991 Test Drive on 02/04
02-06-2012, 03:16 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
991 Test Drive on 02/04
My drive in the new 991 this weekend consisted of 1/2 hr, unsupervised (except for my wife). In Sport mode the whole time. No freeway driving. No track. I'd characterize it as moderately aggressive.
The roads were dry. Some were a bit dirty with the sort of winter grit typical in the north-central US. Lots of twists.
No speed above 80, and nothing stupid - almost no traffic.
The car was a black 991S with PSE and 20" standard-issue rubber. Well-appointed, not loaded.
Many thanks to Eddie, both for the courtesy and hospitality at the dealership.
Full disclosure:
I've driven sports cars for almost 40 years. Some light amateur competition driving quite a few years ago. I'm no pro.
Our current '09 997.2 PDK is my only long-term Porsche frame of reference.
Cliff's Notes version: The 991 really is a new generation of Porsche. Comparisons to the 997s are inevitable, but in a way futile. It's just a different vehicle. Bigger, wider, more modern, more gadget-y. Different.
That said......holy cats.....there is just no denying it's a terrific car. The 991 has a fluidity that the 997 doesn't. No doubt the wider track helps a lot. It is solid. Not rock-hard solid, but almost electromagnet-smooth-solid. The PDK produces lightning shifts. There is a nice broad power curve. Tremendous, almost linear acceleration. Stunningly on-track in the curves, even through the road grit. Just unreal there! Yet at the same time, it is very comfortable behind the wheel. Silky? Maybe. Almost too easy to drive.
It's just a hell of an achievement IMHO. It's a hell of a car.
What's upgraded from the (immensely satisfying) 997.2? Well, in terms of overall performance - just about everything. Honestly, after taking a good long look around the body and the interior, I didn't want to like driving it anywhere near as much as I did.
SO, every self-respecting 997 owner will be waiting in line at the sales desk by later this week? Probably not.
The 991 is just a very different car. And the overall 'feel' of this model, if not its actual 'character' is.....different. I think the 997 is a sports car first. The 991 is a grande touring car first.
Visuals: Porsche designers have done a great job disguising how big the car is. Not an easy chore. The 20" tyres look less like buggy wheels than I expected. The longer nose helps balance the car visually. The 10 o'clock / 2 o'clock vantage points are actually quite nice. The car looks good from there. The rear is less ugly than expected. Still, not exactly what you'd want to say about your prom date is it?
Inside, everyone knows the Panamera console module is largely cut and pasted there. Truth be told, its very functional and very convenient. So why did I hate it? Because it really heightens that isolated / sedan / game console feel in the car. And there's plenty of that already inside. It's missing only a cappuccino-maker and some swanky remote control drapes.
The windscreen is huge. God help you if you ever need to replace that thing. That takes a few minutes to get used to. The door cards are a bit of a ****-up. I do like the video display which can be transferred to the dash, immediately to the right of the tach. And the electric seat bolster extension is (sorry to admit it) great. Direct rear visibility is surprisingly hampered due to the aft glass slope angle though.
BUT - the real overall change here is to that of a bigger car. More volume. More shoulder room. More elbow room. It sounds bigger. No joke. Close the doors and listen. Every sensory input tells you you are in a bigger machine. And yes, there's something disconnecting about that.
On the road: Put aside the impression of 'bigger' for just a moment. I think the car is very very good. The sense of fluidity that the 997 just began to develop is polished near to perfection here. The 991 is bit like the Cayenne in that sometimes you can't believe what it's doing. And it seems to accomplish things naturally. Keep the revs in any part of the power curve, and the PDK won't let up. No hesitation / instant shifts. Your whole body stays pressed back in the seat. The car tracks perfectly. The 20" tyres seem just a bit heavier through the steering wheel. But whatever it may have given up in 'nimble' it more than made up for in 'planted'. Body roll is so subtle and so smooth, it almost feels like flat corners have a bit of bank. On most pavement it's a bit silky, providing enough input via the steering, but shaving off the annoying bits. Nowhere is this more apparent than in lumpy / juddering pavement corners. The car seems to have the annoying sharp part of the input damped a bit, just enough. Side-to-side, it's crisp but very controlled, almost forgiving. I really disagree with a few who have commented that they felt the 991 was stiffer than the 997.
The PSE sound is fun. Very. A bit like a video game - fun for a while. Great to show friends. Ultimately distracting.
Overall there is plenty of feedback, but....it's different. It's more restrained. Not uncommunicative, not softer, just a bit more 'friendly' and maybe a bit more 'refined'. Little doubt that supermodels will prefer the 991 to the 997. It's less likely to harsh your mellow.
