If there’s a performance metric that any car enthusiast can appreciate, its the sonorous growl of a flat-6 cylinder engine with two turbos attached, screaming at redline - which is exactly what you get in . It can now be yours for less than a base model Mustang GT. Oh. Yeah.

is the best exotic performance bargain on the market currently, exotic being a somewhat loose term, because these were mass-market cars that you could theoretically drive every day. The 415 horsepower flat-6 engine nestled in the car’s bulbous rear haunches marks the first time the model received both forced induction and water cooling, and even a decade and a half, it’s still fast enough to beat the pants off a large percentage of cars on the road today, even more when you factor in aftermarket mods that make the car downright dangerous a lot of fun.

This model happens to be an automatic, but no one’s perfect. It does, however, have one of the more interesting interior color combinations, and it goes a long way to remedy the cheap-feeling 996 interior by replacing the plastics with polished burlwood accents. At the time of writing, there were no takers on its starting $29,000 bid, so I’m willing to bet the seller is open to negotiate a price further down the economic ladder.

While the car does have relatively high miles (98k), there’s no reason the powerplant shouldn’t outlast the owner with promper maintenance. These engines don’t have the common IMS bearing failures that plague most of the naturally aspirated versions of the 996, and the car seems to be quite well-equipped and maintained. Here’s an excerpt from the description:

Replaced: Air sensor, ignition switch, door lock, rear fan, coolant tube, rebuilt front differential, motor mounts, transmission mount, alternator, window regulator, and much more including AC service this month with 2 new front fans, coolant purge and new evaporator. 31 options including navigation, factory upgraded stereo, 6 disc CD, upgraded seats with crests, white dials, dimming side and rear view mirrors, parking assist, and much more.

If I was in the market for a Porsche 911, I’d definitely consider a 996 Turbo. It’s slowly appreciating yet still at a price point where it’s a ridiculous value for the amount of sophistication, performance, and exclusivity it brings to the table. With this one being as clean as it is, .

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