996 was the internal designation for the Porsche 911 model manufactured between 1998 and 2005. On its debut, the 996 featured the most significant changes to the 911 model since its 1963 introduction, namely a water-cooled engine replacing the previously air-cooled unit. 

Progressively stringent noise regulations, environmental concerns, a higher expectation for refinement and a high-performance, four-valve-per-cylinder engine necessitated the change to water cooling.  The newly styled model had a new, sleek body with a more steeply raked windscreen and a redesigned interior. 

The 996 Turbo debuted at the Frankfurt Show in September 1999 and was powered by a water-cooled twin turbocharged/intercooled 3.6 litre 6 cylinder derived from the 1998 Le Mans winning GT-1 car. The 996 turbo featured all-wheel drive and was available with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic transmission.

First registered in January 2003 this Turbo was ordered with the X50 pack which was a £8,600 option only available on the Turbo.  For the extra money you got what was called the “Powerkit for Turbo engine” which consisted of larger K24 turbochargers and intercoolers, an upgraded ECU, quad exhausts and an extra 30bhp, taking the standard Turbo’s 414bhp up to a thumping 444bhp. 

This example delivers all its horsepower through a 6-speed manual gearbox which adds so much to the driveability and enjoyment.  Other options to note are the carbon fibre console and aluminium inserts on the gear shift and handbrake, suede dash top, automatic speed control , Porsche badge embossed headrests,  4 way electric adjustable lumbar support.  It also has option XSU which was a thinner seat cushion to accommodate taller drivers.

Well cared for throughout its life the Turbo has had a few owners, but the bills and service history show that each spent whatever necessary to keep it in tip-top condition.  Through 2019 and 2020 it was barely driven, spending time in storage prior to a major service in May 2021 to get it back on the road.

In the original Owners wallet we find all the books, including the Service history which contains 12 Service stamps and 5 further stamps for brake fluid changes.  The first service stamp is at 12,329 miles was performed by Porsche Centre, Solihull who then carried out the following 5 services up to 2008 at 45,883 miles.  

It should be noted that the Service book is marked as a replacement, so these stamps could have been added when a replacement Service History book was obtained through Porsche, Solihull. The second page of services tracks the mileage from 51,000 to 66,000 at various Porsche main agents.  

Although the book does not show it there is an invoice on file for a major service at 69,432miles on 18 May 2021 at HP Porsche Ltd for £4,704 at which time the Turbo received front and rear lower arms, an alloy wheel refurbishment,  and (at a price of £231) –a new beverage holder!  Back at HP Porsche again the following July the Turbo received a new clutch and release bearing, a battery loom, a column switch and an alternator pulley at a cost of £2,590.

It had some remedial work to the paint on the front bumper in May 2021 at a cost of £1,213, and the same month a pair of Continental Sport Contact tyres on the rear at a cost of £492.  The front tyres are Pirelli P Zero.

There are plenty of old MoTs on file that confirm the mileage, and plenty of bills stretching back to the mid-2000s showing lots of expense and care. In addition to the Owners Wallet and books there are two keys.

The Turbo was nicely optioned from new, and this extended to the interior which still looks great in Graphite Grey Leather with optional carbon fibre panels with aluminium inserts in the centre console area.  The Gear knob and handbrake also feature aluminium inserts and badging.  The dash top is attractive dark grey suede, and the light grey carpets are protected by Porsche mats.  

The roof lining is clean, and the Turbo also has a sunroof.  On the centre console are the audio controls for the boot mounted Porsche 4 CD changer system, along with the climate control and screen for the Sat Nav and info system, along with CD storage.  At the top is the newly replaced beverage holder.

The Turbo is also fitted with option 454- Automatic Cruise Control. The Graphite Grey leather seats are in good overall condition, with only minor wear showing on the usual side bolster of the driver’s seat, but this looks like it could be easily renewed by a leather specialist. We found no rips or tears.

Overall the interior is in excellent condition with very little that shows the age of the car.

Ordered in one of the most popular colours of 6B4 Seal Grey Metallic, the bodywork is in excellent condition.  The newly refurbished wheels are very presentable, with only minor wear to the Porsche badge wheel centres; the alloys themselves are like new with no curb marks. The Pirelli and Continental tyres all show very little wear.  

There are no signs of chips in the glass or light lenses, and the front bumper is free from stone chips thanks to its recent paint work.   At the rear the X50 pack included quad exhausts, and this Turbo was optioned with these as stainless steel, so they still look great.  The paint finish is excellent and the Turbo looks as good as when first delivered.

With the comfort and ability to cover great distances extremely quickly, many of the Turbo Porsches have high mileages, so it’s quite refreshing to find an example that has covered just enough to keep it in fine health.  

With a good history of services and regular maintenance the Turbo appears to be in fine fettle, sounding powerful and starting easily on the day of our visit.  Less than 500 miles has been covered since the last major service was performed.

Make no mistake; this is a rare car. In 2003 Porsche produced 4,332 Turbos, but very few had the X50 Powerkit upgrade package, and many of them were built with the Tiptronic gearbox.  

Perform a quick search for a 996 Turbo with factory X50 pack and a six speed manual will reveal how rare this car is.  There are a few that offer similar bhp, but, only a couple are genuine factory option X50 cars.