996scott

I sold my 996 and am looking into buying a 997. Probably 2006-08. I know that the S has the 3.8L vs 3.6L, bigger brakes (red calipers), More HP (345 vs 325), I believe the S has wider back end (like the C4). What else am I missing? Is there anything that comes standard on the S that you would have to order as an option on the base model? I'm trying to decide if the extra cost on the S is worth it. The extra HP alone isn't a big deal for me. Can someone also explain the Sport Crono thing. I think it alows you to adjust the suspension, but I'm sure it is a lot more than that. Thanks for the help guys.

hpowders

PASM and 19" wheels are standard on S models. Must be ordered as options on a base which comes with 18" wheels and no PASM.

ELUSIVE

S has 355 HP
S and non S are the same width.

Other differences:
19" wheels
Different exhaust pipes
Xenon lights with headlight washers
Brakes

Nugget

On a manual car (non-turbo) the Sport Chrono is a way for Porsche to extract an additional thousand dollars or so from the buyer. It doesn't make the car accelerate any faster, turn any sharper, or stop any shorter. It is not a performance option, it's just an electronic geegaw. It is independent from the the PASM suspension adjustment. If you find a car you like that has sport chrono, don't pay anything extra for it. If you find a car you like that doesn't have sport chrono, you'll never miss it.

For a less opinionated treatment, this is post you want to read.

utkinpol

so obviously you know - base got M96 3.6L engine, 'S' got M97 3.8L engine and 'self adjusting clutch'.
then adding to what others said - rear uprights have same distance between bolts but on front uprights distance is shorter than on 'S' car by 5mm or so so you cannot just 'bolt on' bigger brakes in front on base model, you will need 's' uprights and it is like $650 a pair or per side, don`t remember. if you plan on bigger brakes may be you can find stoptech kits for base car but i am yet to see where those 'base' brakes are inadequate. rear brakes may overheat but gt3 or turbo car ducts can help there.

tub itself is same on base and 'S' and GT3 cars and most mount points are same. if you plan on extensive track oriented rebuild - base car is a better starting value and m96 engines a a bit cheaper and more available around.
if you plan to keep car stock and drive it on street - 'S' car is a better starting value.

shocks are same exact so you can mount 's' suspension on base car just fine.

Minok

Given that almost everything that is stock on a 997.1S is an option on a 997.1, other than the brakes and engine, its somewhat of a pointless thing to provide suggestions.

What you need to do is look at what actually comes ON the 997.1S and the 997.1 cars you are considering, because the 997.1 (non-s) could have been optioned so the only difference would be the engine and brakes (oh, and the tail pipes).

Edgy01

The S also came with the best feature--Bi Xenon headlights. Incredible performance.

AWD cars are the wide ones in the 997 world:


Narrow Body

* 996 - width 69.70"
* 997 - width 71.18"



Wide Body

* 996 - width 72.00"
* 997 - width 72.91"

utkinpol

yep, i just assume by default that any 997 car came with them as an option, i am yet to see a single 997 car without xenons.

996scott

Thanks for the imput so far. I'd love to hear any other thoughts you have. So PASM is standard on the S and an option on the base? This is the stability management right? Can anyone comment on the pros and cons of this? I will use this car 95% street and 5% track. The extra HP and the bigger brakes are not a big deal for me ( I wouldn't turn it down if the price was right, but they are not on my "must have" list). I really am looking for a lightly optioned car. I don't need a lot of the extras. It seems that a base model will work fine for me with a few options. Can someone explain how the Sport Chrono works and what exactly it is supposed to do? Thanks again.

hpowders

Yes. The PASM is standard on the S but an option on the base. It allows for a more comfortable ride in default (comfort) setting with the 19" wheels. It firms up the suspension for track use.

Go try and find a base car that's "lightly optioned". Most of them come with the optional Carrera 19" S wheels, but no PASM.

Ucube

PASM is for the suspension settings; whereas stability management is PSM. PASM provides two settings: normal vs. sport, and the purpose of each (as well as the corresponding handling and ride stiffness) is fairly self-explanatory. Sport Chrono is described in detail in the link referenced within Nugget's post (post #4).

jhbrennan

So many folks think that S = wide body. As Dan said here are the 997 wide bodies:

C4
Turbo
GT3RS
Targa
GT2
GTS
GT2RS (?)

Alstoy

I have a C2 and love the simplicity of the car. A friend of mine has a S. The joy of the C2 is working it hard and finding the rewards in the upper range. The C2S gets there faster and the low end torque is noticable. However, in my quest for simplicity, I just got a set of the stock 18" wheels to replace the 19s. This is my first Porsche and I am learning everyday. If I knew what I know now, I would have purchased a C2S with X-51. Cheers.

96redLT4

I have an 05 C2S 6 spd from new and I love it. I love the sport chrono feature. I was going to order a 2011 tt, but I think I'll wait and see what the next generation of normally aspirated cars looks like.
Jim

gellie

I ran into he same delima when shopping for my 09 C4 traga. Had to choose between a Targa C4 with every option I ever wished for vs a C4S Targa missing many options that i needed(wanted). since I doubt I'll ever trac my Porsche much , I choose my C4. In every day driving I doubt you will notice much difference between the two. I Never looked back.!