NINE EXCELLENCE 996 TURBO
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FORCES
This stealthy-looking 996 Turbo is one of the quickest cars we’ve tested in the UK. It’s got 85,000 miles on the clock and will do 0–200mph time and time again Words: Steve Bennett Photography: Antony Fraser
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Nine Excellence 996 Turbo 0-205mph figures Speed 10mph: 0.67secs 1.28secs 20mph: 30mph: 1.84secs 40mph: 2.37secs 50mph: 3.06secs 60mph: 3.66secs 70mph: 4.29secs 80mph: 5.03secs 90mph: 5.89secs 100mph: 6.80secs 110mph: 7.80secs 120mph: 8.97secs 130mph: 10.31secs 140mph: 11.82secs 150mph: 13.49secs 160mph: 15.39secs 170mph: 17.71secs 180mph: 20.52secs 190mph: 23.93secs 200mph: 28.25secs 205mph: 30.76secs
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ruth be told, Ken Napier’s 996 Turbo doesn’t look anything special as we arrive at Bruntingthorpe on a surprisingly temperate February morning. Covered in the grime of an early-morning motorway trip, it just looks, er black and, well, filthy. Appearances are deceptive, though, and a few hours later we would be well and truly blown away by this v-max inspired machine. Brunters, Bruntingthorpe, that two-mile straight in Leicestershire, call it what you will, but it is an industry standard for straight-line, maximum-speed testing. Why? Well, for the most part because it’s accessible. Most magazines, manufacturers and even private individuals (not to mention TV) can use it with the right insurance. Once you’re there, it’s like being in another world. Old jet fighters litter the perimeter. Inside one of the hangars the world’s only flying Vulcan resides. A 747 is slowly decomposing halfway up the main straight. Oh, and there’s a great greasy spoon café, too. I mean, seriously, what more could you want? This place is heaven, despite its often bleak airfield climate. Because it is so widely used for v-max testing, Bruntingthorpe has become a reliable benchmark venue for the purposes of comparison. Until recently, obtaining these figures was complicated and
expensive, but with the arrival of affordable GPS you can virtually do it with an iPhone. A few hundred quid will get you the sort of kit that was the preserve of F1 teams not that long ago and these days anyone can figure their own car and compare it with times set over the years by the mags and manufacturers, knowing that, give or take some atmospheric variations, the information is accurate and comparable. Bruntingthorpe has played host to some seminal tests over the years, and some of the figures achieved here are revered, cast in stone, verifiable and quoted as the benchmark. The McLaren F1, as tested by Autocar back in 1994, still makes for gob-smacking reading. Zero to sixty in 3.2 secs; 0–200 in 28.25secs. Remarkable then and remarkable now. The Bugatti Veyron as tested at Brunters couldn’t quite match the Macca’s pace, hitting 200mph in 28.85 secs. These are the leviathans of the art of going flat out fast, and I’m sure you can see where we’re going with this… But not yet. Back to Ken and his 10-year-old 996 Turbo. Now, we know that this car has been hitting some big figures. We know that, unassuming or not, it’s got an 800bhp punch and that Ken’s been developing it for some time. He’s got the v-max bug in a big way, but it’s not so
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NINE EXCELLENCE 996 TURBO Bennett at the wheel. He doesn’t get out of bed these days unless it does 200mph. He’d probably have you believe that there’s some skill involved but, truth be told, the beefed-up Tiptronic transmission does most of the work
much the headline figure that interests him, but how quickly he can get from 0–300kph. It’s also his first Porsche. “I’ve had all sorts of quick cars over the years and I’ve always modified them, it’s just part of the fun. I’m definitely a speed freak! The Porsche itch needed scratching. I hired a Boxster and I loved it. I was looking at a 996 C4S, but I knew I would just end up wanting something quicker, and the normally-aspirated engine
“I needed someone that I could discuss modifications with, and someone who would help arrive at a specification, because I was soon going to get bored and I knew the project would escalate. But the crucial thing for me was to find the right tuner, regardless of the kit, and James was the right person.” He certainly was, as will become clear. A few other mods and tweaks followed, but Ken was
I knew the project would escalate. But the crucial thing for me was to find the right tuner
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is difficult to modify, so I went for the Turbo.” That was four years ago – a standard 996 Turbo with 414bhp and 60,000 miles on the clock. That Ken’s Turbo was going to be modded was a given. More important to him was who would carry out the work. Working the forums and talking with other 996 Turbo owners led him to Parr Motorsport and its Stage One kit that took the power up to 500bhp. Ken built up a relationship with Parr but, more importantly, as far as he was concerned, Parr technician, James Leaney.
