Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (996) | PH Auction Block
Always promised yourself a great 911 Carrera? PH Auctions has consigned just the thing...
Amazingly enough, we’re very close to 30 years since the introduction of the fifth-generation Porsche 911, the one we all know as the 996. Production began in July 1997, with the very last Mezger-engined ones (GT2, GT3 and Turbo S) assembled in 2006. Praised for its handling and performance when new, the 996 didn’t always enjoy the best time of it as a secondhand Porsche; nowadays it’s being properly appreciated as an influential, desirable chapter in the rear-engined Porsche story.
This was the first to spawn a GT3 and GT3 RS, for example, and the first 911 to feature carbon ceramic brakes - the water cooling thing everyone knows. The 996 was a neat bridge between Porsche worlds: still compact, light and driver-focused, yet more capable and efficient than ever before.
The significance of the 996, bringing the 911 from an air-cooled, old school curio to the definitive sports car of the 21st century, is now being reflected in values. Anything up to £100k is being asked for a Turbo S, which is about where GT3s start - the very best are being advertised at more than £250,000.
This one won’t sell for more than £250,000. It is, after all, just a Carrera 2, but there always has been - and most definitely remains - plenty to love about the entry point to the Porsche 911. For the later 996.2, C2 meant 320hp from a 3.6-litre flat six, a six-speed manual and near-180mph potential. But this isn’t your average tired, baggy old 996; quite the opposite, in fact, with fewer than 40,000 miles, a great history and some considered upgrades.
In 2022, this 911 benefitted from an extensive suspension refresh, which is why the stance is so bob-on - it should drive really nicely, too. Eibach springs, new arms, front top mounts and bump stops were all changed. There’s been plenty of main dealer and specialist maintenance over the years, and a major service - with fresh brake fluid - is taking place this month.
The exterior is pretty much without flaw; the inside might be even better, with very little in the way of wear - and no modifications at all. The original stereo, wheel and pedals are there for all to see and appreciate. Indeed, when a rear wiper is the biggest bugbear, a 23-year-old 911 is doing pretty well. So while most will see just another almost classic 911, you’ll know it as one of the lowest mileage 996s around - the perfect thing to mark the 30th birthday, in fact.
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