Ward

Wow - hard to believe there are over 40 current variants of the 911, with some missing. Makes a plain old 911 Carrera look pretty pedestrian.

ADias

They are all variations of the same model. Look at them as different options - some of them 'parts bin' end-of-life 'specials'.

tcsracing1

i got one for ye all:

GT3 with back seats and no rear spoiler...... maybe PDK..... GT3 urban edition

and

GT2 with all-wheel drive..... the turbo S with RS bits on it.

Porsche should just let you order a tub and let one finish it themselves like a piece of ikea furniture.....
Put it together yourself to be the ultimate frankenstein model..

mooty

^ tom, you are onto something!

batty

I'm only slightly embarrassed to admit I've been dreaming of a manual GT3 Urban Edition for a while now...

mdrums

Porsche is teaming up with Danica Patrick to bring out a special ladies version of the 997. Options are anyone's guess at this point but I hear that the lady customer can change her mind on options right up till the car is on the boat.

aussie jimmy

and send it back after driving it for 3 years and get a full refund + 50%

Alan Smithee

Same here. Love the GT3 drivetrain, but hate the extrovert bodywork.

Still wanted a great driving and unique model, so I have a Spyder as well.

Carrera GT

I tend to agree that the "extrovert" appearance needs to be softened, but I find that is in the eye of the beholder -- old codgers have one view and the youngsters say the 911 is too conservative and quiet. And look at other cars designed to target the youngsters and they're so far over the top that older buyers wouldn't be seen dead in the latest "plastic fantastic" bodywork from Asian brands or American "iron" -- just look at the outlandish appearance of the Camaro. And see how ham-fisted the design become when the American builders try for a middle-of-the road appearance (eg. anything from Pontiac.)

While Porsche has several cars that I can't explain (Cayenne Hybrid, Panamera, Cayman R) there are many that I think continue to raise the bar and define the very best of each segment (some of which Porsche has either invented or reinvented, eg. Boxster and the current Boxster Spyder.) I think the 3.8 and 4.0 are "bullseye" products. One could quibble over various aspects, but we're talking degrees from perfection in these two cars.

Sadly, I can't generalize that praise to the whole family line-up. I'm reminded that "Excellence was expected" is in the past tense. Porsche has reached a point, with the passing of the 997 and the various prototype electric variants, where they need to take a long, hard look in the mirror to remind themselves of their heritage.

After all these black edition and misnomer R variants, etc., it's easy to scoff. Ironically, I think the Carrera 4 GTS is exactly the right finale -- the gorgeous wide hips of the RS, the surefooted mountain goat traction of the 4, the raucous exhaust note of the Sport Exhaust backed up by the formidable Power Kit and the awesome PDK gearbox to spare no horses. And uniquely defined in the line up, so it is both less expensive than ticking every box in the options list and will retain cognoscenti appreciation in resale value.

While I have my reservations about how the 997 marketing rolled out all these "finale" and "goodbye" products, I realize there's the imperative of money to be made, profits to be posted egos to be appeased, and I can only hope that the heartfelt devotion to the 911 shown in the people behind the 997 is carried forward into the 991.

SSTHO

Great analogy mooty!

I bought a PAM275 during my honeymoon and after owning an AP RO two-tone chrono for a while, I saw how many frickin' LE watches were out there. I enjoy the PAM275 enough so I just bought it and didn't care what else comes next.

Same thing with this 997.2 GT3. Sure, there'll be RS and 4.0 LE's, etc. However, this car is so great in its own right and I am completely at peace with it.

That said - I feel most pain for the RS owners. The RS is supposed to be the undisputed top, but now this 4.0LE and possible PDK GT3S or whatever,... it is quite sickening. Porsche is losing brand equity.

Alan Smithee

I obviously don't have anything to back this up, but IMO most of these "finale" products were not part of the original plan. I think two things are driving these models: 1) The VW takeover is resulting in last minute changes to the 991/981, whether it is the vehicle itself, marketing, product planning, etc., resulting in a delay of production. I'm sure we will still see the 991 at Frankfurt, but maybe cars coming down the line early winter rather than late summer, with real inventory in spring. 2) As successful as the Panamera and Cayenne are, I'll bet they are cannibalizing sports car sales more than expected. The "finale" models reek of desperation to keep interest in the Porsche sports car lineup.

Tacet-Conundrum

They need to do a modern 959 that will spank all those rally-boys Subaru And Mistubishis.

Tacet-Conundrum

"You change your mind, like a girl changes clothes"!

RAPID

Good idea, they should provide the owner with a set of decals in various colors to match their outfit...

Riz

The special model is really the plain jane base 997 Carrera with 6 speed. It is probably rare because the 911 line has become so diluted.