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My LA Auto Show 992 Impressions - A Different View
I just came back from the LA Auto Show today and got to spend quite a bit of time in the Porsche hall checking out the new 992. I’ve been seeing a ton of negativity in these forums but after seeing the car in real life, I have to completely disagree with most of the naysayers. The car is not without a few flaws, but it’s absolutely stunning in real life and the whole package is extremely appealing. Here’s a few of my impressions:
1. Initially I didn’t like the squared off retro frunk. After seeing it in real life, it actually looks really sharp. There’s two creases along the hood that I didn’t really notice in pictures that help balance the whole front view of the car. Otherwise everything would have been rounded with the only straight lines being the hood lines. So the good news is the front end looked a lot better than I expected and it’s really grown on me now.
2. I didn’t go on a press day so I couldn’t sit in side, but after staring through the window for a few minutes the quality of the interior looked great. I especially liked the light grey leather interior of one of the Gentian Blue 992’s. The sport-tex looked OK to me, I prefer leather though so I’m just not a fan. I agree that piano black isn’t the best material for around the shifter, but since there’s no capacitive buttons there you aren’t as likely to be touching and smudging it up. The cup holder is prominent, but for someone who drinks a mug of coffee every morning, this is going to be a huge boost in practicality.
3. The rear of the car looks very modern/futuristic now. If you don’t like that look, you won’t like it, but I’m loving it. The whole LED strip when turned on looks amazing and really next level sharp and there’s little details in the rear turn indicators that came out looking nice as well. The whole rear end exudes a quality and attention to detail when you’re looking at it up close.
4. Color choices are great this generation. Two greens, three blues, two reds, yellow and orange. Gentian Blue Metallic is definitely my favorite. Some people have a love/hate relationship with Miami Blue, so it’s good to have a shade brighter than Night Blue that isn’t so controversial and looks classy and not quite so loud.
5. And yes, I have to agree that the gear shifter “nub” just doesn’t look right. It’s probably my least favorite part of the car, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s a ***** looking shifter and I’m loving the rest of the car so overall it’s just a small annoyance.
Every time a new 911 everyone says they hate the car and all the changes. But what all the haters seem to be forgetting is that you buy a Porsche for the way it drives. And 5 seconds faster around the ring is sounding very promising in that regard. So once the first drive reviews start to come out and people get their hands on the car, I think we’re going to get a lot of changed options. We’re never going to have the “perfect” 911, but overall the whole 992 package is very well put together and I’m not afraid to say that I’m really loving it.
I was impressed with the 5 second faster in the ring v 991.2 but then I realized that the 991.2 gts has basically same hp as the new 992 s and it is more than 10 seconds faster than the s in the ring.
So in that sense the 992 isn’t really a leap forward at all. Almost drank the kool aid on that, like their amazing “wet mode” they’ve been emphasizing. I’m actually more impressed with the 991.1 gts now vs the new 992. It really comes down to what improvements in performance that matters to me for a 911 and I don’t see what Porsche has done in that department for the 992.
With the focus on luxury and tech and the larger size and weight on a revised 991 chassis, isn’t it really a panamera coupe vs a 911?
Thanks for taking a close-up of the side-view mirror with surround view camera. Although I'm still undecided whether it looks bad enough that I don't want it, this at least helps me make an informed decision.
Autogefühl noted that the exhaust was doubly fake -- the fake one on the bumper has two exhaust "outlets" on the inside, one of which is fake and looks almost like a speaker. Did you notice that?
I had a 991.2 and like the direction, the 992 is taking but for me, worse than the nub shifter is the center mount brake light. I think they could have done better with that. To dkhm3 and the criticism Porsche has made the car more of a grand tourer. I agree the 992 is leaning more towards GT in its basic forms (C2, C2S, C4, C4S) but there are many iterations to come in the 992 series that would certainly satisfy the sports car enthusiast (GT2, GT3, etc.).
