yes, that is the story. The little fish trying to swallow the big fish and the little fish got swallowed by the big fish instead.

 

Hmmm..If the 997 is that last real 911, and I have never driven a 997 I like as much as my 987S, then I guess I will never get a real 911.

Luckily I really like the 992 and can get that instead.

 

997 not the last real 911, but it is the sweet spot.

 

Well said.

 

Last summer an employee delivered my 997.2 6 sp and picked up their loaner Cayenne. He went on about what a beautiful car it was, and he sees new ones every day.

 

Lets just say the 997 the last of a "breed"

 

I'd say its a sweet spot...why?

Based on what ThomasCarreraGTS said above "Well, you have the financial details down but I have to disagree about the influence that VW Group has on Porsche now. VW is the largest auto manufacturer in the world and as a public, shareholder owned company, it has an obligation and primary goal to provide the highest possible return for its shareholders. Yes, Porsche certainly wanted to make money before, but history shows that the product / price balance was different before Porsche was folded into the larger company. So effective with Porsche being part of the VW Group, product did change. Even our beloved 911 went from excellence being the goal to excellence at a price and the amount of parts bin content increased dramatically. There is now so much shared with VW and Audi and the next 911 platform will be shared across brands as well, instead of being a dedicated rear engine design. And all the new cost-cutting measures that the 992 buyers are complaining about are largely attributable to the VW Group influence"

You'd be naive to say that Porsches processes/engineering and final choices are not based on some kind of move to satisfy VW/shareholders....which means, everything that happened during/after that is going to be a little different. You know Porsche HQ tries its hardest to produce "pure" enjoyable Porsche.... but at the end of the day, cross platforms with other manufactures and satisfying customers/numbers and shareholders is the goal. Even if the die hard Porsche guys dont want that direction... so maybe the 997 was made at a different point/time of Porsches influence and goal..and thats why it may be a sweet spot?

 

What's important is the fact that the Porsche family has a controlling interest in VW, and I believe, always has. VW will provide working capital during lean times that hit luxury product manufacturers particularly hard (Porsche has been on the verge of bankruptcy more than once). That's about all that's changed. Yes, there is sharing of parts and resources among brands. Economy of scale is a good thing, as long as the engineering is good. Hopefully VW's capital will prevent corner cutting like sealed bearings in engines, etc. in the future. I'm not worried about Porsche as long they have family members on the board and their name is on the brand.
To me the 997.2 is the sweet spot because it still retains at least the appearance of an analog machine, I can do most of the maintenance myself, and it doesn't have the problems of the earlier water cooled engines. The 997.2 doesn't have the panache of the air cooled versions ( it will), but it has better performance and I don't have to replace half the car. It also has good head restraints and air bags. I can just get in and drive it.

 

The 'little fish' actually is the big fish. Porsche Holdings owns the majority of the Volkswagen Group, and it already did when Porsche the car company was rolled into VW.

 

This is correct!

 

Last 911 with a real key.

 

It's pretty messy. I find it hard to understand if one should consider Porsche AG, owned by VW, whose dominant shareholder is Porsche Holdings, which is controlled by the Porsche/Piëch families, to have management approaches and objectives that are the same or different from when Porsche was "independent" of VW. That would take some real inside baseball to know. Glad they still make cars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_SE

 

I don't know nor care if the 997 is "the last real 911," but I do believe I will be the "last real owner of THIS 997." {Love}

Also, if someone gave me a 991 or 992 or 99X, I would gleefully accept and probably keep that one, too. May I please stay on this forum, anyway?

 

hmmm...sounds like the 992 would be a good match for you. good luck.

 

I may well have this wrong but wasn't the 997 the last 911 designed and built by Porsche without the influences of VW/Audi? I've read several stories (can't find them now) stating that the Audi folks more so than VW have been more involved in the 911 beginning with the 991 (and I'm sure other Porsche models). Looking at the 911 models starting with the 991 compared to the 997 I see no reason to doubt this.