Hula

ATSR

All of the stuff he complained about feeling like a classic car is what exactly what I love about our cars. All that old school mechanical feeling while having real air conditioning, cruise control, bi-xenon lights, outstanding brakes, excellent wiper blades, cup holders, and many other minor things that you don't notice until you actually drive a classic car often (see my sig and you'll understand), is what makes the 997 such an amazing car. After 4 years of ownership, I still don't see myself ever selling mine.

MexicoBlueTurboS

Who the f is James May and why is his 911 dash flat?

caitov

Maybe I interpreted the video differently, but I didn't think he was complaining - just pointing out how the differences compared to newer cars in the context of that's what's good about the 997.
The whole point is he's keeping it...
I liked the video.

bronz

almost fell asleep watching this

CAA

Oh cool I have the same year make and model 911 as the lame guy from Top Gear / Grand Tour. Agree with Caitov, I don't think he was complaining as much as ruminating on the technology gap. To be honest I've been seriously contemplating parting with mine over the past month or so. Nothing wrong with the car, just looking for a change / different 911.

MexicoBlueTurboS

It doesn't make sense to compare cars or athletes or practically anything compared to today's technology and engineering advances.

Hass_Geschafte

I'd better translate...James May is my spirit animal so I know what he's on about.

He wasn't complaining about the analog nature of the car, it was part of the setup of "I was gonna sell it." Hadn't been driving it much, ten years old, has too many cars etc. That's sort of the Top Gear formula - "Car X has rubbish boot space, uncomfortable seats, costs too much BUT it's amazing because.." or vice versa. The change in narrative course is just how they do things.

James discovered the magic of Porsches on Top Gear in the mid naughts, pretty much live on the show. They did a comparison of the 997.1 911C2, Bmw M6, and the baby Aston. Both James and Richard Hammond came away thinking the 911 was the best car there. James came home and ordered a Boxster, and Hammond ordered a C2s - it's his car that you've probably seen in this well known gif from the Audi R8 review below..

James then owned a nice 911SC for several years before gifting it to his dad. He's said of the 911's steering "it's unlike anything else, and when it gets under your skin you've had it" (meaning you're hooked for life). This is from a dude who's driven every significant car from the last 50 years, and makes enough money that he could afford most of them. So no, he's not a 911 hater. That would be Clarkson (though he loves the 928 and 944).

James is one of the coolest dudes on the planet.

jamesinger

I feel like it is relevant to say that I just almost crashed my wife's Bolt going to drop her at the Burbank Airport exiting Buena Vista and I blame my C2S.

Glyndellis

My parents met him when he did "James May's Car's of the People" featuring the microcars. My mum was driving the maroon and white Fiat 500. They said that he was a really nice bloke who was into cars, and chatted to everyone.

Hass_Geschafte

I'm jealous of your parents. That looks like it was a blast!

For those who have no idea who he is, a more illustrative clip would be his first on Top Gear. How the romantic idea of classic car ownership doesn't quite match reality

(Audio is weirdly pitched up, probably to avoid DRM filtering)

dgjks6

I was going to respond about this. It is amazing how some people just don't get it.

318touring

Different target market/audience.

Hula

For those not familiar with James, here he is when he bought his 997.2.

Petza914

That's a regular 997 dash if viewing the center portion far enough forward. My portion of what was in the video is carbon fiber vs his plastic but you can see the flat center section with the center speaker.