Nine Excellence 9E800 review

darkFORCESThis stealthy-looking 996 Turbo is one of the quickestcars we’ve tested in the UK. It’s got 85,000 miles onthe clock and will do 0–200mph time and time again

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Truth be told, Ken Napier’s 996 Turbo doesn’tlook anything special as we arrive atBruntingthorpe on a surprisingly temperateFebruary morning. Covered in the grime of anearly-morning motorway trip, it just looks, er

black and, well, filthy. Appearances are deceptive,though, and a few hours later we would be well andtruly 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 industrystandard for straight-line, maximum-speed testing.Why? Well, for the most part because it’s accessible.Most magazines, manufacturers and even privateindividuals (not to mention TV) can use it with the rightinsurance. Once you’re there, it’s like being in anotherworld. Old jet fighters litter the perimeter. Inside oneof the hangars the world’s only flying Vulcan resides.A 747 is slowly decomposing halfway up the mainstraight. Oh, and there’s a great greasy spoon café,too. I mean, seriously, what more could you want? Thisplace is heaven, despite its often bleak airfield climate.Because it is so widely used for v-max testing,

Bruntingthorpe has become a reliable benchmarkvenue for the purposes of comparison. Until recently,obtaining these figures was complicated and

expensive, but with the arrival of affordable GPS youcan virtually do it with an iPhone. A few hundred quidwill get you the sort of kit that was the preserve of F1teams not that long ago and these days anyone canfigure their own car and compare it with times set overthe years by the mags and manufacturers, knowingthat, give or take some atmospheric variations, theinformation is accurate and comparable.Bruntingthorpe has played host to some seminal

tests over the years, and some of the figures achievedhere are revered, cast in stone, verifiable and quotedas the benchmark. The McLaren F1, as tested byAutocar back in 1994, still makes for gob-smackingreading. Zero to sixty in 3.2 secs; 0–200 in 28.25secs.Remarkable then and remarkable now. The BugattiVeyron as tested at Brunters couldn’t quite match theMacca’s pace, hitting 200mph in 28.85 secs. Theseare 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 800bhppunch 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 soWords: Steve Bennett

Photography: Antony Fraser

NineExcellence996 Turbo0-205mph figuresSpeed10mph: 0.67secs20mph: 1.28secs30mph: 1.84secs40mph: 2.37secs50mph: 3.06secs60mph: 3.66secs70mph: 4.29secs80mph: 5.03secs90mph: 5.89secs100mph: 6.80secs110mph: 7.80secs120mph: 8.97secs130mph: 10.31secs140mph: 11.82secs150mph: 13.49secs160mph: 15.39secs170mph: 17.71secs180mph: 20.52secs190mph: 23.93secs200mph: 28.25secs205mph: 30.76secs

was going to have to handle, although the kit they hadchosen 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, onthe basis that any engine is really just a big air pump.The emphasis, whether it be turbo or normally-aspirated tuning, is all about getting the air in and outas quickly as possible, and fuelling it to match.Starting with essentially a naked block and cylinder

heads, the new parts were fitted up. Twin K24/20gturbos really flow the air and uprated 60lb injectorsreplace the standard ones so that the fuelling cankeep pace. Likewise, twin 044 Bosch fuel pumps werefitted to keep up with the demand. The standardconvoluted induction piping and the standard air boxwere binned. Five-inch Protomotive intercoolers nowfeed into the Y-pipe, which replaces the airbox, andsitting on the bigger 70mm IPD plenum is a Ford MAF,which gives much greater programming control overthe standard Bosch unit. Making sure that the spentgases escape efficiently, Milltek built the 100-cellexhausts 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 OBDport and 911 Tuning’s Todd Knighton is something of aguru in this area. With the right software this can bedone remotely, too. This sort of intervention is fine forlower stages of tune, but for Ken’s car a Greddy PRofecboost controller – mounted in the centre console –controls the boost pressure and wastegate response,plus airflow response. Power ranges from 575bhp at0.8bar to 800bhp at 1.5bar. Although, to be on the safeside, at 1.5bar Ken and James run with 103 octane fuel.For day-to-day running, the Turbo is fine on 99 octaneV-Power and 1.35 bar/750bhp.Surprisingly, perhaps, all this mighty power is being

handled by the Turbo’s Tiptronic transmission – albeitsomewhat modified. The standard Tip ’box will handle700Nm of torque, but Ken went to Tiptronic expertsMKB in Germany for an uprated ’box with Kevlar