Porsche enthusiasts said it was the end of the company when the Cayenne was introduced 15 years ago. It turns out, that SUV and the ones that followed have saved Porsche. I think the 992 is a step down that road. The car simply needs (at least in its base form) to appeal to a broader market. I had my 991.2 (C4) less than a year before I sold it. I just couldn't take the road noise on our less than perfect roads. It is a problem Porsche is well aware of and my dealer indicates they have taken steps with the 992 to address it. If they are successful, this 60-year-old will buy a new one. If you want a harsh ride, loud interior and razor-sharp handling, there are plenty of models left for you
I was impressed with the 5 second faster in the ring v 991.2 but then I realized that the 991.2 gts has basically same hp as the new 992 s and it is more than 10 seconds faster than the s in the ring.
So in that sense the 992 isn’t really a leap forward at all. Almost drank the kool aid on that, like their amazing “wet mode” they’ve been emphasizing. I’m actually more impressed with the 991.1 gts now vs the new 992. It really comes down to what improvements in performance that matters to me for a 911 and I don’t see what Porsche has done in that department for the 992.
With the focus on luxury and tech and the larger size and weight on a revised 991 chassis, isn’t it really a panamera coupe vs a 911?
Well I think the reason why they have 23 different models of the 911 is so they can satisfy everyone's different wants and needs. It seems like the Carrera Base/S are focusing a little more on daily driving practicality which exactly fit my wants/needs so that model appeals the most to me. If you want a car that's more raw then get a Carrera T, they've already confirmed it's coming for the 992. Or better yet get a GT3 and delete all the amenities that add weight.
Also, comparing the 991.2 GTS to the 992 S is not quite fair. If you go into the configuration and make a 991.2 C2S and a 992 C2S, as similar as possible (because the 992 has a lot more standard equipment included) the price difference is a grand total of $1,650. And that's not adding the PowerKit to make the power somewhat similar. So for that measly $1,650 you get an improved suspension, improved engine mounts, more down force, additional 23 horse power, 5 seconds faster around the ring, better exterior/interior color choices, better technology. So overall just way better bang for your buck. But yeah if you have $130K to spend, you can get a 991.2 GTS and be faster than a 992 C2S, but you're easily spending another 10-15K if we're making things equivalent.
Thanks for taking a close-up of the side-view mirror with surround view camera. Although I'm still undecided whether it looks bad enough that I don't want it, this at least helps me make an informed decision.
Autogefühl noted that the exhaust was doubly fake -- the fake one on the bumper has two exhaust "outlets" on the inside, one of which is fake and looks almost like a speaker. Did you notice that?
I'm looking at my pictures and it seems that both the sports exhaust (single large exhaust tip) and the standard exhaust (double exhaust tip) both seem to have a two exhaust outlets on the inside (one larger oval and one smaller one). I'm looking very closely at the pictures and I don't notice anything that resembles a speaker, and I didn't notice that at the car show.
Also, regarding fake exhaust tips, I've always thought that it was a bit unfair to call them fake. To me, this is a fake exhaust tip:
That's an Audi Q5 and the "exhaust tip" is literally a decoration and no exhaust is actually flowing through it. On the 992, the tailpipes actually have exhaust flowing through it. Just the exhaust outlets empty out into a plenum and then flow out the chrome tailpipes, instead of there being transitional piping in between. In reality, that change may make the more hardcore folks heavily furrow their brow and shake their fists, but you'll never ever think about that when driving and if the exhaust note is improved (as it's rumored to be), that is what would actually matter on a daily basis.
Well I think the reason why they have 23 different models of the 911 is so they can satisfy everyone's different wants and needs. It seems like the Carrera Base/S are focusing a little more on daily driving practicality which exactly fit my wants/needs so that model appeals the most to me. If you want a car that's more raw then get a Carrera T, they've already confirmed it's coming for the 992. Or better yet get a GT3 and delete all the amenities that add weight.
Also, comparing the 991.2 GTS to the 992 S is not quite fair. If you go into the configuration and make a 991.2 C2S and a 992 C2S, as similar as possible (because the 992 has a lot more standard equipment included) the price difference is a grand total of $1,650. And that's not adding the PowerKit to make the power somewhat similar. So for that measly $1,650 you get an improved suspension, improved engine mounts, more down force, additional 23 horse power, 5 seconds faster around the ring, better exterior/interior color choices, better technology. So overall just way better bang for your buck. But yeah if you have $130K to spend, you can get a 991.2 GTS and be faster than a 992 C2S, but you're easily spending another 10-15K if we're making things equivalent.
