For our 6th Good Find Friday post celebrating 50 years of Porsche Turbo, I’m highlighting the first turbocharged and watercooled Porsche, the 996-generation 911 Turbo. When I was a new graduate from college, this car was brand new and one of the first Porsche cars to inspire a real interest in the brand. Strangely, these cars have not yet ascended in value like their earlier Turbo counterparts, making them an attractive alternative.

The 996-generation 911 Turbo debuted in 1999 and was released in the US as a 2001 model. It was produced until 2005 and was the first water-cooled and turbocharged production Porsche. The Turbo’s distinctive wide stance was necessary to fit the wider tires needed to deliver its horsepower to the pavement. Additional aerodynamic features generated downforce at high speeds and further separated the look of the Turbo from other models.. All-wheel drive was standard on the 996 Turbo along with a 6-speed manual transmission.

The base Turbo developed 415hp and the same torque number which propelled the car from 0-60 mph in 4 seconds, an astonishing number for the early 2000s. In 2004, Porsche produced the first drop-top Turbo model since 1989, and in 2005 added the Turbo S to the lineup. The Turbo S delivered 30 horsepower over the standard turbo.

This 996-generation Porsche 911 Turbo is painted in Speed Yellow with a black leather interior with yellow contrast stitching. It is being offered by the selling dealer Miami Motorcars in Miami, Florida.

External features of the 996 Turbo included wide fenders, large radiator intakes in the front bumper, an electronically-triggered rear spoiler and two large air intakes in the rear flanks to feed the turbochargers.

The engine in the 996 Turbo is a derivative of the 911 GT1 race car’s Mezger-designed powerplant, adapted for use in the 996 chassis. This engine is not plagued by the faulty IMS bearing issues seen in the M96 engine used in Carrera models, a huge tick in the plus column.

This 996 Turbo was optioned with the rare and expensive X50 power kit, which added larger turbos and intercoolers, a quad-pipe exhaust and an ECM tweak to boost power delivery to 444 horsepower over the standard Turbo. Some sources suggest the X50 package added Porsche Carbon Ceramic Brakes, but this particular car doesn’t appear to have them fitted.

The interior of this 996 Turbo is finished in beautifully preserved black leather with extensive use of yellow contrast stitching on the seats, door panels, center console, steering wheel and dashboard. The standard headlining on 996 Turbos was alcantara, which was an option on the other models.

Carbon fiber trim, a relatively new styling option for the early 2000s, is applied extensively in the interior. Overall the cockpit appears to be in good condition with just light wear on the driver’s seating surface. Porsche branded floor mats with yellow binding add additional pop to the interior. The cell phone mount on the center vent definitely needs to go, though.

Wheels on the subject vehicle are the stylish Sport Techno wheels, a more angular evolution of the Turbo Twist wheels typically seen on 996 Turbo cars. These wheels are 8×18 in the front and 11×18 in the rear. The wheels are wrapped in a new set of Bridgestone Potenzas, with a regretfully liberal amount of tire shine slathered all over them.

No details of the car’s history are provided, unfortunately. The odometer shows just 21,894 miles or about 1,000 miles per year.

While my personal favorite 996-generation Porsche is the Carrera 4S, the Turbo would be next in line for its combination of purposeful styling to go with its potent performance. One of the nice things about the 996 Turbo market is its underpriced nature.

The price of your typical 993 Turbo has skyrocketed to around $200,000, which makes its watercooled successor much more attractive at less than half the cost. The average price for a 996 Turbo hovers around $60-70,000, which includes all conditions and both standard and exclusive models like the X50.

You might ask what makes this car so special, then, given that this car is priced at $129,999. The X50 package certainly adds value over a standard Turbo, as does the color and options. Not many Speed Yellow cars were made, and only a few have been sold in the auction market in the last year or so.

The most recent sale of a Speed Yellow 996 Turbo appears to have been a standard model with similar mileage that found a new owner for just under $100,000. Is the X50 package and custom features on this car worth $30,000? At the right time and place and with the right audience, it just might be.

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