Porsche 996 Turbo: King of the Jungle? Shooting Brake’s UK Road Review

LIVE TONIGHT shootingbrake....
Generally, when enthusiasts think of Porsche, they think of high revving, naturally aspirated flat sixes with PDK boxes that select the next gear at a 9,000 rpm redline.
Occasionally however, the engineers choose to do something different and use forced induction to propel the 911 into orbit.

[@karlthomas5023]

I daily my 2002 996 turbo that’s totally stock and love it, it’s was my dream car growing up and it never disappoints when I get in it, it’s cheap to insure with FJ and maintenance is very reasonable, I would advise anyone who is considering one, to pull the trigger and buy one - yes you can get a newer porsche for what the turbo costs, but don’t, buy a turbo 👌

[@sh010272]

I am in a conundrum, about to buy either a 996 turbo or a 997 targa daily. Are you still using your Turbo as a daily?

[@karlthomas5023]

@@sh010272 yes every day, just let it warm up and cool down before I give it some, in all honesty I love it, I’ve changed the head unit and now put a stainless steel exhaust on it and it the best thing I’ve done

[@ericshepard6669]

I feel ya brother

[@herberttuck2170]

I daily my dark olive metallic 996 Turbo S, and I love it. 20,000 miles in 2 years. Just got back from the alps, and it didn't miss a beat. My dog also loves it.

[@shootingbrake]

Dark Olive Metallic is a stunning colour. Sounds like a very cool ownership story, wishing you many happy miles!

[@stephenauty2402]

Lovely colour combo. The 996 Turbo has old school feel but still very reliable for some big road trips , I always describe mine as a Sport GT car, the engine is an absolute weapon in the rear. I would say for 95% of the time it's a more comfortable place to be than a Carrera and it's road presence and confidence is right up there but for those nippy little blasts through some tight curves, I would say the Carrera or a Cayman/Boxster would be more fun but the Turbo will still raise a grin and it'll still have immense grip and you won't ever be disappointed you bought one.

[@sherparoyale]

Spot on. It is a bit terrifying for the tight backroads, especially downhill

[@borls7399]

Have been looking at 996/7s for something more analogue - this video picked up and loved the realism (relatable insights) and natural style. Good luck with your channel

[@shootingbrake]

Thank you!

[@carmadnab]

Thank you for addressing Turbo Lag! The term is thrown around far too much without actually being accurate

[@francisflorez5581]

Get the short shifter it makes a big difference when you’re rowing through the gears.

[@shootingbrake]

We liked the standard long throw on the 996 but it's all personal preference!

[@Da-Real-Cookie-Monster]

Really good review man! Thought you were a way bigger channel till I saw you have about 1k subscribers - you'll do great keep up the good work.

[@shootingbrake]

Much appreciated 🙌🏽 we’re glad you enjoyed

[@JacobMueller]

My friends and I were just talking about the affordability of the 996 (non-turbos). Perfect timing on the video.

[@evryhndlestakn]

Get one mate. I was lucky enough to get a c4s & I've never regretted it. The amount of car you get for the money is well worthwhile.

[@shootingbrake]

996s are currently a performance bargain in every guise. The base 996 Carrera offers a ridiculous amount of thrill for the ordinary road driver. Stay tuned, we have a video coming soon on Ghaleb’s very own Carrera!

[@Hugofitzg1]

Really great review for a fantastic car. The best 996 Turbo review out there

[@shootingbrake]

High praise, thank you very much! More 996 content on the way

[@cucamongaduke3600]

My ‘03 is midnight blue on gray. Question I get all the time as people are walking around it in the sun, “Wait. What color is this?” My response is typically, “Yes.”

[@motorclaimguru]

You would not believe this, I had an Identical black Carrera on a 98 the same as the vehicle at the start, I now have a Lapis blue turbo ,with a cinnamon brown interior , nearly and identical pair of cars

[@ghaleboncars]

Great taste! It's funny, there seems to be a fair few 98MY Carrera 2s in my spec. I get the feeling that they were some kind of pre-optioned launch spec for the 996. Mine is Gloss Black over Space Grey, LSD, heated comfort seats, sunroof, turbo twists and PDC. Probably missing a few things but it's a very specific spec that seems to be repeated across the 98MY!