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really just messing around. But then, in 2009, he started to get serious. “I did a lot of research,” he recalls. “It was really between the German and US tuners and power and targets. James and I together arrived at a package of parts mainly from 911 Tuning and Protomotive in the States.” At this point the 996 Turbo had done 75,000 miles, but such is the strength of these Mezger-designed motorsport engines, it was deemed up to the task, not that Ken and James quite knew what sort of power it
was going to have to handle, although the kit they had chosen was reputedly capable of over 800bhp. So, while the engine internals have remained stock, just about every bolt-on ancillary was removed, replaced and uprated in the quest for more power, on the basis that any engine is really just a big air pump. The emphasis, whether it be turbo or normallyaspirated tuning, is all about getting the air in and out as quickly as possible, and fuelling it to match. Starting with essentially a naked block and cylinder heads, the new parts were fitted up. Twin K24/20g turbos really flow the air and uprated 60lb injectors replace the standard ones so that the fuelling can keep pace. Likewise, twin 044 Bosch fuel pumps were fitted to keep up with the demand. The standard convoluted induction piping and the standard air box were binned. Five-inch Protomotive intercoolers now feed into the Y-pipe, which replaces the airbox, and sitting on the bigger 70mm IPD plenum is a Ford MAF, which gives much greater programming control over the standard Bosch unit. Making sure that the spent gases escape efficiently, Milltek built the 100-cell exhausts and cats, plus exhaust manifolds. Of course, power is nothing without control, and the ignition and fuelling demands need to be taken care of. The standard Porsche ECU can be modified via the OBD port and 911 Tuning’s Todd Knighton is something of a guru in this area. With the right software this can be done remotely, too. This sort of intervention is fine for lower stages of tune, but for Ken’s car a Greddy PRofec boost controller – mounted in the centre console – controls the boost pressure and wastegate response, plus airflow response. Power ranges from 575bhp at 0.8bar to 800bhp at 1.5bar. Although, to be on the safe side, at 1.5bar Ken and James run with 103 octane fuel. For day-to-day running, the Turbo is fine on 99 octane V-Power and 1.35 bar/750bhp. Surprisingly, perhaps, all this mighty power is being handled by the Turbo’s Tiptronic transmission – albeit somewhat modified. The standard Tip ’box will handle 700Nm of torque, but Ken went to Tiptronic experts MKB in Germany for an uprated ’box with Kevlar
Going into Business
Ken Napier and James Leaney (top) have clearly created something pretty special here, and the good news is that they’re not going to keep it all to themselves. Such have been the rewards associated from the project that Ken is stepping back from his IT business and going into the world of Porsche performance full time with the formation of Nine Excellence. The new outfit will be based near Gatwick, with James working as workshop manager, assisted by Adam Reardon also formerly of Parr Motorsport. “I want to do something that interests me,” says Ken. “We’re going to cover all bases of servicing and tuning, but we will be bringing Protomotive and 911 Tuning products to the UK market, plus the expertise of Todd Knighton on the electronics side and MKB Tiptronic rebuild and upgrades from Germany.” The project is being funded by Ken and two other Porsche-owning investors, all of whom met via the Pistonhead’s Porsche forum. Turbos will undoubtedly be an important staple of the business and, with labour at £65 per hour, pricing is certainly competitive for the South East. By the time you read this, business will underway (Nine Excellence opens its doors on March 1). To promote the new outfit further, the engine will be coming out of the 996 for a full rebuild. “It will be interesting to see how the internals look, given the sort of power this engine has been running and the mileage. We’ll be aiming for 900–950bhp with the new engine and we want to crack 300kmh in under 20secs.” We’ll be there for that.
