Tuned Porsche 996 911 Turbo Is an 850-HP Straight Line Terror
Super 996 911 Turbo is undoubtedly fast, but it’s also such a great all-around car that our reviewer wouldn’t change a thing.
As Porsche fans already know, the 996-gen 911 has always been a little less regarded than its predecessor and successor. And we can pretty much point to one little part of the car as the culprit – those notorious runny egg headlights. On the bright side, if you don’t mind that detractor, the 996 is a total bargain in the 911 world, and the 996 911 Turbo is a fantastic base with which to build a seriously fast car, as we can see in this video from YouTuber David Patterson on his channel That Dude in Blue.
This 2002 model year 996 911 Turbo originally came with a 3.6-liter flat-six that produced a healthy 415 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. As Patterson points out, these cars have become popular to tune because “the factory motor is really stout and really strong.” Couple that with all-wheel-drive, and you’ve got the perfect candidate for a monster build such as this.
The owner of this car went big in the power department with a Markski 850 package that enables the flat-six to make 700 horsepower on pump gas, or 850 raging ponies on 109 octane fuel using upgraded intercoolers, turbos, and intakes. Couple that with a proper manual transmission, and you’ve got a recipe for serious fun in a car that somewhat flies under the radar to boot. “I would actually argue that this car is a sleeper in a lot of ways,” Patterson says. “You would never know it makes 700 wheel horsepower.”
That combination turns out to be a magical one, too. “This thing is so fast,” Patterson says. “It surprised me, not in a really scary way but in a very satisfying way. This smooth, serene experience with that gnarly sound coming out of the back. I’ve driven 911s before, they just don’t feel like this. The gearing is perfect.”
Ultimately, Patterson finds this tuned 996 Turbo to be essentially the perfect car, all around. “This car, right now, as it sits – I probably wouldn’t change anything, ” he says. “I really think it’s a great balance of everything.” Throw in the fact that these cars are still relatively affordable, at least in the 911 realm, and you’ve got a pretty enticing combination.
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