Potomac-Greg

You can tell when a model is falling off the depreciation cliff. That is when they create a "spec" racing series! The 996 is a ridiculous bargain. Congrats.

black944 turbo

Thanks Fernando, e-mail me your number, I am Charlotte quite often.

MichelleJD

More pics!

Ray S

Congrats on the new 996!!

Nice pics of the two cars together, both are great looking cars.

aben8057

congrats, you will enjoy the 996

fpena944

I'll post more pics this weekend as when I got home we all went for a ride to grab some ice cream!

As awesome as the 944 is, this thing is amazing. I don't understand the resentment for this model but I'm happy it is hated as otherwise it would have been unaffordable for me!

I'll also post a compare/contrast with my S2 in a few days for those interested.

Luis de Prat

I would think that privilege belongs to the 986 or Boxster ...

The 996 is a league above any the 944 was ever in, even though they've built a good many more.

Congrats Fernando!

Mark944na86

I wonder if this is the basic problem... if someone is buying a 911, they sure as hell don't want people to mistake it for a _Boxster_!

(And of course, making it a cab would just be doubly asking for trouble...)

whalebird

You will not look back. Its not a tiptoe is it? Either way I think that 300hp will cloud your 944 memory.

fpena944

Thanks Luis - as I mentioned this one crept up on me as you remember I was beginning to price everything for an overhaul of my S2.

You're right about them being totally different cars - but in all fairness the 944 is based on a platform from the late 70s. This is a completely new vehicle as of 1999. The fact the 944 can still remain competitive on a technical track is a sign that Porsche had their head in the right place when designing them.

Fortunately this one has the "turbo" style lights so they are different from the Boxster's but to tell you the truth when I first started looking at 996s I couldn't tell the difference. Not until I studied them a little harder could I see where one was different from the other. So to a non-car enthusiast they wouldn't know one from the other.

Nope - six speeds! Maybe when I get older I'll think otherwise but for now I couldn't see purchasing a car like this without the manual transmission.

It's a little more notchy than the 944 transmission but the throws are shorter. And the powerband feels real similar to the S2 but just with a lot more push. The S2 was pretty linear in it's delivery where you wouldn't get the same rush as with the 944 Turbo - you just get consistent power from about 3000 RPM on up. The 3.6 is the same way. No real big push but just a real consistent power flow. I'm loving it! Oh and the exhaust sound...

GloriaRedStang

Are you new to driving a rear-engine? If it is wonder how the transition is going to be from piloting a fully-tossable sled to the 911 pendulum. I'm not knocking the 911 at all, but I bet it would take some getting used to.

fpena944

Well I had a VW Bug in high school but it had about 36 horsepower so I do consider myself to be a new rear-engine driver.

Honestly I'm sort of scared of pushing it in the corners right now. You can really feel the weight in the back when you go into a curve and it's a real strange sensation since the 944 is so well balanced. I've got 285s in the back so I don't think it's going to spin unless I'm really pushing it but that possibility is always in the back of my mind.

I'm probably going to sign up for a DE soon so I can get an understanding of how to take advantage of this car. It feels like everything I've learned about handling is reversed when all the weight is behind you.

Van

The Boxster is the new 924...


Rear engine cars have come a long way. Pretty much none of the quirky handling characteristics of the old 911 exist in the 996. There is none of this "driving a hammer handle-end first" feeling.

Luis de Prat

No way! The 924 had an Audi engine. Boxsters are Porsches, through and through.

Van

914, then?