My Good Angle
09-12-2019, 09:38 AM
#17
I watched a documentary on Porsche where they interviewed Pinky Lai and he said that he met Ferry Porsche before his death and said the 996 along with the Boxster saved the company. If I'm not mistaken, he said that both cars were researched and designed at the same time.
09-12-2019, 01:42 PM
#18
Pro
[ ] anybody who says the 996.1 headlights are ugly needs to rethink. The whole car looks so fluid and harmonious from this angle. I think if you say this is ugly, you have to go all the way and say cars like the Carrera GT and 918 are ugly too, since they're quite similar.
One could take the position with some justification 996s are the design high-water mark of all 911s. Air-cools are very cool looking but admittedly dated too, where a 996 is smooth and modern and have by far the best looking headlights of all.
The one 996 exterior design that doesn't look good is tires appear wimpy in the wheel wells. I don't yet know if the tires need to be taller or have big spacers to push them out. We just put on new tires and added 10mm to width (which also increased height) and they look a little better, but they might be kissing fender flares and wheel well liners at full lock. They need to be taller and pushed out but I'm not sure it is possible to do so. We don't drive the car anywhere near its limits so we needn't worry about cg
09-12-2019, 02:13 PM
#19
Cars (and trucks) in the mid-1950's to late '60's were high-water marks of exciting designs. From there less and less beautiful vehicles and by around the mid-2000's they became generic and boring; not much difference between Toyota, Hondai, Mercedes, etc.
One could take the position with some justification 996s are the design high-water mark of all 911s. Air-cools are very cool looking but admittedly dated too, where a 996 is smooth and modern and have by far the best looking headlights of all.
The one 996 exterior design that doesn't look good is tires appear wimpy in the wheel wells. I don't yet know if the tires need to be taller or have big spacers to push them out. We just put on new tires and added 10mm to width (which also increased height) and they look a little better, but they might be kissing fender flares and wheel well liners at full lock. They need to be taller and pushed out but I'm not sure it is possible to do so. We don't drive the car anywhere near its limits so we needn't worry about cg
One could take the position with some justification 996s are the design high-water mark of all 911s. Air-cools are very cool looking but admittedly dated too, where a 996 is smooth and modern and have by far the best looking headlights of all.
The one 996 exterior design that doesn't look good is tires appear wimpy in the wheel wells. I don't yet know if the tires need to be taller or have big spacers to push them out. We just put on new tires and added 10mm to width (which also increased height) and they look a little better, but they might be kissing fender flares and wheel well liners at full lock. They need to be taller and pushed out but I'm not sure it is possible to do so. We don't drive the car anywhere near its limits so we needn't worry about cg
In my opinion you can actually make the argument the 996 is not only the high-water mark of all 911s, but it's the only truly original, uncompromised 911 design. The original 911 was heavily influenced by the 356, and I'm sure had to be compromised to wrap around the mechanical components they had on hand, using the production methods of the day. It's a bit of a stretch to say the original 901 body is a derivative design, but bear with me. From then, EVERY 911 for the next 30+ years was the same. People call them 964s and 993s, but they're all the same. Then the 996 changed EVERYTHING. A complete re-think, both mechanically with the new engine and cosmetically with the first all-new 911 body. Apart from some wheels and steering wheels, I don't think there are any cosmetic parts shared with the original cars. But then the 997 came out, and it was really compromised by trying to be a new 993 to make the purists happy again. And from there it's pretty clear every generation after has just been incrementally evolving that design, essentially trying to give people a 993 that can keep pace with a modern sports car and have all the creature comforts of a new Lexus.
Was that enough sacrilege for one post? haha.
Don't get me wrong, the 996 can be hideous in the wrong condition, configuration, colors/materials/wheels, etc. But it can also be really, really good. It would be cool to see Porsche design a new 911 with a "996 mindset": Being freed up from trying to copy the lines of the old ones exactly, and just make something that looks really cool and new, with less-obvious callbacks to the old school. But I guess they learned from their customers and the press that it's too risky to try.
09-12-2019, 02:52 PM
#20
Three Wheelin'
Looks good, really like the first pic. The second one really reminds me of why I need to get some spacers, moving those wheels out a few mm makes a big difference.
09-12-2019, 04:39 PM
#21
Rennlist Member
Excellent points. I agree the cars need a little more negative wheel offset to fill out the fenders and have a better stance. I want to do this myself but new wheels are too expensive, and wheel spacers are obnoxious with the need for longer bolts or studs, the possible balance issues, etc. IMO it's the final step to making this car look completely modern, but with the number of times I take the wheels on and off, and the loads I put on them, the stock parts are working just fine so I'm inclined not to mess with it.
