This Porsche 997 911 LS was built to piss you off

Purists. I bet you know one. “It must be done this way!” they scream, perched from atop their social media keyboards. Sometimes, perhaps I see their point of view. How many Mark IV Supras are left untouched? But a regular ol’ 911? Tons of them. So when this Porsche 997 911 LS V-8 swap appeared before my lens, I got very excited.

I think the 911 needs the Corvette’s help.

The 2006 Porsche 911 4S LS Overview

This car is for sale by the owner. If interested, please email me.

We all want the best, don’t we? And that’s what a 911 is – the best pure sports car on the market. But there isn’t just one 911 that you can buy and show off to all your friends. They make a ton of variants, and not all of them are wonderful.

And so here’s where you’re going to hate me – I don’t really like the flat six that any Porsche comes with. Not the GT3 or GT4 variety – those are special. But a regular 3.6-liter engine? Too rough. Porsche might make better cars, but BMW makes better engines.

So this 997 911? It’s old – the chassis has over 130,000 miles on it. No need to preserve it, so what if we just take out that flat-six and plop in a good old American-made GM V-8. This is a crate motor – GM sells ’em like you’re grabbing bananas at the super market. And it’s an LS motor, taken from another favorite sports car of mine, the Corvette.

It’s this last bit that gets out the pitch forks. A pushrod, lumpen-cammed, gorilla-grunting V-8 is sacrilegious in a finely-tuned German-engineered machine. But these people forget that the entire point of a sports car is fun, and this is waaay more fun than pretty much any other 911 I’ve driven.

Naturally there are some other mods, but by and large this is still a 911 everywhere else, from the transmission to the headlights. So get out your tissues and lets talk about your issues with this car.

Just know you’re wrong.

Performance Score: 9. Grunts in V-8

When you drive a GT3 the engine dominates the performance of the car, and I don’t mean performance in terms of speed, but in terms of theater. It’s all about show – they make it sound like a race car so they can charge more money.

But the V-8 in this car isn’t like that at all.

Engine

I’d be lying if I called this the star of the show. If you’ve ever driven an LS-powered car, this is samsies except you’re sitting in a Porsche.

But what a motor the LS is. So sweet and creamy, there’s simply torque everywhere (the owner suspects more than the 420 advertised is being put to the wheels), and it’s accessible at all times. No turbos, superchargers, batteries – just plain old V-8 muscle. It’s also dimensionally smaller (and lighter) than the flat six is replaces, and it even shakes the car at idle. 

I’m ready, big guy.

But just because it’s an LS doesn’t mean it isn’t high tech. You tune this car as you would any other with a modern computer, and the redline of 7,200 RPM gives you plenty of room to stretch legs. In fact, it’s deceptively quick – I didn’t think we were going as fast as we actually were during my drive. Oops.

Criticism is light, but important. First, the sound this car makes is good, but no replacement for a GT3. The best way I can explain is like hearing your favorite song from 20 years ago appear at random on your playlist. Yea, you’ll listen, but not with the same sing-along enthusiasm like you used to.

The other bit is the choice of an LS3. What if we used the LT6 from my favorite Corvette? You know, the one that revs to right million RPM? Sadly, GM doesn’t offer it as a crate motor, but they are considering it. That means we can dream of making those GT3 guys cry so hard.

Transmission

Mated to the V-8 is the original 997 six-speed manual. It’s wonderful to row as always, with that solid clunk that only a 911 can offer. Remains heavenly.

Anyone familiar with driving an E9X M3 will feel right at home, because this is geared to spin the engine well above 3,000 RPMs in sixth gear on the highway. That’s fine – the torque curve is right there, meaning you can pass without a downshift if you’d like. Or you can downshift and giggle, your call.

The upgraded clutch is a bit tough. The take-up is low in the pedal’s travel, and instantaneous. I snapped our necks a few times, though thankfully there was no popcorn smell. It’s simply one you will need time to adjust to in order to feel at one with this machine.

Chassis and Steering

I’ve been in multiple 911s at this point, and all aside from the latest GT3 feel ever so slightly eager in the rear. But this is my first 997, and it’s wonderful. Curious where the disconnect is between this chassis and the 992.

Sit inside and grab the small-diameter carbon wheel. It’s heavy, but not too heavy. Just right. I hate it. No really, I do – I get back in the M3 and realize how much it sucks to have such a light wheel. You won’t ache after driving this, but you will feel like you put in work. That’s a good feeling, Gen Z.

The chassis has its own set of mods, with Öhlins R&T coilovers, front sway bar links, new OEM control arms and a host of new bushings and rods that would raise an eyebrow of even the most seasoned of F1 engineers. Combine that with a set of Augment Cup RS wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport tires (235/35 and 325/30, thank you very much), and a curb weight of about 3,200 pounds, and it’s easy to see why this car is so much fun beyond the engine.

The 4S’s all-wheel drive remains and is able to pull the car out of corners without drama. The result is such a well-balanced chassis – like Boxster balanced. Forget about Corvettes of the same vintage.

