It didn’t grow on me so much as ‘with’ me. Steering wheel. Painted console and horseshoe. Custom gearshift. G-loc belt tensioners. Nice carpets, including back window with 928 manifold emblem. New radio. Better pedal covers.

Compared to other performance cars of the era, the 996 is bland and isn’t luxurious (soft touch pain(t) for God’s sake!). Porsche always seems to lag a generation behind BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar with tech, switches and seats. But I enjoy my simple cockpit. I don’t listen to much other than engine noise, real engine noise. Back in 2002 I tested and considered a new base 996. But it did nothing for me...for the big money. At the time I remember lusting after the RS4, C32 AMG, M3 and even the S60R. All had better interiors. All were great cars. 18 years later...completely different story for me.

I don’t love this car for it’s interior. My love’s about everything else.

 

Full leather and a glove box do make a difference. I’ve had a 99 with no leather dash and a C4S with full leather and it’s much better. That being said either one is light years better than a 993 or earlier interior. The 996 interior is simple and driver focused. All I’m looking at while driving are the gauges and they are perfectly laid out.

 

It's not just you, but there are plenty of others who like a nice interior. Neither opinion is better than the other. Some people would say "Why would anyone buy a Porsche? A car just needs to get me from Point A to Point B."

Lots of things in this world are subjective, and I am so glad they are!

I love a nice interior. Nothing overly complicated but something that makes me feel like I am driving a quality car. The 996 interior did feel a little cheap to me when I first got into 911s but it grew on me pretty quickly. I can see how full leather interior would make things much better though.

 

I see no issues with the 996 interior at all. Mine is a rare nephrite green colour which i really like and chose to have. Some plastic parts need a bit of attention and over a course of 17 years i only had to replace the ashtray ( which has never been used) and the horseshoe console cover. Amongst my prev cars were a e36 M3 evo smg and e46 m3 smgii, both in black leather, i dont think there is any difference at all. I also had a e38 750iL , well there isca big difference there between the 7er and any sports car if you ask me not just the 996.

 

Mine is full leather with OEM carbon bits. The leather interior is as good as anything from that era in my opinion. Mine feels like high quality and smells delish! As far as the shapes and curves, it does grow on you in short order. Upgrade the audio and head unit with a 2020 model Kenwood made it just as good as my Land Rover or my wife's 4 series. I could drive it all day long!

 

this is absolutely stunning !! One of the best 996 interiors if you ask me

 

Full leather is the way to go on a 996.

 

My sport seats and 3 spoke wheel are all I need. Ya it's not a "fancy" or however you want to classify it but to me it's about the drive.

If you want coddled, get a Benz

 

I went from a full leather 2.5 Boxster to a full leather (Millennium) 996. Interiors didn't just grow on me I liked both from the start. The 996 interior complaint is about as lame as the headlights. I put about 100 miles on a nice 3.2 Cab last month then hopped straight into my 996 afterwards and was laughing hysterically at how much better the 996 was all around. And if you think the 996 is bad, try a Ferrari from the same era, where the plastics melt or fall apart in your hands.

Spend a little seat time and you'll find the 996 is a very comfortable car (for what it is) and a capable tourer. Mine is the summer daily driver and it excels at that.

 

Same steering wheel and dash cluster layout as a Carrera GT, million dollar car. And that’s what you have to stare at all day , The all leather smells like a leather wallet loaded with cash. Guess Im stuck with it..

 

Well said. Maybe having full leather and contrasting console and horse shoe (Arctic Silver), in my opinion, improves the look. Also I like the simple 3 point steering wheel of the C4S. Really don’t care that others may not be impressed. The only one that matters is me, in this regard.
Cheers

 

Ferraris of that era smell of fish under the hot sun due to the horrid glues they used back them. Plus they have staples for leather bits..... no comparison.

 

I hate the left hand ignition key more than anything else in the interior of the car. Stupid nostalgia crap.

 

Is it not still on left for 992 or am I wrong? I’ve gotten used to it. Not near as difficult as shifting left handed in right drive car. Remapping brain cells kind of fun!

 

I like the 996 interior and I don't even have the full leather option. In black or grey it can be a little bland -- I have Savannah Beige. The main drawback is that *everything* is beige; I would have preferred a combination of beige and black like BMW does quite well. The 996 interior doesn't have the mean "fighter jet" appearance of my '72 911 Targa but it is more comfortable and I love the view out front at the five gauges and the sculpted bonnet.

Honestly the 997 interior is not better in my opinion. The steering wheels are ugly compared to the 996's three-spoke and there are WAY too many buttons in the center console. The door panels aren't nicer. The only thing better in the 997 is the treatment of the upper dash which is more reminiscent of the early cars. From the 991 onwards, Porsche has really advanced its interiors, but the 996 is not bad at all. Just a nice place to be. With the simpler audio options (non-PCM) it's very analog in its styling. Those early navigation displays look really dated now, so it's better not to have them at all.