2005 PORSCHE 911

A 997 is fast becoming the connoisseur's choice, ideal for those seeking the 911 experience without the compromise and often, cost, of much earlier air-cooled cars. Whilst it shares much of its underpinnings with the 996, Porsche did away almost completely with the 996’s divisive styling cues. Most notable is the return to traditional 911 styling, with the advent of rounded-off headlamps.

This car is an early one, supplied new in May of 2005, and it’s finished in midnight blue metallic over a black interior. Despite being “just” a Carrera, it sits on a set of particularly nice 19” multi-spoke alloy wheels, and wears simple Carrera badging. The early styling is subtle, potentially at the time of release too conservative, today it has aged with grace in abundance, especially in this shade.

Porsche is renowned for the quality, fit and finish of their interiors. And this car is no exception, with black soft leather adorning nearly every tangible surface. The car features a three-spoke multi-function steering wheel, Porsche’s PCM infotainment system and vitally, a gear level mounted in the middle. Cartronics upgraded the infotainment system to have Bluetooth streaming functionality, bringing it up to date.

At the rear, you’ll find a 3.6-litre flat-six that produces around 320bhp; it’s mated to a six-speed manual gearbox with power being sent exclusively to the rear wheels. The car breathes through a standard exhaust system that has been treated to a slight modification, often referred to as a “Gundohack”.

The modification involves the addition of a small piece of pipe to allow a partial bypass of the silencer. It’s a simple modification that results in a better, more throaty exhaust note without creating eardrum-shattering drone. When the rear main oil seal was replaced, the IMS bearing was inspected and found to be the new type variant that did not require replacement or concern.

Alongside this very minor modification, the car has been regularly maintained. Primarily with marque specialists:

09/2006 – Serviced at 16,805 miles – Porsche Centre East London

06/2009 – Serviced at 31,702 miles – Autostrasse

04/2015 – Serviced at 41,353 miles – Colwood Motorsport

05/2015 – Rear main oil seal at 41,625 miles – Colwood Motorsport

04/2018 – Drivebelt and W/Pump at 46,267 - Mercury Car Centre

11/2018 – Serviced at 48,206 miles – Mercury Car Centre

08/2020 – Serviced at 51,344 miles – Mercury Car Centre

05/2023 – Serviced at 53,932 miles – Portiacraft

12/2023 – Alternator replaced at 56,388 miles – Portiacraft

02/2024 – Rear springs replaced at 56,710 miles – Portiacraft

11/2024 – Serviced at 58,031 miles – Portiacraft

This 997, with its combination of early-specification styling, tasteful upgrades, and comprehensive service records, makes for an attractive proposition. These cars are remarkably affordable and remarkably usable. In this shade, particularly, it looks every bit as special as it did the day it rolled off the production line.

As with all our vehicles, an entire digital folder is available upon request and contains more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.