I prefer the 997.1 front and the 997.2 rear.

 

Thank you for the OP, sir! I have the 997.1 and the primary reason I have it is the looks ! I like the classic Porsche silhouette, I like that it reminisce the classic 911s like the 993. I like the warm glow of incandescent light bulbs. A few months ago I bought the LED conversion kit and after a few days I converted it back to the original. The perfect combination for me is HID headlights and incandescent bulbs all around. You may call me spoiled but I have more then one car to drive. I drive on daily basis my 2008 Mercedes C63 AMG, 2005 Honda S2000, 2008 Porsche Carrera S, and I also have 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo which is an ongoing project. The 977 is nice, but it is no match for C63AMG - 450hp 6.2l V8, you can do burnouts and drifts and drags all day long! It is way much faster then 997 and as a bonus you get the glorious big V8 sound - all the hooligan growl, backfiring and brush big V8 noise stock! The S 2000 is weak on power but you can rev it up and if you stay between 6000 - 8000 RPMs it is reasonably fast and as a bonus you get Formula 1 noise which is nice. My 997 on the other hand is not the fastest, but it looks so cute I decided to keep it. I have not been diving it lately b/c I dislike the noise - constant tire drone/haul with all the resonance at sustained highway speeds if you have to drive it for more then an hour, rubbery and vague cable shifter when compared to S2000, relative lack of power when compared to C63AMG, but it looks so cute I still have it. Anyhow my next project is SSK and soundproofing my 997. I can stick wit all the other 997 incongruencies like the transmission, ignition key on the wrong side etc. I still have difficult time to accept the very weak interior in an upscale sporty and expensive car - all the plastic and even leather pieces look bad with all the scratches after a few months of use, but again - it looks so cute...Going back to the lights, it was BMW which introduced "angel eyes" about 15 years ago and it was cool. Next it was audi which introduced LED stripes/DRLs and it was cool at the beginning. Now you can see LED DRs on Honda Civics, Kias and occasionally aftermarket LEDs on beat-up pick-up tuck. Soo cheap...

 

I personally like the interior updates of the 997.2
The updated PCM and steering wheel would be nice. Though i dont use the navigation often, it would be nice to look at a screen which does not resemble my 1980s Atari. The steering wheel on the other hand is something that i will look at swapping over soon, but with a triptronic and MF controls, it means i will need a trip to the local dealer for activation through PIWIS which will be a pain.

The exterior, i like the rear LEDs of the 997.2 but not a fan of the front LEDs. Other than that i dont see many differences in exterior features.

 

Biased, but I like the 997.2 both inside and out, but especially inside.

 

Same for me.

And this is based on the overall styling looks, not because of LED vs. non-LED lights.

 

I prefer the front end intake cutouts on the .2 but I would not want to give up the fog lights I have on the .1. Although I rarely use my fog lights I find that it makes a difference when I do need them. I don't care much for the light strip connecting the rear lights in the back of the .2... IMHO the .1 rear end is much cleaner looking w/o that board light strip. Of course, we're splitting hairs and it's fun to have a preference for this or that... Both models are beautiful in their own light and we're all fortunate to be DD these. Enjoy the ride all!

 

I like the look of both but I prefer the modern improvements and the extra ponies on the .2. LED lights are a lot brighter, last longer and uses less power. You make your own decision.

 

I had my reasons for getting a 997.2, but looks weren't really a part of it. Both look stunning to me when I'm out and about.

 

According to Jeremy, co-host of Top Gear, during this weeks episode, all 911's look exactly the same, except to the fanatics who drive them. You guys are proving his point well.

 

I think the 991 gt3 is the best looking 911. Just a plug for a dream.

Anyway, I'd say overall the .2 has the edge. But the rear end isn't as nice as the .1. I really like the .2 chromed sports steering with paddles.

 

As the owner of a C4S I prefer the .2 to the .1 .

 

I started with the 997.2 C4S and like the LEDs. Then I got a track car 997.1 GT3 and added FVD front and rear LEDs . I like them. Reliable with no issues. Also a safety thing for the front ones which I can turn on or off. Especially here in the often gloomy, rainy PNW. Still have the originals though. Feel fortunate to have both 911s. I enjoy them both. Even the one with PDK.

 

Tease him back and say his engine looks like it's slowly self destructing

 

Low blow - you took a light slap on the face and responded with a nuclear bomb. Easy tiger

 

If I could have a 997.1 with the upgraded 997.2 engine I'd be very happy. IMO the .1 design was what Porsche intended with this generation and it looks amazing. The .2 tweaks come off as a sort of compromising afterthought that was designed to extract some more attention and grab some more buyers. The LED tails are ok-ish but the front bumper looks worse to me.

I could have bought either it's that I prefer the looks of the 997.1 as it is a pure classic 911. As a tweak of my own I have installed LED bulbs in the front and rear signals to get the best of both. I like the instant on/off of LED without the look of it.