I totally agree with you Bloke, the 996 is falling behind their "competitors" on horsepower, and the 320HP of the MY2002 model just doesn´t cut it. The 996 should have at least 340-350HP in my opinion for the same money.

I guess my point was that the superior straight line acceleration of a C-class 32 AMG or a modified mustang for that matter doesn´t **** me off at all because the 996 even with only 300HP can still beat them in handling and performance. Though the 996 should come with more poney´s under the hood. or at least make the upgrade kit cheap.

BTW the Twin Turbo version of the Cayenne (450HP)will beat the 996 on straight line acceleration, istn´ that ironic... a legendary pure sportcar manufacturer will now make a SUV that will accel faster than their mythical 996... SAD <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

Carlos from Spain.
996 C4 M030 18"´s Aero.

 

Porsche doesn't care if buyers get left behind in a drag race or other race to a Z06, C32, M5 etc. All Porsche cares about is if they themselves get left behind in the "sales race". As long as the Porsche factories are putting out product as fast as they can,and people are buying, there is no reason for Porsche to change. Of course things will change if sales decline....

 

Over Christmas I was driving a 2001 Lamborghini Diablo with 550hp...I came across a 360 Modena but did not race this car though I was informed I could probably leave him behind in a straight line. On the track it would be a different ballgame however as the 360 is infinitely better balanced that the Diablo VT. So what's my point? There is no way on this earth that Porsche or anyone else for that matter is going to build a car that's everything to everyone. It's just not going to happen. Well, McLaren made a car for everything and one with 300 mil in the bank. From what I've read so far the new SL500 is a car that will be able to toast a 996 in the twisties but not off the line. What will everyone make of that? How will they justify it? Will 996 drivers really care?

There's always going to be some car somewhere that handles better or fits more people, or pulls better in a straight line, or corners better, or brakes harder...the list goes on and on. Buy what tickles your fancy, enjoy it and stop worrying about what the dog on the other side of the fence has.

K <img src="graemlins/drink.gif" border="0" alt="[cherrsagai]" />

 

After reading the posts I have to say please mind the language as this is informative opionuons on what Porsche's path will go and to have the abusive language only lessens your point. Also i must add that it's hard to do comparison test on cars in which for example the c32 AMG vs 996-the c32 is supercharged the 996 is not. I think a fair comparison is compare the regular c320 vs 996-both normally aspirated engines. You can't compare apples with oranges especially both are different animals. A good example to compare is the e46m3 vs the 996 and I think in most people's minds they are very close in comparison. Yes it's true Porsche needs to get up there with the rest diplacementwise and hp wise so if your comparing a Porsche eight cylinder vs z06 eight cylinder that's a fair comparison. You can't compare forcefed vs NA engines because if that's the case I bet any modified nitrous/turbod/supercharged civic will beat most cars on a straight line_I've seen it happen ala modified mazda rx7. Another point as well Porsche has endured many years and served and delivered great cars on every line- from the 356/924/944/911/986 and so on and it's nice to see there's a group of faithful's for every Porsche model. It's a greatr heritage and I'm proud to be part of that. And besides if those so called c32/clk55/zo6 is killing the heck out of the 996's you can always trade for one of those faster cars and you won't have nemore regrets. Regards. Mike

 

Mike,

Great point and that's exactly what I was trying to get at in my last post concerning all these comparisons.


K <img src="graemlins/a_smil17.gif" border="0" alt="[blabla]" />

 

Mike,

If i was the marketing guy in porsche. You are gods send dream and enfact a wet one. How can you say that a car with a turbo or supercharger cant be compare to a regular 996(a car is a car). Man, now i know why porsche has decided to make a SUV. If, my pt was that we could use a extra horses translates to GO and sell your car. Read it as your like. But, the reality is this. Porsche has lost it edge. So, if you want to be grateful and glad that you are driving a porsche based on a great heritage. Then can i sell you some ENRON stocks. I think there were a wet dream stock for a lot of investor before it went bust and to name a few others.

So, if you are perfectly satisfy with it then hey good for you and you are a great true defender of porsche but please dont be navie also. Porsche has a great heritage because of performance which was second to none but paying 75-100k and not getting that second to none feeling then that doesnt work for me. That might work for some but hey not me. I like to know what i get for my money since i think all of us work hard for it. I think in my line of business it is called relative value.

