l was under the impression a 911 and a 996 were 2 different cars?? The info l keep finding keeps listing them together as one??

yeah, that is something about porsche that l never got either. the cars all have the same body, but the engines inside are different.
i think the 911 is the standard model, and the 996 is the turbo version

All 911 models have an in-house designation, 3 digit code that began with 911 and has changed when the body has been modified. 996 is the designation given to the 911 model in 1999 and is the same as a 911.

The porsche 911 has been around for quite a long time, l think its like 30 years, not sure though. but every 6 or so years, they have to make a new body style for the same car. Its kinda like the honda civic, it gets updated. now the 996 dignifies which body style the porsche is, unstead of just saying a 1999 porsche 911 u can say a 911 996. now porsche just updated the porsche 911 last year, & the new body style is called the 997. so to answer ur question a 1999 porsche 911 IS the same thing as a porsche 911 996. potatoe patatoeeee, tomato tamato, same difference

A 1999 Porsche 911 coupe is the same as a Porsche 911/996.
A 2004 Porsche 911 coupe is also the same as a Porsche 911/996.

Models 911, 964, 993, 996, 997 are all Porsche 911.

# 911 (1964-Present)

* 911 (1964-1989)
o 930 (1975-1989)
* 964 (1989-1993)
* 993 (1993-1998)
* 996 (1998-2004)
* 997 (2004-Present)