A New Take on the 996 From Old & New

Porsche 996

This vehicle was manufactured from 1997-2004. In 2004, the 997 replaced this model as well. This was the first "different" Porsche to come off the amazing assembly line. It was so different now that many pure enthusiasts felt very strongly about these overwhelming changes. Porsche's are known for their classic good looks along with a strong and capable Air-cooled engine that provided glorious results. That was all changed by this model by the introduction of the water-cooled engine. It came in either 3.4 L–3.6 L naturally aspirated/or twin-turbocharged a flat-6. The models came in a few variants like the 911 (996) Turbo Cabriolet, 911 (996) Turbo S, or the 996 GT3 RS (2003).  

I don't see what's wrong with it

For some or many, depending on who we ask, there was a major design flaw to this iteration of the iconic Porsche 911. Major changes included a new chassis having a sleeker body with a more raked windshield, a re-designed interior along with new "fried egg" shaped headlamps. This last element was the one thing many enthusiasts were not big fans of. This is why the 997 was a bit more "bearable" within the Porsche community. That version brought back the long adored "bug eye" headlights.  

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New eye wear

Luckily, the automotive enthusiast world and aftermarket car part paradises always have solutions for something that doesn't appeal well to the naked eye. Many 996 owners have opted to perform a "997 headlight conversion". This often involves sourcing a hood, fenders, front bumper and of course, those adorable bug-eye headlights. Not to mention, proper wiring harnesses to fit the HID's and LED's (depending on which model and year you found). For some, the amount of work, time and money that would go into it most people would pass up and opt for some other upgrades or heck, move on up in the world and buy a GT3! For the more extreme folks, there are kits that one could graft on that involve "louvers" or vents in place of the lights and reroute lighting to newer lamps that get integrated into the bumper. The classic guys will surely remember the slant nose Porsche from the good ole' days - where the car came that way, from the factory.   

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Cool Creation or abomination?

Enter the era of riveted on body panels. The same basic concept used in many of the RWB body kits (although, those also involve a much greater, more appreciated labor of love). On this particular 996, there are fenders riveted on to produce that wide hip look. Most notably, are those "louvers" or vents that are screwed on in place of the normal headlights. Sadly, they are not functional and are more aesthetic than anything else. The unique paint scheme, the added panels, and the uncommon wheels do set this car apart from practically any 996 right now. That said, the work that went into this final product could be appreciated and perhaps for some, might even be better than your normal 996. 

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Turn around

Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round...turn around.

All the focus on this car is on the front end, specifically the headlights' major conversion which replaced the already undesirable headlights to a neat concept that the older folks will remember about the Porsche 930S (flat nose aka Slantnose) front end. That said, this is the kind of car that needs to be appreciated as a whole. That means taking note of all the supporting modifications. The fenders as you see are quite wide but nicely accommodate the 19" wheels with deep dishes. Not having a wing/spoiler on the back also keeps the look more uniform. I can't say I hate it or love it, but I'm definitely conflicted.  

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