I remember when the 996 iteration of the Porsche 911 came out. I was selling new and used Porsches at the time at a dealership in the U.S., and to say opinion was split on the idea of a water-cooled 911 might be an understatement. Everyone had an opinion about the newest flagship from Porsche and everyone had something to say about the headlights. Boxsters were flying out the door at the time, and while the 986 also divided opinion, it certainly rejuvenated interest in Porsche when overall sales had cooled. When my friend Paul Whipple offered me the keys to his immaculate 996 twin-turbo during a recent trip back to the U.S. I didn’t hesitate to go for a spin.
Little would give away the age of this car from either the outside or the inside, aside, possibly from the factory inclusion of a tape-deck. Part of the condition of this car is down to the build from factory, but also Paul’s absolute attention to detail is exceptional and quite simply, this car is perfect. Sitting in it, it felt like it could have just come off the showroom floor, and on the road was composed and extremely drivable. I think this car has aged brilliantly, and the headlights which seemed to be so polarising at launch now seem modern and, dare I say it, timeless.