Good luck to you and all

 

To All,
seems some get the point and others JUST DON'T GET IT!. It is this simple;

Porsche makes, in comparison to other manufacturers, relatively small numbers in percentage terms yearly worldwide TO SPEC. None of their cars are actually just manufactured in the hope of selling it to an unsuspecting buyer – IT IS A MADE TO ORDER BUSINESS. What does that tell you all? I think that tells us all that customers are HAPPY with the product when they place their order(s).

Business success is surely when your order books are FULL for any 12 months period time and time again! Thank God that the company is now profitable compared to the early 80s/90s when it was contemplating total closure.

More importantly, thank God that I have a car that causes so much positive discussions amongst its owners and general public alike – does it oversteer?, does it understeer?, why an SUV?, a 996 looks to much like a Boxster, the 996TT is too slow!, when is V8s arriving?, why not a TT Cab?, how about a TT Boxster?, 996s are too heavy, others are quicker from 0 - 62, the interiors look cheap, parts are expensive, dealers are unhelpful, waiting list is too long, mine does not do a back flip nor does it get the kids from school or pays attention to me! etc etc etc.

With this much interest/moans/discussions/observations, no wonder there is still a waiting list on all Porsche models. If I was Porsche, I would grateful for all the attentions – I am sure Porsche and their staffs are – and make sure we continue to make products that stir so much discussions for many years to come!

Enjoy the success of a truly wonderful brand - PORSCHE.

 

oh, I forgot to mention!

If any of you dissatisfied Porsche owners want to hand over your cars, I have access to many go-faster other cars you can have. The brand does not matter but it has LOTS of BHP - just what you are looking for.

It comes ready with go faster strips. May not still be road worthy after 2 years but I guess that is OK as you are only interested in BIG BHP numbers!

Form an orderly queue here sir(s). The multi-coloured paintwork over there would fit you in particular - gentleman in the smart suit!

 

Hi there and good day to all!! Just ahd a wonderful weekend of snowboarding and tracking at Thunderhill Race coarse. Bloke, you seem very passionate about cars as I am myself and from your basis that straightline performance seems the most important criteria in a car. I know that it is one of the elements in evaluating a car but you know as well as me almost anyone can design a car to accelarate fast from a starightline from pt A to pt B. You also have to evaluate the whole package itself will all that power also transfer well on the track. Porsche was never known for straight on accelaration as I have never heard any Porsche winning any Drag racing titles or participated in any suped up Japanese import car drags like you see on those "SportCompactCar" magazines. What you do have in a Porsche is the whole package decent power on accelaration with ungodly like effort on the track. It may seem that 300-320 hp is low compared with the high hp numbers of amg's but the question remains is that high hp on the amg's all usable on the track? With the Porsche you have all 300-320 hp fully utilized on the track and with its chassis/suspension/brake design it's the car I want . You have a credible argument that there is always a relative value in everything and it all depends on what you want to get from the car. Maybe the Porsche is not for you but I would invite you to take the opportunity to maybe take a HI performance racing coarse and know the car before you make the final judgment. When I first took out my 996 on the track and learning how to apex/brake/throttle the first two runs I was getting my buns killed by little cars like integra's and civics and said to myself did I spend 70-85k for this car. But having to work with a instructor had expertise with Porsche's he showed the true traits of a Porsche- all out usable power on the track. My instructor drove my car and I was the passenger and he took me thru the track and I was just amazed how agile and predictable the car was driving and I took that to heart on my next two runs(very short learning curve driving the 996 when the insructor drives your car and your the passenger)and from that day on I have no regrets buying the 996. Also I must add I fell in love with Porsche when I was younger but it wasn't actually the 911 that I liked but the 928. I don't know if you ever seen the movie "Risky Business" with Tom Cruise but when he said those words "there is no substitute" -it rang true. I know this is getting long but also with respect to AMG's great touring cars for what it is(great on the street) but there's alot of straightline fast cars out there. A Suped up Mazda rx7 twin turbo will destroy any AMG straightline even the z07. Read what's out there on "SportCompactCar" and you see and it'll cost less to modify an rx-7 then buying a brand new C32/clk55. Its all personal preference anyway. A good analogy would be comparing a ROLEX watch/Panerai/Patek Phillipe/Timex-they all tell time but which do you choose. Oh the choices. Regards. MIke

