996 driver space
Discussion
Evening all....I find myself looking at getting another toy, something to complement my TVR chimaera but with extra seats. Well one extra seat as being 6”6 I imagine there would be little room behind me and the gut!
Can someone who owns, or has driven both a 996 and Chim comment on the driver head and leg room? What are they like in comparison? Being unable to visit potential cars, I thought here would be a good place to start! I see lots that say they are great for tall drivers.
Would prefer a coupe, but would absolutely consider their soft top, i imagine the sunroof could take up room too. I know the centre dash can also be removed. Thanks!
Can someone who owns, or has driven both a 996 and Chim comment on the driver head and leg room? What are they like in comparison? Being unable to visit potential cars, I thought here would be a good place to start! I see lots that say they are great for tall drivers.
Would prefer a coupe, but would absolutely consider their soft top, i imagine the sunroof could take up room too. I know the centre dash can also be removed. Thanks!
I'm around 6'4" and have had a couple of 996s with standard seats. I managed ok but I seem to remember my left leg was very close to or touching the steering wheel sometimes, I think the centre console maybe made this issue a bit worse, and also the limited adjustment of the steering wheel.
Things were actually tighter in my 968, but I managed to get a different boss for the steering wheel which made a great difference.
Things were actually tighter in my 968, but I managed to get a different boss for the steering wheel which made a great difference.
My experience (n=1):
The 996 wheel adjust for reach (somewhat) but not rake. As you pull the wheel toward you it does rise slightly as the shaft is angled up from the rack, but it doesn't come up a great deal.
This meant, for me anyway, that it was impossible to get my legs under the wheel, if the seat was close enough to hold onto the wheel without holding my arms out in the popular "zombie walking toward camera" pose.
My left leg bore the brunt of this, as if I were to operate the clutch then it was jammed into position, with my shin against the lower centre console and my thigh against the wheel - I would literally punch myself in the left quadriceps when turning left at first. My leg being held at a diagonal angle also made my left buttock fall asleep at around the 1.5 hour point into a drive.
My right leg fared better, having more space, but it wasn't ideal.
First I removed the lower centre console (AKA GT3 console delete), which made things better as my leg was no longer jammed between two opposing points, but due to the requirement to bend my legs out frog-like around the wheel I still had the "my arse has gone to sleep again" issue.
I swapped to the Cup (Momo) wheel, which was a revelation - I could get my legs underneath it! But now I couldn't see the tops of the dials. I had the seat cushion modified to get lower, which in combination with a 15mm eccentric spacer that moved the wheel upward somewhat did an acceptable job.
I could now drive long distances in comfort, with both buttock cheeks remaining in touch with my central nervous system.
However, I still wasn't 100% happy, so I bought the BBI seat base and a Recaro SPG which finally, fully resolve the situation.
The BBI base allows you to drop the bottom of the seat between the runners, getting it as low to the floor as you possibly can.
I now have my legs straight out in front of me, sitting upright, with the wheel close enough to my chest to have my elbows pleasantly bent, and I have a full and complete view of all the dials and displays, and an additional bonus is I can look out of the rear window for the first time (mine is a cab with the small glass rear window).
The Recaro has other significant benefits in terms of holding me firmly in place - I find it extremely comfortable (and drove to the Alps and back in the car last summer, after which the car won Centre Gravity's "car I'd like to drive home" award at the 911&Porsche World suspension and handling test day).
The only fly in the ointment was that the Recaro lacked heating elements, so it's been re-trimmed in Porsche leather, with OEM heating elements that connect into the Porsche loom.
TL:DR - I think it depends on your morphology, short legs and long arms= fine. Long legs, short arms= problem.
The 996 wheel adjust for reach (somewhat) but not rake. As you pull the wheel toward you it does rise slightly as the shaft is angled up from the rack, but it doesn't come up a great deal.
This meant, for me anyway, that it was impossible to get my legs under the wheel, if the seat was close enough to hold onto the wheel without holding my arms out in the popular "zombie walking toward camera" pose.
My left leg bore the brunt of this, as if I were to operate the clutch then it was jammed into position, with my shin against the lower centre console and my thigh against the wheel - I would literally punch myself in the left quadriceps when turning left at first. My leg being held at a diagonal angle also made my left buttock fall asleep at around the 1.5 hour point into a drive.
My right leg fared better, having more space, but it wasn't ideal.
First I removed the lower centre console (AKA GT3 console delete), which made things better as my leg was no longer jammed between two opposing points, but due to the requirement to bend my legs out frog-like around the wheel I still had the "my arse has gone to sleep again" issue.
I swapped to the Cup (Momo) wheel, which was a revelation - I could get my legs underneath it! But now I couldn't see the tops of the dials. I had the seat cushion modified to get lower, which in combination with a 15mm eccentric spacer that moved the wheel upward somewhat did an acceptable job.
I could now drive long distances in comfort, with both buttock cheeks remaining in touch with my central nervous system.
