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Regular watchers will know it is the 996-generation Porsche 911 that features most on my channel, for the simple reason it is the 911 I own. I've covered many aspects of 996 Carrera ownership to date, from buying the right car, to looking after the bodywork, replacing the exhaust, or upgrading its chassis.

However, this video is arguably the most important to date: in an exclusive for YouTube, Pinky Lai, designer of the Porsche 996, joins me for a lengthy conversation about life at Porsche before, during, and after the 996's release. Pinky's honesty and humility is evident as he opens up about what life was like at Porsche in the 1990s, how important it was to get the water-cooled 996 right in order to save the company, and how it's viewed today, 20 years on, as a modern classic.

This video interview was done and recorded via Zoom, so while the quality overall is good for something recorded over the internet, you do have to bear this in mind when watching. This is a conversation worth hearing though – far longer than my usual 9-minute, 11-second videos, I hope fellow 996 enthusiasts, like me, will be poring over every word Mr Lai says.

I hope you enjoy the chat.