1998 Porsche “Early” 996 Coupe

The Porsche 996 was the company’s first foray into water cooling the 911. Although this was met with some resistance by the Porsche faithful, it was the only way for the brand to continue advancing everyone’s favorite rear engined sports car, while still staying on the right side of ever tightening emissions regulations. As is almost always the case with Porsche, all it took was one drive to realize that the 996 was a far more sophisticated and refined car than the 993 it replaced and was the superior car for a combination of fast driving and daily use. For years, the 996 chassis cars became quite inexpensive, being seen as inferior to the 997 that succeeded it and without the character of the 993 that it replaced, but over the past few years, enthusiasts have come around to the fact that the 996 is truly an outstanding driver’s car that deserves a second look.

This 1998 Porsche 996 911 is finished in the classic shade of Arctic Silver over a black leather interior. Fitted with a 6-speed manual transmission, this 911 was recently treated to a complete engine rebuild while under our care at Dobson Stuttgart. Showing 158,784 miles at the time of writing, this 996 has been mechanically brought back to a very high standard with an updated IMS bearing, in an effort to make it a solid drivers car. With a build date of January 30th 1998, this 996 is one of the earliest builds from the 996 generation and was assembled alongside the final 993s at the Porsche factory. These early cars have become quite sought after given they were built before Porsche moved to drive-by-wire, with the accelerator still having a cable attachment for a more visceral feel. In addition, this means that the car does not have traction control or stability management, which makes for a very involving drive. It has been said that the early 996s were built to a higher standard and feel better put together than some of the later cars when production was going at full speed and this car does feel quite nice from behind the wheel.

The exterior has been modified slightly with a European-style 996.1 GT3 front bumper cover, and the wheels look to be TSWs with satin black centers and brushed lips. These wheels are wrapped in a set of Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ tires, with plenty of life left in them. Although this 996 is not cosmetically perfect, with some scratches and rock chips on the front bumper, it is a great opportunity to get into a 911 at a reasonable price that you can drive and enjoy without worry. If you are looking for a first entry into the world of Porsche or would like a great driving example that you can park alongside your show car, this 996 Carrera 2 is dialed in and ready to enjoy.

Key Features

• Recently Rebuilt 3.4-Liter Flat 6
  • 296 Horsepower
  • Cable Throttle
• 6-Speed Manual Transmission
• Black Leather Interior
  • Power Comfort Seats
  • Draped Leather
• Carbon Fiber Interior Accents
• JVC Head Unit with USB and Bluetooth Capability
• 996.1 GT3 Front Bumper