TIME MACHINE Journey through 911&PW’S past 128
Editor Bennett peruses the archives of 911 & Porsche World from days gone by. What’s changed? That will be everything and nothing...
Rewind with us now to the March 1999 issue and check out a very busy/colourful front cover, designed to catch the eye in Whsmith or perhaps an airport. Inside there was certainly plenty to read, so let’s take a quick look...
If there was a theme, it was definitely modifying and Editor, Horton, even admitted in his editorial that he had warmed to the concept in a ‘life is too short to be precious’ about such activities. As ever with these things, mods then were different to mods now and they do rather show their age. The front cover starring Boxster is rather more dominated by its colour than the bodykit, but you can’t argue with the wheels, which are a nod to the original Boxster concept and would look equally good today.
The Techart widebody kit certainly gave the snake hipped 996 some attitude and previewed the arrival of the 996 Turbo with its rear wing scoops and spoiler. In a world of silver 996s it certainly stood out.
Leaving modified Porsches aside, we took a look at the various financing options available to Porsche buyers from good old cash to contract hire. These days everbody finances, but nearly 20-years ago things were rather different, although it was still quite possible to get a Porsche on the drive without expending too much up front.
In the Guest Speaker slot, Porsche Club stalwart and racer, Bill Goodman, stepped in to defend the 996, which was still very much the new 911 in town and rather a departure from its air-cooled predecessors. It was, to put it mildly, controversial. Nothing new there then! You’ll have heard all the criticisms before, which are trotted out for any new 911: too refined; it’s a GT now and not a sports car etc. Sound familiar? Predictably, living with the 996 for a few days put everything into perspective and Bill was smitten concluding: “If you wish to drive fast – in real safety and without shouting about it, I simply cannot think of any other car that will do the job any better; or, for that matter anything like as well.”