With Porsche’s rich heritage, it’s no surprise that newer models often harken back to the past through special versions, almost exclusively, based on the Porsche 911. With this in mind, 'Porsche Club of America' and 'Porsche Classic' have teamed up to create a one-off Porsche 911 (996) Carrera with enhanced aesthetics and performance, at the 2022 Werks Reunion at Amelia Island.

The 1999 example of the Porsche 996 generation has undergone a ground-up restoration. The car, however, was not simply restored. It had undergone a complete makeover and had received a more exciting powerplant, although still derived from the 996-generation 911.

Exterior

The design of the one-off 911 was headed by Porsche’s Director of Special Projects, Grant Larson, who is responsible for designing the 986 Boxster and Carrera GT. The one-off Porsche 996 Carrera includes various classic design cues from other iconic Porsche 911 models.

For starters, we have the Sport Classic Gray exterior finish, which is seen on the Porsche 997 Sport Classic, of which only 250 were made. The paint is complemented by white racing stripes with Classic Club Coupe inscribed on them and Club Blau accents. There’s also a ducktail rear spoiler, just like on the 997 Sport Classic and 1973 2.7 Carrera RS, as well as forged, 18-inch Fuchs-style wheels with black spokes on a white rim. Last but not least are the side skirts and front bumper, which come straight off a 996 GT3, behind which reside black brake calipers with the Porsche script in Club Blau.

Interior

The unique, Slate Gray interior of the one-off 996 was done by Porsche Classic. The 996 Classic Club Coupe also has perforated Alcantara roof lining and a reupholstered steering wheel with a motorsport-inspired center mark finished in Club Blau. The seats feature a twin-Pepita pattern in the center and the doors are nicely finished in woven leather with Club Blau accents.

The only hint of modernity comes in the shape of a new Porsche Classic Communication Management infotainment system, which features a touchscreen and supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Performance & Drivetrain

What started as a 1999 Porsche 996 Carrera 3.4 now features the drivetrain from a 996.2 GT3. This means a water-cooled 3.6-liter naturally-aspirated flat-six that packs 381 horsepower at 7,400 RPM, 284 pound-feet (385 Nm) at 5,000 RPM, and revs to 8,000 RPM. As befits, the gearbox is a six-speed manual transaxle and power goes to the rear wheels only.

This means that the 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h\) sprint should take around 4.1 seconds on to a top speed of 190 mph (306 km/h). The chassis and brakes are also brought up to GT3 specs, to ensure adequate handling and stopping power.

Porsche 996 Classic Club Coupe specifications

From humble to hero

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The real appeal of the Porsche 996 Classic Club Coupe isn’t just the fact it harkens back to the 911’s past, but that it started out as a base model 1999 Porsche 911 Carrera. The car, which was actually built in 1998, was in a state of neglect but has come a long way since the Porsche Club of America and Porsche Classic got their hands on it.

The car was shipped to Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen for restoration, and with some input from Porsche AG, the car was completed in February 2022. As you can see from the images, the result is stunning and will, no doubt, be a sought-after, one-off model.