Denny Swift

LOL!

Ok, that settles this issue. I’m glad we can all move on now.

shrimp money

Besides all the six figure cars from Lamborghini and McLaren that have it.

jhenson29

We should move from leather to RaceTex?

Captain P

I prefer RaceTex, I guess I’m the monitory here. Have it on my steering wheel. Leather can never be rejuvenated back to its original state unless you re-spray in my experience.

Racetex has outlasted all leather in my ownership experience so far, granted it is considerably more effort to care for.

PHX

My preference is the headliner and sun visors look great in racetex/alcantara. Anything else looks like it is out of place. I like leather on the steering wheel. I would have been happy with racetex/alcantara on the seats if the car (used, CPO) came with it, although probably would have passed and looked for leather seats if literally there were other items I wanted and the car didn't have.

Leather is definitely easier to keep clean and clean, however, if it is your car, you do you and clean it as little or as much as you like.

I lean a bit more on the luxury side instead of sport on the interior.

shelbyking

Really?
Sounds like you need to get out a little more often. Ferrari, Lamborghini, etc., use Alcantara extensively and it is a fabulous product.
Hit a few Cars and Coffee affairs and check out the mega dollar stuff. Lots of Alcantar type product there.

docmd2010

This threat is great. Appreciate all of the different opinions!

TuvaD

The full leather allows you to option seat ventilation. Nice but some find that combo has a harder bottom seat cushion which can literally be a pain in the *** on longer journeys.

I stuck with full black GTS race-tex package with 18-way seats and no seat ventilation. They're perhaps the best sports car seats I've experienced and I'd do it again.

The biggest downside for me is the slightly weird off-gassing smell that race-tex has for the first 5,000 miles or so. It's not a rich, full-leather aroma and dissipates slowly.

Grimz

You are driving a sports car and not a Mercedes S-Class.

shelbyking

Well stated. Sports car interiors are expected to be functional if not downright spartan, 911 included in this camp. Save the baby's *** soft leather and various other pimpy appointments for Luxury floaters.

Woofman

Haven't leather seats been available on the 911 since its very beginning? Leather was very common on the sports cars of my youth.(1950s/1960s). Those cars may have been spartan compared to cars of today but most of them had leather seats.

Edit: Here's a photo of an interior of a 1964 Porsche 911 restored to its original specification - it's seats are covered in LEATHER.

tna3

I have Alcantara on my 2014 S4 and it still look new after 80k miles and kids beating on it. I did spray it down with 3M fabric protection. Unlike leather wearing in the long haul, there are no creases or cracks. I also like the feel but that’s totally personal. I wouldn’t hesitate even on steering wheel, anyway that’s a replaceable part.

shrimp money

If you’re talking about eating a 12 piece bucket of KFC and having to white knuckle steering wheel immediately, yes I’d rather do it on a leather one. But that still requires a lot of cleaning to get the grease off. Look at a lot of Honda and Toyota steering wheels, look like someone sprayed Pam on them.

Staffie Guy

I find it odd that a sports car cannot have luxury trimmings. If I am spending 150K for a car, I do not want spartan. Not everyone is racing and looking to shed every last ounce of weight.

Vicbastige

They certainly can have luxury and do. Pragmatist vs. purist argument with no one correct answer. In my view, the sportier the model, the more the tilt towards sport interior vs. luxury. GT cars seem better suited for sport trim (bright colors, RaceTex, LWBS, slick-top etc.) whereas the Turbo S muted luxury (silver and subtle colors, upgraded leather interior, sunroof, all the comfort options etc.). Similar thinking applies to the Carerra line with the GTS and T being the sportier versions.

...but that's just my view of the world.