Porsche 996 Carrera & Carrera 4 Wheels

Lightweight forged & flow formed APEX wheels for your 1999-2004 996 Carrera

Construction Type

All

Forged Sprint line

Forged Touring line

Flow Formed Evolution line

Finish: Anthracite

Total

$2,956.00

Overview

Porsche 996 Carrera Wheel Performance

The first of the water cooled 911’s, the 996 brought about a new era to Porsche. While the overall car was a big leap at the time from the 993, the wheel and tire setup on the 996 Carrera left a lot to be desired. Between our Flow Formed SM-10 and Forged EC-7RS and VS-5RS you will not only increase wheel width but reduce unsprung mass. This will have a tangible effect on the performance of your 996 Carrera. Be sure to read up on our Porsche 996 911 Wheel and Tire Fitment Guide to find your perfect fitment

A Brief History of the Porsche 996 911

As most Porsche enthusiasts know, the 996 generation was a radical departure from all 911 models before it. Not only was its liquid cooled heart controversial, but the questionable styling and similarities with the lesser Boxster model had Porsche fans somewhat outraged. Fast forward 20 years later and many now regard the 996 as one of the greats. It’s lightweight and simple construction makes it an excellent choice for the modern day Porsche bargain seeker.

Now some clarity on exactly what Porsche HQ was thinking when they unveiled this controversial hero. Just like its little brother the 986 Boxster, Porsche designed the 996 at a time when they were struggling to make a profit with their air cooled variants. Porsche was on a mission to both conform to the ever tightening sound and emission regulations while simultaneously lowering production costs and increasing efficiencies. By utilizing a shared architecture with the 986 Boxster, the 996 model drastically lowered production costs. The new watercooled engine design was able to meet strict emissions regulations, while delivering increased refinement and superior performance. A more sloped windshield helped aerodynamics and the questionable “fried egg” headlamps gave a nod to the 1997 GT1 race car. Looking back, the 996 was really the first modern Porsche and paved the way for its successors.

Offered in a variety of configurations, the 996 generation appealed to a wide audience. Both a tiptronic and manual option were available on the base model along with 2 and 4 wheel drive in the C2 and C4 respectively. In the 2000 model year, the AWD Porsche Turbo was introduced, with an at the time very impressive 414hp. Track ready versions like the famous GT3 were offered to appeal to the hard core enthusiast with a larger budget. The GT cars of this era still command a serious price due to their stellar performance and song-like exhaust note.

What Makes it a Good Track Car

Many describe the 996 driving dynamics as a perfect blend between the classic air cooled models and the overcomplicated and heavier modern generations. No matter what 996 model you choose, it will provide a balanced and rewarding drive that’s like nothing else on the road. The rear engine layout provides effortless rear end grip when adding throttle mid corner. Get your braking done early, hit the apex and then simply floor it and grin as you rocket out of the corner.

The 996 generation is plagued by a few major engine issues including the infamous IMS bearing and bore scoring issues. A simple upgraded IMS retrofit should fix half of the issues, but the bore scoring can be a bit trickier to prevent. As long as you factor in some potentially high maintenance bills, the 996 generation is one awesome track weapon. When it comes to outfitting your vehicle with some strong and lightweight 996 Carrera wheels, Apex has got you covered!

Not just the RWD models make good track cars, checkout the video below to see an old track test of the 996 Carrera 4 in a retro Men and Motors episode:

2001 Porsche Carrera 4 - Race Track Test

EC-7RS Specifications

 
Front
Rear
SKU
EC7RS1...
EC7RS1...
Wheel Size
18x9" ET46
18x11" ET60
Face Profile
Profile 1
Profile 2
Bolt Pattern
5x130mm
5x130mm
Center Bore
71.6mm
71.6mm
Centering Ring
N/A Direct fit
N/A Direct fit
Lug Seat
R14 Ball Seat
R14 Ball Seat
Center Cap
Gloss Black
Gloss Black
OEM Cap
Compatible*
Compatible*
Load Rating
1,650 lbs
1,650 lbs
Weight
19.0 lbs
~20.3 lbs
Tested By
STL
STL
Test Reference #
STL-AX1-0006
STL-AX1-0006
Front Profile
Rear Profile
Product image
Product image
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REAL DRIVERS NEED REAL PERFORMANCE.

Not all claims of performance are backed up by facts—and it's a big problem. Don't get sold fashion when you want function.

Fitment guides

Which Wheels Should I Get?

Check out our Fitment Guides, the most in-depth, authoritative guides for wheel and tire fitments, tailored for your vehicle and how you drive it.

EC-7RS features

10K Tons of Pressure

Our new forgings weigh as much as 120 pounds before machining. To form such a thick blank we require special equipment capable of 10,000 metric tons of pressure. This extreme pressure increases the strength of the aluminum by eliminating porosity and improving the grain structure.

