Porsche 996 Carrera 4 Millennium Edition driven
Sixteen years ago. It all seems so fresh, the idea that at the turn of the millennium the world could stop revolving, while computer programmers would be cashing in sorting out the will-it-or-won’t-it ‘bug’. Never has a date change been so potentially cataclysmic, or in hindsight, such a let down.
We all partied like it was 1999 because, finally, it was. Porsche celebrated with a special edition 911: the 996 Millennium. Fittingly it was painted in Violet chromaflair where, according to the brochure, “the colour changes from black to dark green to an elegant shade of violet.”
Sitting under the sun today, that hue’s flipping between a deep brown to near black, with a bit of green there too, depending on how the light’s hitting it.
Porsche certainly isn’t averse to a special edition, though I’ll admit before the Editor alerted me to it, the existence of the 996 Carrera 4 Millennium Edition had escaped me. I’m not alone, either.
It’s said there’s just three RHD UK cars, making the Millennium exceptionally rare
It was introduced in December 1999, with the limited build number set at 911 – what else? – and was based exclusively on the Carrera 4. Trawling through contemporary magazines there’s no mention of it anywhere – not even a news story, let alone a drive.
That’s perhaps not so much a reflection of the Millennium’s status, but rather the fact that, at the time, the GT3 had just landed, its hardcore status being perfect fodder for the automotive press hungry for a 996 to really love.
Throw in pent-up demand for the new Turbo, rumours of the GT2 and – outside our remit here admittedly, but relevant – the build up to the Cayenne, and it’s not surprising that the Millennium Edition could have been overlooked.
Even with standard ‘Turbo Twist’ wheels (8×18-inch front and 10×18-inch rear sizes fitted with 225/40/ZR18 and 285/35/ZR18 tyres respectively) finished in chrome and that trick paint, the Millennium has escaped the attention of all but the most obsessive Porsche fans.
There’s no firm data on how many arrived in the UK, though it’s said there’s just three RHD UK cars, making the Millennium an exceptionally rare car indeed. That might not come as a surprise when you consider what it cost, the Millennium adding just under £5,000 to the price of a standard Carrera 4.
To read more about the Porsche 996 Carrera 4 Millennium Edition, including our thoughts from behind the wheel, pick up Total 911 issue 145 in store today. Alternatively, order your copy online for home delivery, or download it straight to your digital device now.
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