・Rare Speed Yellow paintwork

・Meticulously maintained

・Outstanding condition throughout

Introduced in 1997, the 996-generation Porsche 911 caused somewhat of a stir among the motoring fraternity, to say the least.

Whilst all the usual 911 traits were present - rear-engined, impressive handling and bucketloads of power - there was one ground-breaking difference to all 911s before it - the engine was water-cooled. 

Not only this, but the styling also took the public by surprise, with enthusiasts either adoring the more modern, curvaceous styling, or decreeing that it looked “like a bar of soap” which wasn’t quite what Porsche were hoping for.

However, once the initial shock factor had worn off, it was clear the 996 was a winner and a true 911 at heart. Fantastic at everything from long-distance GT car duties to a hair-raising, spine-tingling B-road blast or track day, this is a 911 that could do it all.

Available in the usual mixture of hard-top coupé, soft-top cabriolet and ‘Targa’ body styles, the 996 Carrera was refreshed in 2002 with new ‘teardrop’ headlights borrowed from the Turbo model, and numerous aesthetic changes to the cabin. The displacement of the M96 flat-six engine was also boosted from 3.4 to 3.6 litres, with a subsequent bump in power.

Having spent a number of years as the ‘ugly duckling’ of the Porsche family, it is fair to say the 996 has truly ‘come of age’ among both die-hard Porsche enthusiasts and those that simply enjoy a spirited drive without sacrificing comfort and style.

There are ‘normal’ 911 Carrera 2 coupés, and then there are the aero-kit cars. Essentially a 911.1 GT3 in every respect other than the engine in the rear, these cars are often seen as the creme-de-la-creme of non-Turbo and non-GT 996s, and for good reason - just look at it!

This example is also finished in the rare and exceedingly desirable Speed Yellow, which is another big ‘tick’ for Porsche enthusiasts. 

First registered in 2000 in Ireland, the car was subsequently imported and registered in the UK in 2005, and passed through the hands of 5 owners before coming into the care of our vendor. It is worth noting at this point that the vendor never actually put the V5 into his name, largely due to the car seeing so little use whilst in his care. 

Having purchased the car from a well-known high-end car dealership in Somerset where it was the owner’s personal car, our vendor has kept this 996 in tip-top condition throughout and evidently cherishes the car, judging by the care and attention we saw whilst the car was being prepared for the photographs. 

The one thing we would say, is that neither the options sticker seen in the frunk/booklets, nor the OPC-supplied options list states that the Aero kit was a factory-order option. There is, however, a number of codes which may related to Porsche exclusive / VRS work on the sticker, though these are notoriously hard to trace.

This is not to say it wasn’t potentially fitted by a dealership or ordered from the factory - many early 996s with aero kits are well-documented in this regard, and you’ll find numerous forum posts and gurus stating this is the case, noting that even factory-ordered aero kit cars aren’t always stickered as such - but it is worth pointing out for any potential bidders. For what its worth, the fit and finish on the aero kit is of an outstanding quality, so we wouldn’t be surprised to learn it was fitted by an OPC during the pre-delivery inspection or later on in the cars lifetime.

Elsewhere, this example has also been fitted with an upgraded exhaust which sounds absolutely fantastic, numerous upgraded interior parts and a Bilstein suspension kit, the invoice for which is in the folder and can be seen in the gallery below.

Included with this 996 is a rich and detailed history, which will delight those of a more detail-oriented persuasion. 

The original book pack, manuals and service handbook are present with the latter being well-stocked with stamps, whilst the V5 is also present, showing the car as being first registered in the UK in 2005.

There is also a plethora of invoices from throughout the car’s lifetime, with a mixture of service and other parts invoices. The aforementioned suspension upgrade is shown, along with an invoice documenting a new clutch, gearbox overhaul and - crucially - a rear main seal replacement having taken place, thus ticking off one of the main pieces of preventative maintenance needed on a 996.1 911.

Inside, the ‘sport’ seats are in great condition, and the hard-backed shell has been colour-coded to the car’s bodywork. The seats are in generally very good condition, showing only the usual creasing and light wear to the outer bolsters. The painted backs are also generally good, though there are a few areas of flaked or scratched paint around the levers and folding mechanism.

The carpets are all in excellent condition, as is the transmission tunnel which has also been colour-coded. The centre console is in great shape and sports an upgraded double-din stereo unit. The steering wheel and shifter boot have been re-trimmed in Alcantara with speed yellow stitching, and are both in excellent condition with minimal wear.

The extended leather dashboard and door cards are also excellent, whilst the inner door sills are impressively devoid of the usual scratches and wear expected from a 100,000 mile-plus car. The headliner is also virtually unmarked, and all systems are functioning correctly. 

In the frunk, there is no water ingress or staining noted, and no damage to the carpets, whilst the spare wheel is present, along with a set of replacement LED tail light units and a battery charger.

The speed yellow paintwork is a sure-fire head-turner, and on this example it is virtually unmarked. Honestly, without seeing the odometer, we’d suggest this car has half, perhaps a third of its recorded mileage - that’s how good the bodywork is.

With barely a stone chip or scratch in sight, the paintwork is absolutely astounding throughout. Even around usual areas of wear such as the rear of the wheel arches, door handles and front bumper, there are very few signs of use or wear.

The aero kit is in generally excellent condition, with only a scuff noted to the nearside lower of the front splitter, along with some cracked paintwork on the offside of the front splitter, though there is no other sign of impact or damage noted to the kit. 

Looking along the flanks of the car, the bodywork is wonderfully straight throughout with the typical excellent build quality expected from a Porsche, with no untoward panel gaps or fitment issues that we noted. The twin exhaust tips are also in excellent condition with minimal staining, and no sign of any oil or excessive soot in the exhaust pipes.

As with any 911, the engine bay certainly doesn’t tell us much from a visual standpoint thanks to its compact packaging. What we can see, however, is that the standard air box has been upgraded K & N cone system, and there are no signs of any oil or coolant leaks. 

There is, however, some corrosion noted towards the centre of the engine bay which is seen in the photographs, but this has not been flagged as a concern.

Despite its minimal use, this 3.4-litre flat-six engine roared into life with vigour, with the trademark hollow ‘howl’ that enthusiasts have come to know and love from the flat-six engine. 

There was no smoke noted from the exhaust, and the car happily dealt with repeated starts and shuffling around for photographs with no sign of any hesitation or labouring. The vendor reports the car is mechanically fantastic and there are no known faults or issues with the car.

Underneath, the chassis looks to be in good shape with a few patches of surface corrosion in the usual places, though the most recent MOT on 18 November 2020 resulted in a clean first-time pass with no advisory items.

All four tyres are matching N-rated Pirelli P-Zero items, and are all nearly-new. This, combined with the documented clutch change, RMS maintenance and gearbox overhaul suggests that this 996 is in top mechanical condition.

With regards to servicing, the last stamped item is dated from 2014, however, the vendor has stated that the previous owner has serviced the car, though there is no stamp or invoice for this as it was done through their business.

It’s hard not to see the appeal here. For any Porsche enthusiast, the words ‘Speed Yellow’ ‘aero kit’ and ‘sunroof delete’ should set their pulses racing. Quite rightly considered the ‘holy grail’ spec of pre-facelift, non-GT 911s, this example is in outstanding condition throughout and mechanically excellent, meaning the next owner simply needs to jump in, fire her up and put some more miles on the odometer!

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