Le Chef

I disagree completely. It's overweight, not under-powered. I will sound like a broken record AGAIN, but Porsche has to find ways to reduce weight and start to use smaller capacity but much more efficient engines to be a player in the future.

Reduce engine size to 2.4 liters. Produce 300 hp. Reduce weight by 250kg's. And at that point we might be getting somewhere. Porsche has "superlight" steel going into Panamera so that should also be used to make 1901 a much lighter car. It can use low pressure turbo's like BMW are doing in the 335 to compensate for engine capacity. It might even consider making ceramic brakes part of the standard equipment. How shocking - getting less from Porsche - who would have thought it???

cello

Going lighter is a good point/idea IMHO. Not every auto design issue needs to be crushed by/with power to gain an/the objective (as most Mfgers seem to think the buying public believes - esp American buyers).

Bob Rouleau

Dream - comparing entry level models is ok insofar as you factor in price. If we compare a 997 to a Honda Fit, the Porsche is a clear winner in the HP and performance department. Both are entry level right? The 430 Scuderia is apparently faster on the Ferrari test track than an Enzo ..;

cello

If this is how you use the Carrera, its attributes are generally wasted. You are right that the Turbo works best in that environ. I use my car on weekends. I avoid highways and seek out twistys (they are around in most areas if you look and go out of your way). My car works well in that environ: Better than many other cars with better HP, #s, etc. It is all how you use the respective machine, that is all. Again, it is hard to say a car intended to go fast in turns/road courses is under powered when dropped in, say, blue sky country, and told to go fast against American muscle until the next stop sign 200 miles way. I am j/k of course but.......

KBS911

I've owned 2 "big power" Z06 Corvettes and more recently a Cayman S. Just purchased a new C2s that I will pick up tomorrow. While I bought the S over the standard Carerra I think that at some point we are approaching wretched excess regarding the horse power wars. Precious few drivers can apply all of that power to the ground. At AutoX and Track days I've seen many high powered cars be embarrased by competent dirivers in lesser powered cars. I'm reminded of Sebring earlier this month when the LMP-2 Porsches felled the mighty Audis because they kept on running.

Mfletch

Dreamtripper, I understand what you are saying 100%. I have driven a few 996TTs and the power is addictive. I would love to have that power in my light-weight 996 C2. We gear-heads are like drug addicts....horsepower is our drug of choice. What satisfied us initially, isn't enough after a few months. The aftermarket is more than happy to feed that addiction. We can have it in little increments (like the mods in my signature) or we can get a large dose in the form of a supercharger (EVO, RUF or TPC...take your pick).
If I was being perfectly honest, it wouldn't matter how much power my car initially had...I would eventually want more. Superbikes are a perfect example. They have insane power-to-weight ratios, yet how many people leave them stock after a year? I could have a Bugatti Veyron, Pagani Zonda, or Carrera GT sitting in my garage and I would still eventually want to make it faster (and maybe those mods personalize it). I guess that is why companies like RUF and Gembella exist and continue to prosper.
If the base Carrera had enough power to make us all happy, you probably wouldn't have a Turbo parked next to your Carrera in the driveway. It's part of the reason we all drool over the Carrera GT, parked in the showroom of the dealership, where we go to buy parts for our 911s.

DreamCarrera

I seem to remember reading in a recent Road & Track article that they achieved a 4.1 second 0-60 MPH run with a new C2S. I'm sure someone here can correct me if I’m wrong.

Underpowered, I think not!!! Unless, of course, your definition of adequate power means sub-4 second 0-60 MPH blasts.

lig

For the money vs. other sports cars IMO the C2 and C2S need to add lightness and hp.

I still went with the C2S but the X51 should be standard for the kind of $$$ that Porsche gets. Folks are still willing to buy them - but more would be better.

RonCT

Here we go again with the thread we've done about 20 times since the 997 came out... When I can run 1:02 laps in pretty much stock form at Lime Rock having only a few days in a Porsche (came from an M3), then I consider a 997S incredibly well powered and a great balanced package. No, it's not underpowered. Want more power than it has, get something else.

cello

I do not think the OP was talking about tracking tho.......

Edgy01

A friend of mine when at Willow Springs, Button Willow, or Fontana easily leaves the 911s behind. He drives a Mazda RX-3. Yea,--they must be underpowered...or underpiloted.

RonCT

That may be, but what's the point of power other than to "go fast"? Is going fast only legitimate in a drag race or is it relevant in a combination of turns and straights? Would we say that a reasonable gauge of performance / power might be Ring times and if so then I'd say the 997 product line has got plenty. It's all about balance I suppose. To get 25 MPG on the highway on my way to Watkins Glen, then to "go fast" for 7 hours over 2 days (Cups & Saucers), have confidence my car is going to last a long time, be comfortable daily driving, etc. Nice package...

cello

RonCT: You are "preaching to the choir", here, so to speak. See my response above where i set forth/agree with your points.

But one needs to deal with the question actually asked, Yaahh?? (......sorry.... just watched 'Fargo' again )

We seem to agree that you do not buy any Porsche for 'drag racing' (altho the GT2 recently acquitted itself well). That was my point originally and i think yours but i think the OP was saying he mostly drives on Hwys, etc., hence the preference for the Turbo.

clutchplate

I would like about 450HP in my S. Mine feels underpowered to me. Just my opinion.

Vitamin_J

I agree. I too didn't feel enough of a power jump in the S to warrant the extra cash. Keep in mind that I was moving out of an 06 Viper SRT-10. That car bang for the buck was amazing handling and brakes to go along with 500hp. The 9 feels way underpowered to me but then again, I wasn't interested in stoplight blast (as other have noted).

I defintely think that the car could use 425+hp for the $90k I spent on my Targa. However, I'm over it real fast.