BUY THEM BEFORE WE DO
Porsche 911 Carrera S £29,760
With the prices of 996-generation 911s (1997-2004) climbing, how attractive does the model’s successor, the 997 of 2004- 2013, look? To find out, we stuck a pin in the price map at £30,000.
For this money you could have a 2003-reg 911 (996) Carrera 3.6 4S or a 2006-reg 911 (997) Carrera 3.8 S, both with 50,000 miles and manual gearboxes. The 4S would be more secure in the wet thanks to its ability to send around 40% of the engine’s power to the front wheels, allowing its driver to enjoy more of the power, more of the time. However, that nextgen Carrera S has our attention. Back in the day, our reviewer declared the 997 to be 15% better in every area than the 996. Peter Robinson concluded: “In 997 S form, the 911 Carrera is faster, more stable, more precise and forgiving and an altogether superior – make that more efficient – sports car than the 996.” Praise doesn’t come much higher.