My Porsche Carrera 4 Cabrio

Porsche 996 Carrera 4 Cabrio (996 610)

It was since the sale of my Turbo that I really wanted to get back on a Porsche. I missed the quality and performance, the sense of history and the feeling of engineering excellence of Porsches. I have always been in love with 911s, having owned four and driven so many as test cars in my days as a motoring journalist, so I simply had to get one again... but I had to find the right car, not just a second-hand Porsche. A stroke of luck was learning that a golf-playing friend was thinking of selling his immaculate 2000 Carrera 4 Cabrio: a deal was stuck quickly, and, knowing of this gentleman's reputation for exact, money-no-object maintenance (and he is a good friend), I didn't even ask Porsche for any inspection. What I found when I took delivery of the 911 was even better than what I expected....

Delivered, Friday 24 June 2016

First day (evening?) in Pasini's ownership...refueling after Minardy Day's Gala Dinner in Imola

Front view showing the '601' Litronics, a very desirable option now and quite exceptional in 2000. '641745' was delivered in Bologna Friday 18/02/2000

It is astonishing to see that '641745' has done only 52257 kms (32470 miles) from new, and all in the hands of one extremely careful owner who never missed a service, always having everything done by the official Porsche dealer in Bologna. The service book is full of official stampings....

Everything is completely original, down to the Becker CR22 radio with cassette holder. The original CD changer is in the boot

I used a flash to show the blue hue of the interior (Metropol Blue)

The engine bay is just dusty, surely not dirty

The 'Reifenluftdruck' sticker	Front wheel/tyre, with the optional and desirable 18" 'Turbo' wheels. Silver brake calipers were a distinctive mark of the Carrera 4

The complete set of documents supplied by the previous owner included the 'Assembly and Operating Instructions' for the 'Hardtop and Wheel Storage System'. The system itself was included in the deal, as was the original hardtop painted in the correct Zenith Metallic Blue. Only a true enthusiast can understand the joy of finding a 911 that has been pampered so thoroughly for 16 years by her first and only owner

27 July: a new Sonnenland hood


The only part that wasn't so good was the hood, that was showing its age (upper picture left). We tried to repair a small tear in the rear window, but the repair was worse than the original tear. The hood had therefore to be replaced, and a new 'Sonnenland' was ordered at the EuroTop firm

The new Indigo Blue hood in place. EuroTop made a splendid job manufacturing a perfect Verdeck that was then expertly fitted by AutoInterni in Faenza

A very interesting detail. While the original hood had a glued rear window, this one has been sewn with a double round of stitches, so it looks really better than the original one. The colour match is perfect

The rear plastic window has a stamping at its bottom, clearly the homologation number of the part	Porsche recommends 98 RON gasoline, so I fill her with 100 octane when I find it. This is not easy
1 August, minor improvements

The badges were those fitted on my Turbo, they look good here	The number plate holder was not so smart....we replaced it with a slimmer (black) one

Ready for a holiday in Forte dei Marmi.....
August 2016: enjoying the 996 in Versilia

Cabrios are made to savor a nice sunset, like the one we are enjoying at the Darsena in Viareggio

(Preliminary chilling of a very dry) Cocktail Martini mit Neunelfer in the background. Once the Martini-flavored cube of ice has ended its function, it will be removed and substitued with a large unstoned olive. Of course, this means that I didn't drive after the Martini...remember, NEVER drink and drive!

The much maligned 'fried egg' headlamp of the first-series 996, designed by the great Harm Lagaaij (who also signed the Cayenne, Boxster, Carrera GT and many other great cars). I don't find it ugly; it was a great way to integrate so many functions in a single unit with no visible screws, comparatively cheap to manufacture, easy to install and useable bot on the 996 and the Boxster. The oval headlamps of the 997 are beautiful but also more expensive; I think that the integrated lamp of the 996 is a classic in its own way, and will be appreciated in the future
20 November 2016

Nice mileage!
2016 - 2017 - 2018 - 2019 -2020 -2021 -2022 - 2023 - 2024