clutches, which will handle 1500Nm of torque! Ken also opted for MKB’s paddle-shift steering wheel for ultimate control of the ’box. Otherwise, Ken’s Turbo is running the standard four-wheel-drive system and suspension, although the geometry has been set up to 996 GT2 spec and the brakes are modified with Performance Friction 350mm discs and six-pot calipers. So that’s the recipe. Of course, bolting it all together is one thing, fine-tuning is another. Ken and James have spent a lot of time getting the running parameters just so. Extensive testing to optimise fuelling, airflow and torque curves has created a set-up which is not only massively powerful, but safe with it. Turning up the boost is easy, but you’ll soon come a cropper if the fuelling fails to keep up. Optimising the fuel and air mixture throughout the rev range allows for a very progressive boost and power curve – and a car that is drivable despite its headline power output figures. This is the first time that Ken and James have been back to Bruntingthorpe since October and their initial high-speed runs. We establish ourselves at the start of
Aside from some modest graphics, there’s really nothing to mark out this 996 Turbo as a car that will crack on to 200mph from rest as fast as a Bugatti Veyron. What’s more, we are insured on the day for just £55,000
A bit of carbon lifts the interior trim. Transmission is Tiptronic and has been beefed up by MKB in Germany with Kevlar clutches to handle power and torque. Rottec carbonfibre seats are custom-made and very comfy
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NINE EXCELLENCE 996 TURBO the main runway/straight with some bikers for company. Elsewhere, there is a bit of Ginetta Junior testing going on, and the prototype new-generation BTCC Toyota Avensis is trundling round. Rather comedically, some poor sod is lapping on an electric moped, presumably just waiting for it to die. Ken and James set off for some runs to make sure all is well. With very little drama, they buzz up to 200mph twice, crunch some numbers on the laptop and then toss us the keys. Before going for the big numbers, I’m keen to try the car in a low boost set-up, so the boost control is wound right down to 0.8bar and 575bhp, which is still rather more than a stock 997 Turbo. Despite running much bigger than standard turbos, there is surprisingly little lag, but then the engine management has been tweaked extensively to get the
Surprisingly, perhaps, Ken advocates a standing start. “A bit brutal?” I counter, but Ken says not. The PDK transmission will easily handle it, as will the associated four-wheel-drive system. It’s slightly damp today, and the bottom of the main straight is on a slight incline, so the 996 isn’t going to bite quite as hard as it would in the dry, although there is something to be said for a bit of slip in a four-wheel-drive car. I make a fluff of the first run, starting accidentally in second, but still we see 200mph from a standing start. The second run – starting in first – is marginally quicker, and on the third we decide to take some speed onto the straight by entering from the preceding looping right-hander. It doesn’t make a huge amount of difference, but then, given this projectile will hit 60mph from a standing start in 3.0 secs, it’s not likely to, really.
It’s a 911 engine – what did you expect to see? It’s all about the breathing with turbo engines. Bigger turbos, intercoolers, induction pipework and free-flow exhaust, plus clever electronics, are enough to extract 800bhp. Remarkably, the internals are stock
There’s a disconnect as the transmission takes “ up the power, and then Ken’s mighty 996 digs in ”
The view most will see. It’s tough as anything this 996 Turbo. We did up to eight 200+mph runs, mostly from a standing start. Then Ken turned the boost down and drove it home
most out of whatever level of boost is being run. The Tiptronic adds to the civilised feel. Changes are quick and crisp – not quite PDK, but smooth and fast enough. The paddles add a new angle of ability over the old buttons, too. There is a certain noise factor under acceleration as the air is rushing in and out – but it’s subtle and at a steady speed it is remarkably civilised, helped by the standard suspension and tyre sizes. Bottom line – this is a car you could very easily live with. We go for a quick surge of boost on the long straight and 180mph arrives effortlessly. Real-world credentials out of the way, it’s time to go for the figures – and Ken and James are very keen for us to really experience what it’s capable of.
