TT Surgeon

Yes, there is a thread over on rennteam that says the facelift cars will have a biturbo version of the m97 junkpile. If that's true, I'm glad I got mine with the good gt1 engine! Ron from Houston put this up and RC elluded to it recently, they are seldom wrong.
Says they will save 10-15k+ per car, imagine the gt3/2's won't be too far behind, enjoy em while you can guys!

TT Gasman

WTF!

ltc

Without divulging too much insider knowledge/access, ask yourself these questions...:

"How many people who come in to purchase these cars know the difference between the two and/or care?"

"How much cost savings do you believe will be recognized by PAG by executing this move (and relegating M64/GT1 derived engines to Cup cars/factory race cars only"

This is just the next act in the Dr. W "Marketing Rules, Engineering Follows" model for PAG/VW.
As much as I hate to admit it, the demographic model PAG has assembled about current/future Porsche owners is frightening; they know your Porsche decisions before you do.

Example (knowing 'someone' who was in the room when this "discussion" was happening sometime ago, in German):

Everyone wants Bluetooth (it is available, designed and just needs approval for release) in their new Porsches.
Why should we? They will continue to buy the cars even if it doesn't have it, so why should we spend the money internally to qualify, approve, document, market, inventory, train dealers, update manuals, etc. Let them bitch, in the end, they'll still buy the cars.

Somehow, I always thought the M64/GT1 would always have a home in the TT/GT2/GT3, but Marketing knows more than I do. I hope, somehow, it gets overruled, but I don't know who internally would take up that cause.

Too bad, it was the last piece of history linking today's 911's to the air cooled tradition....then again, I still miss the wooden floorboards and remember the day when that was killed.....think about it evertime I climb into the Cup car, look down and see them.

Land Jet

Sorry for my ignorance but what is an "M97 junkpile"?

Don't you think the car magazines will crucify Porsche if they try to screw the enthusiasts?

eclou

M97 is the regular watercooled wet-sump 996/997 motor.

Land Jet

Hard to believe after the early 996 engine problems they had. Is that the same block that gave them problems back then? If so , what are they thinking. Car and Driver is going to make them look bad when they report this to the public. I'm sure Excellence is also going to give them a hard time.

ltc

Porsche prefers the term "integrated dry sump" rather than "wet sump".
FWIW, with oil pump/pan modificaitons, the M97 has worked well in Rolex applications....but it's still not an M64/GT1 derivative.

LAT

A friend of mine in Germany at RUF shop said that although they can make almost 500 HP with the M97 using compressors etc. when compared to the "Dry sump" engine the M97 is "S_ _T". This is a direct quote.

Ruf does test and blow up motors in the process so they should know.

I guess I will be keeping mine for a long while.

Happy New Year everyone.

Land Jet

When is this "face-lift" supposed to take place?

TT Surgeon

2009

ltc

Post Panamera release/launch, since they share components and visual cues

Land Jet

Will it still be called a 997 or is this the next evolution?

ltc

The 998 will be post facelift.

Terry Adams

I think ltc's take on this is right on.

About 5% of the potential buyers will know the difference.
Less than 5% of the engines will grenade with just street use.
More than 5% of the MSRP will go to Porsche's bottom line.

TT Surgeon

Exactly, all dollars and cents and knowing the demographics of your buyers in 2008+. Glad I got my gt1!