Lee Sibley

Poole, UK

Model 996.1 CARRERA Year 1998 Acquired JANUARY 2019 Model 996 40 JAHRE Year 2003 Acquired APRIL 2023

It’s been a fun few weeks getting to know my new (to me) 40 Jahre 911. For those of you wondering if the crossover between it and my 996.1 Carrera would be too great, allow me to enlighten you.

At face value, there are lots of similarities: both are rear-drive manual Coupes from the 996-generation

911. However, beyond that, they differ substantially, and it’s been a fascinating process deep-diving into their nuances in a way that would only be appreciated in this very magazine.

There’s no question the Anniversary feels like a more grown-up car than

Little Irish. Its build quality is vastly superior over the early 996 for starters, as is its overall condition. It features a few extra niceties that hint at its more mature approach to sports car driving. A switchable exhaust, rear wiper and lovely sunroof are all welcome cases in point.

They sound different, they handle differently, and their engines are completely different in character, too. The 3.4-litre in the Gen1 is more toppy, and needs those revs eked out to get moving. The Anniversary by contrast has an explosive turn of pace in the mid-range, and just feels stronger the higher in revs you climb. Its extra 50bhp is noticeable, and more freely accessible, too.

Which do I prefer? I should start by saying I’m impressed with how quickly the Anniversary car has got underneath my skin. As a 996 evangelist, it’s great to jump into a car where I already know the platform exceedingly well, and so whereas it took me about three years to really understand how my 996.1 Carrera drives, I’m well on the way with the Anniversary after just three weeks!

However, I much prefer the drive of my modified 996.1 Carrera. The ‘modified’ bit is crucial here, because if we were to compare the stock Anniversary to a stock 996.1 C2, I’d take the Anniversary. However, driving it has only reinforced earlier decisions made when modifying Little Irish. I prefer the seat and seating position in Little Irish – those 997 thrones have me sitting closer to the floor, and do a much better job of holding me in place during fast driving. They’re also a million times more comfortable than the Anniversary’s factory 996 Sport seats.

Likewise, I prefer the smaller steering wheel in Little Irish, and the shorter throw of the gear shift, too – it makes the longer throw in the Anniversary feel a little sloppy by comparison.

Then there’s those KW V3s in the .1, which transformed the car’s handling and, I think, give a superior ride to the Anniversary’s factory M030. While the KW V3’s are firmer on the road, they enable Little Irish to corner much flatter and faster, reducing pitch and roll.

The 40th Anniversary is an absolutely fantastic driving machine, but Little Irish is a tool that’s been honed and refined over a period of years (and at substantial cost) to appeal to me and how I like to drive. Present these two to somebody else and a different conclusion may well be reached, but I take great comfort – and pride – in the fact these gems are on my driveway, and they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.