When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I haven't noticed the thing about the side mirrors or cutting lines in the fenders before now.
My main agrument up until now was the clumpsy look of the rear, it is just too much. AWFUL DESIGN.
The 997 has pure lines, a great *** and an interior true to the original 911 - not like the 991 with a center console. Horrible thing to drive with.
I drove a 991 Turbo S last year, it is probably the best car I have ever tried - but daamn it was boring. I would at anytime rather buy a 997 than a 991, mainly because of the looks.
I wear a Rolex and have a white-collar job. I don't want to change my oil or battery and barely ever open my hood (anymore). How does that make me not a car guy? BTW, I used to work on cars all the time and can do any kind of regular maintenance to include rebuilding an engine. Your comment makes no sense.
I suppose we have different definitions of "car guy". I think of a car guy as somebody who likes to get his hands dirty and understand the actual operation of the vehicle, often upgrading/changing/modifying. So maybe you are a car guy, but you have just lost interest in doing those things. That is completely understandable. But 99% of the population never had an interest in it.
But I can see how some would think that a "car guy" is anybody who likes to drive a nice car. But personally, I don't think this makes sense since there are millions of soccer moms driving Porsche Cayennes, and I don't think they would think of their selves as "car people", just because they have a Gucci bag and an expensive car.
Also, I have nothing against Rolex watches. Its just a metaphor for people who buy designer goods for the sole purpose of impressing others. Sometimes they do this because they are in a business where looking sharp is a positive. I associate this mainly with sales people and financiers.
I know a guy at work who collects Rolex watches because he is an enthusiast, just like there are people who are Porsche enthusiasts. But this is different from the guy/gal who leases a Panamera Turbo S to haul the kids to soccer practice in. They aren't car enthusiasts. They are just people who probably don't max out their 401K so that they can be the envy of the other soccer moms.
I've just finished reading this thread and I'm sure the 993 guys are saying the same thing about the 997. Porsche ruined the 911. I would never drive such a horrid looking car.
And frankly, with the appreciation in 993 prices, I think the facts back them up. The public votes with its wallet, and the people choose the 993.
I'm willing to bet that in 10-15 years, the 997 GT3 and even the 997.2 manual becomes a collectible like the 993. 997.1, less so due to IMS hysteria. After all, for $185K now, Porsche will sell you a naturally aspirated 911 with a manual transmission, called the 911 R, that looks exactly like a regular Carrera.
The NA engine and the manual is now officially extinct due to EPA regulations.
I drove a buddies 991 C2S with PSE/PDK and was a bit dissapointed by how much the car had lost its agility. The longer wheelbase really does transform the car into more of a GT. He drove my 997 and remarked that it had to more "twistability".
I think stability removes some of the fun of the 911...
It's interesting to think about what car will be next after the 997. I have always assumed it would be a 991, but it's hard to say. I found myself shopping for McLaren MP4 12Cs this morning. I showed a photo of one to my wife and she said "No way. Forget about it. You're a Porsche guy".
Maybe a 991 is in my future. I've driven a 991 GT3 on the track, and it was spectacular. That would be a nice option for the next 911....
To sum up my opinions on why I never would consider the 991 as a potential car:
1. The clumsy look of the rear
2. The 'too big' 20 inch wheels
3. The location of the side mirrors on the doors, I mean, even a 1954 Beetle looks more modern
4. Why did they cut into the rear fenders ? (It looks awful!)
5. The center console (all the buttons in 997 was perfectly located right at your hand, now I have to look down between the seats and search for them ?)
6. The turbo charged engine - from a 911 I want a naturally aspirated engine please.
7. The rear lights, why are the so thin ? - they look like the a** of an ano***ic
Originally Posted by petee1997 View Post
"I've just finished reading this thread and I'm sure the 993 guys are saying the same thing about the 997. Porsche ruined the 911. I would never drive such a horrid looking car."
Actually, the 993 guys ( of which I was one) said that about the 996. They said the 997 was good because Porsche came to their senses and designed the next generation to look more like the 993.
For a year and a half I have lusted over the GT4. But a years ownership is a 981 Cayman S taught me that altho the handling was razor sharp, I really miss having a nice sunroof and,a little bit extra space in the cabin. For me, a 430 Hp NA 3.8L manual 991 with Sport Exhaust, glass sunroof and Bose etc is my dream. It's just a matter of finding the GTS with the right options and color and a decent trade offer for my Macan Turbo with 1800 miles. I should also mention I'm 71 and retired. I might track it a little, but it will be a garage queen like my present Macan Turbo, driven on nice days only and low miles per year.
I wouldn't say that about a 997, nor with a 993, as I have also an '88 Carrera! It's just that the 991 is just too big while the 997 is still sized along with the Cayman and that's why I'm looking forward to a GT4
+1
i run a nb 993 and think it's beautiful but i think the 997 is beautiful too. 996? nope. 991? not so much. although dynamically, we know it's magnificent, it's just so gawd awful big. hippo a$$ed. the panamera, crushes the competition, but it's as ugly as homemade sin. a 996 will run circles around my 993, but i would not consider moving from my 993 to a 996 an upgrade, even though it is "a better car."
Is it just me or does the 997 look more and more like a 993 everyday...
With each passing day I find the 997 resembles the 993 more and more. Sure it's a LOT bigger and yes the **** is a lot higher up than the low slung rump on the 993 but you have to admit the 997 looks a lot more like the 993 than a 991.
I've been considering getting another GT3 but every time I gaze on the restrained elegance of the C4S I just shake my head and feel a bit crazy.
It's really going down as one of the all-time most tasteful car design in history.