996.1
The original water-cooled 911: 3.4 litres, the shared headlights, and the interior everyone complained about.
- Years
- 1999–2001
- Trims
- 3
- Power
- 296–415 hp
- Known issues
- 7
- Lightest
- 2,910 lb
- Quickest 0–60
- 4.0 s
Overview
The 996.1 is the car that broke with thirty-five years of 911 tradition and took the criticism for it. The 3.4 L M96 was new, the headlights were shared with the cheaper Boxster, and the interior used plastics that did not belong in a car at this price. Enthusiasts have never entirely forgiven any of it.
What they got in return was the lightest and, to a growing number of people, the more honest of the two 996 halves. The 3.4 revs willingly, the car weighs under 3,000 lb, and the smaller-bore engine has a better reputation for cylinder wear than the 3.6 that replaced it. If you are buying a 996 because you want to drive it rather than to own the best-specified one, this is a serious argument.
Parts diverge from the 996.2 more than the shared badge suggests. The high beam is H7 here and H9 on the facelift, the interior trim is different, and the engine is a different displacement with different service parts. Buy for this era specifically, not for "a 996".
The range
3 Sorted by output| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Weight | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coupe / Cabriolet | 1999–2001 | 3.4 L | 296 | 258 | 4.9 | 2,910 | RWD |
| Coupe / Cabriolet | 1999–2001 | 3.4 L | 296 | 258 | 5.0 | 3,020 | AWD |
| Turbo Halo Coupe / Cabriolet | 2001 | 3.6 L T | 415 | 415 | 4.0 | 3,390 | AWD |
Power in hp, torque in lb-ft, 0–60 in seconds, weight in pounds. Hover a badge for what it means.
Year by year
3Known issues
7- IMS bearing failure Critical
M96 engines, 1999–2005. Not the Turbo, GT2 or GT3 — those use the Mezger engine and have no IMS bearing of this design.
- Rear main seal leak Major
All M96 cars, most commonly early build years.
- Cylinder bore scoring Critical
Predominantly the 3.6 L M96.03 (2002–2005), typically cylinders 4 and 6.
-
All M96 cars.
- Glued coolant pipe separation Critical
996 Turbo, Turbo S and GT2.
- Ignition switch failure Minor
All 996 and early 986, subject of a service campaign.
-
All 996, worst in road-salt and leaf-litter regions.