Palmbeacher

The 991's looks are evolutionary and unmistakably Porsche, so were it only that, I would see one in my future at some point. But I don't, and here's why.

It's clear to me that Porsche is determined to phase out the traditional stickshift transmission. Deleting the handbrake makes driving a stick more difficult in hilly areas. Putting the gear lever up high on a cluttered console makes shifting less comfortable. Putting in a seventh gear (unncessary, as anyone who has ever paid attention to the revs on a 6-speed knows, they could just as easily have spaced the ratios out farther on 5 and 6 to gain the same final ratio) increases the number of shifts, as well as puts the gates closer together making missed-shifts more likely. Making the stick feel worse is a good way to make the PDK feel better. It's understandable, as having a single configuration would be more cost-effective for Porsche: one transmission, one set of pedals, no clutch assembly.

The act of driving a sports car produces adrenaline, similar to the fight-or-flight neurological response. Shifting gears involves use of the large muscles of the body. Those uptake the excess neurotransmitter more quickly, which is what is biochemically responsible for the "fun factor" people describe in using a stickshift. Take the stick out of the equation, smooth out the ride, and quiet it down, and I'll take a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Jag, Aston, Bentley, or any other luxury-GT over a Porsche any day. Those companies have been building cars like that forever, and they're a lot better at it than Porsche.

I don't know about electric steering, but I did buy a Mercedes with "brake by wire"...a system that was highly-touted at the time, but which Mercedes has since abandoned because it was far more complicated, expensive, and problematic than justified by the advantages. I can't figure out what was broken with Porsche steering that had to be fixed.

The notion of piped-in simulated exhaust-noise would be hysterically funny if it weren't actually true. Likewise the verbose badging on the rear.

I'm happy for the people who buy the 991. I'm happy if they've found something that suits their needs...that looks like a sports car but drives with more of a luxury feel. I'm even happy for the guys who buy it because having the latest model of everything is essential for their self-esteem and manhood, although I think it's rather pathetic that they then deride those who don't suffer from such compulsion.

I see no reason for negativity...on either side. Thankfully, an aging Porsche becomes vintage. Those of us who so choose can always put the money into restoration vs buying a new model, and feel none the least at odds. If I stay with Porsche long enough for my 997 to need restoring, that's what I will probably do.

The 991 doesn't affect me negatively, it just leaves me flat. I drove one. Kept hearing BB King in my head: "The thrill is gone...the thrill is gone away..."

Mike in CA

I appreciate (although I don't completely agree with) your other points but you're factually off base on the one above. For the record, it's not simulated; the Symposer ducts real sound from the engine compartment, and it's not exhaust noise, it's intake sound.

Palmbeacher

I stand corrected factually, but the notion is no less imbicillic.

Wiley Hodges

I suppose it's a matter of taste, but but the Sound Symposer is a reasonable solution given a challenging set of constraints:

- customers find tire noise wearing on long trips
- regulatory authorities won't permit loud engine/exhaust sounds outside the car
- customers love to hear some nice engine sounds inside the car.

A pretty good description can be found at http://www.sae.org/mags/SVE/10374

My own take: it sounds fantastic. It adds a great deal to the experience of driving the 991, and I'm glad they went this route rather than the synthesized engine noise approach of the F90 M5

Mike in CA

I don't see why being provided with a way to hear actual engine sounds which would otherwise be masked by other noises or muffled by sound insulation is imbecilic, but whatever.

Carcam

There are a lot of Negative Nancys here. Every new car has it's critics, whether it be BMW, MB or here. I know I'm in a minority here but I bet in a majority world wide. The 991 is a step in the right direction for where I drive anyway. My roads are terrible- grooved, potholes constantly under repair with cops all over too. A GT3 would beat you to death. I appreciate the new level of refinement, quieter more comfortable ride and I actually (gasp) like the new steering. Admittedly the previous Porsches had more communicative steering but you also felt every hole, pebble and imperfection in the road. I don't have an autobahn and love long rides to the mountains or beach and appreciate the nice balance of power, handling and comfort.
If it's more of a GT car than true sports car, so what. There are still lots of 993, 996 and 997's out there if that's what you prefer. Or wait for the 991 GT3!

Franklin229

The problem is sound insulation. Get rid of it and you don't need any ducting to create the sound that is already there.

Mike in CA

No question sound insulation is a big part of the problem, but who wants to start tearing apart their new $100K+ 991? More importantly, when you remove insulation you are providing a way for any number of other undesireable noises to get into the cabin.

SSST

My take away from this thread is that Porsche is using technology to simulate the sound and feel of driving a Porsche.

TRAKCAR

I want to test drive the street legal version of whatever they race.
For now the 991 became a great GT car. Reminded me of an AMG more than a GT3.
But then it's not a GT3. Yet.

Palmbeacher

You're right. An imbicile would just roll down the windows. It takes a true genius to pay a hundred grand to have the sound blocked and then piped back in

I saw a programme on PBS a couple of months ago highlighting some equally-genius gentlemen who've spent millions attempting to construct a high-tech robotic female mannequin capable of actively participating in sexual intercourse. Again, an imbicile, if he couldn't find a girl willing to **** him, would just go out and get a $100 hooker.

Perhaps in today's world we need to re-define 'imbicile'.

Mike in CA

Or at least learn how to spell it.......

Palmbeacher

Well, if that's the most erudite rebuttal you could manage, I think I may safely consider my point won BTW English isn't my native language. How many languages do you speak as fluently as I do English? BTW the "Spelling Bee" is a singularly American creation born of an obsession with spelling...and, from a preponderance of the evidence, a curious disregard for proper grammar, connotation, nuance and all the other parameters inherent to intelligent use of language

destaccado

I agreed with your points and wouldn't have called out your spelling however I think you crossed a line.

You speak English because it's the language of international business, aviation, and what is still the world's most powerful nation. The fact that your native language is not any of these things is precisely why I don't speak it and instead focus my efforts on more productive endeavors like arguing about sound piping on the internet...

Mike in CA

No, honestly, I was just getting tired of this ridiculous subject, and people's concerns about it, and so thought to deal with your response succinctly. My apologies, it was not my intent to offend. I'm not hung up on spelling, but it's such a simple thing to get right (aside from the unavoidable typo).

Surely you must see the total lack of relevance between (if true) some idiot spending millions to design his own automated sex slave and Porsche designing the Sound Symposer. I think you're trying to say that anything but the simplest solution is imbecilic, but that ignores the fact that not all problems are simple. Your simple solution is to roll down the windows? In the rain? On a blazing hot day? At 75mph on the motorway? Then there's your comment, "It takes a true genius to pay a hundred grand to have the sound blocked and then piped back in". A straw man; it sounds clever from the standpoint of trying to prove your point, but it doesn't describe reality. No one spends $100K to block engine sound. They do, however, spend $100k for a properly built, tight, well insulated automobile. Unfortunately, solving one problem (blocking unwanted exterior sounds and vibrations) causes other problems (you can't hear some of the good engine sounds). So Porsche designs a way to let in those good (not fake) sounds and still keep out the unwanted ones. It's a simple and elegant engineering solution that for some reason drives certain people crazy and is used as an example of how the end of the 911 has come. Again, ridiculous; one might even say imbecilic.