Conclusion: What the 991 has, I think, is fluidity. It is quite remarkable that way. It is very modern. It's more of a sensitive, new-age thing. When it kicks you - which it is perfectly capable of doing - it will kick you in the seat of the pants. Rarely it seems, will it wind up and kick you in the front....at least not on purpose.
So if somebody offered us a very good deal to trade up, would I?
No, I really don't think so. Not now. I like the (relative) compactness of the 997 - there is a greater sense of agility. The 997 is a more sensory-acute experience. For me, the fun factor is of the 991 is clearly there. But I think that the 'friendly' part would eventually prove seductive. It would ease me into a more complacent, a less focused, driving experience. And that's not what I want. At least not yet. And maybe not for a while.
Like the 993, I think the 997.2 may be the last of an era. From here on in I think the base 911 models will be Grand Touring cars first.
I suppose that the 993 guys felt similarly when the 996 was introduced. "It's too comfy." "It's less likely to bite your head off."
Such is modernity.
The roads were dry. Some were a bit dirty with the sort of winter grit typical in the north-central US. Lots of twists.
No speed above 80, and nothing stupid - almost no traffic.
The car was a black 991S with PSE and 20" standard-issue rubber. Well-appointed, not loaded.
Many thanks to Eddie, both for the courtesy and hospitality at the dealership.
Full disclosure:
I've driven sports cars for almost 40 years. Some light amateur competition driving quite a few years ago. I'm no pro.
Our current '09 997.2 PDK is my only long-term Porsche frame of reference.
Cliff's Notes version: The 991 really is a new generation of Porsche. Comparisons to the 997s are inevitable, but in a way futile. It's just a different vehicle. Bigger, wider, more modern, more gadget-y. Different.
That said......holy cats.....there is just no denying it's a terrific car. The 991 has a fluidity that the 997 doesn't. No doubt the wider track helps a lot. It is solid. Not rock-hard solid, but almost electromagnet-smooth-solid. The PDK produces lightning shifts. There is a nice broad power curve. Tremendous, almost linear acceleration. Stunningly on-track in the curves, even through the road grit. Just unreal there! Yet at the same time, it is very comfortable behind the wheel. Silky? Maybe. Almost too easy to drive.
It's just a hell of an achievement IMHO. It's a hell of a car.
What's upgraded from the (immensely satisfying) 997.2? Well, in terms of overall performance - just about everything. Honestly, after taking a good long look around the body and the interior, I didn't want to like driving it anywhere near as much as I did.
SO, every self-respecting 997 owner will be waiting in line at the sales desk by later this week? Probably not.
The 991 is just a very different car. And the overall 'feel' of this model, if not its actual 'character' is.....different. I think the 997 is a sports car first. The 991 is a grande touring car first.
Visuals: Porsche designers have done a great job disguising how big the car is. Not an easy chore. The 20" tyres look less like buggy wheels than I expected. The longer nose helps balance the car visually. The 10 o'clock / 2 o'clock vantage points are actually quite nice. The car looks good from there. The rear is less ugly than expected. Still, not exactly what you'd want to say about your prom date is it?
Inside, everyone knows the Panamera console module is largely cut and pasted there. Truth be told, its very functional and very convenient. So why did I hate it? Because it really heightens that isolated / sedan / game console feel in the car. And there's plenty of that already inside. It's missing only a cappuccino-maker and some swanky remote control drapes.
The windscreen is huge. God help you if you ever need to replace that thing. That takes a few minutes to get used to. The door cards are a bit of a ****-up. I do like the video display which can be transferred to the dash, immediately to the right of the tach. And the electric seat bolster extension is (sorry to admit it) great. Direct rear visibility is surprisingly hampered due to the aft glass slope angle though.
BUT - the real overall change here is to that of a bigger car. More volume. More shoulder room. More elbow room. It sounds bigger. No joke. Close the doors and listen. Every sensory input tells you you are in a bigger machine. And yes, there's something disconnecting about that.
On the road: Put aside the impression of 'bigger' for just a moment. I think the car is very very good. The sense of fluidity that the 997 just began to develop is polished near to perfection here. The 991 is bit like the Cayenne in that sometimes you can't believe what it's doing. And it seems to accomplish things naturally. Keep the revs in any part of the power curve, and the PDK won't let up. No hesitation / instant shifts. Your whole body stays pressed back in the seat. The car tracks perfectly. The 20" tyres seem just a bit heavier through the steering wheel. But whatever it may have given up in 'nimble' it more than made up for in 'planted'. Body roll is so subtle and so smooth, it almost feels like flat corners have a bit of bank. On most pavement it's a bit silky, providing enough input via the steering, but shaving off the annoying bits. Nowhere is this more apparent than in lumpy / juddering pavement corners. The car seems to have the annoying sharp part of the input damped a bit, just enough. Side-to-side, it's crisp but very controlled, almost forgiving. I really disagree with a few who have commented that they felt the 991 was stiffer than the 997.
