Porsche 911 (996)

Porsche 996
Overview
Manufacturer	Porsche
Also called	Porsche 911 Porsche Carrera
Production	1997-2005
Assembly	Stuttgart, Germany
Designer	Harm Lagaay
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupe 2-door convertible
Layout	RR/R4 layout
Powertrain
Engine	3.4 L H6 3.6 L H6
Transmission	5-speed automatic 6-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	92.6 in (2,352 mm)
Length	174.5 in (4,432 mm) 4S & Turbo: 174.6 in (4,435 mm)
Width	1999-2001: 69.5 in (1,765 mm) 2002-04: 69.7 in (1,770 mm) 4S & Turbo: 72.0 in (1,829 mm)
Height	51.4 in (1,306 mm) 4S & Turbo: 51.0 in (1,295 mm) 40th Anniversary Coupe: 50.2 in (1,275 mm) GT2: 50.2 in (1,275 mm)
Curb weight	2,920 lb (1,320 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Porsche 993
Successor	Porsche 997

The Porsche 996 is the internal designation for the Porsche 911 model manufactured and sold between 1998 and 2005. It has since been replaced by the Type 997. Both body styles were produced by Porsche in 2005,based upon model type.

At its debut, the 996 featured the most significant changes to the Carrera model since its 1963 introduction; the most significant change with this new iteration is the water-cooled engine replacing the previously air-cooled engine. Progressively stringent noise regulations, environmental concerns, a higher expectation for refinement and a high-performance 4 valve per cylinder engine made the switch necessary. The 996 Carrera (non GT and Turbo models) engine is designed with what Porsche calls the "integrated dry sump oiling". This "integrated dry sump" engine does not have an oil scavenge pump in the crankcase to pump the engine oil to a separate holding tank outside the crankcase as a true dry sump design would have. The only scavenge pumps in the 996 engine are in the camshaft boxes and the oil is pumped from there to the bottom of the crankcase as it would be in any "wet sump" engine. Other changes include a sleeker body with a more steeply raked windshield and a re-designed interior.

Design

Porsche 996 with aero kit

Porsche 996, with an open half

The Porsche 996 was an all new design made by Harm Lagaay; the first new 911 that didn't carry over a significant component from a previous variant. All new body work, interior and drive-train including the first water-cooled engine in a 911. The Porsche 996 replaced the Porsche 993.

The first 996s were available as a coupe or cabriolet with either rear wheel or four-wheel drive and a 3.4 litre flat-6 normally aspirated engine producing 296 bhp (224 kW). These cars had the same headlights as the Porsche Boxster. Porsche Carrera owners complained loudly and long about the "lower priced car that looked just like theirs did ", hence the headlight change for the Carrera. The design for these headlamps could be traced all the way back to the Porsche Panamericana concept car.

In 2000, Porsche debuted the 996 Turbo, equipped with four-wheel-drive and a 3.6 litre, twin turbocharged and intercooled flat-six producing 420 bhp (309 kW), making the car capable of 4.2 second 0 to 60 mph times. An X50 option which included larger turbochargers and intercoolers along with revised engine control software became available from the factory in 2002, increasing power to 450 hp (336 kW). (Porsche produced a Turbo S in 2005, which also had the x50 option with 450 bhp, alongside the formerly optional Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide (C/SiC) composite ceramic brakes (PCCB) as standard equipment.)

In 2001, horsepower on the base Carrera model was increased by 4 bhp to 300 bhp. In 2002, the standard models underwent minor re-styling, which included switching to the Turbo-style headlamps and to a new front fascia. These were sometimes known as the Mk2 generation of the 996, or the 996.2. In addition, engine capacity was also increased to 3.6 litres across the range, yielding gains of 15 horsepower for the naturally aspirated models. 2002 also marked the start of the production of the 996 based Targa, featuring a sliding glass "green house" roof system like its Type 993 predecessor. Also in 2002, the Carrera 4S model was first introduced. The C4S as it is commonly called, shares the widebody look of the Turbo as well as the brakes and suspension.

GT variants

996 GT3 (1999)

996 GT3 (2003)

996 GT3 RS (2003)

The 996 platform was used as the basis for two lightweight GT variants called GT2 and GT3. The GT3 was based on the standard 996 Carrera, but was stripped of a great deal of equipment for weight savings, featured stiffer, adjustable suspension and upgraded brakes, and used the bodyshell of the four-wheel-drive version, which incorporated additional front-end stiffening. It was produced in two versions. The first, commonly referred to as the Mk.I GT3, was released in 1999 in all markets, save North America. It featured a naturally aspirated version 3.6L flat six making 360 bhp (270 kW). This engine was shared with the 996 Turbo and was a derivative of the Le Mans winning engine developed for the 911 GT1. The Mk.II GT3 variant was based on the second generation of the 996, and featured updated aerodynamics, and a more powerful version of the 3.6L engine from the MK.I, now producing 380 bhp (280 kW). The Mk.II was the first GT3 marketed in the North America. In a 2004 testing of the Mk.II GT3, the car accelerated 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds, and produced 1.03 g on the skidpad, the second highest number ever recorded by a street legal automobile.

