Porsche’s 996-series 911 models remain poignantly controversial cars.
Beyond its Boxster inspired runny-egg headlight design, when the 996 was launched back in 1998 it heralded a crucial mechanical configuration change for Porsche as the 911 range was converted from air-cooled to liquid-cooled.
Purists were upset but, with the benefits of some (typically) impeccable German engineering, all 911 units since the 996 have become better and better.
Conversely, if you're a die-hard Porsche traditionalist who believes the brand can only be authentically experienced with a raspy water-cooled engine note, you’ll no doubt take great pleasure in an American charity group’s latest public awareness stunt.
MAKING A POINT ON GUN OWNERSHIP
The Commonwealth Second Amendment says it’s a "grassroots civil rights organisation" that wants to "promote a better understanding of rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution". In short, it's a private firearm advocacy group in a country where gun ownership is seen as much as part of your civic duty as voting…
When the CSA was recently given a rather mint-looking 996 Carrera (which had, ironically, been immobilised by an impaired cooling system needing R120 000 to fix) it decided to use the silver 911 to make its point (about the merits and rights associated with private gun-ownership) by means of hollow-point ammunition.
The stricken 911 was towed and delivered to a shooting range where 140 members of the CSA brought sights to bear and assaulted the Stuttgart-built sports car until it was a pockmarked mess that had absorbed 10 000 rounds of small-arms fire.
Curiously, if you watch the video below, there was some rather horrifically inaccurate shooting to begin with as many rounds fell well short of the rather large target. It begs the question: Could this Porsche not have been better salvaged for parts? Or cannibalised to support a budding 996 racer somewhere?
Then again, if you think water-cooled 911's are the mechanical Devil incarnate, you’ll view the CSA’s firing squad assault as sweet justice.
Beyond its Boxster inspired runny-egg headlight design, when the 996 was launched back in 1998 it heralded a crucial mechanical configuration change for Porsche as the 911 range was converted from air-cooled to liquid-cooled.
Purists were upset but, with the benefits of some (typically) impeccable German engineering, all 911 units since the 996 have become better and better.
Conversely, if you're a die-hard Porsche traditionalist who believes the brand can only be authentically experienced with a raspy water-cooled engine note, you’ll no doubt take great pleasure in an American charity group’s latest public awareness stunt.
MAKING A POINT ON GUN OWNERSHIP
The Commonwealth Second Amendment says it’s a "grassroots civil rights organisation" that wants to "promote a better understanding of rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution". In short, it's a private firearm advocacy group in a country where gun ownership is seen as much as part of your civic duty as voting…
When the CSA was recently given a rather mint-looking 996 Carrera (which had, ironically, been immobilised by an impaired cooling system needing R120 000 to fix) it decided to use the silver 911 to make its point (about the merits and rights associated with private gun-ownership) by means of hollow-point ammunition.
The stricken 911 was towed and delivered to a shooting range where 140 members of the CSA brought sights to bear and assaulted the Stuttgart-built sports car until it was a pockmarked mess that had absorbed 10 000 rounds of small-arms fire.
Curiously, if you watch the video below, there was some rather horrifically inaccurate shooting to begin with as many rounds fell well short of the rather large target. It begs the question: Could this Porsche not have been better salvaged for parts? Or cannibalised to support a budding 996 racer somewhere?
Then again, if you think water-cooled 911's are the mechanical Devil incarnate, you’ll view the CSA’s firing squad assault as sweet justice.