The PSE sound is fun. Very. A bit like a video game - fun for a while. Great to show friends. Ultimately distracting.
Overall there is plenty of feedback, but....it's different. It's more restrained. Not uncommunicative, not softer, just a bit more 'friendly' and maybe a bit more 'refined'. Little doubt that supermodels will prefer the 991 to the 997. It's less likely to harsh your mellow.
Conclusion: What the 991 has, I think, is fluidity. It is quite remarkable that way. It is very modern. It's more of a sensitive, new-age thing. When it kicks you - which it is perfectly capable of doing - it will kick you in the seat of the pants. Rarely it seems, will it wind up and kick you in the front....at least not on purpose.
So if somebody offered us a very good deal to trade up, would I?
No, I really don't think so. Not now. I like the (relative) compactness of the 997 - there is a greater sense of agility. The 997 is a more sensory-acute experience. For me, the fun factor is of the 991 is clearly there. But I think that the 'friendly' part would eventually prove seductive. It would ease me into a more complacent, a less focused, driving experience. And that's not what I want. At least not yet. And maybe not for a while.
Like the 993, I think the 997.2 may be the last of an era. From here on in I think the base 911 models will be Grand Touring cars first.
I suppose that the 993 guys felt similarly when the 996 was introduced. "It's too comfy." "It's less likely to bite your head off."
Such is modernity.
Last edited by RennlistTomE; 02-20-2012 at 11:06 PM.
02-06-2012, 03:32 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
One of the best reviews ever, and not just because I agree, either.
"Fluidity." Yep, in a word, that's it.
"Fluidity." Yep, in a word, that's it.
02-06-2012, 05:04 PM
#3
Race Director
Great, balanced review. I'm anxious to see if the some of the acute sensory experience you feel has been filtered out will be restored in future more sporting, variants. Anyway, thanks!,
02-06-2012, 07:08 PM
#4
Rennlist Member
I like and agree with your assessment. You can drive the 991 very very fast,... and cruise comfortably if you like.
02-06-2012, 11:01 PM
#7
Rennlist Member
Thanks for the write - nice one, must be a Brit, windscreen and door cards the give away
Bruce
Bruce
Trending Topics
02-07-2012, 09:37 AM
#9
Excellent, unbiased and realistic review. Thanks--
I'm really looking forward to driving the new car, but since I won't be getting one anytime soon, I hope I don't prefer it too much!
Also, I'm really interested in seeing what the GT3 will have. Possibly an AWD hybrid? If they've taken the 991 this far, why not take it even further to really **** everyone off (so we can then fall in love with the new high-tech as seems to be the case now)!
I'm really looking forward to driving the new car, but since I won't be getting one anytime soon, I hope I don't prefer it too much!
Also, I'm really interested in seeing what the GT3 will have. Possibly an AWD hybrid? If they've taken the 991 this far, why not take it even further to really **** everyone off (so we can then fall in love with the new high-tech as seems to be the case now)!
02-07-2012, 07:55 PM
#11
Nordschleife Master
Excellent review. 
02-08-2012, 12:08 AM
#12
Great Review and The Black 991
Great review, I felt I was riding along there with you (almost).
Of the half a dozen colors I have seen, I think black best suits this car- makes it look more compact and the rear less "slab sided".
Other opinions?
Of the half a dozen colors I have seen, I think black best suits this car- makes it look more compact and the rear less "slab sided".
Other opinions?
02-08-2012, 04:59 AM
#13
Rennlist Member
Nice review...agree in that alot of 997.2 owners will probably delay getting the 991 IF they have to go from one to the other or recently purchased like many who got the GTS. However those with 996's or 997.1's may find the 991 more of an upgrade and take the plunge. I for one will keep my 997.2 C4S for awhile longer I think. I have an A7 for grand touring...I agree I do like the compact intimateness of my 997.2...it just wraps around me and says "okay lets go do this!" when I drive her. Sure it is loud and sure the steering is more communicative and sure I do think about what the rear end is doing most of the time (being a C4S I do have AWD and a bit more traction) and I like being a cognizant driver. Maybe later I'll be more in the sit back and let the Porsche drive me mode but for now..I like to drive it! 
02-09-2012, 08:30 PM
#15
Drifting
Tom, Great review, sounds like you appreciated the changes but felt it's moving more toward a GT rather than a true sports car. Based on Porsche's announcement recently that they want to double their business they are looking for a new customer outside the P car enthusiast. Maybe the SL customer that wants a bigger car but still offers solid performance and the prestige of a Porsche. I look forward to driving one someday. Thanks again, very descriptive.