1999-2004 Porsche 911

December  12 2006 - By John LeBlanc

After establishing himself as an acoustical music folk hero, with two electric singles and an album that had been doing well for over six months, Bob Dylan never envisioned the backlash he would receive when he played three songs with a rock band backing him at the Newport Festival in July 1965.

Like Dylan’s misreading of his fan’s loyalties, after some 34 years of continually improving their original design, Porsche never realized the storm of controversy they would create when their legendary rear-engine 911 “went electric” for the 199 model year.

It wasn’t just that the new Type 996 911 was longer and wider that its Type 993 predecessor. Or that its interior and front-end styling were heavily shared with the new two-seat, mid-engine Boxster.

No. What was blasphemous to Porschephiles was the company’s switch to water from air to cool the traditional rear-mounted flat six-cylinder engine.

Not that Porsche had any choice. The old 993 mill simply couldn’t meet stricter noise legislations. So in addition to water cooling, the new 996’s 3.4-litre six also employed dual-overhead-cams in lieu of the previous single cam setup, and four valves per cylinder, developing 296 horsepower when introduced, and then a nice, even 300 for ’00 models.

In addition to 996 rear-drive Carreras and all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 models, a twin-turbocharged version of the 996 coupe, the 911 Turbo, arrived in ’01. Sporting a 415-h.p. 3.6-litre engine that produced 415 horsepower, adding to the sacrileges, for the first time, the Turbo could be had with s slushbox.

Maybe as genuflection to those who thought Porsche was moving away from its traditional hardcore roots, in ’02, the Stuttgart firm unleashed the 911 GT2.

A stripped down, rear-drive version of the Turbo, horsepower was bumped up to 456, and the GT2 also introduced the industry's first use of ceramic composite brakes.

With the current Type 997 911 on the horizon for ’05, in the Type 996 911’s final model year, Porsche added a 40th Anniversary Carrera coupe, a convertible version of the Turbo, and another trackdog fave called the GT3 that had a naturally aspirated 380 horsepower and a lightened body.

Regardless of how the engine was cooled, the fried egg headlights, or the econobox-quality interior, the 996—any 996—is a wonderfully unique, high-performance driving tool for enthusiasts. It’s really up to you and your banker/spouse as to which iteration fits your needs.

A run-of-the-mill Carrera gets to 100 kilometres an hour under six seconds; a Turbo, closer to four. And if you’re the type who isn’t afraid to take yourself or your car on a racetrack, either of the GT badged 996s are there to tempt you as well.

For such a high-performing, technically advanced sports car, ’99-’04 996’s are durable and well engineered. Therefore, trouble spots are minimal.

In first year models, erroneous fuel-gauge readings and/or problems during refueling may be due to the rubber fuel line inside the tank interfering with the sending unit or filler neck flap. For ’99-‘00 convertibles, the top may not close due to a problem with one of the microswitches in the lift mechanism. In that same year, look for doors that may not open from the inside because the cable between the handle and release breaks. Finally, in ’01 models, investigate for fouled spark plugs causing hard starting or no-starts; and on 911 Turbos, the pressure hose between the turbo and intercooler can come loose, causing significant loss of power.

Many of the current Type 997 911’s upgrades dealt with the 996’s weaknesses by returning to elliptically shaped headlights, a waspier body and a more upscale interior.

Of course, the shape of the headlights or the grain of the dash don’t affect on-the-road performance, which makes the 996 911s an excellent pre-owned buy.

Dylan was shocked that fans had yelled, "Get rid of that electric guitar!" at Newport. And like the direction Porsche took with their ’99-’04 911, it was a statement of independence. Regardless of how the Porsche community feels of this era of 911s, it’s still a sports car icon, delivering day-in and day-out performance that’s hard to find anywhere else.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com
 
THE SPECS
TYPE OF VEHICLE: Longitudinal rear-engine, rear-, all-wheel drive, 2+2 sports car.
ENGINES: 3.4L F6, 296-300 hp, 258 lb-ft of torque; 3.6L F6, 315-320 hp, 273 lb-ft of torque; 3.6L turbocharged F6, 415 hp, 413-415 lb-ft of torque.
TRANSMISSIONS: Six-speed manual; five-speed manumatic.
SAFETY: Antilock four-wheel disc brakes were standard, as were side-impact airbags.
NHTSA Crash-Test Results Front Impact (Out of Five) Not tested.
NHTSA Recall History: Incorrect programming of the electronic logic unit can cause incorrect fuel level (’99-’00). The clutch-pressure line could leak in the area of its connection with the clutch cylinder, reducing clutch and steering power assistance; fuel-supply line could leak due to chaffing with the intake manifold (’01). The front seat backs on certain vehicles may not meet strength standards, making them dangerous in a crash (’03 Carrera/GT2/Targa/Turbo).
PROS: 1. All-around performance. 2. Build quality and durability. 3. You’re driving an icon.
CONS:1. Non-traditional 911 styling. 2. Downmarket interior. 3. Low depreciation means expensive to buy used.
PRICE: ’99 Carrera, 105,000 km, wholesale: $35,100, retail: $39,075; ’04 Carrera 4 Cabriolet30,000 km, Bose sound, Tiptronic, navigation, wholesale: $80,250, retail: $90,800.  (Prices supplied by VMR Canada).

© National Post 2006. This article originally appeared in The National Post's Driving.