sfo

why does a sporty car have to be full of tyre and road noise?

kbalch

I'm getting ready to order my C2S, so read this as coming from someone who is not yet an owner, but definitely knows what he wants out of a modern sports car:

The beauty of the 991 is its flexibility. When I want to run hard and savor the joys of Porsche's man-machine interface, those car dynamics are still there. When I want "comfy ride, quiet ride, electronic gizmos", I can have all that in the same car. What's not to love?

Gotta call BS there...

When I want a completely unadulterated racing experience, I book time on the track (usually in a Skip Barber formula car). That sort of fully committed automotive environment is great fun, to be sure, but is definitely not what I want on the street in a daily (or frequent use) driver.

Ken

skinzy

+1 Comfort and sports car are not mutually exclusive. Its just great engineering!

sfo

exactly !

fbroen

I happened upon this conclusion in Autoguide.com today, and thought the wording was interesting and relevant to this thread:

"Demolishing its predecessor in both outright performance, as well as its ability to let even novice drivers push this car with ease, the newest Porsche 911 is a pitchfork-wielding mob of revolutionaries dressed in the garb of the establishment. A new level of comfort and quietness, this is not just another 911 in a long line of the very best daily driven sports cars, it’s the very first in a line of daily driven exotics."

http://www.autoguide.com/manufacture...ideo-2190.html

Michael T

I had a 996 and 997, my 991 has significantly less noise on the highway. One of the articles I read stated that the approximate 100 pound reduction in weight was due to a far greater reduction in weight in steel versus aluminum, while they added weight for noise, vibration and harshnees. The difference is very noticeable.

mclaudio

Good question. I can handle a loud engine and stiff ride, but tire/road noise is why I sold my daily driver 996 besides its engine reputation. I'm glad to hear that there's less of this noise. Driving the 991 S and base at the track, I can attest that the 991 still is a sports car.

Mbiondo

Damn! I thought my 997.2 is too cumfy and plush. Ever driven a F430 F1 for a whole 5 minutes?

Mbiondo

I don't want to start an argument, and recognize that the issue is subjective, but I think the very definition of "Sports Car" makes it exclusive. How would you otherwise define a high performance, bare to the bones, minimalist but functional car?

The 991S achieves great engineering feats-- on track and on Main St. Sure; no argument. But ever thought what a 991S could achieve without the "amenities"?

skinzy

No argument here. Appreciate other points of view. To some extent it does get down ultimately to function. If you are buying this car primarily as a track car then your point is well taken. Then by all means strip out AC, PMC, metal door handles, etc.. For the rest of us who either want a DD or DD + some track then my guess is we will compromise a little weight to achieve creature comforts.

chuckbdc

Thats why the GT3 and - if the market supports it- other more minimalist 991s will be available. But don't expect anything like the old Club Sport. Those cars didn't make economic sense for Porsche at the time, and stripping todays technology out of the 991 would leave it performing like yesterday's car.

parkerfe

I have used my 991s as a DD for three months and 6,xxx miles, including an 11,xxx mile road trip, Atlanta-Orlando-Atlanta. It is as comfortable as an Audi-BMW-MB sedan IMHO.

TSpyder

Was your odo running backwards?

Even with the Jeckyll and Hyde nature of the car, I thought that I'd have to sacrifice some hwy comfort when I replaced my 650 with the 991 as a DD. Turns out all I had to give up was trunk space.

Spyder

K-A

Perhaps a bit of perspective is necessary.

I drive an M-B E-Class, and have driven M-B Sedans for quite a while. Also, I'm barely 30.

I recently drove a 991 Base, and to someone like me who hasn't driven anything remotely "crude" since my Mustang GT with a slammed suspension, no rear seats, front racing seats, no mufflers, and a big 15" subwoofer in the trunk, about 5+ years ago, the 991 was about as "crude" as I can take it.

This is not to say that the 991 is in any way remotely "crude", as it is very refined, but it to me (again, remember, perspective! I have an E350 comfy cruiser with Sport Package), it felt like a thoroughbred Sports Car. Actually, it felt like a Go-Kart, considering the wafty mobile I got out of to drive it.

The rear engine sounds exhilarating, but it is VERY loud compared to what I'm used to, right behind your ears. The car is very roomy for what it is, but interior width dimensions are pretty tight, the car is low, it's connected.... it's a Sports Car.

Porsche have to keep up with refinements made across the board in the car world. Hyundai's and Kia's start to get to M-B levels of comfort, BMW just softened up its 5/6/7 Series' to get to Lexus levels of isolation, Mustangs and Camaro's are pretty quiet and comfortable now, etc.

To me, again, someone with the background I have with cars, the 991 is a perfect balance. It is a pure Sports Car to someone like me, but livable, and not crude, i.e not something that I think "man this would get really old and tiresome after a week".

However, I DO know what a "true old school" 911 is supposed to feel like. I grew up with a gorgeous 935 Slant Nose Turbo, and my Brother who owned it was a Porsche buff, so I was around tons of 70's-80's-90's Porsche's.

I know that classic Porsche smell, that roaring rear engine right behind you, little to no sound muffles separating you from it, etc.

Knowing that, I still feel the 991 is a perfect modern interpretation of it, keeping the spirit, but refining it. Yes, it can be considered too "clinical" in comparo, but that's just how the modern car world is. Anything more crude than the 991 and anyone but Porsche purists could render it behind the competition as an overall package.

FORENN

My 991 is my fourth 911 and I am still blown away by the improvements of the 991 over previous iterations. It is the perfect formula: comfort + handling + speed = endlessly pleasurable driving!