Carrera GT

I didn't realize the lag was courtesy of emissions. I know the peculiar way PDK up-shifts at idle is attributed to wanting the engine to remain at low rpm (and that's much improved in the 991, but still a bit strange to have made four up-shifts before crossing an intersection from a standstill.

Thanks for sharing the weekend test drive. Luxury.

I'm not a fan of the Nokia cell phone console design, but it is functional, if ornate. By the way, holding down auto turns on "mono" so that left and ride side temps are sync'd.

I'm still a bit on the fence as far as exterior appearance. The cabin is nice enough. I was never all that sold on the 997 cabin, but at least it resembled a 911 cabin.

I found the presence of engine noise arriving as if through the firewall to be a really peculiar and almost distracting thing. It's much of a muchness, but not something I'd expect from Porsche. Nissan or Honda, sure, but not in a 911, it's a needless affectation.

We're losing the 911 by degrees. I agree with the "conditioning" of now completely hiding the engine away behind a bit plastic telling us what lies beneath. I was looking at the 991 on a hoist and it was clear that -- had the designers chosen -- the whole rear of the deck-lid and wing could have lifted with the engine cover to reveal the engine compartment. I have little doubt that the competition variant of the 991 will be a different assembly that gives wide open access to the engine, but it has certainly become an entirely uninteresting engine to behold. No need for a 4.0 RS carbon air box, the new "mod" will be computer cooling fans with LEDs that spell out words and symbols as they spin.

Funny how we lamented the demise of the dip stick one day and now the whole engine is gone and not a peep. The next step will be a recording of engine noises played through the speakers, no need for exhaust systems designed to bark and burble on over-run, you'll probably be able to select different pretend engines or press "mute" and listen to the Burmeister. Oh dear.

Still, I agree that it's a compelling car once driven.

Alstoy

Andrew-nice review. I saw the car for the first time this weekend. As most said, it is much nicer in the flesh. I liked the jagged edges of the front bottom and the back (a la Aston). The mirrors and brakes didn't seem that much bigger to me. Didn't care much for the all aluminium in the particular car I saw-just a bit too much. Everything was going great until I saw the photo of the 991 next to your turbo. It does put things into perspective-the turbo looks much better. Cheers.

Mbiondo

The bad: The Turbo looks sooo much better than the 991. I'm not talking about a little better, but a lot better. Looks exotic, compact. The 991, by comparison, looks everydayish.

The good: I applaud Porsche for making a new, better 911 that resembles every bit a 911. No question, even as owner and enthusiast, you have to look twice to pick a 997.2 apart from a 991. At the dealer, I had to do double takes before I could point one from the other.

19_hole

Interesting, I found just the opposite. It was very obvious which car was the 997.2 and which was the 991.

Aerokitted

Comparing the Turbo to the regular 991 is not a fair comparison. Line-up an' 05 Carrera/S with the 991 and the 997 looks absolutely flat, but not in a completely bad way which speaks more to the overall timelessness of the 911 design.

Looks, fellas, the old mantra rings true in water-cooled land: Buy the newest you can afford. Porsche knocked it out of the park and for those still clinging onto the 997... it's no 993. Let's move on already. The 991 kills the 997.

I can't wait for the GT and Turbo variants.

maverick

Glad you enjoyed the review it was fun doing the field work for it
To say the 991 kills the 997 may be a little exaggerated, they are different cars with one having the benefit of 6 years of technology advancements. I have a 1991 also, and it is clearly very "last century" but no less of a Porsche, just a different era.The 991 Turbo apparently will have 3 turbos so that will begin pages of discussions for the next few years while we wait
I forgot to mention the 991 has auto headlamps...wow what a novel concept
Oh and whats wrong with having a key???....while the new key being a "matchbox" version of the car your driving is very cool and will impress the valet...... it is a PIA to insert into the dash
Bottom line im just glad that the 911 lives on and we get to pontificate about it. Porsche there is no substitute

pdxjim...it had the sport exhaust.

Mike in CA

My Cayenne has the same key and I shared your sentiments at first. Once you get used to using it, though, and being just a bit more deliberate in lining it up with the "keyhole", it ceases to be an issue, if that's any consolation.

jfr0317

Maverick, you mentioned you wished it had the ability to adjust both zones of the climate control simultaneously. Actually, it does. According to the very cool "Service Information 2012 Technik Introduction 911 Carrera/911 Carrera S (991)" 258 page booklet I just bought from Suncoast, you press and hold the "Auto" button in the climate control cluster until "Mono" appears in the display, and then you can adjust the temperature settings for both driver's and passenger's sides together via the driver's side "Temp" button.

Carrera GT

The "new" key for Panamera and Cayenne is a pathetic failure. "Entry and Drive" should be standard along with auto-on headlights and other features all available on entry level $25K cars five or ten years ago.

It is possible to order Entry and Drive for another few thousand, but it requires the *** seats and I think the steering headlights in a bundle.

I think a retrofit kit for Entry and Drive will be a great money maker for the service department at Porsche dealers.

I watched a couple as they began a test drive in a Panamera recently and the husband was kneeling beside the car while he and his wife struggled to figure out if the key would go into the car at all ... they were alternately looking around the cabin for a simple "start/stop" button and the conversation was not complimentary ... I seriously think it was costing Porsche the sale of the car.

Is there any more definitive "first impression" than putting the key in a car and starting the engine?

Mike in CA

TEHO. My wife had an Enter and Drive type feature on her Highlander Hybrid and I didn't care for it at all.

As for the potential customers in your story, I see the new Porsche key as Darwinian. If they couldn't figure out how it worked after a couple of tries, they were apparently lacking in some "key" cognitive areas, and were being selected against for Porsche ownership.

alexb76

IS it me, or the backend on the TT looks JUST that much better and a lot sportier and meaty looking?!

Mbiondo

I totally agree and thought the same (see my earlier post). However, Aerokitted corrected me in that comparing an S to a Turbo is not fair. And, in retrospect, I have to admit he’s right. I really do think that the 991 4S or Turbo will look great. Since I currently drive a 2010 4S, the timing by when those come out in the new format may just be ripe for me. I really like the 4S, but I may—may—trade up to a Turbo. We’ll have to see first, of course. Otherwise, a 997.2 slightly used Turbo wouldn’t be out of the question, either.

texas911

Plus the turbo is modded and lowered.