There’s no such thing as too many Porsche 911 GT3s in our book, which is why we’re including the 996.1 GT3 on this list. No, it’s not much different than the revised 996.2 GT3 that Porsche started selling in the U.S. for the 2004 model year, but it isn’t exactly the same either.
Arguably, it’s the lesser of the two 996-era GT3s (although only slightly), as its high-revving 3.6-liter flat-six is down about 30 horses to the 375 hp produced by the later U.S.-bound GT3. Plus, as on all 996.1s, the earlier GT3 shared its egg-yolk headlights with the cheaper mid-engine Boxster of the era.
Still, the 996.1 GT3 shares one key trait with its more powerful and more distinct-looking follow-up: grin-inducing dynamics. With Porsche sending around 1000 996.2 GT3s to the U.S., it’s not every day a GT3 of this 911 generation comes to market.
Now you can expand your search to the slightly less powerful but equally thrilling 996.1 GT3. And if the example you’re looking at has a 1999 build date, then you’ll be able to drive it on American roads at some point in 2024.
