Wednesday 22nd July 2015

RPM 996 'Retro' package

RPM adds a retro twist to its rather tempting CSR upgrade package for 996 Carreras

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Backdating, 'reimagining', call it what you will (or the lawyers tell you to) but the trend for making newer Porsches look like older ones seems one set to endure. But for one small issue - supply of suitable donor cars. A 964 customised by Singer is a lovely thing. But so is a standard 964 and as prices of original coupes suitable for this kind of makeover start roaring off into the sunset the cost - moral and financial - of chopping up nice Carreras becomes untenable for many.

Well obviously it has a ducktail

If only there were a good supply of cheap, unloved 911 variants available at rock bottom prices ideal for a bit of customisation at a vaguely sensible price...

And so attention inevitably turns to the 996. Given the much more modern styling it's unlikely Singer or anyone else is about to offer half-million quid conversions into retro-look 911s. But after the warm reception for its CSR conversion packages for 997 and 996 Carreras (we've driven both and loved 'em) RPM Technik has been working on an additional styling package under the self explanatory description 'Porsche 996 Retro'.

Backdating a 996? Not really, the package more being a couple of reasonably subtle nods to 911 tradition wrapped up with a more road-biased interpretation of the CSR mechanical mods. To refresh your memory these take a 3.4-litre 996 Carrera as the basis, see the engine given a thorough going over and the option of lightweight clutch and flywheel plus induction and exhaust modifications to help give it a bit of old-school character. This now extends to an ECU modification with user-selectable fuelling maps, one of which adds a bit of banging and popping should you want even more 'character'.

Is this cool again yet?

Chassis-wise RPM offers a KW suspension package with Eibach hollow anti-roll bars and a full corner-weighted geometry set-up. Experience of the existing CSR package would show this all adds up to a 996 of real character and balance, the emphasis being on feel and feedback rather than all-out performance. In the case of the Retro this is tipped further towards a fast road bias, though of course each package is custom tuned to suit the needs of the owner. A Wavetrac limited-slip diff is also an option.

The more modern lines of the 996 will only take a certain amount of retro styling and RPM has been wise to keep the look fairly conservative, fitting Fuchs-style wheels, a carbon ducktail rear wing and trimming the interior in Alcantara and Pasha-style chequered fabric as seen in many an 80s Porsche. For a starting price of £35,000 think of it as a more affordable alternative to a 997 Sport Classic than a full backdate and you'll be on the right lines.

Does it work on the 996 though? The floor is yours but whether you dig the retro look or not the CSR package is more than enough to bring the last remaining affordable 911 out of its shell.

 

[theturbs]

Loving the Pasha!

[Theophany]

Ok, I'm going to out myself and just say it: I think the 996 is one of Porsche's better-looking 911s (second to the 964 imho) and what they have done to it has thoroughly ruined it.

[em177]

I actually like that

[PunterCam]

Theophany said:

Ok, I'm going to out myself and just say it: I think the 996 is one of Porsche's better-looking 911s (second to the 964 imho) and what they have done to it has thoroughly ruined it.

A sticker and a different spoiler has ruined it?! How good looking could it have been?

[Theophany]

PunterCam said:

A sticker and a different spoiler has ruined it?! How good looking could it have been?

Fugly wheels, fugly interior and who, other than pre-pubescent children reading MAX POWER magazine, puts stickers on their car?

Fool and their money and all that jazz. You can buy a 996 Turbo on the cheap - why buy a Carrera and barry it up like this.

[Schermerhorn]

The 996 shape in my opinion can't pull off the 'retro' look as well as the other 911 models like the 997 and 993.

Those headlights are a major hindrance to achieving that look in my opinion.

[rodericb]

Not a fan. If they had have diced the headlights and that front bumber and airdam for something old looking it would have looked heaps better. Those 996 headlights will always look futuristic, especially now they're thoroughly back with the oval shape on the 911.

[SuperHangOn]

The Fuchs and Pasha don't go with the naff 90's max power style bodykit. Bit of a mess.

[redroadster]

Getting strange people always wanted new cars getting the next shape ,now we are wanting old looking models reverse selling ??

[Twoshoe]

theturbs said:

Loving the Pasha!

Just noticed that your post brought your total up to 911!

[jonny996]

£35K for a set of wheels & an interior retrim!!!!!!!!! it looks good but I am sure you could do the same for less than 10% of that cost.

[g7jhp]

The ducktail works, the rest makes the car look dated and heavy.

Better to stick with 'Carrera Classic' wheels and add a set of Recaro Pole Position seats in black leather.

[bishbash]

jonny996 said:

£35K for a set of wheels & an interior retrim!!!!!!!!! it looks good but I am sure you could do the same for less than 10% of that cost.

I'm pretty sure you get the base car included in that price.

[Zoin]

bishbash said:

I'm pretty sure you get the base car included in that price.

As well as a few other expensive bits and pieces -
"engine given a thorough going over ... lightweight clutch and flywheel plus induction and exhaust modifications ... ECU modification with user-selectable fuelling maps ... KW suspension package with Eibach hollow anti-roll bars and a full corner-weighted geometry set-up"

[RupertM]

Anyone can see this isn't a real 996!!! Leave it to the professionals boys

[Shaoxter]

Schermerhorn said:

The 996 shape in my opinion can't pull off the 'retro' look as well as the other 911 models like the 997 and 993.

Those headlights are a major hindrance to achieving that look in my opinion.

I (like most people) used to think the 996.1 headlights looked crap but they're really growing on me and are looking more and more cool and retro:

[C.A.R.]

Agree with some of the others - I've always been in the minority camp that thought the 996 was a good looking car. Perhaps it's because it replaced the 993, which was very pretty, that it got such negative responses back in the day...

But this example I agree with the above contributors - has been ruined. The retrostyling is predictable but doesn't work with the body shape. The stone-chip guard in front of the rear wheel looks so out of place because the rear of a 911 bulges outward with subtlety, rather than having big fat hips or wider arches like some other 911 variants. Again the wheels look a bit wrong on something of this shape, the only part that is almost passable is that ducktail, but even then it doesn't flow with the contours of the body too well.

But I'll never afford one anyway, so I'll just stick to admiring the good 996s...

[Oddball RS]

"other than pre-pubescent children reading MAX POWER magazine, who puts stickers on their car?"


Errrrr Porsche?

[LordHaveMurci]

Love the ducktail, could be tempted to fit one on mine & even think the wheels suit it.

[Theophany]

Oddball RS said:

"other than pre-pubescent children reading MAX POWER magazine, who puts stickers on their car?"


Errrrr Porsche?

The two aren't mutually exclusive.