clutches, which will handle 1500Nm of torque! Ken alsoopted for MKB’s paddle-shift steering wheel forultimate control of the ’box. Otherwise, Ken’s Turbo isrunning the standard four-wheel-drive system andsuspension, although the geometry has been set up to996 GT2 spec and the brakes are modified withPerformance 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 Jameshave spent a lot of time getting the runningparameters just so. Extensive testing to optimisefuelling, airflow and torque curves has created a set-upwhich is not only massively powerful, but safe with it.Turning up the boost is easy, but you’ll soon come acropper if the fuelling fails to keep up. Optimising thefuel and air mixture throughout the rev range allowsfor a very progressive boost and power curve – anda car that is drivable despite its headline poweroutput figures.This is the first time that Ken and James have been

back to Bruntingthorpe since October and their initialhigh-speed runs. We establish ourselves at the start of

much the headline figure that interests him, but howquickly he can get from 0–300kph. It’s also his firstPorsche. “I’ve had all sorts of quick cars over the yearsand I’ve always modified them, it’s just part of the fun.I’m definitely a speed freak! The Porsche itch neededscratching. I hired a Boxster and I loved it. I was lookingat a 996 C4S, but I knew I would just end up wantingsomething quicker, and the normally-aspirated engine

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 Turbowas going to be modded was a given. More importantto him was who would carry out the work. Working theforums and talking with other 996 Turbo owners ledhim to Parr Motorsport and its Stage One kit that tookthe power up to 500bhp. Ken built up a relationshipwith Parr but, more importantly, as faras he was concerned, Parr technician, James Leaney.

“I needed someone that I could discuss modificationswith, and someone who would help arrive at aspecification, because I was soon going to get boredand I knew the project would escalate. But the crucialthing for me was to find the right tuner, regardless ofthe kit, and James was the right person.” He certainlywas, as will become clear.A few other mods and tweaks followed, but Ken was

really just messing around. But then, in 2009, hestarted to get serious. “I did a lot of research,” herecalls. “It was really between the German and UStuners and power and targets. James and I togetherarrived at a package of parts mainly from 911 Tuningand Protomotive in the States.”At this point the 996 Turbo had done 75,000 miles,

but such is the strength of these Mezger-designedmotorsport engines, it was deemed up to the task, notthat Ken and James quite knew what sort of power it

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Bennett at the wheel. Hedoesn’t get out of bedthese days unless it does200mph. He’d probablyhave you believe thatthere’s some skill involvedbut, truth be told, thebeefed-up Tiptronictransmission does most ofthe work

Aside from some modestgraphics, there’s reallynothing to mark out this996 Turbo as a car that willcrack on to 200mph fromrest as fast as a BugattiVeyron. What’s more, weare insured on the day forjust £55,000

“I knew the project would escalate. But thecrucial thing for me was to find the right tuner”

A bit of carbon lifts theinterior trim. Transmissionis Tiptronic and has beenbeefed up by MKB inGermany with Kevlarclutches to handle powerand torque. Rottec carbon-fibre seats are custom-madeand very comfy

Going into BusinessKen Napier and James Leaney (top) have clearly created somethingpretty special here, and the good news is that they’re not going tokeep it all to themselves. Such have been the rewards associated fromthe project that Ken is stepping back from his IT business and goinginto the world of Porsche performance full time with the formation ofNine Excellence. The new outfit will be based near Gatwick, withJames working as workshop manager, assisted by Adam Reardon alsoformerly of Parr Motorsport.

“I want to do something that interests me,” says Ken. “We’re goingto cover all bases of servicing and tuning, but we will be bringingProtomotive and 911 Tuning products to the UK market, plus theexpertise of Todd Knighton on the electronics side and MKB Tiptronicrebuild and upgrades from Germany.”

The project is being funded by Ken and two other Porsche-owninginvestors, all of whommet via the Pistonhead’s Porsche forum. Turboswill undoubtedly be an important staple of the business and, withlabour at £65 per hour, pricing is certainly competitive for the SouthEast. By the time you read this, business will underway (NineExcellence opens its doors on March 1).

To promote the new outfit further, the engine will be coming out ofthe 996 for a full rebuild. “It will be interesting to see how the internalslook, given the sort of power this engine has been running and themileage. We’ll be aiming for 900–950bhp with the new engine and wewant to crack 300kmh in under 20secs.” We’ll be there for that.