 

Interms of the Porsche plans to have that SUV made it maybe a sign that future 911's will have an eight cylinder and rest assured Porsche will answer to all that wanted larger hp and dominate the racing world both in the ALMS and the RallySport world with the Cayenne which Porsche has been dormant in the Rally division. And I can't think of anyone other then Porsche that can dominate both and hopefully if an 8 cylinder is destined for the 911 I'm hoping the tracking charateristics and the look are retained from years past with all 911's. It's great to see older 911's still out there and treated so meticulously well : ). Regards.Mike

 

996FLT6,

Thanks for your insight into how to drive my car, but, let me assure you that i am capable with my car. But, hey few extra laps wouldnt hurt anyone will it.

I dont disgree with you nor anyone else regarding the balance of the car. But, i wouldnt mind getting some extra under the hood. KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

So, i feel as this is going around in circles, when i mention few extra horses would be great. you guys keep mentioning the balance. Sure, the great balance with an extra whomp. Now that would be better the that fat rolex on your wrist.

Well far is the 997 or whatever it will be called. I think we are going to get the V8. So, then i will have to find something else to moan about.


Drive safely and drive quick.

 

Good grief, it's not like there's a shortage of aftermarket companies out there getting more HP out of the 996 or 993 or any other Porsche platform for that matter, turbo or normally aspirated. If 320 isn't enough for you then send your car to a tuner and be done with it.

I was talking to someone from the whole import scene the other day and he has a race prepared CRX Honda for the drag strip. The 4 cyl turbo car puts out 310hp at the front wheels (360 at the flywheel) and runs the quarter in 11.8. If you were to meet this car on the street and be hell bent on drag racing him you'd probably lose. However, that is what his car is set up for, nothing else, it's not a liveable car by any stretch of the imagination and the engine lasts 6 months between rebuilds.

Speaking of a Z06 Vette, I went to look at one over the weekend and I didn't do much beyond sit in the car idling. It had 10,000 miles on it and was beautiful but my 928S4 engine with 118,000 miles was smoother. If it weren't for the rear muffler bypass on my car and the VERY occasional rocking motion you wouldn't know it was on. The Vette rocked this way and that and didn't sound particularly smooth. I had the urge to put more oil in the engine. Anyway pushrod technology at it's best huh?

K <img src="graemlins/yltype.gif" border="0" alt="[typing]" />

 

Reading between the lines I think Bloke is asking if we don't feel ripped off for paying 75k - 100k and only getting 320hps (for '02 models anyways). Or he is just bemoaning what he feels are the shortcomings of the car? That's what I get from reading his post.
My answer to feeling regrets is a resounding "NO".
I could of bought a Z06 and saved 45k, beaten' most cars off the line but IMHO the vette feels cheap and doesn't come with the prestige that a Porsche does. Plus, overall handling is used by me more than burning rubber off the line. I don't know about you but I spend more time taking curves and doing short burst of speeds after I get rolling rather than drag racing. And besides, you'll never own the fastest car, or have the most money in the world or be the best looking. Just won't happen. Someone, somewhere at some point will out do you.
I think Bloke, what most people are saying to you is they don't consider getting beaten by an AMG (or a Z06) to be reason to feel Porsche has failed in some aspect. Alot of us bought the Porsche knowing there were faster cars out there.
The Porsche is great as is because, as many have already stated here, it IS the best balanced car you can get right now.
I am content. I bought it because it looks awesome,drives awesome and manages to be faster than a good portion of the cars on the road today.
If 0-60 is what you want then go to another brand. Because I don't think Porsche is going to ever be THE fastest from 0-60 For any length of time. Let's say they do come out with a V8. How long before Chevy (or any other automaker) drops more HPs in the vette (or whatever) and out does the Porsche. It's a never ending cycle.

Quibbs
*Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker.

 

Actually Bloke I wear a Panerai. Makes up for my small pecker. Average watch diameter is about 37mm my Panerai is 44mm. I've gained approximately 7mm in size and thats without Viagra : ). It's great to hear all opinions. Feels like when I was a young high schooler in the debating team- pro or con? Regards. MIke