2002 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet (996) Manual

Highlights

• 3.6-litre flat-six with manual transmission and permanent AWD

• Very highly specced example

• MOT to November 2026

• Excellent service history and maintenance record

• Desirable Lapis Blue Metallic paintwork

• Removable hardtop, complete with stand and cover

Overview

Over the years we’ve seen and driven pretty much every kind of car you can imagine. From cute  Kei cars and practical superminis to road-scorching hypercars and off-roaders with suspension travel to give a mountain goat a run for its money. We love them all. However, there are few we’d want to live with all day, every day.

But there’s one car we keep coming back to, again and again. A car that feels correct from the moment your buttocks slide onto the driver’s seat and gets better every time you use it. A car that, given almost any automotive task, will excel. We are, of course, talking about the 911.

And, as almost every car journalist in the world will tell you, it’s very tricky to nail down precisely what makes the 911 so well sorted. Yes, the driving position is good and the handling is instinctive. The drivetrain (especially when it’s a nat-asp flat-six) is characterful and punchy. Naturally there’s that classic Porsche build quality, ergonomic clarity and material perfection in every nook and cranny. But it still adds up to be much more than the sum of its parts.

It’s as if Porsche have managed to create a car that presses everyone’s “this just feels very right” synapse and have been stabbing at it non-stop since the 1960s. It’s witchcraft.

Anyway, we’re about to be controversial, so hold onto your hats: we think the 996.2 may just be the best 911 (yes we know, clutching of pearls, shocked gasps, “how could we” etc etc). For starters, they handle beautifully, with none of the “let me just find a hedge for you” drama of the 80s cars. Secondly, that flat-six is an absolute peach of an engine - strong and tractable with charisma to spare. The 996 also has just the right level of tech so that it feels modern and comfortable, but still offers plenty of analogue feedback and pure driving enjoyment. They’re incredibly well built, as you’d expect from a Porsche, but they also have a fairly dainty footprint so are perfect for B-road work (more modern 911s are a mite chunkier). And not to be ignored is the fact that they’re exceptionally good value. But probably not for long, as enthusiasts and collectors are beginning to catch on.

Which brings us nicely to this absolute honey of a car. The extensive history file is evidence in itself of how well the car has been cared for over the years. Presented in excellent overall condition and in a genuinely desirable specification (the first owner dropped almost £20k in options on it from the factory), we think this is a superb opportunity to get your hands on a prime example of one of the great 911s. The combination of that flat-six, a drop-top and three pedals is pure cat-nip…

History and documentation

• First registered April 19th 2002

• Originally supplied from Reading Porsche, with almost £20,000 of factory options

• Purchased by the current owner from William Francis Porsche in December 2022

• Three previous owners

• Current MOT with no advisories expires November 22nd 2026

• Current mileage: 75,979 miles (as of mid-November 2025)

• Stamped service book with services as follows: April 2003@ 7,983 miles; April 2004 @ 16,867 miles; March 2005 @ 20,561 miles; March 2006 @ 24,077 miles; March 2007 @ 26,353 miles; March 2008 @ 27,899; March 2009 @ 31,952 miles; March 2010 @ 36,511 miles; March 2011 @ 41,583 miles; May 2012 @ 44,548 miles; March 2014 @ 52,425 miles; June 2015 @ 62,170 miles; February 2016 @ 63,371 miles; February 2018 @ 65,140 miles; October 2021 @ 66,322 miles; June 2022 @ 66,527 miles; December 2022 @ 66,897 miles; November 2023 @ 69,766; November 2024 @ 73,068 miles

• Full document pack, in original folder and all in fine condition

• Extensive collection of invoices and old MOT certificates, detailing service and maintenance history

• Original bill of sale included, which details the factory options ordered

• Two remote keys and one skeleton key

• The car completed a 3,000 mile European road trip last year, including crossing the Stelvio Pass, and completed it without fault or issue

• V5 present in owner’s name

• London ULEZ compliant

• HPI clear

Interior

• Plush leather upholstery, presented in excellent condition without any notable wear and with no damage we could identify

