991.2 opinion
02-17-2017, 01:54 PM
#123
My 991.2 C4S is the best car I've owned in my life. It's not the best car in the world -- and it might be out-done by other cars at or below its price point, depending on which metric you care to obsess over. Hell, if I had infinite time to do long-term test drives of every car ever made, I might decide that something else entirely would hit my personal sweet spot more than this.
But I don't have infinite time. The car I chose is in my garage, and what I do know is that it's just amazingly great. Not quite as good as the car it replaced in a couple ways? Some people are really sensitive to those factors? Sure, ok. None of that matters to me. It's still more car than I've ever owned before, and it will take me a long time to explore its limits -- if I ever do.
Also, seriously: given the life that most of the humans that have come before us and who live along side us have lived, I count anyone who is able to enjoy and appreciate one of these cars as one of the lucky ones. The rest is noise. Angry vacuum cleaner noise.
But I don't have infinite time. The car I chose is in my garage, and what I do know is that it's just amazingly great. Not quite as good as the car it replaced in a couple ways? Some people are really sensitive to those factors? Sure, ok. None of that matters to me. It's still more car than I've ever owned before, and it will take me a long time to explore its limits -- if I ever do.
Also, seriously: given the life that most of the humans that have come before us and who live along side us have lived, I count anyone who is able to enjoy and appreciate one of these cars as one of the lucky ones. The rest is noise. Angry vacuum cleaner noise.
Very well said.
Congrats.... you nailed it!
02-17-2017, 01:54 PM
#124
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Ok. I've just had the first proper spirited drive since breaking in my .2 Carrera S. My tiny little hands were all over my GT Sports steering wheel and my little gen 2 feet were busy with the gas. I have to say that all the low end torque makes for some serious, serious fun in this car. Driving the PDK in 'manual' you can get the wheels spinning in any gear even with modest throttle application. The roads here in the U.K. are still a little slippery at the moment. Coming from an NA background where you wring the neck of an engine to get your fun, it is a thrill to me to feel a surge of power from low down and it just keeps on coming. There's no right or wrong here, but Porsche have really got to be complimented on just how good they've got these FI engines. There's no doubting the capabilities of a smaller turbo engine in a 911. Add to that the RWS and chassis advancements and you have a potent package. That package is just more advanced than ever and the driving style needs to adapt. Does it take away from driver pleasure? I would argue not. You are just piloting a sharper instrument. When I drive my aircooled 964 I just get a different experience (one that requires more from the driver admittedly) but each of these cars have their own characters and their own plus points. To judge the gen 2 against the gen 1 on sound is completely unfair and IMO pointless as the sum of all the parts is what characterises each and every 911. To summarise, they are all marvellous machines. You just need smaller hands for the 991.2!
02-17-2017, 02:59 PM
#125
02-17-2017, 09:08 PM
#126
Burning Brakes
I think it's hilarious how there is a debate about the sound of the 991. The sound of a 911 was never that great in the first place. Sure, compared to your average Toyota or BMW, it's great. But 've owned a Maserati Granturismo S, a Ferrari F430 Spider, and a Ferrari 458 Italia, and the sound of those engines was truly magnificent. The 991 with it's flat 6 can't compare to a Flat 8 or V8/V12. I like my 991 Targa because of the way it drives, but even with PSE it sounds just OK.
02-17-2017, 10:26 PM
#127
I never heard a flat 8.
Anyways, there is something special about the flat 6 as it revs to redline.
My F430 was definitely louder, but was a chore to drive long distance due to the drone of the engine. My previous Aston and current C63 AMG sound great, but really no better than a flat 6.
I think you do lose some character in the .2, but it's not a major point for me. To me, the .2 sounds pretty good. If the sound had degraded like the current 4 cylinder Cayman/Boxster, I would have passed.
Anyways, there is something special about the flat 6 as it revs to redline.
My F430 was definitely louder, but was a chore to drive long distance due to the drone of the engine. My previous Aston and current C63 AMG sound great, but really no better than a flat 6.
I think you do lose some character in the .2, but it's not a major point for me. To me, the .2 sounds pretty good. If the sound had degraded like the current 4 cylinder Cayman/Boxster, I would have passed.
02-17-2017, 10:35 PM
#128
Drifting
I don't know that there has ever been a muffled, street-legal Flat 8. The 908 I heard once at one of the Rennsport Reunions sounded glorious, but it was an unmuffled race engine of course, and honestly, didn't sound any better to me than a flat 12 or a flat 6 race engine.
That said, Porsche flat 6 street motors definitely can't match the aural glory of a Ferrari flat-plane crank V8, even detuned and civilized in a Quatroporte.
That said, Porsche flat 6 street motors definitely can't match the aural glory of a Ferrari flat-plane crank V8, even detuned and civilized in a Quatroporte.
02-17-2017, 10:52 PM
#129
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02-18-2017, 08:33 AM
#130
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I think it's hilarious how there is a debate about the sound of the 991. The sound of a 911 was never that great in the first place. Sure, compared to your average Toyota or BMW, it's great. But 've owned a Maserati Granturismo S, a Ferrari F430 Spider, and a Ferrari 458 Italia, and the sound of those engines was truly magnificent. The 991 with it's flat 6 can't compare to a Flat 8 or V8/V12. I like my 991 Targa because of the way it drives, but even with PSE it sounds just OK.
02-18-2017, 12:43 PM
#133
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As a former F430 owner, I can attest that nothing, nothing, sounds as glorious as a flat plane crank V8 screaming to the redline. It makes all this discussion about the relative merits of the sound of the 991.1 vs 991.2 akin to trying to determine the tallest midget.
However, that free, high revving V8 had an Achilles heal. The very reason that engine revs so fast and produces that soundtrack is the flat plane crank configuration. Instead of a balanced cross plane crank (that you have all experienced whether you know it or not), a flat plane V8 acts like two giant unbalanced 4 bangers bolted together. It like two cats fighting to get out of a sack. There's a whole lotta shakin going on. It takes its toll on everything attached to the engine. But it does sound like the Almighty, particularly in a tunnel.
However, that free, high revving V8 had an Achilles heal. The very reason that engine revs so fast and produces that soundtrack is the flat plane crank configuration. Instead of a balanced cross plane crank (that you have all experienced whether you know it or not), a flat plane V8 acts like two giant unbalanced 4 bangers bolted together. It like two cats fighting to get out of a sack. There's a whole lotta shakin going on. It takes its toll on everything attached to the engine. But it does sound like the Almighty, particularly in a tunnel.
02-18-2017, 12:52 PM
#134
Burning Brakes
I agree that the 911 cannot compete with some of those Italian cars for glorious sound. When I moved to Brazil in the early 1980s my wife had some garden variety Fiat economy car with a 1000cc 4 cylinder engine with some very loud muffler on it. Most obnoxious sound in the world. We had a stock muffler put back on to save my ears!
02-18-2017, 01:04 PM
#135
Originally Posted by sexfiend
Lol, chose a car because one "sounded better"...
I don't have any complaints about the lower torque of the NA motor as I find myself at close to triple digits in 2nd gear, as it is.
Both cars are "too much car" based on my driving abilities.
Ultimately the wife liked the wide hips of the GTS and we scored a sweet deal. Zero regrets.
Full disclosure though, I prefer NA motors and wanted to experience the last generation of the 3.8L.
Price wise we would have spent just as much on a lightly optioned .2Base as we spent on a year old, new and loaded GTS.
Which one would you have picked?
