I bought my first Porsche 6 months ago, 992 C2S. As many others, the 911 has been my dream car since long. Now before I proceed, I'd like to make some things clear: the 992 exceeds my expectations in every area. This post is not to laud the qualities of this car, for this there are many videos and articles that do just that.
I wanted to see if anyone else shares my same feelings: I feel the 992 to be too big, too luxurious, too fast for a 911. I'm in a country where 911's are plenty, and not a day goes by without me crossing into 964's, 930's, 997's, 996's, etc. and I often envy them a bit: these cars seem compact, nimble, more focused. Maybe in reality I wouldn't swap my 992 for a 997, but I can't help but envy a 997 a bit. I can't put my finger on it and I wonder if anyone else feels the same.

 

The 911 was never my dream car i always saw the 911 as fast beetles , I used to dream of Ferraris. The first 911 I ever saw and fell completely in love with is the 992. Even the 991 is odd looking to me. I guess the similiarity to the 930 but much better is what gets me. The square hood. The rear is incredible. By far the best looking 911 in history is the 992, BY FAR.

 

I have a 997 and am still getting a 992 . Each has their positives and negatives if compared . However both are home run hitters in their own right ,

 

I'm now at the age where my car needs to be a little less bone-shaking and a little more cosseting, while keeping a rip-roaring Wil-E-Coyote firecracker up its proverbial backside just incase I need to feel young every once in a while.

The 992 fits that brief to a T, and I for one, am personally glad for the direction Porsche decided to take.

Different strokes for different folks, different grass for different cows, one man's meat is another woman's orgasm and all that jazz.

Peace.

 

The older cars feel different. No way around that. No modern car can feel like those older Porsches. It's impossible.

You either make peace with that reality or buy an older one. One bit of advice, though. I wouldn't sell the 992 to get an older one if you can help it. You will miss all the things that the 992 does well.

 

The 992 is nearly the identical size as a wide body 991 — it’s like an inch longer. Don’t believe the hype that the car has grown in size dramatically.

Nearly all cars have gotten bigger since the 997 days. This is almost entirely a function of safety regulations, airbag requirements, and crash testing. A lot has changed since the 997 landed on the market 17 years ago. If you compare the 911 to other cars, it’s actually impressive that the scale hasn’t even changed that dramatically between three generations. Take a look at current BMWs compared to the cars that they made 17 years ago.

Too luxurious? I’ve never mistaken the 992 for a modern luxury car. It’s pretty loud. Ride quality is incredible, but decidedly a sports car. It’s not a sofa. Maybe of a luxury car 20+ years ago, but if you think that the 911 is too luxurious, take a ride in an S-class or Genesis.

Too fast? When were 911s supposed to be slow? The improvements in driver’s aids make the speed much more accessible. I have more 992 seat time than 99% of owners. Not once did I think that my C4S was too fast.

 

Agreed. Each 911 generation is better than the previous one. I wouldn’t trade in a 992 for a 997 Carrera.

 

I’m wondering if your 992 is a manual or a PDK?

 

No 🤣🤣🤣

 

It took me some time to warm up to the looks of the 992 but I also love the retro square hood and the rear is one fine looking booty.

As for more luxurious than previous iterations; I welcome that. I am coming from (2) previous GT3 and a GT4 and I am at a point in my life where I do appreciate a more supple sports car that has more of a dual personality when I see fit.

 

911’s have always been admired and appreciated for their engineering. Each series have been a step forward in the engineering prowess of the 911, striving for better performance with less NVH. Yes we all miss the “old school” analog feel but they don’t feel and drive like a Singer restored 911, they are slow, no a/c lousy heat etc etc etc.

 

The OP has a legitimate criticism that doesn't warrant a 1 word response and being "laughed off".

Compared to the older cars ALL cars are now much larger by comparison, across the board. My youngest son is going to start driving soon and was thinking of adding a pickup to the range, but to get one in the dimensions I'd want him to be driving I'd have to go back at least 10 years; even the Tacoma or Ranger are HUGE vehicles now.

They've also gained a ton of capability that more than makes up for packing on a few pounds, which is what I think the consensus so far has arrived at... but I think as these cars have evolved there seems to still be a gap where smaller dimensions factor in as measurable performance metrics to some people

For example, I used to own a F82 BMW M4. I really did love that car- but it actually felt big. Most of the time once driving you didn't notice it but I actually did notice it when poking around parking lots or even a little on track- just that extra space to consider when placing it where you want before-in-after a corner, and noticing the extra bit of heft you have to toss around.

Then I got in an M2- fortunately for me it was literally back to back on the same day during a BMW Performance Driver's School event- and it really did make a world of difference. The M4 is still the better, more capable car- but there's a lot to be said about occupying less space and having less mass when driving a car quickly.

So all that said, if lap times aren't the end-all-be-all for you, you don't have to reach back to nostalgia and go hunt for a classic; there are a couple cars available today that are worth considering. You don't even have to leave the Porsche brand; the 718 (especially with the 6 cylinders) pretty much offer all the visceral joy of the 911 in a smaller, mid-engine package. I think if there's one thing to take away from this conversation, is that you should go drive a 718.

There's also the M2. Nowhere near as refined as a 992- I'll preface any conversation about the M2 with that because I'm going through this right now and actually just drove a CS over the weekend- But for a driver's car I (and many automotive journalists) arrived at the conclusion that it's the 911's equal. No kidding.

Depending where you live, there's other options like the Alpine A110, Lotus Evora (the Emira also sounds incredibly interesting), even the new GR86/BRZ.

Of course it's a great car, but the answer doesn't always have to be 992.

 

Not familiar with the 992 so no way to comment but hoping it blows me away. My manual Targa 4S should be a fun ride if it ever gets out of Emden and delivered to me.

After owning my 997 for 12 years, I do know that the 997 is a spectacular car. On the fence whether I keep both or sell the 997.

 

I couldn’t agree more. For more than a decade, I’ve been lurking around looking at the 911’s….but prior models never excited me enough to finally commit. That was until the 992. In fact, I have completely de-badged my car and removed all traces of Carrera or 911, and only use 992 as my delineation.

 

It's an interesting point. Considering the current state of the market, test driving a car was out of the question before I ordered mine. My first Porsche was a MT 996 cab which I traded for a MT 993TT. I loved everything about the 993TT - it felt solid, made the right noises with the air cooled Turbo engine, smelled like a classic Porsche (those who have owned older models know what I mean) and was engaging. I sold that car to pay for my wedding (ask me how that worked out ) and then got back into Porsche with the MT 981 Spyder. Added a Fabspeed GT420 package to it and it was an incredible car to drive - felt solid and the engine sang. With the 993TT and the Spyder driving was an event every time you got in the car.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago when I picked up my 992TTS. Looks-wise I think it's one of the best modern looking 911s. The fit and finish is amazing. It is the most capable car I've ever driven in terms of handling and ability to effortlessly pour on speed. But I'm not sure I love it. It's almost too good. I miss some of the noise from the other cars. I definitely miss the MT experience - although the PDK is amazingly good.

I guess I'm looking for a modern car that retains gives me the driving experience of my previous Porsches. We'll see if we get there when the next one arrives.