Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums - 991.1 vs 991.2 GT3 In-depth Comparison

I have owned my 991.1 GT3 for over a year, having logged almost 12,000 miles on it, so I know the car pretty well. I also have extensive "hands-on experience" with the new 991.2 GT3, having watched literally 20 minutes of video on the car over the past 24 hours. Clearly I am uniquely qualified to compare these two cars.

Appearance:
This is subjective, but to me the 991.1 is clearly better because when you are washing the new one, you are going to be really pissed trying to get the white crap off those black parts. It will drive you crazy. Not to mention those obnoxious 991.2 GT3 stripes on the seats. What's next, a horsepower / torque plaque on the dash?

Performance:
The new 991.2's 4.0L engine should be slightly quicker on the track with the PDK, but the 991.1 will flog the living crap out of the manual. In fairness, so will a new Panamera Turbo, at least from 0-60. And let's face it, 0-60 is all that matters with these cars. I also think the 991.1 will have better all around "presence" on the track, because when the CEL comes on, you will definitely get noticed when the tow truck shows up.

Track Weapon:
In theory the 991.2 GT3 should be a slightly faster car on track, with its new racing stripes on the seats. In reality, the street prices of these cars will be so high that everyone will be afraid to drive them for fear of hurting their investment. You'll never have to worry about that problem with a 991.1, leading to a lot more track usage.

Handling:
The new GT3 gets brand new tires from Michelin and Dunlop, meaning these tires will be impossible to get for at least a year. So unless 991.2 owners want to void their warranty, they will be racing on bald tires for months while the 991.1 GT3 runs amazing lap after lap, even with the CEL on.

Transmission:
The 991.2 is supposed to be a true "driver's car" because it has a manual transmission. Picture this. You're banging through the gears on your new GT3 when your doors are getting blown off...by a mom driving a Panamera. As she passes you, the brat in the back is waving goodbye to you. That's trauma that you'll never have to work through with the all-PDK 991.1.

Infotainment:
The new 991.2 has a new HD screen and Apple Carplay, which obviously is just going to be a distraction, leading to slower lap times. Not to mention the likelihood that your iPhone will sh!t itself halfway through your favorite song, leading to "rage driving." You have none of those worries with the 991.1.

Sound:
I have listened to both cars side-by-side, reving my 991.1 GT3 while simultaneously playing a YouTube video of the new one with the volume as high as it would go. While both engines rev to 9k, the new one cannot replicate the amazing sound of top end metal eating itself anywhere near as well as the 991.1 can.

Reliability and Value:
While the new GT3 has an impeccable reliability record (Macca hasn't started THAT thread...yet), when that 4 liter engine does give up the ghost 1 day after your warranty expires, Porsche isn't going to budge an inch. That's because their entire goodwill budget will be going to 991.1 owners for years to come. And let's face it, nothing beats "all you can eat GT3 engines" for value.

Warranty:
The 991.2 GT3 will almost certainly have a clause stating that tracking the car voids your warranty. The new ECU probably logs data when you are anywhere near a race track, because we know how good these Germans are with software. No such concerns with the 991.1 GT3. YouTube videos exist of AP talking about tracking the 991.1 GT3 under warranty. You 991.1 owners are golden.

Exclusivity:
Porsche has stated, and I am paraphrasing..."We'll bang out so many 991.2 GT3's that you'll think a Cayenne is a numbered vehicle." Of course, once Porsche realized they had screwed the pooch with the 991.1 engines, they limited production significantly. Add to that the likely disappearance of these cars over time as their engines fail out of warranty, turning them into 3,000 pound paperweights, and this makes the remaining 991.1 GT3's on the road far more exclusive.

Hidden Costs:
If you own a 991.1 GT3 you've probably done all the critical updates. You know, the $500 stripe on the steering wheel, and the $8,000 audio upgrade. But what about the non-essentials, like headers, the bypass exhaust, or a tune? And don't forget the cost to hire an attorney when the shop owner doing these upgrades takes your virgin 991.2 GT3 joyriding, and puts it through a wall. These are hidden costs you don't have to worry about with your 991.1 GT3, because it has probably already had all of this done to it.

Intangibles:
So far I have explained all the factual reasons why the 991.1 is the better car. Let's talk intangibles. If you own a 991.2 GT3 the odds you are going to visit the dealer more than once a year are pretty slim. It's too reliable. And since that hot babe with the big cans works there, that's a problem. With all the engine work you'll need done on your 991.1 GT3, you'll literally see her all the time, have ample opportunity to make a love connection, and show her that you have the financial means to support her coke habit. And that's really priceless, isn't it?

Conclusion:
It really isn't even close, to be honest. If you are being completely objective, and I clearly am, the 991.1 GT3 is better than the 991.2 in every conceivable way. It's a headshaker as to why Porsche even released this new model.

And that's why the 991.1 GT3 will always be...

The. Best. Car. Ever.