Hi All

I’ve had numerous 911’s for many years. I love them, this question is more in regards to 996s’s and 997’s delivered in the USA, however a background on 911’s in the US market is needed

I know that back in the mid 70’s the USA brought in laws about 5mph rear bumpers… I think not long after this you guys then were delivered special USA spec porsches which were different to what the rest of the world got. Unfortunately for the USA, not only did the US spec 911’s have very large rubber rear bumpers, but you also got de-tuned or scaled back versions. In Australia we were delivered the standard Euro’ spec cars. The 911SC for example, with 204BHP, stiffer suspension and no large rear bumpers was the standard RHD Aus delivered (euro spec) car. I think the US got a tamer 180bhp version of the SC with different suspension, etc.

My question is in regard to the 996 and 997’s. I have just started browsing this forum, and noticed the USA spec 996 and 997’s, even the GT3’s etc look very different. They don’t seem to have the same options, different seats and of course they still have a very different rear bumper with two large fender things protruding from it, even if the are colour matched to the rest of the car, they really do stand out. Does the US get detuned engines in your 996’s and 997’s and different suspenion, or are the differences only cosmetic?

Also, what are the regulations that mean Porsche have to put the fenders on the 911’s? I have not noticed it on other non Porsche cars.

The reason I ask is a mate of mine is moving to the US in May next year. He is selling his 996 Turbo here and would like to replace it with a 996 GT3 when he sets himself up in the US, but doesn't like the look of the US 996's and wants to know if he can put standard bumpers on it? He also wants to know if anything else is different if he bought a GT3 in the US.

 

The 5 mph bumpers are seen on many european cars in the late 70s and 80s, including BMWs and Mercedes.

Also, the older models were detuned to meet the more stringent emissions in the US, but I believe this is no longer the case.
Most of the regulations have to do with safety, thus those "bumperettes" and different seats, no roll bars , etc.

And yes I know for the 997 it is possible to buy a rear bumper without those bulges, and I imagine you could even swap a euro type bumper onto the 996. Someone else should know for sure

 

Thankfully, no more engine detuning for us. Yes, you can put an Euro bumper on a US car so as not to have the bumperettes. There really is not much different between an Euro and a US GT3, except that we didn't get the 996 Mk 1 GT3 - we got the Mk 2 996 GT3 and now the 997 series GT3. If he were to buy a Carrera S, the major difference would be that one cannot get the -20mm suspension with limited slip differential in the US as one can in Europe.