Saw this beautiful 2001 Orient Red 996TT on a dealer site in the Bay Area. The VIN doesn't list the X50 option but the photo of the window sticker has Dealer Installed X50 package for $18,000 along with X71 & X78.

Is this normal for a dealer to install these options back in 2001?

​​​​​​https://www.carsauto.com/2001-porsch...rbo-c-2096.htm

 

That doesn't quite look authentic to me. In 2001 an X50 package wasn't even an option so if the dealer installed it was years after the car was purchased or the car sat on the dealer lot so long the X50 package became available.

 

That color though!!!

 

Seems fishy...

The intercooler, turbos, and exhaust are pretty easily changed but the x50 also came with a different oil pump and more robust transmission and those would be way to difficult for the dealer to do to a brand new car. And as Carlo said the x50 wasnt even an option until the 2002 model year. This is my local dealer they are claiming did this, they seem pretty cool there. You could try calling the service manager up and see if he thinks that was even a possibility. I'm going to guess no.

 

There was no official dealer installed X50.

 

I can't remember if it was '01 or '02 but I personally saw a new 996TT at my local dealer awaiting delivery to have an X50 package installed. I was close friends with the sales manager and he pointed it out to me because it was going to another friend of ours. I wasn't aware at the time of the internal items mentioned above so I can't say what they put on the car but I do remember they were charging the $18,000 because it surprised me the customer who I knew was willing to spend that much for an option (lets just say he was somewhat conservative with money).

 

Yes, Orient Red is the bomb.

 

"brembro" brakes

 

That 525 hp number seems a bit suspect to me as well…..the $3200 brembo ceramics seem like a screaming deal as well….. how about the 5k backup camera sound system with iPod integration. Either someone was taken for a serious ride or this is someone’s attempt to pass this off on an unsuspecting seller…

 

All of this would have required the engine to be pulled from the car, the second oil pickup to be installed, and the engine put back together... at considerably more cost than it could have been done on an assembly line.

Plus as noted above, it was not a dealer installed option, nor was it available in 2001.

That being said, I suppose the original buyer could have retrofitted this, but, it would have cost a great deal more than $18K... PCCBs too, but not at $3k ish.

 

Not to mention the skill to put together a document such as this that looks authentic...

 

As it happens, i think this did go on.

my 02's service history (from the dealer's records) had this carried out by the orginal dealer approx 4yrs after the car was delivered new..

"INSTALL TURBO PERFORMANCE KIT. K24 TURBOCHARGERS, GT2 INTERCOOLERS, AWE SPORT EXHAUST, AIR INTAKEINSTALLED FULL POWER PACKAGE"

Original owner was billed 12k.. 2 weeks later, another line:

"INSTALL GT2 EVO HYBRID EXHAUST"

I'm not really sure I could market my car as X50; but it did attract the previous owner who felt that was most of the X50 mods (exl transmission), who felt it wasn't reflected in the price he paid.

 

Definitely doesn't make it an x50.

 

Nada, it does not.

 

From Porsche's press release:

The 911 Turbo also offers an optional X50 engine enhancement performance package that increases horsepower to 444 (SAE) @ 5,700 rpm and sustains 457 lb.-ft of peak torque from 3,500 to 4,500 rpm. The new package includes modifications to the turbocharger, air intake cooler, electronic control unit, exhaust system, as well as a strengthened transmission. The X50 package is only available as an option from the Porsche factory