Teach Me About 996 Interiors

"P5guy now GTIguy" (p5guy)
10/25/2015 at 23:41 • Filed to: 911, Porsche, 996

Everytime I see a picture of a 996 generation 911 interior, the center stack is in a different layout. Sometimes the climate controls are all the way at the top with a single DIN radio below and some storage cubbies in the lower half of the dash.

Other times The climate controls are all the way at the bottom where the cubbies are in the first picture, and some don’t even have a lower portion to the dash. The first gen Boxter shared an interior with this 911, and also has variations on where the controls are located. Does anyone know why some models had some combinations and others not?

DISCUSSION (11)

TheOnelectronic > P5guy now GTIguy
10/25/2015 at 23:54

I think it has to do with various radio/AC options. Some are double-slot or single slot.

I agree, though. I rarely see two alike.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > P5guy now GTIguy
10/26/2015 at 00:14

Maybe it all depended on the factory worker’s mood that day?

PushToStart > P5guy now GTIguy
10/26/2015 at 01:28

So fugly. Looks like it's straight out of a GM plant

M54B30 > P5guy now GTIguy
10/26/2015 at 02:35

That bottom picture wouldn’t look out of place in some GM sedan. It literally looks like a Smart fortwo interior designer, 1st gen Focus interior designer and GM materials boss had an orgy

Porsche interiors were hideous back then, good grief

Cherry_man1 > P5guy now GTIguy
10/26/2015 at 02:57

I think it depends on the model. the top image is a GT3 and the bottom looks like a C2 or C2s.

Master Cylinder > P5guy now GTIguy
10/26/2015 at 09:42

The 996 interior is the reason I am not terribly interested in a 996. I know it’s a good car and right now they’re a fair value proposition, but damn, every time you want to drive it you have to look at that dashboard.

P5guy now GTIguy > TheOnelectronic
10/26/2015 at 09:52

It looks like all the parts are interchangeable.

Poache E (O)\===/(O) > P5guy now GTIguy
11/29/2015 at 11:21

The factory would build them differently according to trim levels.

There were also two revisions of the center console. Each module is interchangeable with some restrictions.

Available single modules include: the ac, the radio, a storage cubby, a cd holder, a cassette holder, and cup holder.

There’s also a double din nav/Pcm module which is really the main reason it’s so configurable: because it’s double din, the ac unit had to be relocatable so you could play music while it was cold outside comfortably.

The next wrinkle is that the gt3 of its time had a ‘delete’ option so the lower pod can be removed completely.

So there's a lot of choices for someone messing with that console. Ask me how I know!

P5guy now GTIguy > Poache E (O)\===/(O)
11/29/2015 at 13:28

That sounds pretty interesting. Since most modules are single, could they theoretically be put anywhere?

Poache E (O)\===/(O) > P5guy now GTIguy
11/29/2015 at 17:01

Yes, but there are some limitations iirc. For example, the bottom most slot in the console is a little narrower, so the ac fits without its centering bezel but I don’t think it’s wide enough for a normal din/double din.

Personally I’m waiting for a single din flip up with android auto, then I’m going to replace the stock audio and remove the lower console - I’m a bit lanky so the extra space for will be appreciated.

I also have aspirations of putting some radio equipment down there, for race / road trip purposes

P5guy now GTIguy > Poache E (O)\===/(O)
11/30/2015 at 00:08

Sounds like a good build you’ve got going. I wonder if that Porsche nav system that was introduced for the older air cooled model would look too out of place.