chuck911

Yeah, that is sweet. Almost too much so. Please note I am not picky at all. Does not need to be Cognac/Espresso. All Espresso is just fine with me!

Penn4S

I would not even have to think about it. Turbo S not a doubt. I hade 3 previous TT's that were awesome cars. Lightening fast and every day drivable. The Turbo S even better. You would never look back. It's the best Porsche makes that's still drive able every day.

Powereng

Between the GTS and turbo.. Turbo all the way, now if you throw the GT3 in the comparison, I may have to chose differently

chuck911

One student of mine, a novice, had me take him out in the Instructor run group to see what his car could do. This was a while ago so it was a new 996TT, but the relative performance still applies. I wanted to teach my student and wasn't about to be pushing his brand new car all that hard so each lap we would drive just one section fast, then cruise while I talked to him. Ahead of us was my friend Mike in his nicely sorted out for the track 993 S. Even on street tires and never pushing even 90% when I was pushing it at all we would reel him in like nothing. Inside the Turbo, even going significantly faster than a track prepped 993S on track tires being driven flat out, it felt inside the Turbo like little more than a comfortable speed to cruise at all day long.

That was a 996TT. Today's 991S is a far more capable car. Yet today's Turbo S holds about the same performance advantage as back then. You are absolutely right: the best Porsche makes that's still drivable every day. For going on 40 years now!

chuckbdc

Well. I test drove the Turbo (non-S but with Sport Chrono, e.g. w overboost for ~500ft/lb) today and decided to stay with my C2S. This despite a reasonable deal w trade.

Impressions:

Interior was a duplicate (in dark brown rather than black leather) same 14 way seats, which I prefer to alternatives, and driving felt just the same.

Suspension was almost as firm as Sport PASM, but more supple. Four WD and higher weight were obvious compared to the C2S. Turn in medium speeds was uncanny instantaneous and totally uneventful. Maneuvering in the parking lot was grin- like it was hinged in the middle. Four wheel steering is A+.

The difference in push in the back was as expected. Big block V8 like, but smoother. I was afraid it would be too quiet- but in Sport and Sport Plus the engineered-in overrun burble was there- but not as sharp and entertaining as with my PSE.

The car is stupid fast. It drove itself 20 mph faster than I thought I was driving, everywhere. I had to watch the speedo and hope the cars in front knew they were about to be passed. On the other hand, I could get used to that!

So, why didn't I buy it? For me, the marginal increase in fun over the C2S just didn't feel equal to the marginal cost. Every other Porsche I bought into met that test. Something inside tells me that is is correlated with the revs and torque curves of a normally aspirated flat six. I need to find a GT3 to test.

chuck911

I'm not surprised. Would've been, a little, if you'd bought it. From day one they have made the Turbo a class of its own. Even that first one I was in, the 75, had that same firm but supple feeling. It definitely has to be a design goal, to deliver in the Turbo the highest degree of luxury compatible with extreme control. Unfortunately this has resulted in a car that, well where in the world do you drive a car that's so crazily, effortlessly fast? It is after all no less effortless on the track. So you pretty much have to be the guy who enjoys that. Which I can tell you do, but as you said not enough to make the trade.

But I bet if they came out with a NA 991 with rear axle steering you'd be all over it!

jbdmd

I was in the market for a 991 S or 4S...then I drove a Turbo S. I bought a Turbo S. Mind numbing fast yet far less ostentatious than my previously owned 458. Turbo S ALL THE WAY!

chuck911

The Turbo S rules.

oldman40

ok, ive got a solution: get an air cooled turbo, stupid fast, torquey, the air cooled sound is intoxicating, and not so over-polished as the 991 turbos.

oh wait, sorry, I forgot, no one drives air cooled turbos anymore, too "valuable".

Yard Dog

I considered this question, but in a slightly different way. I was looking for a replacement for a 2015 Cayman GTS which I love, but find cramped for my 6'2" frame. I looked into a turbo as a replacement, but I have to have a manual so I dismissed the newer PDKs and looked used at 996 and 997 turbo manuals. There are a lot of low mileage tts out there, some with mileage around 10K and many more in the 20 to 30K range selling at $40 to $80K, and many more with higher mileage and a lower price range. There was a beautiful 2003 911 turbo with 22,330 miles on it near me in silver with a black interior and the aluminum package owned by a car guy who kept it immaculately. I had shoulder surgery recently and could not drive down to look at the car in time before someone else, to my regret, purchased it. About that time my dealer took delivery of a black on black 911 GTS and gave me a call. I drove it and loved it. They like my car and made a good offer so I bought the 911 on the spot. As was mentioned earlier, the GTS has all the power anyone needs on the street. If I had purchased the turbo I would have had two P-cars plus a truck I love almost as much all of which are more vehicles than I can drive and race a sailboat, so the one-P-car option made more sense to me. I learned a lot in the process of looking at turbos. Another consideration in favor of the 996 turbos is that their price is depressed by the stigma attached to their non-turbo brethren, but the 996 turbo is a wholly different and very reliable engine that is infinitely tunable. The market is beginning to realize they are relative bargains and their prices are starting to rise along with other Porsches 15 or more years old. As others have noted, the turbo's sound leaves something to be desired, but its kick-butt performance more than makes up for it. One of the widely held opinions expressed often by turbo owners is that once you have driven a turbo, nothing else will do. The good part of your dilemma is whichever car you choose you can't help but make a good choice.

eddtiff

Recently ran into the same dilemma. In the end, I chose the Turbo as its looks just sold me, especially the rear. I should add that the GTS is a more than capable DD car. It's carmine red is very nice in person!

MagicRat

GTS for me. Drove a TTS and was blown away by the pace, but just didn't find myself wanting one or really thinking about it when I was hooning home in my Boxster S. I'm sure one would get used to and start to enjoy the power delivery, but for me no getting used to is required for an NA engine. I also wasn't sold on the variable-aero wing.

GR-NL

I wrecked my Aston Martin on a slippery road. Yes, sound of the GTS is better, Yes, GTS has a manual transmission.Yes, the GTS is a rear-wheel drive. Yes, driving a Turbo S is not as "spectacular" as my Ferrari's ( which I drive only in the spring/summer).
Therefore for me as a daily driver the Turbo S.

991 3Turbo

Actually not true at all. Multiple reviewers including Chris Harris driving both back to back say the McLaren is quite easily the better daily driver. Suspension is way more sophisticated, unlike the new 570S with is simpler to keep costs down.

991 3Turbo

Cognac? I need a zofran