[@motorclaimguru]

mine was Gloss black over tan m030 with lsd, IPD plenum and throttle body, with Dansk exhaust and a map, i would argue that it is a much enjoyable drivers car to my turbo@@ghaleboncars

[@MorningNapalm]

Good review! I also have an early 996 C2, and love it, but I would jump at the chance to try a Turbo for an afternoon.

[@shootingbrake]

Two very different animals for sure! It would certainly be an eye opening experience to try a Turbo

[@ericshepard6669]

I have this exact car in my garage, not lying. I'm in Love with this car. Well, gray interior.

[@shootingbrake]

Glad you enjoy it just as much as we do!

[@carmadnab]

Ahh to drive these one day…

[@steviemarco7353]

I used to own an X50 and on boost passengers couldn't touch the dashboard. There was defo more than 450bhp in the X50's and I loved every minute of owning it. I would love a 991 GT3 but the size of those is just too big for me so looking at 996 & 997's in the near future. I was one of those loony's that switched off PSM, only once, that was enough lol

[@shootingbrake]

996/7 is a lovely size for the road. A real sweet spot!

[@std882]

The car looked gorgeous in that color. Oddly enough it looked dark green. And I love the interior color. So elegant.

[@2702simmo]

I’ve a 996 C2 with Hartech 3.7 upgrade that I love but I keep lusting after a turbo. My mate had one and said it bores him in comparison to the Carrera but I need to drive one

[@ghaleboncars]

Definitely try one. It's a different experience to a Carrera and you'll love some aspects of the Turbo and miss some of the Carrera. Whether the Turbo is right for you depends on what you want from your 911 and how you drive it

[@avinii]

Ask yourself, how many times do you actually use all the power on your way to your destination? I got a 05 996 4S X51 with PSE and legal 105db, and I would never trade that brutal sound for the power of the turbo. The amount of sound a 996 Carrera with PSE makes while driving humble is just insane and uncomparable to a Turbo.

[@carlos13rivera]

I love my 03 black on black 996.2 c2 6spd... my daily driver! 😊

[@shootingbrake]

Wishing you many happy miles in it! Hard to beat a manual 996 Carrera.

[@sherparoyale]

I tried to drive my 996tt sparingly. I just couldn’t. Ended up dailying it while my new BMW 5 series collects dust

[@hugohugo2832]

Mine is my everyday car

[@shootingbrake]

Great way to travel around

[@RichardWarner-df7dz]

Great vid. I have a 2005 Turbo S manual. Very fun, I’ve done Techart Sterring wheel, lighter wheels and Ti X pipe Exhaust. It is brutal sounding. I might keep it or change to a slightly quieter one. In the power band it feels and sounds like a Porsche racing car. Amazing. I also have a cayman S and Pana turbo. Very fun. Cheers boys.

[@claudiomarangone614]

In what sense do you think it feels like a race Porsche race car?

[@RichardWarner-df7dz]

@@claudiomarangone614 sounds like a racing car. Because it does. My exhaust is Ti unrestricted . It sounds absolutely amazing when in the power band and is very,very loud. Also, the 996 turbo engine is devired from the GT1 Le Mans winning race car. It feels like one because it is very fast and capable of 197(Porsche claims)I also have a Honda CBR400RR motorcycle with similar exhaust(revs to 15,000)It has the same sensation. Brutal, viseral. They race my bike all the time also. I also wanted but haven’t found a smaller bike. CBR250RR. Redline is 19,000 and rev limiter is 20,0000. My bike and this one never came to the USA. The 250RR sounds like an older F1 car. Cheers.

[@shootingbrake]

Sounds incredible. It is crazy how much an X-pipe changes the sound of these 911s! The later cup car exhausts collect into a single system which may explain why they sound similar.

[@claudiomarangone614]

@@RichardWarner-df7dz Oh, it sounds like a Porsche race car . pardon, I misunderstood you the first time now I understand. Thank you for your thorough explanation . I own a 964 that has Poersche 993 heat exchangers with a canted X-pipe that flows into 993 mufflers, that have a 1 inch bypass. Sounds excellent with no drone. When I’m on it hard and in high revives, it lets me know what I’m doing and when I’m it gently or on the highway it isn’t tiring. I get compliments on it all the time .

