Long live the 997...the last "real" porsche 911

 

If you never buy a new Porsche and keep driving 997s until the day you die, I'd argue Porsche has already lost you.

 

Hmm... Is it okay to own a 997 but to also like the 991? I recognize the 991 is maybe a little larger, maybe a little softer, maybe designed with a bit more mass-market appeal, but that doesn't mean it isn't an outstanding automobile overall. I've driven one before and I'd drive one again in a heartbeat. But the fact of the matter is the 991 is a very expensive car and at a point in its life cycle where it's suffering from rapid depreciation. I don't want to buy a $120K car and watch $40-$50K of my money evaporate in 2 or 3 years. I'm happy letting someone else do that first, hence my choice to buy a 5-year old 997.

Now BMW has truly lost the recipe. No argument there. But I don't think Porsche has devolved quite to that point just yet.

 

Not if you continue to have your car serviced at a Porsche dealership and use only genuine Porsche replacement parts.

 

I could say the same thing from every car manufacturer nowadays. For the first time in my life, there isn't a single new car that I'm interested in. The closest ones would be:

Alfa 4C - Great looking car, lovely lightweight back-to-basics concept, but not available with a manual and I'm not interested in turbo engines. EDIT: Zero practicality as well.

AMG GT - Absolutely gorgeous car, but not available with a manual, I'm not interested in turbo engines and too expensive.

I can't remember the last time I played around with a new car configurator on ANY website. I used to spend (waste?) a ton of time doing that for many years, but now there is honestly nothing that interests me.

I'll be keeping my 997 for a very long time. It has everything I've been looking for.

 

Great news boys...they made LOTS of 997s. There will be "new" ones available for years!

 

A lot of 997.1s. Not so many 997.2s...

 

Interesting. I have to imagine there were similar objections and discussions when the first water-cooled engines came out. But aren't our water-cooled 997's great!

Heck, it probably won't be that much longer before all internal combustion engines are a thing of the past and we'll all just be whirring around. I'd be happy with a good turbo-boosted engine if it helps internal combustion engines hold out against the government regulators for a while longer.

 

oh god lets not start this garbage

 

There is definitely a reason all new 911's are going turbo.....the next step will likely be a F1-style turbo hybride. I don't think we will see 'electric only' cars anytime soon, heck the US still burns oil to produce electricity. Tesla is a bit of an abnormality and unless they make a major technology break-through they are quickly going bancrupt.

A F1 style turbo hybride although different could be interesting....BUT long life the 997 and air-cooled!

 

Pretty soon we'll all be forced to buy self driving econo **** boxes.

 

From someone who works in the industry for an OEM - Not Porsche-, I can answer the ops question using Porsche as example.

What everyone is experiencing is a result of two things (economic recovery - increased cash flow and compliance to survive)
In short terms there has been a technology delay because of the Great recession. As a result all new tech is "hitting at once" Secondly you are seeing "our" compliance to growing environmental concerns of governments around the world.

This could be the proclaimed death of fossil fuels. Gasoline is going to go the way of coal...

CLEAR PATH OF PROGRESS EXPLAINED IN PORSCHE MARKETING
during the great recession...
now....
The ultimate goal is electrification.. it is coming and it is coming fast
The Future - clearly watch

I hope this clarifies what is happening.

 

Right where I am. The 991 is the first 911 I have zero interest in except for the 996. Just looking at a 991 I have to wonder if some of those who spend most of their time designing VW's weren't invited to contribute to the 991 design. Like the 996, it lacks the edge of the best 911 models imo.

 

I would disagree.. I feel the 991.2 is very much an updated 997.2
The 991.1 has smoother design which I don't like but very much mimics the difference between the 997.1 and 997.2 bumpers.

In other words Porsche has nailed it and did exactly what they wanted too..so perfection.

 

Not clarifies, misleads. Everyone looks at Porsche, sees a corporation making cars for profit, and assumes this is all market driven, as in something people want. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact nobody on earth, least of all Porsche, would be pursuing electric cars at all were it not for the vast undemocratic regulatory agencies relentlessly redefining reality in order to force them upon us. They come at it from every direction, with impossible emissions requirements for gas cars while ignoring that most electricity is generated by burning coal and oil, then taxing gas while subsidizing electric vehicles. They ignore the batteries. They ignore the rare earth elements. They ignore everything that does not favor their chosen tool.

Electrification by the way is a tool, not a goal. The goal is global control. The strategy is manmade global warming harms the whole planet, a higher priority than nation states which must lose their sovereignty - to the exact same sorts of unelected bureaucrats currently running the EU into the ground not to mention imposing these ridiculous electric cars on us.

Time was when a car, especially a sports car, meant freedom. That sure won't be the case with an electric car. Forget speeding tickets, the car simply will not go any faster than the law allows. Lots of places, it will not go at all. Or does anyone seriously believe high tech charging stations will miraculously sprout up all across the Rockies… or any of the other hundreds of incredibly scenic yet remote locales auto makers love to make us dream of going? Dream on.

The thing I find most shocking is people not merely oblivious, but okay, even in favor with all of this trampling on liberty. At LeMans, rumor has it a car race, the cars today are barely faster than a 917. But they get great mileage! Well, that is not a race. That is a science project. Which is, more and more, what the 911 is turning into.