Originally Posted by Jrtaylor9

OT: that's one of my problems with the 996-3: Doesn't have that screaming "race car" sound the 997's do. I'm sure it can be rectified with some exhaust work but don't think it's just an easy center bypass swap? Maybe I'm wrong. As much as I'm tempted to add one, sound and looks always cause me to pause. But I had a co-pilot drive around Silverstone in one with a very good driver and I didn't once think about how it looked or sounded. Was amazing

Originally Posted by hf1

Stock 6gt3 exhaust is “racy” enough for backroads work. Side muffler deletes really open it up and shed two mufflers’ weight. It’s the same Mezger 3.6 and a big chunk of the noise experience comes from the engine itself (vs exhaust). I think 6gt3 also has less noise insulation than 7gt3. Lack of exhaust noise would be the weirdest excuse not to get a 6gt3 I’ve ever heard.

Originally Posted by Jrtaylor9

OT: that's one of my problems with the 996-3: Doesn't have that screaming "race car" sound the 997's do. I'm sure it can be rectified with some exhaust work but don't think it's just an easy center bypass swap? Maybe I'm wrong. As much as I'm tempted to add one, sound and looks always cause me to pause. But I had a co-pilot drive around Silverstone in one with a very good driver and I didn't once think about how it looked or sounded. Was amazing

Originally Posted by hf1

Stock 6gt3 exhaust is “racy” enough for backroads work. Side muffler deletes really open it up and shed two mufflers’ weight. It’s the same Mezger 3.6 and a big chunk of the noise experience comes from the engine itself (vs exhaust). I think 6gt3 also has less noise insulation than 7gt3. Lack of exhaust noise would be the weirdest excuse not to get a 6gt3 I’ve ever heard.

Originally Posted by stout

Geometries and contours matter, and your 993 remains the best-sounding 993 I have tried....only contender is one with an Eaton spinning out back.



While final engine remains to be seen, you are not crazy—and your post reminds me: While Boxster also bury their flat sixes under soft tops, they not only have engines closer but a couple of holes poked in the sides of the body, just aft of the doors. There have been a lot of great-sounding Boxsters as a result…stretching all the way back to the original 2.5.



You are a glutton. I love it!



Another prod of the memory banks. My co-driver on the Speedster trip was on the North American trip for the 981 Boxster Spyder (there are many funny stories about that trip…), and as we were trying to check ourselves on our observations of the Speedster's noises, we thought back to the 981 Spyder in Hawaii—and I distinctly remember thinking "How can a car this loud be legal??" in the 981 Spyder. Never thought that once in the 991 Speedster. YMMV...



Another memory jogged, this time of a guy here on Rennlist who always panned the 991.2 Carrera...and now I remember that he was into 991 Cabrios. Maybe they need all the auditory help they can get? But I don't remember being bugged by how quiet 996 and 997 Cabrios were...maybe we've all been ruined by the 997.1 GT3 and so many loud Porsches since? Remember that Boxsters have port holes to either side, and put them to very good use.



We did, mainly out of curiosity/duty. Soundtrack wasn't better per se—that chamber behind the seats is very well sealed. So it wasn't down for long. Maybe 15-25 minutes of the day? The car wasn't as compelling as an experience with the top up, but I will say the top was uneventful—which is exactly what you want from a convertible top. Nicely sealed, quiet, etc.



They don't love to talk future product, and I have to admit that I've never made it my "thing" because I have watched so many get it wrong. Things change, sometimes later than you think they can or even could, and I find myself challenged enough in paying attention to what's in front of me on these things. You get one shot—usually on one day—to pull useful impressions for your readers/viewers.

Would have to disagree with that journalist on the sound. It may be quieter than a 911R or a GT3 Touring, but it's still a flat six back there, and a buttery one with an edge that happily races its way towards the big 9 on the tach. Been thinking about this a fair bit, and do think something fundamental changed with the 997.1 GT3. I remember listening to the US press car as JvO punted it around Sears Point years ago for an Excellence test back to back with a 996 GT3, and the difference was stunning. One sounded like a race car, and it wasn't the 996. From there forward, we moved away from Porsches tuned for the driver's enjoyment to Porsche's tuned for everyone's enjoyment. I like them, too, but our sense of "loud" and "quiet" when it comes to 911s seems a bit skewed these days. Speedster may disappoint those who are expecting a 911R/GT3T soundtrack, and I think it is quieter than the 981 Boxster Spyder, but I certainly thought about what the car behind me must be thinking every time I opened the thing up to make a pass. Quiet? No. Quite bad? Not sure I share that opinion...but would love to spend some time with a Speedster back to back with some other benchmarks.

Originally Posted by Jrtaylor9

OT: that's one of my problems with the 996-3: Doesn't have that screaming "race car" sound the 997's do. I'm sure it can be rectified with some exhaust work but don't think it's just an easy center bypass swap? Maybe I'm wrong. As much as I'm tempted to add one, sound and looks always cause me to pause. But I had a co-pilot drive around Silverstone in one with a very good driver and I didn't once think about how it looked or sounded. Was amazing

Originally Posted by hf1

Stock 6gt3 exhaust is “racy” enough for backroads work. Side muffler deletes really open it up and shed two mufflers’ weight. It’s the same Mezger 3.6 and a big chunk of the noise experience comes from the engine itself (vs exhaust). I think 6gt3 also has less noise insulation than 7gt3. Lack of exhaust noise would be the weirdest excuse not to get a 6gt3 I’ve ever heard.

Originally Posted by Guest89

The 996 exhaust exits on the side, not together in the middle.

Originally Posted by Petevb

Porsche quotes their weight figures in the lightest possible spec according to one of their engineers, so the Touring you'd need to compare to would have PCCBs, etc.

Originally Posted by Petevb

Just updating for clarity. Apparently DIN has changed the way they weigh cars as of this year, so as of now Porsche is quoting weight in the base spec, not the spec with the lightest options. This change was worth roughly 40 kg with the Boxster Spyder, but given the fact that the Speedster includes PCCBs as standard and buckets as no cost options it’s not clear if it carries any artificial spec sheet weight penalty that would not have existed last year... FYI

Originally Posted by Taffy66

This is quite true and am surprised not more people know this..In terms of the Speedster which at its very high standard list price is at its very lightest possible configuration with LWBS,PCCBs and PCM delete as standard..This translates to its official 1465Kg DIN weight as also its lightest weight..In complete contrast the new Spyder is at its heaviest in terms of its official DIN weight at 1420Kg..The standard spec Spyder has the heavy sofas, steel brakes,PCM etc which easily accounts for 50Kg..

Originally Posted by Spyder75

My 981 Spyder is 1420 exactly. Comforts seats, Steel’s, PCM / Bose and a full tank. I think that also might include the alignment gear which is approx 5kg per wheel, but can’t remember exactly.

Originally Posted by Suicide Jockey

Because the curb weight of the 981 Spyder was quoted by Porsche with A/C delete, radio delete, smaller 14.3 gallon fuel tank, PCCB's, etc., the weight savings achieved with these options would need to be added back into the 2,988 lbs quoted curb weight for the 981 Spyder before you could do an apples-to-apples weight comparison with the new 982 Spyder, and even then you would have to also factor in the weight of gas on board between the two models. Not sure if your 1420 figure takes into consideration these other factors.

Originally Posted by Spyder75

Not sure what you mean? That is it’s weight on a scales with the spec it has...

Originally Posted by Spyder75

My 981 Spyder is 1420 exactly. Comforts seats, Steel’s, PCM / Bose and a full tank. I think that also might include the alignment gear which is approx 5kg per wheel, but can’t remember exactly.