When it comes to race cars, Porsche is near the top of the heap for building vehicles that are dominant on the road and the track. As such, it’s not a surprise that occasionally, it builds track cars that end up in road-going form. This is a first-generation 996 chassis 911 that is often the more desirable of the breed, and that has been greatly enhanced with all of the goodies that make a track car a track car. The seller has chosen to list his 996 here on craigslist with under 20,000 miles and an asking price of $62,995. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for sending this in.

First, a little bit about the 996: the first water-cooled 911, it didn’t find a lot of fans when it first came on the scene. You can imagine all the reasons why, often tied to the fact that it marked the end of the beloved 993-era of the 911, the final air-cooled variety. As time has gone on, however, some of the pitchforks have been put away and the 996 has been embraced as a suitable replacement for the beloved old guard. However, due to the years of angst directed at the 996, values have been deflated, which is why you can buy a limited-production track car for well under $70,000.

What’s crazy is if this were a legit 993-era Cup car, you would be looking at several times the purchase price shown here, and it wouldn’t be listed for sale on craigslist. The Cup cars get all sorts of upgrades from the factory, including full roll cages, racing seats with harnesses, significant weight savings courtesy of stripped-out interiors, and more. A lot more, actually – according to the seller, this GT3 Cup comes with the following: 3.6 liter Mezger motor; 6-speed manual gearbox with strengthened internals and oil pump and LSD; upgraded clutch and lightweight flywheel; center-lock wheels; and upgraded suspension. Bodywork includes carbon fenders; carbon doors; roll-cage; Recaro seats; air-jack; center windshield wiper; plexiglass side and rear windows.

The Mezger motor is an important detail here, as this is what separates 996s within their own family tree. According to Magneto.com, “This boxer design, plus the Mezger engine’s use of separate air-cooled barrels for each cylinder, was a link to the Porsche company’s Volkswagen-derived roots” – and the key reason the engines found in Cup cars like this, along with the 996 Turbos, are distinctively different from other 996s with the M96 engine. The Mezger cars have also developed a mystique for being more reliable and less prone to failure, which only adds to their desirability. The car shown here will almost certainly be worth far more someday, so I’d jump now if you fancy owning a legit Porsche track car approved for road-going use.