Description
This is lot number 103 in the Bonhams Zoute sale on October 6th, please see the Bonhams website for full details.
Delivered new in Germany
Desirable factory X50 performance upgrade (450hp) from new
Desirable 6-speed manual transmission
All the original documentation in leather pouch
Supercar performance at a bargain price
German registration document
Representing a major step forward, the Type 996 version of Porsche's perennial 911, introduced in 1997, really did justify its maker's claims to be 'all new'. With the 996's introduction, Porsche finally adopted water cooling for the flat-six engine, which remained behind the rear wheels of a car that shared no panels with its immediate predecessor and was longer, wider and higher than before.
Offering supercar performance in a compact and practical package, the turbocharged version of the Type 996 first appeared in 2000. Boasting four-wheel drive as standard, the new 996 Turbo was a thoroughly sophisticated and competent all-weather supercar, and although it went out of production in 2005, in day-to-day driving is still as quick as anything on the road. Although the Turbo is water-cooled, its engine is not the same as that of the regular 996. The Turbo's 3. 6-litre Mezger engine can trace its ancestry back to the old air-cooled units and is directly related, not only to the 996 GT3, but also the GT1 racer. This engine has proved virtually bullet-proof and the stock 420bhp can be increased to 500bhp with confidence.
The 2002 model, sometimes known as the Mark 2, also saw body revisions that increased stiffness, improving handling and crash safety. In 2002, the Turbo was offered with an 'X50' option that included larger turbochargers (K24) and inter-coolers, a revised ECU and a different exhaust that raised the maximum output to 450 horsepower. Other features introduced in 2002 were a glove box, centre-mounted cup holders, an optional Bose stereo, and rain-sensing wipers. Mid-range punch is the 996 Turbo's forte, and while 420bhp (450 horsepower in the X50's case) might not be a headline power figure today, it still feels seriously rapid.
This rare and highly desirable 996 Turbo X50 was delivered new by Porsche Zentrum Frankfurt in Grundau, Germany, in June 2002 and first registered in September of that same year. Finished in the classic colour combination of silver with black interior, the car boasts a desirable sunroof and has covered a mere 6, 900 kilometres from new; as one would expect from this sparing use, it remains in excellent condition today. Offered with a spare key, its original instruction manuals, code card, service book and a German registration document, this fine example is definitely one for the purists: a real driver's car. Few, if any, modern cars can offer supercar performance at this price level while at the same time offering Porsche's legendary dependability.
Please note this lot will be subject to additional VAT on the hammer price.