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surface drowns out any engine noise, which is leftbehind in the Turbo’s wake, but the force ofacceleration 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 approachingrapidly. This is where you start to play chicken withyourself, the brake pedal and the throttle. The digitaldisplay is still tipping the numbers and this time200mph comes up visibly earlier. A late lunge and thespeedo peaks at 208mph, which on the Racelogic GPSdisplay equates to a verifiable 205mph. Hard on thebrakes and the mighty 996 burns off momentum andwe 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 statesof tune and the latter few thousand at 800bhp. Bear inmind that the engine has never been opened up andyet it’s run to 200mph probably over 20 times, and it

shows no sign of duress or distress. The figures in fullfrom 0-205mph are here to see and analyse, but theheadline 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 withthe Mclaren F1 and the Bugatti Veyron, yet Ken’s 996Turbo was insured by us on the day for just £55,000.It’s hard to imagine that there will be a Macca F1 or Bugthat ever clocks up 85,000 miles in its lifetime, even foras long as there is fuel to power it. There’s nothing realworld about either, but I’ve always maintained that the911 Turbo is the ultimate real world supercar – andKen’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 agentle amble back to Surrey. In stealth black, it’s almostas if the Turbo is running with an invisibility cloak. Fewwill give it a second look. If only they knew… PW

It’s a 911 engine – what didyou expect to see? It’s allabout the breathing withturbo engines. Biggerturbos, intercoolers,induction pipework andfree-flow exhaust, plusclever electronics, areenough to extract 800bhp.Remarkably, the internalsare stock

The screen doesn’t tell fibs.GPS verified 205mph from astanding start

CONTACTS:NNiinnee EExxcceelllleenncceewwwwww..nniinneeeexxcceelllleennccee..ccoommNew Porsche servicing andtuning outfit created by KenNapier and James Leaney,creators of the 800bhp 996Turbo as tested here. As rollingadverts go, it’s convincing

PPrroottoommoottiivveewwwwww..pprroottoommoottiivvee..ccoommBuild partners in Ken’s 996Turbo, supplying componentsand expertise in making 911Turbos go seriously fast

991111 TTuunniinnggwwwwww..991111ttuunniinngg..ccoommSpecialising in tuning packagesfor 993, 996 and 997 Turbos.From electronic upgrades toturbos, intercoolers, andexhausts

GGrreeddddyy bboooosstt ccoonnttrroolllleerrss wwwwww..ggrreeddddyy..ccoommFine tuning for turboconversions. Adjusts boost andtorque curve for a morebespoke turbo installation

the main runway/straight with some bikers forcompany. Elsewhere, there is a bit of Ginetta Juniortesting going on, and the prototype new-generationBTCC Toyota Avensis is trundling round. Rathercomedically, some poor sod is lapping on an electricmoped, 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 200mphtwice, crunch some numbers on the laptop and thentoss us the keys. Before going for the big numbers, I’mkeen to try the car in a low boost set-up, so the boostcontrol 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 enginemanagement has been tweaked extensively to get the

most out of whatever level of boost is being run. TheTiptronic adds to the civilised feel. Changes are quickand crisp – not quite PDK, but smooth and fast enough.The paddles add a new angle of ability over the oldbuttons, too. There is a certain noise factor underacceleration as the air is rushing in and out – but it’ssubtle 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 livewith. We go for a quick surge of boost on the longstraight 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.

Surprisingly, perhaps, Ken advocates a standing start.“A bit brutal?” I counter, but Ken says not. The PDKtransmission will easily handle it, as will the associatedfour-wheel-drive system. It’s slightly damp today, andthe bottom of the main straight is on a slight incline, sothe 996 isn’t going to bite quite as hard as it would inthe dry, although there is something to be said for a bitof 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 marginallyquicker, and on the third we decide to take some speedonto the straight by entering from the precedinglooping right-hander. It doesn’t make a huge amount ofdifference, but then, given this projectile will hit 60mphfrom a standing start in 3.0 secs, it’s not likely to, really.

Ken and James know that it’s capable of more, and Iknow 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 2500rpmand feel for the turbos spooling up. I can feel itstraining, so side step the brake and hit the throttle.There is a slight disconnect as the transmission takesup the power and then Ken’s mighty 996 Turbo digs inand gets going. From here on in it’s a case of hangingon as the rev counter swings round to 7500rpm andthe Tip seamlessly blends into the next gear. Thesound of the rushing air and the clatter of the cut-up

The view most will see. It’stough as anything this 996Turbo. We did up to eight200+mph runs, mostly froma standing start. Then Kenturned the boost down anddrove it home

“There’s a disconnect as the transmission takesup the power, and then Ken’s mighty 996 digs in”