Ken and James know that it’s capable of more, and I know that there’s a bit of operator error to blame here. Tiptronic it may be, but it still needs a bit of a knack. One more run. Boost is set to the full 1.5bar. Select manual option and pull back paddle shift to select first. Jam left foot on the brake and hold revs at 2500rpm and feel for the turbos spooling up. I can feel it straining, so side step the brake and hit the throttle. There is a slight disconnect as the transmission takes up the power and then Ken’s mighty 996 Turbo digs in and gets going. From here on in it’s a case of hanging on as the rev counter swings round to 7500rpm and the Tip seamlessly blends into the next gear. The sound of the rushing air and the clatter of the cut-up
surface drowns out any engine noise, which is left behind in the Turbo’s wake, but the force of acceleration can be measured in discernable G force. It feels like a mightily quick run. Bruntingthorpe’s straight crests at 1.3 miles, at which point the end is clearly visible and approaching rapidly. This is where you start to play chicken with yourself, the brake pedal and the throttle. The digital display is still tipping the numbers and this time 200mph comes up visibly earlier. A late lunge and the speedo peaks at 208mph, which on the Racelogic GPS display equates to a verifiable 205mph. Hard on the brakes and the mighty 996 burns off momentum and we trundle back to base. To be honest, it’s a little bit hard to take in. This is a 10-year-old 996 Turbo with 85,000-miles on the clock, with over 10,000 of those miles done in varying states of tune and the latter few thousand at 800bhp. Bear in mind that the engine has never been opened up and yet it’s run to 200mph probably over 20 times, and it
shows no sign of duress or distress. The figures in full from 0-205mph are here to see and analyse, but the headline numbers are these: 0–60mph, 3.66 secs; 0–100mph, 6.8 secs; 0–150mph, 13.49secs; 0–200mph, 28.25; 0–205mph, 30.76 secs. Frankly, it’s quite extraordinary and deeply impressive on a number of levels. The figures are comparable with the Mclaren F1 and the Bugatti Veyron, yet Ken’s 996 Turbo was insured by us on the day for just £55,000. It’s hard to imagine that there will be a Macca F1 or Bug that ever clocks up 85,000 miles in its lifetime, even for as long as there is fuel to power it. There’s nothing real world about either, but I’ve always maintained that the 911 Turbo is the ultimate real world supercar – and Ken’s car just adds to that assertion. Job done, Ken and James cruise off in what must be one of the fastest cars in the UK, for what will be a gentle amble back to Surrey. In stealth black, it’s almost as if the Turbo is running with an invisibility cloak. Few will give it a second look. If only they knew… PW
CONTACTS:
Nine Excellence www.nineexcellence.c om New Porsche servicing and tuning outfit created by Ken Napier and James Leaney, creators of the 800bhp 996 Turbo as tested here. As rolling adverts go, it’s convincing Protomo tive www.pro tomotive.com Build partners in Ken’s 996 Turbo, supplying components and expertise in making 911 Turbos go seriously fast 911 Tuning www.911tuning.com Specialising in tuning packages for 993, 996 and 997 Turbos. From electronic upgrades to turbos, intercoolers, and exhausts Gre ddy boost controllers www.greddy.com Fine tuning for turbo conversions. Adjusts boost and torque curve for a more bespoke turbo installation
The screen doesn’t tell fibs. GPS verified 205mph from a standing start
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