The first water-cooled “fried egg” generation of Porsche cars, led by the 986 Boxster and 996 Carrera, marked one of the most important turning points in the brand’s modern history. With shared design language, new water-cooled flat-six engines, and a more accessible yet still unmistakably Porsche driving experience, these cars helped carry Porsche into a new era. Once controversial for their headlights and departure from tradition, the 986 and 996 are now gaining appreciation for their purity, balance, analog feel, and major role in saving and reshaping the future of Porsche.