Wednesday One-Off: 1999 Porsche 911 Classic Club Coupe

The 996-era Porsche 911 was the fifth generation of the iconic sports car, which was launched in 1997 and brought with it the most significant change to the legendary model's tried and tested formula: a water-cooled flat-six.

Now, 27 years after the first 996 was unveiled, it has become a certified modern classic, which – despite generating some controversy about the new engine at its launch - represents a cost-effective but no less enjoyable route into Porsche ownership.

To date, Collecting Cars have sold over 200 examples of this ever-popular sports car, in all its forms from entry level Carrera to the all-season Turbo, and all the way up to the lauded GT3 RS. Whatever your budget, there’s usually a 996-era 911 to fit it. However, this week’s Wednesday One-Off was unattainable even for the some of the world’s wealthiest collectors.

The car in question is a unique 1999 Porsche 911 Classic Club Coupe, which was built in collaboration between Porsche Classic and the Porsche Club of America in 2022. Based on a standard 911 Carrera, the inspiration for the build came from the 997 Sport Classic, which was a limited-edition retro-inspired variant of that generation model.

As with the Sport Classic, the Classic Club Coupe was upgraded with a redesigned front bumper, heavily sculpted side skirts, a bespoke ‘double bubble’ roof, and a distinctive ventilated ‘ducktail’ rear spoiler. The car was then finished in the refined Paint to Sample hue of Sport Grey Metallic, highlighted by twin light grey racing stripes with blue accents, as well as matching ‘Classic Club Coupe’ side decals. The exterior aesthetic was rounded off with a set of forged 18-inch Fuchs alloy wheels finished in gloss-black with anodised lips. The overall effect was a modern take on the iconic 911 Carrera RS 2.7 silhouette.

Inside, the cabin was retrimmed in Slate Grey leather, with black and grey Pepita cloth inserts on the seats and door cards, as well as an Alcantara headlining. It was also fitted with a unique rev-counter dial with body-matching racing stripes and ‘911 Classic Club Coupe’ lettering, and flashes of Porsche Club of America’s signature Club Blue in the form of the cabin stitching and embroidered ‘911 Classic Club Coupe’ lettering on the front headrests. To bring the cabin more up-to-date, a Porsche Classic Communication Management Plus infotainment system was fitted, which came equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

While the 997 Sport Classic model was mechanically enhanced with the factory Powerkit, this bespoke 996 took things to another level. In order to comprehensively upgrade the performance of this unique build, the original powertrain was replaced with a 996.2-era GT3 specification 3.6-litre naturally aspirated ‘Mezger’ flat-six, producing up to 381hp at 8,000rpm. This was coupled to a matching six-speed manual gearbox. Alongside fitting this upgraded powertrain, Porsche Classic and the Porsche Club of America made the decision to install the uprated brakes and high-performance suspension from the GT3 model as well, giving this 996-era sports car the pace and road-handling to complement its bespoke exterior.

Once completed, this stunning Porsche 911 Classic Club Coupe was offered for sale at the exclusive Anniversary Auction event in Atlanta in June 2023. A single-marque sale; it commemorated the impressive 75-year milestone by featuring a curated selection of 75 of the most desirable classic and collectible Porsches on the market. This highly bespoke and unique build went on to sell for an eye-watering $1.325 million.