2001 Porsche 911 (996) Turbo

The 996 Turbo features four-wheel-drive and a 3.6-litre turbocharged, intercooled engine with variable cam timing – a masterful powerplant derived from the 1998 Le Mans winning GT-1 car. Hardly surprising then, that the car develops 420bhp and can hit the 60mph mark in a whisker over four seconds, so it’s not for the feint hearted. 

All the same, the 996 was seen as a more relaxed and usable 911 than earlier cars, and in Turbo guise the driver gets the best of both worlds – a luxury leather interior with every creature comfort, combined with the ability to drop the hammer and reach a top speed of a claimed 190mph. This is a genuine supercar.

The 996 Turbo was available with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed Tiptronic transmission, like this one. It also has a wider stance than the naturally aspirated 996 Carreras, along with new bi-xenon headlamps.

The 996’s looks were a fairly radical departure from traditional 911 styling, but although this sparked some controversy among enthusiasts back in the day, today the car looks futuristic and elegant.

The distinctive front end with large oval headlights and that rounded front bumper is immaculate on this one. Dark colours like this Lapis Blue finish tend to show up any minor imperfections and you’d expect some stone chipping, but we couldn’t see any signs of damage.

The headlights, whose shape upset some Porsche enthusiasts, are equally unmarked. The curved bonnet has tight, even panel gaps and again the paintwork is spot on, almost appearing to flow around the Porsche crest that sits proudly at the centre of the panel.

The car’s sides are characterised by large air intakes that provide gollops of air for the hungry flat six, and also help keep the rear brakes happy. The original spec 18 inch Porsche Turbo alloy wheels are in fine shape, with no signs of kerb rash we could spot.

This 911 was particularly well specced when new, and comes with a rear leather centre console, aluminium painted instrument dials, lumbar support on the driver and passenger seats, and soft ruffled leather.

The driver’s seat bolsters show the merest signs that the car has been previously enjoyed, but they are still supple and the leather shines, with no cracking or worn seams.

There’s the odd mark on the gear selector’s leather trim, but we suspect this could possibly be cleaned off. There are also some marks on the hand brake lever and seat control panels, but the leather itself is all in very nice condition.

Upon inspection, the entertainment system does not appear to be working.

Cars of this era can suffer from issues with the soft touch paint used by manufacturers back then. It was designed to make plastic parts look and feel luxurious, a job it pretty much accomplished at first, but over the years the polymers can fail leading to the dreaded sticky button syndrome. No such problems are reported in this Porsche.

The 911 Turbo is the top of the Porsche tree, and this 3.6-litre turbocharged 996 has an engine that makes 414bhp and 413lb-ft of torque. And with less than 53,000 miles under its extremely well appointed belt, this one looks to be in very fine fettle indeed.

The Tiptronic transmission option upset the purists back in the day, but to be honest with more than 400bhp on tap and that blistering acceleration, it makes for a far easier drive than a traditional manual gearbox. And in many ways it offers the best of both worlds too.

You can shift ratios with a flick of the steering wheel paddles when you’re in the mood, and when you feel like quietly cruising home you can shift into automatic mode and let the car do the work.

This car’s engine bay is very clean indeed, and could easily pass for that of a three year old car, let alone a 23 year old one. Everything looks totally unmolested and original too. 

The front luggage compartment looks to have been hardly used, and the car’s underside holds no unpleasant surprises, with everything looking undamaged and in its place.

The car was first registered on 3rd August 2001 and has been well maintained and regularly serviced.

This 911 Turbo comes with a fully stamped service book, with all work carried out by either a Porsche main dealer or a Porsche specialist. It has a current MoT certificate (advisory free) that runs until April 10th next year, and also included is a stack of historic MoT pass certificates. 

There are also a number of invoices for recent work (all in the Documentation section of the pictures on this listing), including for servicing over the last few years, carried out by Porsche specialists Precision in East Sussex.

The car has had a recent HPI check showing no evidence of crash repairs.

The current owner bought the car from Godin sports cars, and fully intended to keep it for the long term. But he’s now decided to sell the car, along with another five from his collection. 

‘I'm keeping just four cars, making the collection easier to manage,’ he says. ‘I know Godin bought the car from Historic auctions and used it personally before I bought it from them.      

‘I have only driven the car about 50 miles, then parked it the garage with my others. It drives great – the only fault I can think of is that the screen on the radio doesn't light up, so it will possibly need a new radio. Other than that, to the best of my knowledge everything else is good.’

A lovely example of a car that is fast becoming a stone cold classic 911 iteration. And this is a modern classic 911 that you can use every day if you want to, not something many would try with an older air-cooled model.

With this mileage and service history, and in this condition, this car represents a fantastic opportunity to own and enjoy an iconic car. 

We are happy to offer this car for auction with an estimate in the range of £40,000 - £45,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am- 12pm or 2pm-4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.