Porsche 911 fans were shocked in the 1990s when the 996-generation of the iconic sports car arrived, primarily because of its controversial design. The contentiousness centered around the 996’s headlights, which deviated from the classic rounded style with what became known as the “fried egg” headlight design. An independent designer from Simas Design Studio has now envisioned what a 996-inspired design would look like if applied to a modern 911. It’s a question nobody asked, but the final result isn’t as off-putting as you may imagine.
A Fresh Take on the Modern 911
996-inspired Porsche 911
Simas Design Studio
Whereas the 996’s entire light cluster assumed the fried egg shape, the designer instead chose to pair the traditional round headlights with integrated vents. Together, the vents and lights mirror the look of the traditional 996. The look adds a modern twist to the current 911 GTS without the car losing its classic, instantly recognizable profile. The only other change appears to be Turbo Look II wheels inspired by those on the original 996.2 Turbo.
Simas Design Studio
Commenters on social media mostly reacted positively to the changes. After all, finding a way to morph this 996 design cue into something that looks good takes some skill. Not everyone loves it, though, with some preferring to leave the 996 relegated to the past.
Asked about the inspiration behind this design, the designer told CarScoops it was "a quick personal experiment" to see how the two generations of the 911 could be combined.
996 Was a Huge Departure
1999 Porsche 911
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Although still lauded for its feedback and engaging handling, the 996 was such a massive departure from prior 911s that Porsche fans still look at it as a low point in the sports car’s generally unblemished history.
Besides the new design, the 996 introduced a new generation of water-cooled engines, a departure from the older air-cooled mills. To save costs, the development of the 996 was shared with the cheaper, first-generation Porsche Boxster (986). For many, this diluted the appeal of the 911 at that time, an aspirational sports car that should have had little to do with the much cheaper Boxster.
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Thankfully, there’s still much to appreciate about the 996. The flat-six engines still emit an intoxicating wail, but the car is about 110 pounds lighter than the older 993, so with close to 300 horsepower on the early base model, it feels a lot quicker. Later, the 996 Turbo arrived which, when equipped with the X50 Package, raised the output to a heady 444 hp.
The 911 has moved on since the 996’s arrival, though. Today, the cheapest model has 388 hp and is nearly as quick as the 996 Turbo. You can also get it in hybrid form, although a plug-in hybrid doesn’t appear to be part of Porsche’s plans for its legendary sports car.
With all that’s new under the skin, maybe it’s time for a more revolutionary approach to design, just as the 996 did for the nameplate in the 1990s.
Related: Spied: Porsche Could Revive One Of The Strangest 911s Ever Built
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