• Electrically adjustable, heated seats, with a 2-memory function on the driver’s side (factory cost options)

• Electrically adjustable side mirrors and windows

• Headrests embossed with the Porsche crest (factory cost option)

• Lumbar support on both sides (factory cost option)

• Dual zone air conditioning

• Porsche Communication Management (factory cost option)

• Metropole Blue carpet and matching new set of OEM overmats which appear to be in good condition, with no obvious wear or staining

• The main dashboard central fascia has been replaced with a new OEM item

• The indicator stalk set has been replaced with a new OEM item when one of the stalks started to stick

• Uprated soundsystem – radio with CD autochanger (factory cost option)

• Stainless steel sill guards (factory cost option)

• Aluminium gearshifter, handbrake and internal trim (factory cost option)

• Tracker system (factory cost option)

• The headlining on the near-side is a little ill-fitting, but doesn’t detract from the aesthetics of the car

• Sizable ‘frunk’ space, which also contains a spacesaver spare wheel

• New OEM bonnet struts have been fitted

• The vendor reports no known issues or problems with any of the cabin’s features and functions

Exterior

• Gorgeous Lapis Blue Metallic paintwork, presented in overall excellent condition with a few minor marks and blemishes

• The previous owner had both bumpers professionally resprayed and they look to have been finished to a very good standard

• We noted a minor scuff on the near-side side mirror casing

• All of the bodywork looks to be clean and straight, with no panel misalignment or damage on show

• Similarly, the external trim and badging all seems to be present and correct, with no evidence of damage or significant wear

• Factory supplied hardtop, finished in matched Lapis Blue Metallic, which shows very well and looks to have been kept in excellent condition

• Hardtop stand and cover included

• Bi-xenon headlights (factory cost option)

• Rear parking sensors (factory cost option)

• Dimming mirrors (factory cost option)

• Rain sensor (factory cost option)

• The headlights have had their surfaces professionally stripped back and relacquered, showing a fine, clear finish now

• The convertible roof is electrically operated; while the fabric shows some minor fade marks and light wear as you’d expect given its age, overall it looks to be in good order

• New OEM light washers and rear plate lights have been fittedThe underside looks to be clean and solid, with no notable damage or corrosion we could discern on the sills or floor pans

• 18-inch Carrera 5-spoke wheels (factory cost option), which show very well with a clean silver finish and no kerb damage or lacquer peel we could discern

• The wheels are shod with a matched set of Michelin Pilot Sport tyres (285/50 rear and 25/40 front) that appear to have clean sidewalls and good tread depth

Mechanical

• 3.6-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six

• Six-speed manual transmission

• Permanent all-wheel drive system

• Factory performance figures: 315bhp, 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds, top speed of 175mph

• The engine bay presents well, looking to be clean and free from leaks or obvious wear

• Cruise control

• PSM (Porsche Stability Management)

• ABS, power-assisted steering

• May 2025 - new battery fitted

• November 2024 - 3x new coil packs fitted

• 2024 - New front fan resistors fitted, so the fans now run at low and high

• The previous owner fitted new sports silencers, new radiators and condensers, a new water pump and a new low temperature thermostat

• Recent Sebro front discs and pads (OEM)

• June 2022 @ 66,527 miles - new OEM Sachs clutch, dual mass flywheel and IMS bearing

• March 2022 - new OEM oil pressure sender

• The vendor assures us that the car starts on the button, idles cleanly and drives just as it should, with no known mechanical issues

Summary

The perfect everyday, all-weather 911? You know what, it just might be. If you want the sort of car that engenders a deep, immovable feeling of satisfaction and joy, then we really don’t think you can go wrong with this delightful machine.

Presented in lovely condition inside and out, with a superb maintenance record and a fine specification, we reckon it’s the sort of car that you’ll love from day one. And still adore after 20 years of ownership. There’s not many vehicles you can say that about…

Non-concierge cars: To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Cromer, Norfolk.