996 A "Proper" Classic Porsche?

According to this article on flatsixes.com , Porsche has recently added the 996 and 986 Boxster to their list of "classic" cars.

It will be so, despite the grumble of "purists", who despise both the Boxster and 996. After the inception of the model, each 911 is a part of a lineage. The basic architecture (rear engine, RWD, 2 "regular" seats and 2 "occasional" seats) has been unchanged since the outset. The Boxster and 996 brought in water cooling, and were commercial successes which allowed Porsche to remain a viable concern. Without these models and their successes, the company may well have collapsed. That most bastard of Porsches, the Cayenne, further revitalized the company's finances. So, yeah, they're "real" Porsches. They did some things poorly, and others quite well, but in their time, they were the best expression of what Porsche could do.

No way for them not to become a classic IMO. When was the last time you saw any old porsche prior to 996 and said, yeah, nice car but nothing special. All 911 are special regardless.m I wish I could go back 20 - 30 years and see what people said about the 911s then...underpowered? Funny looking *** end? But like a kid in a candy store...every time I see one I fall in love again.

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My thoughts exactly haha. Well said.

A 996 GT3 RS is a bloody classic IMO!! Just sayin -- my cab -- no so much!!

Right now it is already a classic in the driving experience department. The interior is very clean and mechanical compared to the current mania for video game touch screen interiors. The leather in mine is also tasteful...not pimpy and over the top. But it is really about the driving and that it does so well it is hard to think of someday selling it...and that for me is the first mark of a classic...you find that you just don't want to let it go.

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My thoughts exactly, everything you need & nothing you don't need. I seem to prefer the '99- '03 MY of most vehicles.

I think the 996 and to a lesser extent the 997 are the last "simple" cars. Yes, they have a crap-ton of engine and body electronics, but I'm with John and Byprodriver - the gizmos are great for dedicated GT cars, but a sports car should be simple, and that's not really the way most of the world is going.

The 996 will take its place in line soon enough. A lot of guys who now look down their beaks at them will quietly change their tune when they can no longer afford an air-cooled, or even if they can they won't want to risk losing value in their "investment" by using them as DD's or tracking them.

http://www.porsche.com/usa/accessori...-01-13-classic Though I am the guy that wishes he could go back a couple years and pick up some e30 M3s and 993s at what I thought were stupid prices. Maybe I should start buying 996s...

I think a definition of "classic" needs to be clear. Is it classic if it's old? Or does it need something more. Late sixties Mustangs are "classic" cars. Will a 2000 Mustang be a classic, highly doubt it. Huge difference in the design approach of the two. In 2000s everything is about mass production and cutting corners a bit. No to mention the number of produced cars are not going in it's favor. But all in all I think only time will tell. Impossible to know in 2014.

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I still have my e30 m3 that I picked up 7 years ago thinking I overpaid for it back then. Now it sits in storage until I need it to pay for one of my son's schooling sometime in the future.

It was not that long ago, less than 18 months that the 964 was the "other" red headed stepchild. Now look at them. The huge production numbers of the 996 set it apart from the previous model years, and make classic status unlikely for a long time.

Alp what year and color is your e30? I had an 89 in arctic silver with red interior. I still kick my self in the nuts for selling it almost 10 years ago. Back then nice examples were around 10-15k. As for the 996 just like any Porsche I believe it will hold value as its already at the bottom of the barrel. Maybe in the next 20 years when a lot less examples will be available due to most of them being an DD and being tracked, we should see price increases.

There were many more Mustangs I think then PORSCHE CARRERA'S and they are classics. I was offered 17000 dollars for my 1964 VOLKSWAGON bug. Can you begin to realize how many VW bugs were made. A VW van recently sold at Barrett Jackson for 210,000 dollars! The 996 is beautiful car in most peoples eyes and they go fast, they will be CLASSIC's at some point.

All things being equal, compared to the clunky bumpers on my 1985 and the awkward proportions of the 964, I don't think people who criticize the 996 hold a lot of water....unless they're honest about the aircooled cars. Not all of the aircooled cars are without serious flaws and not all of them are lookers.

Agree with the above comment... All 911's have their beauty and strong points. All are in a distinct, evolutionary lineage of great motor vehicles. I don't think any one is bad. It's all about what you want. Few cars have enjoyed the absolutely iconic pedestalization that the 911 has achieved. Few cars have also been slowly but surely and purposefully evolved for 50 years.

For me, the 996 is the cut-off point for 911's After this they have become intolerably laden with luxury and weight. Even the 996 I have is a rarity of sorts, with practically no options. I've always admired the RS and Cup cars were less is more.

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Really Good Points Chiller! When I was looking about 6 years ago I was comparing the differences in the 2 versions & I just couldn't justify paying around 35-38k for some of the air-cooled cars (little did I know about a year later the Bottom would fall out on the 996's)! I mean the interior colors on most leave a bit to be desired to say the least & I've never really been impressed with the look of most of the older air-cooled cars (other than the turbos), 996 included. To me they look just Plain Jane & Boring, even now most of the air-cooled cars are WAY over priced & I just can't justify paying those prices for what your getting in return. When I drive my 996 Everybody unless they're a Porsche Purist thinks my car is Very Expensive & when they see the 911 on the back, that's ALL it takes! THAT'S a 911, WOW!

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I b ought one of those M3's in 1999 for what people thought was a stupid price for an 8 year old car. Boy am I laughing now.....

I don't really think the 996 will be considered a "classic" if it is based on the opinions of "classic" today (i.e. those earlier air cooled 911's and 60's/early 70's Mustangs). However, I do think that the 996 may end up as the next in line "simple" Porsche a consumer can buy when compared to the rest of these modern day "spaceship" cars. This will drive a certain market to it for sure. However, all of the drama behind the failures of these engines will always keep their values low. Of course, I hope that I am wrong on that last one...

20 years from now....how many are going to say "I wish I had kept my 996"!!!

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well, relative to the 991 (numb steering)....or the 997 (nicer looking car), not sure. i don't really worry about it.

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I would say the switch from cable throttle to nanny egas in 1999 with the C4 was a signifigant step.

If you can call MG TC/D's, Triumph Spitfires, Mini Coopers, Trans Ams, Cutlass's, Alfa GTV's, Fiat Spyders etc etc classic cars (and most of the world do) then the 996 HAS to be regarded as a future member. It may take 25 years, and the then owners may be anoraks and be a bit strange, but....... a bit like this forum compared with the 997 / 981 brigade forum !!

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Sorry, good or bad? Personally, the egas in the porker, is the first one that doesn't seem to have a huge delay that I have seen (present, but not really intrusive).

The 996 already has a place in history as the first of the WCs, that alone is likely to bring about a future Classic status.

"Porsche Classic" is a separate Porsche AG business unit that specializes in restorations and repairs of older Porsches. The U.S. location is Atlanta...major restorations of U.S. cars begins here, but the cars are shipped back to Germany for completion. The Stuttgart based facility also performs accident repairs primarily for Germany based owners. Needless to say, restorations and repairs by this unit are very expensive, but all work is completed to factory or better standards. For example, the complete restoration of an early 911S could be about $300K. FYI-The 2013 PCA Parade event at Traverse City, MI, featured a tech session hosted by the Porsche Classic staff. At that time, the staff indicated that they would eventually undertake major work on Boxsters and 996/997s, but they expected such customers to primarily be Germany or at least European based, not U.S. based...for a variety of practical reasons. relinuca