In my opinion you can actually make the argument the 996 is not only the high-water mark of all 911s, but it's the only truly original, uncompromised 911 design. The original 911 was heavily influenced by the 356, and I'm sure had to be compromised to wrap around the mechanical components they had on hand, using the production methods of the day. It's a bit of a stretch to say the original 901 body is a derivative design, but bear with me. From then, EVERY 911 for the next 30+ years was the same. People call them 964s and 993s, but they're all the same. Then the 996 changed EVERYTHING. A complete re-think, both mechanically with the new engine and cosmetically with the first all-new 911 body. Apart from some wheels and steering wheels, I don't think there are any cosmetic parts shared with the original cars. But then the 997 came out, and it was really compromised by trying to be a new 993 to make the purists happy again. And from there it's pretty clear every generation after has just been incrementally evolving that design, essentially trying to give people a 993 that can keep pace with a modern sports car and have all the creature comforts of a new Lexus.
Was that enough sacrilege for one post? haha.
Don't get me wrong, the 996 can be hideous in the wrong condition, configuration, colors/materials/wheels, etc. But it can also be really, really good. It would be cool to see Porsche design a new 911 with a "996 mindset": Being freed up from trying to copy the lines of the old ones exactly, and just make something that looks really cool and new, with less-obvious callbacks to the old school. But I guess they learned from their customers and the press that it's too risky to try.
In my opinion you can actually make the argument the 996 is not only the high-water mark of all 911s, but it's the only truly original, uncompromised 911 design. The original 911 was heavily influenced by the 356, and I'm sure had to be compromised to wrap around the mechanical components they had on hand, using the production methods of the day. It's a bit of a stretch to say the original 901 body is a derivative design, but bear with me. From then, EVERY 911 for the next 30+ years was the same. People call them 964s and 993s, but they're all the same. Then the 996 changed EVERYTHING. A complete re-think, both mechanically with the new engine and cosmetically with the first all-new 911 body. Apart from some wheels and steering wheels, I don't think there are any cosmetic parts shared with the original cars. But then the 997 came out, and it was really compromised by trying to be a new 993 to make the purists happy again. And from there it's pretty clear every generation after has just been incrementally evolving that design, essentially trying to give people a 993 that can keep pace with a modern sports car and have all the creature comforts of a new Lexus.
Was that enough sacrilege for one post? haha.
Don't get me wrong, the 996 can be hideous in the wrong condition, configuration, colors/materials/wheels, etc. But it can also be really, really good. It would be cool to see Porsche design a new 911 with a "996 mindset": Being freed up from trying to copy the lines of the old ones exactly, and just make something that looks really cool and new, with less-obvious callbacks to the old school. But I guess they learned from their customers and the press that it's too risky to try.
09-12-2019, 04:55 PM
#22
Rennlist Member
I always find our (996 owners) need to justify our Porsche's entertaining... When i need to justify mine, I just jump in and drive... works every time 
09-12-2019, 11:21 PM
#23
Burning Brakes
09-13-2019, 10:23 AM
#24
However, I'm not one that spends much time justifying the 996 styling/headlights. I believe if it weren't for that (and the IMSB of course) I wouldn't be an owner because I couldn't afford one. So if the "majority" of "people" out there don't like the styling/headlights, good. I like the styling, as do most here on the 996 board and this thread. That picture taken from above, very nice!
But you are so right, jumping in and driving, brings a big smile to my face. Every time. Yee haw!
09-13-2019, 10:05 PM
#25
Rennlist Member
The 996 was a shock to the system in so many ways, the headlights were just another excuse to hate.
09-15-2019, 12:29 AM
#26
Three Wheelin'
Here's a shock to your system. Actually I think they felt like they had hit it out of the park and that the lights would be the new face of the marque. And you can see why. That's why they included them in the boxster. In this application they are pretty much predatory.
09-15-2019, 01:00 AM
#27
Rennlist Member
And then someone thought this was a good idea......
09-27-2019, 09:44 AM
#28
Rennlist Member
And to another comment here, the first-gen Boxster was indeed a great car and helped save the company. I still remember seeing my first one ever circa late 1997 when in DC at my first professional conference after completing my first professional degree. I vowed to own one, which took me many years...