2002 Porsche 911 (996) Carrera 4 S

“ Widely celebrated as the aesthetic and engineering high point of the naturally aspirated 996 line-up. It famously bridged the gap between the standard Carrera and the flagship 911 Turbo. ”
Freshly serviced, and ready for a new caring owner.

Background
And so it came to pass that the first ever water-cooled 911, the 996, was launched in 1998/9.

When news first broke of the 911’s break from its air-cooled tradition there was much wailing, plenty of gnashing of teeth and, from the die-hard enthusiasts, no doubt an unseemly amount of flagellation.

So, why exactly did Porsche change the course of the 911’s history and swap air for water in its engine designs? Firstly, because during the 1990s, Porsche was facing financial troubles and rumours of a proposed takeover were being spread. Secondly, the signature air-cooled flat six had reached the zenith of its development trajectory in the 993.

Thirdly, by the early 1990s it was becoming obvious that upcoming emissions regulations would make it impossible for Porsche to continuously deliver year-on-year performance improvements from its air-cooled engine.

The thing people tend to forget about the 996 is that, when it was launched, it was greeted with almost universal praise from the motoring press and heralded by most people who knew what they were talking about as the best sorted and most usable 911 that had ever carried the badge.

Richard Hammond was effusive about the 996, describing it as “rare, visceral and exciting” and “a great car”. Tiff Needell said it was “better in almost every way” than the 993, offering a driving experience that was “second to none”.

With the benefit of hindsight, it’s fair to say that 996 prices have tended to run a little cooler than those for either its predecessor or successor.

The 993 was the last of its kind and thereby destined to pretty much always grow in value.

And the 997 was, in the eyes of some beholders, a better-looking car.

Another ‘reason’ was that 996s developed a reputation for engine problems - a reputation mainly forged in the echo chambers of (newly invented) internet forums where people who didn’t know much swapped second-hand stories with people who knew even less.

Yes, there’s a fair chance that you’ll get a minor oil leak from the rear main seal (RMS) but that’s rarely anything to worry about. Intermediate shaft (IMS) failure is far rarer than advertised, as are scored cylinder bores, and if you’re talking about a car with a mileage of 70-90k and upwards, it could well be reasonable to assume that the worst of any danger has passed.

Suffice to say that Porsche sold over 175,000 of these extremely capable cars and that most of the well maintained and cared for examples are still on the road and going strong.

It just so happens that we have one such example right here, right now.

Overview
Full disclosure, this 911 996 C4S is the personal car of one of our esteemed specialists here at HQ.

He bought it about 18 months ago and is only selling because, well, it’s not ideal transport for his dog.

We have driven the car and can attest to its thoroughly well-screwed-together feel and its undimmed ability to start, go, keep going, get quicker, carry on getting quicker, brake and stop with all the pedigree engineering precision, poise and balance you would hope and expect to find in a properly sorted and cared-for 996 C4S.

We imagine that when Gunther and Wolfgang waved this one goodbye from the end of the production line at Zuffenhausen, they felt deservedly proud of themselves.

Estimate: £13,000 - £18,000

View Current Bid Price HERE