andrewk34

Are you buying a car specifically or primarily for club racing, or is it mostly a 2nd/3rd road/DE car?

This is mostly a 3rd road care for DE and autocross stuff. If I get a 997S it will have to double as my daily driver, but not if I get a 996. A middle option is a 996 Turbo which would also not have to double as my DD, but I hear that the turbos don't handle as well.

snaproll

I do. The 2002 996 is 320HP, and mine weighs in right at 3000 pounds with a full tank of gas. The base 997 starts at 325HP but weighs over 3100, and those 5 HP don't make up for the weight gain. The 2002 car will run with or slightly pull a base 997, all else being equal.

The later 996s gained weight and lost some of that advantage.

Patrick E

That sounds light to me by about 100 lbs - have you done anything to lighten yours? Also, I thought the weight gain occurred with the mk IIs in '02, not later.

jumper5836

the base 997 C2 weights 55 lbs more then a mk II 996 C2

Ray S

My answers below

There is only a 5 hp advantage for the 997, but it weighs more. Put these two on a track and it's going to come down to driver and suspension setup IMHO.

As othere have said, I think the 997S would have an advantage over a base 997 or 996.

This is BS, IMHO. If you are staying in the stock classes you can't chip the car or adjust the redline (3.4 and 3.6 motors have the same redline). The 3.6 is simply a more powerful motor, period. If you compare dyno charts it (the 3.6)has significantly more torque and that torque comes on much sooner than the 3.4. With only a 55 lb difference between the cars and the fact that the MK II chassis is 20% stiffer and has slightly improve aero I'd say advantage 3.6

Now, admittedly this advantage is slight and if you put a better driver in a 3.4 they could easily bridge the gap.

My pleasure

andrewk34

this is very useful info! thanks

snaproll

Porsche lists the curb weight of the 3.4 996 as 2910 pounds. The 2002 car with the 3.6 gained 50 pounds to 2960, but later 3.6 MY versions picked up some additional weight as well. My car on a public scale came in at 2975 with a full tank of fuel (which is how Porsche weighs the car). The original 996 was some 150 pounds lighter than the last 993..........

My source for the weight info is Paul Frere's "Porsche 911 Story" and Karl Ludvigsen's "Porsche: Excellence Was Expected".

GaryAZ

I think Bruce Anderson gives the wisest advice in this matter: "Buy the newest Porsche you can afford". I can tell you my experience at the track: drivers who used to have 996s and now have 997 are faster. I attribute this to the handling refinements with the 997. 997s (S or base model) are fast cars!

That said - 996s are a steal now. A fraction of the money you save can go to modify the suspension & exhaust so the car will handle great, sound incredible and give lots of enjoyment.

You need to drive one before you accept this statement as fact. Turbos are AWD so they certainly handle differently than a rwd 911.

Analog Theory

As others have noted straight line performance is about equal however (as is the case with all Porsche models) the newer example will always be a step forward in terms of the overall package. With regard to the 996/997 comparison most notably in the chassis - 8% increase in torsional rigidity, 40% more flexural strength = better handling for street or track duty. Here's a good reference http://www.pistonheads.com/porsche/d...p?storyId=8909

Both are great track cars but if you can afford it, the 997 is the better overall package and will therefore be faster around the track all other variables including driver equal which is exactly Porsche's intent with every newer model so you run out and trade up.