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I’d say the 996 did that. (Or the 986). For me it was the point at which Porsche gave up on the still-futuristic 928 and accepted that they had become typecast and had to finally do a proper new, but very evolutionary, 911.
Although the 987 did return to round headlamps, which was them finally giving in.
What you are looking for is the missing "r" from the beginning of "evolutionary".
The 996 was a clean sheet design that marked a break from the 993, which was a reworked 964, which was a reworked G-series, which was a reworked long-nose. There's a reason you can exchange body panels between everything that came before the 996, but can't exchange them between (say) 993 and 996.
The 996 was also water cooled, showcased an evolution of the Panamerica styling concept, and using subtle surfacing and combining the shut lines with the all in one light clusters referenced the evolution of the G/964/993 but did something wholly new with it.
Then there was uproar - generally not what you get in response to an evolutionary change.
The 996.2 was the beginning of the surrender, Porsche design being brow-beaten by consumer and journalist reaction into spoiling the clean lines and clever shut-line detail, and then the 997 marked full blown retreat from a design led approach into pastiche, the 911 having briefly looked to the future with the 996 it then burrowed back into "live laugh love" style retro.
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Dammit
I’d say the 996 did that. (Or the 986). For me it was the point at which Porsche gave up on the still-futuristic 928 and accepted that they had become typecast and had to finally do a proper new, but very evolutionary, 911.
Although the 987 did return to round headlamps, which was them finally giving in.