Thanks for taking the time to write up your visit. I like the differing perspective.
The 991.2 GTS is still on the configurator. I built a 992, and it came to around $141K. I then built a GTS with the same options. It was $139K. There are obvious advances in the 992 - the interior tech etc. that are not possible in a GTS. However, there is a difference in price and the GTS is a compelling option for those that don’t dig the 992.
BTW - you mentioned grey leather. There is no grey leather option with sport tex fabric. You must have been looking at the black with the sport tex. The lighting may have affected the color.
I'm looking at my pictures and it seems that both the sports exhaust (single large exhaust tip) and the standard exhaust (double exhaust tip) both seem to have a two exhaust outlets on the inside (one larger oval and one smaller one). I'm looking very closely at the pictures and I don't notice anything that resembles a speaker, and I didn't notice that at the car show.
Also, regarding fake exhaust tips, I've always thought that it was a bit unfair to call them fake. To me, this is a fake exhaust tip:
That's an Audi Q5 and the "exhaust tip" is literally a decoration and no exhaust is actually flowing through it. On the 992, the tailpipes actually have exhaust flowing through it. Just the exhaust outlets empty out into a plenum and then flow out the chrome tailpipes, instead of there being transitional piping in between. In reality, that change may make the more hardcore folks heavily furrow their brow and shake their fists, but you'll never ever think about that when driving and if the exhaust note is improved (as it's rumored to be), that is what would actually matter on a daily basis.
whats wrong with real exhausts and allowing us to modify the tips if we want to change the look?
It seems to me that too much plastic-like exterior bits distract the cleaner look of its forbearers. The nose takes the design in a much different direction than previous models. I do like the return of the subtle lines in the hood. These harken back to the air-cooled cars.
The tail is not much better in my opinion. Again, it feels like Porsche is trying to follow the trend in some Asian cars)sans the angry angular lines the Japanese enjoy). It makes the back too busy.
The interior almost seems like a tribute to Harm Lagaay. One would wish for a center console delete option.
Overall I think the styling is a bit alienating. Time and sales data will tell.
Lastly, I am not a big fan of the continuing feature-creep in modern cars. While performance has clearly gone up, so has luxury and comfort.
While I'll reserve judgement of the exterior until I see in person (though my view is that the 991 is more organic), my questions so far:
1) the critiques of the steering wheel. Both a magazine and a writer here say it is more plasticky. Why would they do that?
2) the switching of Alcantara headliner to an option seems like trying just to be cheaper
3) not sure I like the option packages
4) does anybody really think that "shifter thing" is a better replacement for the gearshift PDK lever in the 991.1 or .2? Hey this is a PORSCHE 911 we're discussing.
I sat in my 991 yesterday and just took in the "realness" of the interior. Everything you touch feels good. Nothing feels cheap. And those analog gauges sure look nice.
While I'll reserve judgement of the exterior until I see in person (though my view is that the 991 is more organic), my questions so far:
1) the critiques of the steering wheel. Both a magazine and a writer here say it is more plasticky. Why would the do that?
Cost savings. That was the first thing I noticed when I sat in the car.
Originally Posted by jsaviano
4) does anybody really think that "shifter thing" is a better replacement for the gearshift PDK lever in the 991.1 or .2? Hey this is a PORSCHE 911 we're discussing.
The PDK shifter doesn't bother at all. If it works on the 918, why not on the 911. Plus, shifting with the PDK lever in manual mode seems to be more trouble than it's worth, as that's what the paddles are for. Lambo, Ferrari, McLaren are all doing the same. It wouldve been better if they did away with the PDK shifter entirely, but I guess the module was already made since the MT is in the works. I guess we have the MT guys to thank for the PDK shifter design.
12-03-2018, 04:10 AM
My LA Auto Show 992 Impressions - A Different View
