997.1 CARRERA

By reprising much of the look of the 993, the 997 was universally appreciated from the outset. Today, it's considered a classic. Here's what you need to know when buying one in 2023...

- Kieron Fennelly

The curvaceous styling of the 996, particularly its interior, was in vogue in the late 1990s. Yet although it suited Ford’s ground-breaking Focus, Porsche buyers were more conservative and critical. For his last major oeuvre at Porsche, design chief Harm Lagaay turned to Grant Larson to recreate something of the 993 in the 997’s lines. Pinky Lai, stylist of the 996, was awarded the consolation prize of the forthcoming Cayman at the same time.

There was little question that as far as the Porsche community was concerned, this was what they’d been waiting for and Steve Sutcliffe, writing for Autocar, was almost alone in calling for a moreradical, less-obviously 911 shape. Often referred to as a ‘reskin’ of the 996, although it kept the same platform and wheelbase, the 997 was rather more than that. Much work was carried out on the 996 shell to incorporate not just greater crash protection, but the adjustments to height and width necessary for 19-inch wheels that were also wider, which meant moving the wheel centres.

Space was also required for the ever-growing repertoire of technology such as PASM. As before, the range extended to C4 (which used the wider body and had 295- rather than 265-section rear tyres) and Cabriolet and sliding roof Targa versions; the Coupe was by far the most popular. The 997 cabin was revised: while the basic layout and ergonomics were unchanged, the curves and swoops of the 996 era gave way to a more classic appearance, which also featured better materials.