opened and closed at any speed. As the roof weighs some 60kg, the Targa was fitted with upgraded suspension compared to other 997 models.
P11 XMM was spec'd from new with a lot of expensive extras, and features the sought-after Sport Chrono Plus pack.
The History and Paperwork
- Original purchase invoice
- UK V5C document
- MOT until February 2023
- All original manuals
- Lots of past MOTs and invoices
First registered in November 2008, P11 XMM was specified with a lot of expensive extras, bringing the purchase price to an eye-watering £90, 124 compared to the basic list price of £77,168 inc VAT. The original purchase invoice is still with the car and the extras listed include PDK transmission, the (highly desirable) Sport Chrono Plus pack, a Bose surround-sound system, full leather interior, heated sports seats, Park Assist sensors, sat nav and a vehicle tracking system.
Unfortunately, during the tenure of a previous owner, the car was subject to a Category D write-off notice. This usually refers to light accident damage for which the cost of repairs and extras (hire cars and so on) exceeds the value of the car, in the eyes of the insurer, but is no barrier to the car’s return to the road once repaired. Outwardly at least, there is no evidence of any damage and the car has passed a number of MoT tests since the issue of the Category D write-off.
The car comes with a large folder of paperwork including that original purchase invoice, past MOTs, all the vehicle’s manuals (in their original leather folder), plus the original first-aid kit and a Porsche-branded leather case for an oil bottle. The service record book records servicing at appropriate intervals and this, combined with the MOT history, suggests that the indicated mileage of 56, 735 is genuine.
The vendor has owned the car since 2015 and has decided that the time has come to sell. The private plate, P11 XMM, will stay with the car.
The Interior
- Leather sports seats
- ‘2+2’ rear seats
- Leather-trimmed steering wheel
- Bose surround-sound system
- Smart carpets and overmats
The car’s interior is generally in very good condition for its age. The vendor has recently cleaned the leather seats and they look smart, although the driver’s seat has some notable scratches, presumably caused by someone getting in and out with studs on a pair of jeans or something similar. The seats do, though, provide a comfortable and supportive driving position.
The rear seats show some small dents in the leather bases, and the seat backs fold down to create additional luggage space. Usefully, the glass on the rear tailgate opens to provide more convenient access to that space.
The carpets and overmats are generally in very good condition, while the dashboard has few signs of wear. In the middle of the dashboard top is the distinctive stopwatch, included as part of the Sport Chrono pack.
The Bose surround-sound system sounds fantastic and would enhance the driving experience. The air conditioning works perfectly, and was blowing cold air on the (very warm) afternoon of our photo shoot. Everything else appears to work as it should, including the electric windows and the control for the Targa roof.
In the front luggage compartment, the lining is in excellent condition and there is an original warning triangle, plus a small toolkit in its slot.
The Exterior
- Classic 911 profile
- Smart black paintwork
- Glass Targa roof
- 19in Sport Design wheels
The 997 had more traditional 911-styling than its 996 predecessor, and that classic 911 silhouette is still as distinctive and iconic as ever. P 11 XMM looks good in its metallic black paint, although as one would expect of a fourteen-year-old car there are a few minor blemishes. There’s a scratch on the rear nearside wing, and a ding in the passenger door. The edge of the driver’s door has some chips, while the area around the door handle has a number of fine scratches.
There’s a slight patina to the metal trim strip on both near- and off-sides, while the nearside headlamp lens is slightly cloudy. Elsewhere, the badges look good.
Three of the four 19in Sport Design wheels (a factory option) have some minor kerb damage, something of an inevitability for a London-based car, while the tyres all appear to have plenty of life left in them.
The Mechanics
- 3.8-litre engine
- PDK double-clutch transmission
- Sport Chrono Plus pack
- Porsche Active Suspension Management
As you’d expect of a modern Porsche, this one starts and drives with no issues. Even on the drive across the suburbs of west London to our photo location, the car’s performance was impressive. The vendor assures us that P 11 XMM accelerates, drives and handles as well as one would expect for a car of this spec and original purchase price.
Originally developed for motorsport, the PDK transmission featured here is highly regarded. In auto mode, when one gear disengages the next is engaged so quickly that the interruption in power is reputedly almost imperceptible, with claimed shift times of under 100 milliseconds. The rapid and near-seamless shift speed boosts comfort as well as performance, with ultra-smooth shifting when the gearbox is left in fully automatic mode.
The car is fitted with the optional Sport Chrono Plus package, which, on the push of the ‘Sport’ button on the centre-console, changes the engine management, stability and suspension systems to give the car a livelier, more exciting feel. The ‘Plus’ spec enables favoured settings to be saved for up to three separate ignition keys, enabling individual drivers to have the car’s functions set to how they prefer them.
Porsche’s PASM (active suspension management) was standard on ‘S’ models of the 997. It’s an electronic damping control system that actively, and continuously, adjusts the damping force on each wheel, based on current road conditions and driving style. The effect is to reduce vehicle body movement and thereby improve comfort.
All these important extras make this 997 a desirable example of the model.
The car’s rear engine means that there is little to see beneath that boot-lid, but everything appears to be in good order, with no obvious leaks. Similarly, it’s not possible to see much of the car’s underside, but it appears to be in very good condition for the car’s age.
Summary
The 997 is Porsche’s best-selling 911 variant for good reason. From its launch in 2004 to the end of production in 2013, the car established itself as the go-to model in the premium sports-car market.
P 11 XMM features a lot of extras that added significantly to its purchase price, and that glass targa roof offers the open-top motoring experience without the hood and security issues of a regular cabriolet. It really is a best-of-both worlds car that promises a new owner high-performance motoring in a comfortable environment.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
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