[@studid55]

Good sir! I Really enjoyed the video. Now I am really really wanting to see the video of YOUR 996 C2. I love love the C2 and am going to get one. I'd love to hear your thoughts and to see more about your c2. It looks AMAZING! It's stanced so so well and its beautiful :D

[@shootingbrake]

Thank you! Early 996 C2s are fantastic cars and possibly one of the best drives you can get this side of 30k GBP! Hopefully do a video soon.

[@alexfrost8561]

Wow this is beautifully filmed

[@shootingbrake]

Thank you!

[@chrismaguire719]

I’m in a bit of a dilemma at the moment. I’ve a c2 996 and a ur quattro running 400bhp. Not sure if I should get rid of the pair and get a 996 turbo. What do you think ?

[@Witepvp]

If i were you i would sell them and buy a 996 turbo. Idk how much bang for the buck they are now since they are almost the same price as 997 turbos. I own a tiptronic 996 turbo and its amazing to drive but lacks in launch due to the transmission. the pulls with the turbo at 4k rpm is just so amazing and you never get bored. If you find a white/black/red/yellow 996 turbo manual for a good price, dont hesitate or someone else will buy it 😂

[@ghaleboncars]

So hard to say! I bet the Quattro feels very raw and boosty, and the 996 C2 is an analogue delight. The Turbo offers incredible performance, presence, looks, and it's engaging in its own way. It holds its own against the Carrera and older boosted cars but I think you would need to try one to see if it offers what you want from car ownership. I think if you want a more usable classic, something to do eurotrips & Scotland in, get the Turbo and pile miles on it.

[@motorclaimguru]

I had a 996 Carrera on a 98 ,modded, and have a 996 turbo now. Based on the values of both the cars you have rising, and the very different driving experiences, if you can afford to keep them, I would keep them and not buy a turbo. If you are limited in space, get a turbo.

[@kriskalpa]

nice video man do more stuff on your 996

[@shootingbrake]

Thank you! Will be reviewing it later this year, it's going through a few changes atm.

[@stup3rdup3rman]

awesome review

[@MrRoyck10]

I don’t like turbo or chasing boast, I’d rather chase revs, noise is more interesting than speed in a sports car where the average speed limit is 20mph.

[@shootingbrake]

Agree on all counts!

[@claudiomarangone614]

I drove a properly tuned 996.2 turbo with 500 horses at the Wheels… there was no lag no chasing boost… torque everywhere in every gear. Such a solid chassis, engine. Incredibly capable for an all-wheel-drive platform.

[@stuartrhodes7352]

Fantastic review, I really want one but the wife does not😮!

[@shootingbrake]

Get her to drive one, she may change her mind!

[@theunitedway8594]

Lets goooooooo ifti my bro ❤

[@WadeinWhiskey]

Brakes are 4 pot but still great.

[@shootingbrake]

Our mistake! They are massive and effective regardless as you say

[@SeamusMcFitz-jz9if]

Wrong. 6pot front. 4 in the back.

[@kona328WH]

I like this gen turbo. But the interior colour this one has aged badly and whom ever put that wonky number plate on needs a slap.

[@ghaleboncars]

Interior is definitely a matter of taste, I get why some wouldn't like it but personally I loved it! No comment on the wonky plate though haha

[@xavman1674]

Indeed, full black interior and exterior in manual for sure

[@motorclaimguru]

@@xavman1674 I could not disagree more, like driving inside a post box, doom and gloom! 996 suit coloured interior's , and black is a nightmare colour to own, nothing worse! you are constantly cleaning them

[@xavman1674]

Not really…especially if you paid for a ceramic treatment !

[@Euphorica]

Fabtastic cars

[@Mckorzi]

The only problem with the 996 T is that they sound like sh…t

[@shootingbrake]

We can't agree, in person they sound really cool - almost fighter jet-esque. Not the traditional sonorous naturally aspirated noise, but a powerful one nonetheless