Well it's goodbye from me...
After some months of thinking should I or shouldn't I, I have sold my Zanzibar Red 996. It is being collected next week.
My reason for moving on was that whilst I loved the looks of my 996, I really missed the boost and sheer brute force acceleration of my old 964 turbo.
So, I started looking at 996 turbos (see my other thread) but after test driving a tip. with over 500bhp, whilst it was bloody fast, it wasn't that exciting.
I also missed the open-top feel of my previous Westfield which was great for the small Cornish roads, but lacked the power (only 120bhp) to give me much of a buzz.
So I started looking for a powerful lightweight open top car. I looked at V6 Exiges, as I had previously owned a VX220 and a VX220 turbo and had heard that the Exige was like a slightly bigger, but much faster, VX220. Having been warned by a dealer that clutches can let go in less than 10k miles and read that the build quality is still less than fantastic, I decided against them.
Whilst looking at Exige V6 videos on YouTube, I came across the Clarkson Top Gear review of the Ariel Atom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbsYPXAJhxU&t=93s
I remembered it well and so started to read the reviews and watch the videos about the Atom, and decided that an Atom may well fit the bill.
After a 1,000 mile road trip to look at a few Atoms (including 911tom's old Atom which is for sale at a dealer) I was taken out by a guy from York (who has had quite a few Porsches) and my lord, it was exciting, especially without a helmet! I came home via the Ariel factory just outside Crewkerne in Somerset (only 130 miles from me) and had talk to them and a good look around.
After a long conversation via email, text and phone with another chap who was selling his Atom, this week I went up to the factory again to look at his Atom whilst it was being serviced there. After a good chat with the factory and the owner, I am buying his car - it is a 2008 Supercharged Atom 3 with a full Ariel factory history and well over £30k worth of invoices and upgrades! The current owner is awaiting delivery of a brand new Lamborghini Huracan Performante - his wife thought the Atom was too fast and told him to sell it and buy something more sensible!
Anyway, my 996 will be heading back to where its original owner lived - Cardiff, to join an eclectic collection of cars including a 987 Boxster, a Mk 1 Lancia Integrale, a Koenig XJS, a Ferrari 348 and five Nissan Skylines from R32s to R34s, plus many more!
Thank you everyone for all the help, advice and camaraderie - it has been great. :worship: I have no doubt I will be back with a Porsche in the future.
Cheers.
Tim. :bye:
Porsche 991: 2011-2019
Porsche 997: 2004-2012
Porsche 996: 1997-2005
Porsche 993: 1993-1998
Porsche 964: 1989-1993
Porsche Carrera 3.2: 1983-1989
Porsche Carrera SC: 1977-1983
Porsche 930 Turbo: 1975-1989
Porsche Early 911: 1964-1977
Porsche Carrera GT
Porsche GT1
Porsche 959
Porsche Macan : 2013-
Porsche Panamera : 2009-
Porsche Cayman: 2005-
Porsche Cayenne: 2003-
Porsche Boxster: 1997-
Porsche 968
Porsche 944
Porsche 924
Porsche 914
Porsche 912
Porsche 904
Porsche 550
Porsche 356 Speedster
Porsche 356
