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The Porsche 996 Carrera is one of the more affordable Porsche 911s you can currently buy, and cynics may say that’s simply because it’s the least desirable. However, we instead see the 996 as an opportunity to get your hands on a used Porsche 911 for the relative equivalent of pocket change.
Video: Porsche 996 911 Carrera 2 | Future Classics
Because, if you put aside the looks, which have divided opinion ever since we first saw the 996 in 1997, the core ethos of the 911 remains as strong as it ever was. This is still a brilliantly engineered car that is truly fantastic to drive, especially in this manual coupe setup.
Those ‘fried egg’ headlights were an experiment, one that ultimately failed as the 997 that replaced this car reverted back to the original and long-standing circular lights, but the fact remains this was an incredibly capable sportscar.
The rear-mounted 3.4-litre naturally aspirated flat-six sounds as great as ever and produces around 300PS (221kW), which when matched with the 966’s lightweight chassis, courtesy of some parts sharing with the Porsche Boxster, delivers a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds.
They might not be earth-shattering figures by today’s standards, but you’re getting a much more analogue driving experience here, that puts you in ultimate control of the 911’s every move. It’s nimble and agile, and plenty of fun. If you’re ever looking to own a 911, there is absolutely no reason why you should overlook this unbelievably affordable option.
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