However, I still wasn't 100% happy, so I bought the BBI seat base and a Recaro SPG which finally, fully resolve the situation.
The BBI base allows you to drop the bottom of the seat between the runners, getting it as low to the floor as you possibly can.
I now have my legs straight out in front of me, sitting upright, with the wheel close enough to my chest to have my elbows pleasantly bent, and I have a full and complete view of all the dials and displays, and an additional bonus is I can look out of the rear window for the first time (mine is a cab with the small glass rear window).
The Recaro has other significant benefits in terms of holding me firmly in place - I find it extremely comfortable (and drove to the Alps and back in the car last summer, after which the car won Centre Gravity's "car I'd like to drive home" award at the 911&Porsche World suspension and handling test day).
The only fly in the ointment was that the Recaro lacked heating elements, so it's been re-trimmed in Porsche leather, with OEM heating elements that connect into the Porsche loom.
TL:DR - I think it depends on your morphology, short legs and long arms= fine. Long legs, short arms= problem.
Honestly I'd go for a drive in one, you'll very rapidly be able to tell. I've got a steering wheel extender for the normal wheel in the garage which I never used, frankly that might have been enough to resolve my issues.
If you're in or around London, and post lockdown, you'd be welcome to take mine out for a spin, although as heavily modified as it is I'm not sure how useful it'd be as a data point.
If you're in or around London, and post lockdown, you'd be welcome to take mine out for a spin, although as heavily modified as it is I'm not sure how useful it'd be as a data point.
EGTE said:
You can get a centre-console delete kit from Porsche that gives more leg-room on the left. It gets rid of the cassette-rack/coin bucket and replaces it with a nice carpeted tunnel; it's standard on GT3s and is a popular upgrade for shporty looks, as well as space.
This.I'm 6'7", with proportionate (I think!) arms and legs, but I've had 2x 996 Carrera 4S's with GT3 console delete kits and whilst you will never get your legs under the wheel this makes them perfectly driveable and comfortable.
I and 6 2” have had two Chimaeras, a 987 and currently have a 996. The space is better in the 987 than the 996. There is a small bolt in the seat rails that If removed gives you a little more leg room and is just about ok. With that in place, it’s tight due to the steering wheel angle. I was thinking about 987 seats which seem to be the difference.
Love the car though!
Love the car though!
Cant help you on the TVR but had a manual 996 C2. Im 6 foot four with long legs. I contemplated the GT3 style removal but ended up not bothering. I owned the car for 2 years and whilst it wasn't a perfect seating position, tracked the car quite happily sitting "frog style". It was a bit of a squeeze with a helmet on but perfectly possible and they are lovely cars to drive.
If I kept it I was going to get the bottom cushion on the coffin style seats lowered at an upholsterer. I think the cushion is a little lower on cars with sports seats - at least it felt that way but I found the sports seats weren't comfortable overall for the taller, more broad shouldered gentleman.
My 997 is capable of a far more conventional seating position.
If I kept it I was going to get the bottom cushion on the coffin style seats lowered at an upholsterer. I think the cushion is a little lower on cars with sports seats - at least it felt that way but I found the sports seats weren't comfortable overall for the taller, more broad shouldered gentleman.
My 997 is capable of a far more conventional seating position.
Matt99man said:
We’re they manual or trip?
This.
I'm 6'7", with proportionate (I think!) arms and legs, but I've had 2x 996 Carrera 4S's with GT3 console delete kits and whilst you will never get your legs under the wheel this makes them perfectly driveable and comfortable.
This.
I'm 6'7", with proportionate (I think!) arms and legs, but I've had 2x 996 Carrera 4S's with GT3 console delete kits and whilst you will never get your legs under the wheel this makes them perfectly driveable and comfortable.
I'm a "big" 6' 4" and had a 996 Targa for a few years. Seat fully back, around 10 inches gap to back seats, headroom to spare and I don't recall any issue with left knees, or at least nothing of sufficient note that I specifically remember it as any sort of problem. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
Matt99man said:
Thanks guys
I don’t suppose anyone has a pic of the drivers seat all the way back, all the way down?
Also read that you can pull out the “stops” on the seat rails, gains a little extra leg room - is that correct?
I don’t suppose anyone has a pic of the drivers seat all the way back, all the way down?
Also read that you can pull out the “stops” on the seat rails, gains a little extra leg room - is that correct?
Edited by Matt99man on Tuesday 26th May 22:41
This is what I am referring to above. It doesn’t make a huge difference but just enough to make the car more comfortable on longer journeys of over an hour.
The seat does adjust up and down from memory. Having had both a 987 (normal seats) and 996 (sports seats) the 987 have the edge for me.
TV8 said:
This is what I am referring to above. It doesn’t make a huge difference but just enough to make the car more comfortable on longer journeys of over an hour.
The seat does adjust up and down from memory. Having had both a 987 (normal seats) and 996 (sports seats) the 987 have the edge for me.
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