MidEngineRules

Dating back to the 997 the performance is at levels that exceed most any usage demand a driver could want, especially in the States. The incremental performance changes that Porsche delivers really don’t equate to a whole lot as hp numbers might suggest as cars are getting heavier too. Actual performance updates are marginal at best, and tire advancement accounts for at least half of all performance gains in totality. At some point any driver should be more than satisfied. Other characteristics also come into play, such as a car/motor’s character. It’s whatever floats your boat. But I’ll be damned if I ever feel slighted for not having the latest greatest thing. If it weren’t for the Carrera T no 991.2 aside from the one millionth 911 would even be in my Porsche top 20 of cars I would want. While newer is more advanced, older is cooler and absolutely more visceral. And most of the best Porsches are the limited edition or special one offs, and Porsche doesn’t do those even with every generation. Now the end is near and the 992 will usher in hybrid technology and the character will shift again while performance increases. I’m happy with what I have and if anything will abandon water cooled for air cooled when I no longer need the car to perform mundane tasks.

garfunkle

This x100. A feather in the 991.1 cap is it's the only generation to get lighter than the previous. I'll tell you that my 987 is the one I take out the most to destress.... manual, no PASM, no PDCC, stiff springs and solid bushings car The 991.1 is for when I think the other drivers are going to be exotics or pushing a little harder then what I feel comfortable with in the 987 or for when the misses and I are going away - although she prefers the 987!

I truly believe if its an only, daily or passenger car then get the newest you can afford. If it's a second, third, fun car, etc then get the oldest model you like.

MidEngineRules

I have 4 987s in my top 20. If I do ever buy another water cooled Porsche it would be either another RS60 or .2 Spyder. Mechanical steering for the win!

The EVO video you posted was very informative, especially about the extra turbo grunt taking the rear tires beyond their temperature range which mostly contributing to the M4’s lower lap times. Ever see the video of the M4 that when the guy stomps on the pedal at low speeds it spins the car 90 degrees to the left and over a curb? That’s boost for you. Give me linear power all day.

I’m a fan of turbos for non sports cars as it does help normal driving. But turbos weighted in the lower rev range isn’t the way I like power delivery for performance cars. I’d rather the boost be in the rev range where your rpms live during spirited driving.

garfunkle

I didn't think the RS60 was worth the premium when I was looking but with manual 987 pricing getting dumb, the RS60 has not kept up at the same rate. It has a pre DFI engine that was late enough in production that IMS/RMS risk is minimal and the sound is better than a 987.2 IMO. The 987.2 Spyder is perfection! I would have loved one of these.... Mine is faster, more powerful, sharper and lighter now but that is after 35K in work and it still will never look like or be as neat as the Spyder! The 987 is also a great platform if you like to mod - which was an itch that needed scratching when I bought mine

The M4just doesn't drive like a sports car should. It's not tight, sounds terrible and has horrific lag. The 2021 is supposed to get a bespoke chassis and that will be interesting!

NF4710

Both great options IMO. Very happy with the .1 here - I love the sound and throttle response. The way I see it there will be many more turbocharged Porsches in years to come. The NA 911s days are numbered. Why not enjoy one now while they are relatively affordable and still pretty new and issue-free?

In the future we will be having this debate about the turbo 911 and its electric successor (which will surely be faster with better tech and no engine sound at all). Wonder what people will say then... To my eyes the .2 updates made the rear end fussy and brought too much cheap black plastic to the front fascia. That said I’d welcome the 4 wheel steering, CarPlay, and new steering wheel with open arms.

And lastly if I’m going to buy a ~3L turbo six motor (which has become an industry standard by now) I want one that sounds like the Giulia Quadrifoglio. After driving that car the .2S engine was a little disappointing (though that probably can’t be said in comparison to any other ~3L six on the market).

Cheers,
NF.

1Carnut

Do yourself a favor OP, don't ask other peoples opinions, you have said you want to enjoy the car next summer. That gives you plenty of time to test drive cars and decide what your (the only opinion that matters) opinion is. People tend to base their opinions from their experience and unfortunately what they read and watch videos of. Ask yourself what you want from the car, how you plan to drive it, and what type of driver you are. The answers to those three questions should give you a good start. Best of luck.

MidEngineRules

^^ If your opinion is to not offer any opinions then don’t offer any. OP asked for open thoughts did he not? He also stated he’s quite familiar with the differences of both cars so I would categorize him as not your typical uninformed buyer.

ducktails

As far as the modern water-cooled naturally aspirated 911 goes, it would be really hard to beat a 997.2; the steering, shorter wheelbase and still some old school driving feel. It's getting harder to find fairly priced good condition examples, but it could really be worth a look.

https://www.pca.org/news/2018-04-10/...-all-be-buying

MidEngineRules

997 is a great car. The .2 had significant differences in weight distribution but one of those differences made the motor lower in the frame making it more susceptible to scraping it over speed bumps and even low curbs while backing. But it ushered in PDK and 400 hp in the GTS. PDK is a bit sluggish in the 987/997 but I’ll have to look to see if FVD offers their PDK software upgrade as they do for 991s. I’m guessing the OP wants a 991 and personally wouldn’t recommend a 997 unless it was a Speedster.