Also its counterpart, the GT2, was RWD to save weight and to avoid power losses through the transmission. It received an added group of aerodynamic body parts, and a re-tuned version of the 996 Turbo's 3.6 litre, twin turbocharged engine featuring larger turbochargers and intercoolers, revised intake and exhaust systems, and re-programmed engine control software. The result was 489 hp (365 kW) and 484 lb⋅ft (656 N⋅m) of torque respectively, enough to launch the car from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.9 seconds and to a top speed of 198 mph (319 km/h). Bigger wheels and tires along with lightweight ceramic brakes were standard. The GT2's fixed rear wing (made of CFRP for the post-2003 cars) appears to be a concession to racing rules that usually outlaw moving aerodynamic devices. It had no rear seat and no air conditioning. Both cars were available only with six-speed manual transmissions.

The Turbo, GT2 and GT3 models use the Aluminum crankcase of the air-cooled 911 with its true dry sump oiling system. The six separate individual Nikasil lined cylinders in this engine are covered with two separately installed water jackets each covering a bank of 3 cylinders on each side of the engine, thus adding water cooling to a crankcase originally designed for air-cooled cylinders (the normal 996 Carrera engine has the cylinders and water jackets cast together with the crankcase). This engine is very similar to that of the Le Mans winning Dauer Porsche 962 and Porsche GT1 racing cars' engines.

Evolution

The 99 Model year featured a 3.4L engine producing 296 bhp. The 2000 and 2001 model years received a slight increase in horsepower to an even 300 bhp while retaining the same figures for torque produced. In addition, Porsche made many changes to the 3.4-liter unit over its production lifespan, so the last of the last of these 3.4L engines (made in 2001) have improved reliability.

The 2002+ cars received a 3.6L engine which provided an extra 15 bhp (11 kW) of horse power (taking output to 315 bhp) and an additional 15 lb.ft of torque (increasing from 258 to 273); 320 ps is equal to 315 hp. The inclusion of Variocam Plus (as opposed to Variocam on the earlier 996) improved power delivery through the rpm range. The headlights on the 996 Carrera also adopted the turbo headlights of the MK1 iteration. Seat belt pretensioners were also added and the Tiptronic in 2000 was modified to allow it to enter manual mode by clicking the steering wheel mounted buttons.

Minor cosmetic updates also included an updated front bumper and the addition of a glove box. The "MK2" 996 gained 55 lbs. compared to the "MK1" in this facelift.

Special editions

Porsche offered a special edition of the 996 for the year 2000. The company introduced the car as "The 911 for the Millennium" and based it on the Carrera 4  coupe. Only 911 were made.

This special edition was finished in Violet Chromaflair paint with natural leather interior and dark burr maple trim. Available with a Tiptronic or six-speed manual gearbox, the car was well-equipped. A number plate on the center console and a unique "911" badge on the engine lid and lettering on the door sills make this special edition easy to identify.

Porsche celebrated the 911's 40-year history in 2003, using the slogan, "40 Jahre 911/40 Fast Years". The company also introduced the 996 "40th Anniversary Edition" for model year 2004. This model has the 996 Turbo's front-end, and was available only in Carrera GT Silver exterior paint. Other unique features included: X51 power kit, turbo radiators, limited slip differential, sport suspension, polished 5-spoke alloys (unique to this model), GT3 side skirts, natural gray leather interior (with luggage set to match), sports seats (there was a power comfort seat option), polished exhaust tips, heated seats (option in Latin America), litronic bi-xenon headlights, special dynamic sealed panels, and a special "40 Jahre 911" logo on the back. The power was increased from 316 to 345 hp (257 kW). Only 1,963 units were made, to commemorate 1963—the year the 911 was introduced.

Statistics

Model	PS, Engine	0-62 mph acceleration	Top Speed
911 Carrera	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	4.9 s	178 mph (286 km/h)
911 Carrera 4	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.1 s	177 mph (285 km/h)
911 Carrera 4S	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.0 s	174 mph (280 km/h)
911 "40 Jahre"	345 PS (254 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	4.8 s	180 mph (290 km/h)
911 Targa	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.2 s	174 mph (280 km/h)
911 Turbo	420 PS (309 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.2 s	189 mph (304 km/h)
911 Turbo X50	450 PS (331 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.0 s	192 mph (309 km/h)
911 Turbo S	450 PS (331 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	3.9 s	193 mph (311 km/h)
911 GT3	380 PS (279 kW) @ 7400 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.5 s	190 mph (310 km/h)
911 GT3 RS	400 PS (294 kW) @ 7400 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.4 s	190 mph (310 km/h)
911 GT2	483 PS (355 kW) @ 5700 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	3.7 s	192 mph (309 km/h)
911 Turbo Cabriolet	420 PS (309 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.4 s	187 mph (301 km/h)
911 Turbo X50 Cabriolet	450 PS (331 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.2 s	189 mph (304 km/h)
911 Turbo S Cabriolet	450 PS (331 kW) @ 6000 rpm, 3.6L dry-sump	4.1 s	190 mph (310 km/h)
911 Carrera Cabriolet	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.1 s	176 mph (283 km/h)
911 Carrera 4 Cabriolet	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.2 s	175 mph (282 km/h)
911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet	320 PS (235 kW) @ 6800 rpm, 3.6L wet-sump	5.4 s	172 mph (277 km/h)

All specifications stated are for the MkII, EU spec 996's.

Police car

In 2007, a motorist's 2001 Porsche 911 was searched during a traffic stop by Hoover, Alabama police. The police department seized the vehicle after they found 10 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside two compartments. Since then the vehicle was redecorated with a wing, light bar, and rear window lights.

The vehicle was unveiled in 2009 as Hoover Police Department police car.

See also

• Porsche 911

External links

• 996 Porsche Official website
• 996 FAQ at Rennlist