freeman727

Question is, if there were no regulations/laws limiting size and efficiency of gas engines, would manufacturers still be pushing out so many turbos? Non-turbos are only for the very high end and soon will be gone. There will be no NA Porsches in one or two more (at the most) generations.

Dewinator

At the top end of the market (Superfast, Peformante) there's no reason to go FI. It's the cost-effective way to get the lap times we're irrationally obsessed with at a lower price point though.

R_Rated

Is that a crack at the sound of the 3.0tt?

Also - I don't see enough diversity amongst the winners...

Additionally - so you strapped on turbos and made power - so shocking....

The 3.8 was and will always be a marvel in the same way the S54 was for the BMW crowd. The new Porsche 4.0 is also going to be an engineering marvel but won't get the attention because its not 600hp for the money. Audi's V10 (NA) should also be included. The Audi and GT3 punch so far above their weight!

R_Rated

They would still make NA engines. If this weren't the case then the new GT3 would be boosted.... it's way cheaper and easier to make the same propaganda stats with boost.

R_Rated

Last comment.... LOL @ Tesla in the list... technically it doesn't have an engine and how could journalists love it... sound was a huge criteria...

they love the battery? "I Love Lamp...."

Dewinator

If Porsche (or Tesla for that matter) woos me appropriately by flying me to Switzerland to drive the 3.0tt around some curvy Alps roads I promise to swoon up all over the forums about what a leap forward it is.

Hurricane

Hurricane

I love my 991.1S with the powerkit but if PCA hands me the keys to a GTS next week in the raffle...I would be hard pressed to keep a four year old (five model year old) car over a brand new one...

Love the sound and the feel of the 991.1S w/powerkit but more HP/torque would be hard to turn down! Both great Porsches, of course!

bkrantz

asia

+1. I can't build an engine.

djcxxx

Every Porsche owner invests in the past when they acquire the car. Even now the .2 engine is already old technology as Porsche tears down its factory to build for Mission E and all electric cars. When my father was looking for his first 911 in the early '70s (today's overpriced Golden Age long hoods) two of his colleagues insisted that the 911 was not a true European Porsche like their 356's but a mutant created for Americans (who implicitly had more wealth to spend). The RSR was created as a 911, despite the fact that it isn't a 911 it's closer to a Cayman with a 911 shell, because Porsche knows its customers and what it needs to do to maintain their loyalty. The .2 engine is actually a technical marvel made possible by computer technology that allows it to largely mimic a NA engine with the major flaw of a loud whistle that betrays its true nature. In 2 years it has already shown itself to be far more reliable than the .1 GT3 engine whose woes will likely continue far into the future, and despite their reputation, the early air cooled sixes had plenty of intrinsic flaws that a poor US dealer network and poorly capitalized Porsche AG were unable to fully address until the early 1980s. In 10 years people on these forums will long for the old days of the twin turbos, telling the newbies how great old days were in 2017.

asia

I enjoy the whistle, but understand why others might feel differently. I agree with Pete Stout in that it keeps things honest. Damping the whistle might involve other sound or performance compromises and additional cost.

This is one of the reasons why I am not buying more GT cars. They are not as well tested nor as reliable as the regular production cars. The GT department has not been able to match the 991.2 test cycle given their budget.

randr

It is indeed a fantastic mill a deserved winner in category and 2nd overall to the 488GTB - two of the most responsive engines on the market today.

Not particularly interested in the sound debate, largely a non issue - but would point out, that at Le Mans one of the commentators pointed out the RSR sounded great - his co-commentator laughed and said "unfortunately its the sound of losing" .

stout

^ is hilarious.

As to noises, I took a 997.1 GT3 RS out for some errands yesterday to warm everything through for the owner, and was shocked by how good it was all these years later—and by how great it sounded. How mechanical. Wow. The exhaust, yes, but the engine noises were the thing. Losing the intermediate shaft in the move to 9A1 lost something in aural terms, but that was also obvious in the move from 987.1 Cayman S to 987.2 Cayman S. Drove the latter for two years, and missed the "dreaded" M97 engine's noises if not its risks. After I tucked the 997 RS back in, I fired up my old 914 with a 2.2 six, Webers, and a sport muffler to go get some gas—and its noises shredded the 997 RS. At anything under 5000 rpm, anyway. Then got in my GT4 to go home. It's a very distant third against the other two—but still far, far ahead of many new cars.

As to the point of this thread...

I remember falling in love with the 3.8 X51 in the 991.1 GTS all over again in the last press car to come through. The way it sings up at the top—and will sing at 7000+ forever if you like—is magical. It's a great engine. But I think the 3.0tt is a more appealing engine in the whole equation, PSE or no. It still sounds good to me, and I like that it's no turbo whistle with the windows up, and just enough whistle with them down. I also find myself starting to wonder about all these Porsches tuned to make everyone else listen to them. It's all exhaust noise, when it used to be engine noise—a symphony of whirring stuff. Then again, there are those times when the 9A1 in the GT4, with sport exhaust armed, is just plain incredible and makes me grin. But the 991.2 Carrera sounds good to me, too. Its charms are just subtler. I guess all this to say...is there a dog in this bunch? What's the yardstick? A 356? A Carrera GT? A 928? Would one prefer the 3.0tt not win awards? I can't speak to the quality of these engine award juries. But I will say I am not so sure turbos are here to stay, as they've proven to be good test takers more than anything else and TDI-gate has changed the way we look at emissions and consumption testing. For now, however, Porsche has given us a Ruf CTR-ish take on the 911 Carrera/S/GTS, and that's kind of neat—unless, of course, one is anti-turbo. I just like a good car, and the 991.2 Carrera is most definitely one. The improvements to the steering, handling, shifter, PCM, and other bits are "minor" but significant. And the engine is indeed very good. I think it's the most appealing Porsche made right now, as the 982s aren't for me despite their amazing chassis. I am, however, curious about the 991.2 GT3...

STG

Can you expand upon this comment? Not sure what you're saying here.