True Motorsport Blanks

Many companies use 3rd-party blanks intended for non-motorsport wheels which can severely limit sizes, concavity, spoke design, and critical brake clearance. We designed our very own blank profiles from scratch to give us total control over the final product.

Learn More

Side-Milled Spokes

One of the most significant upgrades to the EC-7RS is the addition of wider and deeper side-milled spokes. Any excess material that doesn’t add strength is machined out using a precision CNC ball cutter. Side-milling is often deemed cost-prohibitive by others, but for true performance without compromise we believe it's essential.

Learn More

A Stronger Lightweight Wheel

Our forged Sprint™ wheels are lightweight without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels. First, we machined out as much material as possible, then we purposefully added one pound back to reinforce critical areas, creating a stronger inner lip and a higher load rating.² What’s the point of a lightweight wheel if it’s fragile?

Load Ratings (lbs)

JWL Load Standard

1521

Typical Forged Wheels

1521

APEX Flow Formed

1550

APEX Forged Sprint™ Line

1600

Weight Optimized

We conducted extensive Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to reinforce high-stress areas and to remove material where it didn’t improve strength. The result is a wheel that is exceptionally light without the strength compromises found on typical lightweight wheels.²

Wheel Weight

Load Rating

APEX Sprint™ Line

18 lbs

1600 lbs

APEX Flow Formed

21 lbs

1550 lbs

Independently Tested

We don't rely solely on computer simulations or unverifiable in-house testing. We believe independent testing is critical to protect consumers in this unregulated industry. We chose STL, an independent lab in Ohio, to test our Sprint™ wheels far above JWL standards, including increases in testing duration, impact drop height, and total load.

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Tougher Inner Lip

Introducing the Sprint™ spec inner lip, with a unique channel profile that makes it even stronger than our previous designs. So even though our Sprint™ wheels are pounds lighter than comparable flow formed wheels, the inner lip is stronger.

32%

More reinforcement

than our flow formed wheels3

Learn More

Big Brake Clearance

From day one, APEX has been on a mission to build wheels that clear big brakes. Our new forged wheels are the product of everything we’ve developed over the past 10+ years, including an innovative high-clearance barrel design and vehicle-specific spoke profiles.

Deeper Concavity

Our new forgings were redesigned to create extra deep, concave spoke profiles. Their new shape allows us to make any profile, from flat to deep and everything in between. Each one is optimized for a specific application using 3D laser scans of factory and aftermarket brake kits.

Paintless Knurled Bead

Whether it's a day at the track or months of street driving, repeated hard braking and acceleration can make a tire slip along the bead seat and go out of balance, causing vibration. Knurled beads help, but are less effective when painted over. Our forged line features unpainted knurled beads that stay sharp and maximize grip.

Learn More

Built for Impact Sockets

Track wheels need track tools. Don’t settle for wheels that require undersized tuner lugs or thin walled sockets. All APEX wheels accommodate over-sized race lugs and impact sockets to make swapping wheels lightning fast.

32mm

Socket Diameter Clearance

Laser-Engraved Specs

As track enthusiasts ourselves, we know how frustrating it is to try to locate and decipher wheel specs that have been hastily hammered into the rim or become unreadable over time. With our new Sprint™ wheels, we chose to invest a little extra and laser-engrave the specs on the barrel, in plain sight, making them easy to find and read. (You’re welcome.)

Additional features

Hub Centric

All EC-7RS wheels are purpose built for select vehicle applications. Very few applications require centering rings.

Center Caps

All APEX wheels come with our gloss black cap included that is interchangeable with the OE cap. We also offer additional colors for select fitments.

Wheel Hardware

APEX wheels can be used with all OEM mounting hardware, proper aftermarket hardware and most wheel spacers. Wheel locks and stud conversion kits also work perfectly.

TPMS

All APEX wheels accept OEM and aftermarket Tire Pressure Monitoring Sensors and standard fit valve stems. If you don’t have sensors, then select from our metal stems available in multiple finishes.

Accessories

A Wheel You Can Depend On

Accidental damage replacement

Curb rash or pothole damage on the street? Make an oopsie at the track? We’ve all been there. APEX is proud to offer 50% off replacement wheels, no matter the damage.

See terms and conditions.

Lifetime warranty

All APEX wheels come with a lifetime structural warranty against defects in workmanship and materials, plus a 1 year finish warranty. Exchanges are fast, easy, and hassle-free.

See terms and conditions.

¹ EC-7RS Vs. the original EC-7R comparing side milling of 18x9” ET46 5x130 fitment

² Strength and weight comparisons are based on an 18” BMW 5x120 wheel.

³ Comparing the amount of material reinforcement in our standard inner lip profile vs Sprint™ spec inner lip profile on an 18” wheel.

⁴ All wheels compared with equivalent 18x10” ET25 5x120mm / 72.56mm fitment

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