Description
The 996 generation Porsche 911 Turbo is widely renowned to be the best all round sports car of its time, and here we have it’s ultimate incarnation, a 996 Turbo S Cabriolet with 6 speed manual gearbox!
Supplied new by Porsche Centre Mid -Sussex on the 1st of November 2004, our 911 has had just 3 previous keepers and has covered a very modest 33327 miles. It is in superb condition and has a fully documented service history showing services at 1432, 4110, 8429, 16109, 21949, 26346, 29975 and 32600 miles.
The Mechanicals
Two important things to mention here, firstly the Turbo S uses a derivative of the legendary Mezger engine, as found in the 911 GT1 Le Mans racer and the 996 GT3, secondly that means it doesn’t have the M96 motor found in most 996s, which is notorious for costly intermediate shaft bearing failures.
Being an “S” it also has the X50 performance package which boosts the 3. 6 litre flat six to 450bhp, enough to blast the 0-60 dash in 4 seconds dead and then power on to a VMAX of 189mph, serious stuff today, let alone 20 years ago!!
Out on the road it is nothing short of spectacular, the seamless shove becomes a torrent of turbocharged torque once the blowers spool up above 3000rpm. It really does feel head spinningly fast!!
The 4 wheel drive and supple handling mean our Porsche is ruthlessly rapid in real world conditions and having all that traction inspires a calm confidence, best of all, unlike older 911s, a 996 Turbo S doesn’t bite back!!
It truly is a fabulous drivers car.
The Exterior
Unashamedly aggressive and purposeful the Porsche looks simply fantastic. The Basalt Black paintwork is as faultless as you are ever likely to find on a 20 year old car, thanks partly to careful and respectful owners and partly due to the 3 days it has spent in our detailing studio!
The bodywork is untroubled by any dinks, dents, depressions, ripples, folds or creases and the shut-lines and panel gaps are all tight and consistent.
The optional hardtop has a depth of gloss that matches the bodywork and underneath, the folding fabric hood is unmarked and works just as it should.
The car rolls on its correct Turbo S 18” alloys, all of which are in pristine condition and are shod with a matching set of Continental Sport Contact tyres. Finishing off the look are the bright Yellow callipers signifying the PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes) brake set up.
The Interior
Inside, the black leather upholstery is damage free and shows only the lightest of wear. The electrically adjustable comfort seats, with embossed Porsche crests, also have memory settings for the driver and adjustable lumbar support on both sides
There are some small scuff marks on the door cards and some very minor scratches to the plastics in places but overall the interior presents very nicely indeed. There is also a very nice spec including satellite navigation, cruise control, digital climate control, heated seats and Bose audio.
All buttons, knobs, dials, levers, switches, toggles and stalks do precisely what they’re supposed to do and the air conditioning is ice cold thanks to two new condensers having just been fitted.
The Paperwork & Accessories
The Porsche comes with its current V5 certificate, its original leather folder containing all its booklets including the service book, invoices for all its services, 2 keys and genuine Porsche fitted covers for the car and the removable hardtop.
Conclusion
With only 93, 996 Turbo 2 Cabriolets coming to the UK, the majority of which were autos, our manual is a rare beast indeed! Its condition is truly superb and it would make a fantastic addition to any collection or an incredibly rewarding daily driver.
