KBS911

I guess the dew is off the lilly, at least according to the new Car and Driver Lightning Lap test run at VIR.

Porsche 997 S with PDK had identical times as compared with the Cayman S PDK, 3:05.8 sec. Thats only good for mid pack. BMW M3 at 3:05.4, and the new Corvette Grand Sport at 2:58.8. Corvette ZR1 blows away the pack at 2.51.8.

Ouch! I wonder what the GT-3 would have run.

After the recent Excellence article with the ZR1 beating the GT2, and now this, it looks like Porsche is going to have to step up it's game.

Nugget

I bought a Porsche because of its performance on lap number 20, not on lap number 1. They've never been the fastest cars out on the tarmac, just some of the most durable and consistent. You need all three in order to be competitive.

That's not to detract from the ZR1 numbers, either. The Corvette is a fantastic car by any measure.

Da Hapa

No offense but this is another example of magazine racing that I couldn't care less about if I tried. There will always be something faster, quicker... bla, bla, bla... If numbers are all that matter to a customer than that customer should never be interested in buying a Porsche... any Porsche.

Today's 911 remains more car than 99.9% of drivers could ever hope to use on any public or private road.

The unique blend of handling, steering, weight transfer, shape, sound and build quality continue to appeal to me and many like me.

German_Saint

Well the only place Car & Driver has in front of me is on its knees. They always do a great job of sucking at comparisons. I always loved the subjective amount of points based on price as if price has anything to do with a vehicle on a track - ie - Ferrari F1 times - if you discounted it for points well Schuey wouldn't have nearly as man wins.

I read real magazines. "Excellence " , "Total 911"comes to mind.

KBS911

No intent to incite flames. I've had a Cayman S, an 08 C2S and now a 10 GT3. I'm just saying there used to be more of a gap. There is lots more competition these days, even in our own house. The game is afoot.

P.S.The nissan crashed due to fried brakes.

jjl

have you seen the interior of any Corvette? Enough said.

LlBr

FWIW, I'd trade my turbo for a 480 hp Cayman if it were Porsche engineered and manufactured.

cello

Well, guys, while I understand rushing headlong to the defense of the 'motherland' , truth be told Porsche has lost it way a bit IMHO. Porsche built its rep on performance, not on touring. Its products have been glacially moving from true sport to GT and Porsche has been growing fat, as in 'heavy'. And I personally really dislike the intentional denuding of the Cayman platform because of marketing concerns - definitely not true to the spirit of the Company. The lightweight Boxster (Spyder) is a start. A choice of a lightweight motorsporting/club package version up and down the line here in the States would be most welcome as the cars are fantastic, just too heavy .... Hopefully, Ferdinand P will put it all straight (and not in so doing bankrupt the company ).

SacTownGuy

I am in the market for a Porsche. To me there is no comparison between a 911 and a 'Vette. A 911 is so much more car than a Vette. I have always thought of a Vette as a "poor" mans sports car... and mostly aimed at lotto winners and other new money people. I could go on with my generlizations of Corvette owners but will refrain. To me a Porsche (mainly 911's) are the ultimate car to own. Always have been and always will be. It's more "practical" than a Ferrari. On the other end of spectrum it doesn't have that horendous GM interior that the Vette has. What a joke! Growing up in Los Angeles I can remember oohhing and awing when my friend's uncle brought his 911 with large whale tale over to the house. This was about 1980. We would not have even looked twice at a Corvette. I think it's a stupid comparison.

Jake951

Porsche has been scarred by its misfortunes in the early 1990's when it nearly when out of business. For this reason, marketing and profitably have become top concerns, even if it means catering more to non-enthusiast buyers.

dahcopilot

weight is a result of legislation, not a change in manufacturing direction. airbags, emissions, tpms, etc., all to save us from ourselves. just bought a 07 c2s after driving/racing bmw's for years. drive a late model audi, bmw, mercedes, etc and you will appreciate the weight of your porsche

cmb13

Personally, I'm thinking of trading in my Vette because I need a back seat....tired of juggling three cars. I'd like to be able to share my enjoyment of cars and the outdoors in my convertible with the family. I definitely love sports cars, and have had several over the years; just can't find a sports car convertible with a back seat that I like aside from the 911.

The Vette is a poor mans sports car? They can get up there in price too. Some people ante up all they can to get a entry level Vette b/c they're psyched to finally get something they've dreamed of. Others can buy whatever they want, live comfortably with no debt well within their means. I'm proud, personally, to be associated with them all...it's frankly a great community.

Can a C6 beat a 911 around a track? Aside from the 2% of us who race, who cares? They're both fun, have great road feel, but definitely different dynamics. The 911 is definitely tighter, more finely tuned, and more precise. The Vette has more grunt, less road feel, but still has tons of grip. Car guys, however, are car guys. Some of my best friends have 911's, one has a '08 Turbo, some have Vettes, some have M3's, and one just got a Camaro. I respect and appreciate them all.

alexb76

C&D is a total Beemer loving magazine. I am also not sure who are the DRIVERS testing these cars. Even F1 drivers when they move from one car to next, need a lot of time before being able to take the full performance out of those cars.

The only true testers are more like Top Gear using a Pro driver i.e. Stig. Imagine if Jeremy Clarkson did all the lapping! I love that episode that they put the 997S vs. M6 vs. Vantage, and the Porsche was BY FAR faster over a twisty road, IN THE RAIN!

So, as much as these tests give some sort of an indication of performance, TO ME, the more important is HOW A CAR FEELS, how it rides, how it handles, sound of the engine, the way you become one with the car from the drivers seats, and overall satisfaction of every single ride in the car. At the end of the day, most of us track 5-10 times a year, and drive on the street the other 360 days!

I have yet to come across anything but Ferrari that comes close to that overall satisfaction of driving a Porsche 911!

yemenmocha

Magazine racing or not, if the M3 is getting identical times to the 911 PDK and it's a sporty sedan then either something is wrong with their methods/drivers/whatever or Porsche needs to get its act together. A sedan shouldn't be keeping up with a 911 or Cayman on the track.

cole328

I wholeheartedly agree!!