mathfuzzy

Yep, I’m feeling very fortunate indeed to have them both in my garage.

At least in my experience, the 3.8 powerkit motor in the GTS makes way more racket. Not sure if it’s net louder, but there’s plenty of action when you back off after it’s on almost any amount of throttle load. I’m not hearing any of that in the GT4.

And yeah, it makes good sense that the GT4 is as loud as it can be (too loud in some places) for track use.

Diablo Dude

tkbr0wn

The overrun in my GT4 is nowhere near as artificial sounding as the 2014 Cayman S I had. It sounds much more natural in the GT4.

G-forceGT4

Thanks for creating this post mathfuzzy.

I've been reluctant to bring my GT4 into San Francisco b/c of the worrisome "bottom out" on many of the hill intersections. If you made it to Union square area, & then Stockton garage okay, that's great.

Haven't had my GT4 all that long, however in the first few days of having it, I couldn't believe how far I'd driven without an ache or pain. The car is just so fun to drive, even on fairly boring roads, so to speak.

After driving 991 911's which to me seemed more like full size touring cars, I really get what you mean with "the GT4 is like my early 911S (as I observed to Diablo Dude). There’s a feeling of smallness and lightness that I haven’t felt in a any Porsche since that early S. Sure, the capabilities of the GT4 are way beyond those of the early S, but there are some big sensory triggers, like the quickness of steering, that bring me back."

In the last 10 years of Porsche cars ownership, the GT4 is special. I actually made a yellow note on my iPhone of the reasons my GT4 is awesome. This is after owning TTS's, TT, 4S, etc, etc

Now that it's winter where I am, & car is hibernating, I'm in decline : (

vantage

When I first got my GT4 I actually thought it was *too* comfortable for what is supposed to be a track oriented car. But since I had actually bought the car for my DD, this was actually a positive, because you have to be pretty tired to not want to drive it.

Re San Francisco. Oddly enough, I see lots of GT4s downtown when I visit.

switchface

The GT4 certainly has a way of making the ordinary seem special, yet does so while being very livable. I'm approaching 20k miles in mine - the honeymoon hasn't worn off!

In regards to the overrun, I hate the way the GTS overruns sound. Its very artificial and has the same exact cadence every time, which adds to its pre-planned fake-ness. The GT4 on the other hand, has overruns and pops, but only when the throttle/situation seems to dictate it. It at least appears more natural and not as contrived.

stout

^ I'm with this guy.

Preuninger was clear that the GT dept doesn't like manufactured exhaust "thrills," so they avoid the theatrics of PSE. Actually, PSE avoids the theatrics of PSE if you engage the Sport Plus mode—because the louder setting actually costs a (tiny) tiny amount of power.

Love the way the GT4 sounds, and will miss it. Purposely ordered the 991.2 without PSE. I figure there will be interested analog muffler options at less than $3k if I feel the need for more cowbell. That said, the 991.1 GTS sure makes a lot of really nice noises...

Beantown Kman

What??? I haven’t been spending much time on RL lately. You’re trading your car??

stout

Alas, yes. 14,500 incredible miles later, the spot it holds in our fleet (my daily) requires back seats.

GT4 outgoing, 991.2 Carrera MT incoming.

Beantown Kman

Another RL pal I stay in touch with did the exact same thing last year for the same reason: young children. Can’t blame you. But you’ll be missed!

If not for you I might not have gone through with the purchase of my car. My dealer offered me one the day it was announced. I didn’t want or need one. But we built a car in the configurator and put my name on it. And then I read your review. So I guess a thank you is in order because I’m still enjoying mine and I have no plans to sell it anytime soon! I hope you’ll continue to lurk here.

NoGaBiker

We had our one child when I was pretty young, and there was no way I was spending Porsche money for a car. My DD (and only car) was a Miata when my girl was little. Wife had the family sedan, I had the Miata for 3 years before adding an old Buick for cheap ($3000) so I could haul my child and friends around when my wife had the family car.

I get Pete's decision, i.e.he really likes the Carrera.2 so his thinking is, Only have one car and make it a fun one that will haul kids. I chose to stick with a 2-seater that was exactly what I wanted for when I was solo or had one kid with me, and drive a boring transportation pod on the 5% of the time I needed more space. Either way works. But that Carrera back seat isn't going to work for too long.

mathfuzzy

Understandable move, Pete. Not sure how you’re planning to use your rear seats, but I had two child seats in my 993 Targa at one point and was great with it. The 991 rear seats are infinitely more usable than the 993 (and earlier) were (but you know that already).

May you live to not have car regrets.

stout

May I, indeed. Watching the GT4 drive away is gonna be tough.

But...I almost canceled my order for the GT4 after driving the 991.2 Carrera MT (you may remember a story for Pano called "2 is the 1") after being so blown away by it. It reminded me of the 987.2 Boxster Spyder in how happy and fun it was, lacking only a "cool badge" (I've never been a badge person, so not much of an issue for me).

And this need for back seats got me thinking down the lines you mention above. The moment of clarity came when I went to pick my daughter up from school to go see Cars 3, and her friend asked if she could come. In that moment, I knew the GT4 had to go. The 991 may be a bit too big for me as a "911," but it's about the smallest dad car you can think of in 2017. While I would be just as happy in another Abarth (had one for two years and it's actually one of the only other new cars at any price that interests me), it always gave me the creeps putting anyone in the back. There's just no crumple zone in an Abarth, and I am not sure I could live with myself if I got rear-ended and someone got hurt. I view the 991 as a very safe car—because I know what Porsche puts into its engineering for safety. The fact it's a wonderful thing in use is a very big bonus, though I do have to say the 991.2 doesn't feel as "special" as the GT4 in daily use. Not as much sense of occasion—but I think those back seats will more than make up for that. