Jrtaylor9

I think the 981s I owned (gt4 and Spyder) were one of the best FEELING manual transmissions I've ever owned (clearly they've had some durability issues). 981 was Goldilocks between 997 and 991 imo (closer to 991 but still in between).

Jrtaylor9

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ljmartyre

Only experience is with a non GT 991, but completely agree on the 981 GT4 having the best feeling transmission. I always wonder if it has anything to do with that weightier metal **** they use vs the plastic in the 997 GT3

Jrtaylor9

Could be part of it. And yeah I'll admit, it's possible a weightier shifter might have felt better. I didn't like how the plastic cap made it feel a little "plastic" and even shifted around. On track with gloves on and hammering it, it just all worked.

seis-speed

Never owned a Touring, but I did the master the manual class at LAPEC in a Touring. 2 hours of throwing it around the various sections of track, drifts, agility sections, and launching it full WOT.

At the time I was certain a Touring was what I wanted, after the class something was missing. My dad was with me and asked what I thought and I told him I was a little let down - it was too refined….I wanted a rawer car with hydraulic steering and the hunt began for a 997 GT3. I did own a Carrera T and a 1M BMW at the time and I had determined I liked my 1M more than any 991, so I think the cars that speak to me are from a time in the past 2005ish-2013…..with the biggest factor being hydraulic steering. Since purchasing my 997 GT3 I have been able to drive 991 GT3’s back to back and I would definitely take a 997 GT car over a 991, it just feels more analogue and more connected to the driver, possibly too raw for some. If you find the 997 to be too much then a Touring would be perfect IMO. If the Touring is lacking that little bit of rawness then a 997 would be the way to go.

Just my $.02

Raghu

I have personally never owned a touring although I had the chance to order my allocation as a touring or as a GT3. I went with the 991.2 GT3 (Corsa Rosso PTS and MT). It was too refined for me as well. I don't know if the touring is any different. I sold the GT3 and purchased the 997.2 RS and hands down it is a better experience for me. The 7.2 RS also feels lighter and smaller. Others might not agree. But that is OK. Porsche makes a car for every taste.

Funny though, my 718 Spyder feels more analog than I remember the 991.2 GT3. It doesn't hurt that the rag top is manual and you cant shift gears while you floor the gas pedal like in the 991.2 GT3. Also, the cockpit was a little numbing also (too sound insulated) in the 991.2 GT3. Now that the Spyder is broken in, it has cleared its throat a lot and the engine sound glorious now that the car has 9000 miles on the odometer. What is funnier is that the engine sounds louder with the top up (the ragtop is so thin) especially at high speed.

Hdizzle

I own both a 997.1 GT3 and a winged 991.2 GT3 manual. They are completely different cars in my opinion and one could justify owning both.

The 997 is far more engaging, even at lower speeds. It oozes character with its puff of smoke at startup and the steering wheel wiggling around in your hand even as you drive it casually. I think I prefer the sound of the Mezger as well. But for me it's best suited for special occasions, weekend drives, etc.

The 991.2 is so much more comfortable and refined. It is 100% capable of being daily driven. The low end torque of the 4.0 makes it fun in its own way, allowing you to play with the chassis at lower speeds. However the comfort and refinement comes at the expense of overall engagement.

TL;DR, very different cars and complement each other well

LionelB

I have touring and 997.1 GT3RS. Both are great, the touring is much more civilized and can be a DD (it is mine in CA), the 997RS cannot.