After nearly a 2-year hiatus from project vehicle demos, we decided to get back into the arena for the 2006 season. We initially narrowed our search to only open-air vehicles in order to maximize our marketing effort during the summer and fall season, but at the same time the vehicle needed to be an easy platform to showcase our latest products. Porsche had always been a company favorite, and since white had become the color of choice for ’06, we decided to look for a white 911 (type 997) in the desirable cabrio format, preferably with a grey or black interior. At the onset of the search, this color combination proved to be somewhat elusive, but a suitable car was soon located at Roger Beasley Porsche in nearby Austin, TX – a new ’06 “S” model equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission, Sport Chrono Plus package, and factory navigation, finished in Carrara White with Stone Grey interior and matching soft top. After discussing the financial parameters, our friends at Boardwalk Porsche/Audi in Plano, TX quickly made a deal to acquire the car from its Austin counterpart, and we were soon on our way again.

The first issue to be addressed (as usual) was the ride height. We supplied a set of H&R lowering springs to Boardwalk Porsche, and they were installed at the dealer before we took delivery of the car. The H&R springs are PASM-compatible, which made it an easy choice. After an alignment and some settling time, the springs lowered the car about 1.5” front and rear, and the results in both the aesthetics and the handling were noticed immediately. The ride, while firm, did not detract from the overall enjoyment and smooth ride of the vehicle. While in the dealer’s possession, we also had the hood crest switched from the standard gold toned crest to a more desirable silver toned crest. This definitely helped clean up the nose area of the car, while maintaining a factory look.

After the stance was set and the car aligned, we naturally turned our attention to the wheel and tire combination. For this project, we wanted to showcase some of the company’s newest product offerings, while maintaining the same level of quality and style we were known for. Since Wheel Experts gained the exclusive right to market and distribute Modulare Forged wheels back in 2005, it was a natural fit for this project. These 3-piece forged wheels are made in the USA of the highest quality T6-6061 aluminum, machined to order and then finished and hand assembled. All Modulare forged wheels are available in virtually any finish at no extra charge (this includes custom paint centers or even brushed or full chrome) and the outer lips are chrome as standard also. For our 997, we opted for the latest M4 style in a brushed aluminum finish, in sizes 20x8.5 with a 2” lip at the front and 20x11.0 with a 3” lip for the rear. The wheels were mounted on Pirelli P Zero Nero rubber, measuring 245/30/20 front and 305/25/20 rear. The end result is stunning from all angles - the wheels and tires fill the wheel wells perfectly without any body modifications (even with the extreme stance) and the classic mesh styling speaks classic Porsche. To add to the exclusivity of the wheel/tire package, the wheel centers were specially machined to accept the OEM Porsche center caps, and the results speak for themselves.

The final stage of this project involved enhancing the visual aspects of the car one step further with an aerodynamics package. As usual, we wanted a package that featured the latest cutting edge design - enhancing the graceful factory body lines without taking away from the car itself – but something not regularly seen on the streets. After careful consideration, we chose a rare “INDY’ aero package from Swiss tuner Rinspeed. After a quick phone call to our friends at Jonari (US distributor for Rinspeed tuning products), the INDY aero package was on the way, consisting of a full front bumper, side skirts, and a full rear bumper. An optional one-piece rear wing was available but since our car was a cab model, we opted to leave the wing off and retain the streamlined factory look with the top down. This package was expertly prepped, painted, and installed by our friends at Stuart’s Paint and Body, a local institution known for specializing in high-end makes such as Ferrari and Porsche. The crew at Stuart’s did a terrific job with the installation and paintwork, and we could not have been more pleased with the results. The INDY package really enhanced the overall styling of the car, adding a more aggressive appearance to the car from all angles, while still maintaining the clean factory lines. The quality of the Rinspeed product was evidenced by the near-perfect fit of the aftermarket aero pieces to the factory Porsche body, and again, the results speak for themselves.

Wheel Experts AG would like to thank the following individuals and organizations for their assistance with this project: Ryan & Danielle from Modulare Wheels for having faith in us; Davis Speight, Larry Irby and crew from Boardwalk Porsche; Stuart, Doug and crew from Stuart’s Paint and Body; and last but not least Jon Pek from Jonari. Stay tuned for our next project vehicle installment, which should be completed soon (late summer ’06).