mujeriega

With most car makers, there will be little improvements over time based upon warranty claims from customers and items that the product/engineering team notice. Look at anything that was introduced new with the 997.2 in 2009 and it will likely operate a little better in 2012. My guess is the PDK, PCM, maybe even the DFI engine could be improved. Some may be noticeable (supposedly PDK is improved) and others might go unseen (e.g. processes slightly enhanced or materials / components used).

Arjun 75

SpeedyD

It can go both ways. Typically the earlier run cars have more attention to them for initial launch but also teething problems in the manufacturing ramp up process. That said, a lot of warranty / recall actions aren't made until several years in and impact multiple years equally. If it is something major enough (IMS - bearing size) then they may swallow the cost to make the improvement in the hopes of saving $$$ later

The flip side is the constant pressure to continue pricing down components and wringing more profit out of cars and platforms as the years go on (supplier and OEM side pressures). So you can expect cheaper substitutes to be used in later years for components where they can identify cost savings. You can actually see this with a lot of cars, though usually not within the same generation.

For major items like the DFI engine, system etc, it would very unusual for later cars to be anything except identical (other than what I mentioned above) and I highly highly doubt there is anything major from one year to the next for the 997.2 with the arguable exception of the radiator count on some cars. Other areas for potential "upgrades" are software flash updates but these can be (and are) applied across the same generation. Anything else done mid-cycle would be extremely expensive to undertake and learnings would usually be applied in subsequent generations.

So it cuts both ways. Continuous search for "lower cost substitutes" within a production or platform cycle, where of course it still meets the OEM criteria, balanced with searches for addressing any discovered problems (which we would typically hear about like HPFP, radiator limitations, etc). From one generation to the next, it is a balance of pushing for greater performance (to show forward progress) countered by constant push for cost reductions (less materials usage, cheaper substitutes, etc) or higher pricing.

Same as others suggest, mileage and the other characteristics of the car are much more important than the model year within the same generation.