am722

Well, I still currently own a Porsche, and I was curious if others had similar feelings about the 991. I figured I'd get a better perspective from the 991 board.

NJ-GT

I like the 991S, I think it is amazing, so did many test drivers for Motor Trend including one of my favorite Pro-racers Randy Pobst.

It is also faster than my Fiat at a racetrack, and so much cheaper.

clembo

I had a 2005 C2, traded for a 2009 C2S, and was planning on getting the 991 when it came out. Then I saw it.

I'm finalizing paperwork on a 2012 Vantage this week. I'm not going to trash anybody for buying a 991, but personally, I think the changes are unfortunate, enough so that I'm abandoning the marque for at least one generation.



So you are abandoning the marque because you "saw" a 991 and didn't like it? I understand that maybe not everyone will enjoy the updated styling but why wouldn't you drive it? Many of us choose these cars because they are a blast to drive. The 991 is faster and more fun to drive in my opinion than the 997.2S (i had one).

I think the Vantage is a nice car but it will not perform nearly as well as a 991S. It does look nicer, but it looks nicer than a 997 and a 991.

It appears that there is still a divide from the guys who like their 997's and don't want to adapt to the changes that Porsche made. Are people still using their 8-Track tape players and not going with Ipods for the same reasons? The 997 was a great car. In my opinion, the 991 is better (faster, more fun to drive, brakes better, lighter, more available features etc...).

All opinions are subjective, but change will always occur.

am722

Yes, after I saw the 991 design, I conclusively decided I didn't want one. I can't get past the exterior (rear and front) lamp designs, and I don't find the new interior design attractive (though I could live with that if it were the only thing I didn't like). Just my opinion, and I won't call someone who likes the changes wrong.

The fact that the 991 is a better performer than the 997 (or Vantage) is beyond dispute. It's faster than a track-prepped Scuderia, for pete's sake. In terms of driving fun, though, I found my 997.1 C2 more enjoyable than my 997.2 C2S, even though it was not nearly as capable.

There do seem to be 997 owners who don't think the 991 is a "real" 911, or whatever, and that seems a little ridiculous to me. It's obviously a 911, and a better car than the 997. It's just not something that I would enjoy owning, which disappointed me since the 911 occupies a rather unique space in the car spectrum and it was a real PITA to figure out what to replace the 997 with (which was necessary since I don't want to own one of these types of cars out of warranty). Just my $.02.

chuckbdc

What a switch! I hope you are aware that you will have to suffer with the what is possibly the best looking car ever made, the smell and feel of old fashioned English leather, and that terrible V8 rumble!

LastMezger

Best looking perhaps but also likely worst made...

Alan Smithee

I feel the same way, and if I was in the market for a new $100-120k sports/GT car, I have a feeling I would end up with the AM as well. Always loved the looks and sound, and from what I have read, the chassis and engine performance has been brought up to the $100k+ level in recent years (I have never driven one).

I replaced my 997 with a Boxster Spyder at the beginning of 2010 to wait out the introduction of the 991. Perhaps there will be a 991 derivative that appeals to me, and if not, the 981 Cayman looks promising.

holminator

I remember similar negative comments when I bought my 997 in 2005. To each his own for sure.

wanna911

This is nothing compared to when the 996 came out. Some people still don't consider anything not air cooled to be a 911. The 991 is awesome. I'm not a fan of this PDK everything movement, but the 997 had PDK and still got smashed, in fact, the 997 Turbo S with PDK is still barely faster than the 991 C2S. So it's NOT just PDK.

I just hate people bandwagoning PDK because the car goes fast. This car goes way beyond that which is what makes it faster. It's a better design. The 997 was small incremental improvements over the 996. This is the real deal change.

Though Porsche are going out on a limb by changing so many things at one time (design, balance, interior, steering, GT engine). That is not what has been typically desired by it's client base. But the fact is that the 993 has aged and while a classic, is no longer relevant. The 997 will be that as well one day, and Porsche are counting on that.

solomonschris

Relevant to what?

Alan Smithee

I was active on these boards and in the Porsche community back then - ordered my 997 in July 2004 - and I do not recall anything of the sort (except for the introduction of PASM on the GT3).

am722

I think I recall some people writing that they preferred the anniversary 996 over the 997s at the time, which aligns somewhat with the GTS vs. 991 argument. But I don't remember anyone complaining about the design changes at all.

wanna911

Relevant to Porsche discussions on design, performance, technology, tuning or anything relative to modern Porsche discussions. It's purely a classic now.

solomonschris

There is another category, and that would be appeal. I realize that the newer cars have higher performance limits than the 993, but that doesn't make them more appealing. As I sit here typing this, I am looking out the window at my sailboat, designed 100 years ago, that is like a naked girl dancing for me. Newer boats are faster for sure, but the experience of sailing them, and looking at them, cannot compare with this little Herreshoff. And so it is with the 993 for me. Sexy as hell to look at, and a wonder to drive, or even just sit in for that matter. I have a wonderful 991 as my DD that is light years beyond, in technical terms, what my 993 is, but if I could only keep one to satisfy my 911 Jones, it would be the 993....just me.

Alan Smithee

The mechanical connection between car and driver was a huge improvement with the 997 - shifter, brakes, seats, and steering were all changed for the better from the 996, making the car more focused, and with the upgraded interior, at the same time a nicer place to be (and with the wider rear fenders and revised front end, nicer to look at as well).

The 991 has removed some of the mechanical connection, while (IMO, of course) going overboard 'upgrading' the interior (I already have a luxury car), and I can't get over the proportions of the wider front end.

Up until now, if you were faster in a 911, it was because you were a better driver - not because you ticked all of the option boxes for electronic driving aids.

I do not think the outgoing 997 was perfect, and the 991 is obviously more capable, but like am722 and others, the C2 and C2S have evolved into cars I do not want to own. Hopefully we will see a GTS or Club Sport version sooner than later - or a GT3 with AeroKit delete option. Or maybe Porsche's plan is to make the Cayman more of a pure drivers' car.