Porsche 911 Type 996 1998-2003
The reinvention of the Porsche 911 as Type 996 found a consistently double-edged echo.
One fraction lamented the loss of original character, dilution and softening of a unique concept, and so on.
The others welcomed the finally consistent evolution towards unproblematic driving characteristics and increased everyday utility.
The conclusion is: both are completely right.
One seems to exist only under the relinquishment of the other.
That's the way it is.
All agreed in the assessment of the "fried eggs" headlights.
Luckily, the tuning industry supplied straightaway covers.
Generally the new 911 was accepted as an actual 911 - in view of the fact that the prices for good 911 (should be especially the Porsche with good service) of the "Luftboxer"-era steeply went up - and will stay there.
What will happen to the "water boxers" is in the stars.
But Porsche 911 is Porsche 911 - and as such something different than the rest of the car world. And that also applies to this 911 / 996er here.
Product Portfolio
Here comes the hint for the CURRUS® Speedster soft top:
There are AT LEAST TWO different lenghts of the side tension ropes!
An assignment according to the vehicle identification number is NOT possible!
With the OEM-soft top, the side tensioning cables have to be ordered separately (!) and shortened according to the situation on the vehicle.
We've designed a solution for that case:
Our 996er convertible top comes with pre-pressed side cables and spacers for possibly necessary extension of the cables.
In principle, however, applies here:
The length of the lateral tensioning cables as well as the perfect condition of the ensemble (keyword: the spring!) have to be checked BEFORE assembly by the installer and adjusted according to the situation of the respective 996er!
You want to buy some German engineered awesomeness, but you’re not from the United States or Canada? Feel free to contact us, too.
Issues & Improvements
CURRUS® Line by CK-Cabrio / Convertible top with new designed glass rear window
There are several suppliers of glass rear window conversions for the 996er Porsche, - mostly US-American manufacturers.
These glass rear windows are coming from the Boxster soft top, or the BMW MINI (for example, BAS from GB).
We, CK-Cabrio, have gone a step further since 2016:
Because of the fact that the design of the rear window is style-giving for the look, the entire impression of the rear view of the Porsche - and here it comes down to design and esthetics (otherwise you could drive, for example, a Polo or Passat - with which you also move from A to B) - we drew our own rear window.
A design that fits very well with the appearance of the Porsche!
And it is promised that it looks good in the pictures, but in fact even better if you stand infront of it!
Thus: THIS glass rear window with THIS design is available only and exclusively from the CK-Cabrio!
But what a look!
Here is our Porsche 911 Type 996 CURRUS® Speedster-style hood with glass rear window!
From the necessity that the kinematics of the linkage function of the 996 does not allow to simply adapt the hood of the following glass rear window version (from '03 it is already a 997!), has finally become a virtue:
We cut the glass in height, but left it wide. The width is the most important feature for the field of view.
The limitations of vision are thus at best theoretical after a CK-Cabrio glass conversion.
But what a look!
The 996 looks like a Speedster version with the closed retrofit hood!
It's basically just the bit of chili pepper that the 996 can handle well!
And no extra PVC care, fully heated (the cable set is part of the delivery!) and on top of that also much quieter than before at high speeds (!) because of an additional damping that we've developed and tested, - inside and out invisible - glued ("German Autobahn tested").
No vibration, shaking, ... or anything like that.
With this glass pane we and you, regarding the folding, are absolutely on the safe side, since the tolerances did not even need to be exploited - entirely in the sense of an esthetic optimization.
The hood we like so much that we offer it as an "upgrade" for the 911/996 from '03 and the type 997.
Inspiration / a customer's idea
A customer, who saw a finished 996 "Speedster-style" top and immediately ordered this version for his 997, led us to realize this idea. The Porsche hoods for the 996/997 and all Boxsters are manufactured in-house according to the current industry standards of the original Porsche system supplier (CTS / Magna Group)!
Seams, bonds / reinforcements, tensioning cables ... everything as with the current originals.
This ensures the full value retention of your Porsche.
"German Engineering" is refined to the highest level, literally and sensually "sophisticated"!
Experiences and Impressions of the 911 996 soft top installation
The assembly of a 996 soft top is much more complex and time-consuming than it may seem at first glance. It takes us approximately 9 - 10 hours to get it done.
Porsche 911 Type 996 CURRUS® Speedster-style convertible top with glass rear window gallery