Want to drive it daily? The ride over bumps is unpleasant, but never cruel – your back will be fine. Even with 130,000 miles on the chassis there are no squeaks or jiggles, a testament to how well Porsche builds these. This is just a car that begs to be driven hard.

Brakes

Blue-painted calipers go with silver paint like Oreos and ice cream, and they work as good as they look. Compared to today’s pizza dishes, 12.9-inch discs might not seem gigantic, but they bring down the 997’s svelte size with ease. No squat or dive either.

I cannot overstate just how well this motor fits with this car. There’s no hesitation to go fast, nor any concern that you won’t be able to handle the speed. It’s a well-sorted build that could have come from the factory, had GM ever considered buying the German outfit.

Lifestyle Score: 5. An intimate affair

I’m not going to fault anyone for doing so, but taking the rear seat out of a 911 seems silly – isn’t that the point? Otherwise, might as well just get a Boxster. Seat belts remain, so I guess in a pinch you can bring people you hate. At least you can toss stuff back there.

Up front are regular ol’ 911 bucket seats, and they are both comfortable and supportive. No, they aren’t the carbon buckets, but given my size I prefer them, Also easier to get out of. As this car is 20 years old, you might find it ever so slightly tight in width across the cabin, but I like that. Makes the 911 feel like a smaller sports car as oppose to the big boy it is now. Sports cars should be small.

Except in the frunk – which offers plenty of space for life. Take it food shopping –  the tub is pretty deep, and you just need to avoid the power steering pump.

Fuel Economy: 3. Tank slapper

The 997 911 offers a 16.9-gallon fuel tank, but it was meant for a much smaller engine. When we bolt on the V-8, the range dips well below 300 miles.

Fuel economy isn’t something you should worry about if you plan on doing this, but even a regular 911 4S with a manual got just 18 combined MPG. Step on it and enjoy yourself.

Features and Comfort: 5. The late 2000s was a wild time

The quality of Porsche’s interior has greatly improved over time. And yet, this car feels so familiar that it’s easy to forget which 911 you’re in.

Hold my beer

Just kidding! There’s no place to put it, anyway – no cup holders. No place to put your phone or even charge it either. The door pockets are hidden and can barely be considered as such. There’s just not a lot of room in here.

But that’s okay, because you do get a healthy does of nostalgia, from the tiny (minuscule really) screen to the CD player, and even a dial pad. It’s unmistakable that you’re in a 911 – the dash cut lines and the way you sit are all familiar, it’s just a bit scaled down from modern examples. 

The dials in the dash are beautiful and easy to read, laid out in classic 911 style. Pretty easy to get in and familiarize yourself – seat heat, auto HVAC controls (yes, heat and A/C work well), seat adjustment, yep, ready for takeoff. Grip the cool carbon fiber steering wheel, which adds a touch of modern flair. There’s even a moon roof if you want to go a bit al fresco.

Black leather is fine, if boring. Goes well with the silver exterior. No frills inside – that’s all saved for under the hood. 

Bring all the classics

This car has a sort of Mad Max vibe that I dig. It ain’t perfect, but that adds to the charm of a car with over 130,000 miles.

Painted in Carerra GT Silver (classic), the owner has added a ducktail spoiler (classic), GT3-style bumpers, RS fender flairs, .2 taillights and fog lights (uh, classic), and those really delicious Augment Cup RS wheels (they just look classic). The result, yea, you guessed it. But taken in overall, it’s a stunner that is understated and merely hints at what’s under hood.

I do want to talk about the headlights – LED units from 9Haus that mimic the latest 992 units. At nearly $2,000, they are not cheap, but they really really do a great job of making this look like it could be on sale today and could easily fool even the most well-educated 911 fan, if even just briefly. 

Others sport cars to consider

• 2023 Corvette Z06
• 2024 Lexus RC-F Track Edition
• Porsche 991.2 911 GT3
• Porsche 991.2 911 Turbo S
• 2011 BMW M3 Coupe (supercharged)

The 2006 Porsche 911 4S with an LS swap helps separate the basic 911 from everything else

We give Porsche a pass for many things because they are so superb to drive. The steering, the transmission, the grip – it all works so well together that the 911 makes you feel like a better driver than you really are.

But it’s missionary every night from the 996 on, at least when it comes to regular examples. Yea sure, they offer options with PDK and all-wheel drive, Targa and convertible – but park this next to a new one and it’s nearly identical, especially with those headlights. You need a GT3 to really bring out the best of this 997, and those cost well over $120,000 now.

So why not? Does the word “pushrod”, or “Corvette” give you a dirty feeling? This is precision engineering after all, and you’re ruining it. Except you’re not. The V-8 is lighter and smaller, the sound better, the thrust more even and smooth. And the rest of the chassis is intact. Feels brilliant. Feels like a real car.

Driving this feels a lot like being inside a Z06 – it’s not supposed to be this good, or this fun. These old lumbering V-8s belong in pickup trucks. But you know that’s not the case at all.

So flip the bird to the purists and make a better 911. If Porsche won’t do it, now you can.

Thank you for coming out Sean!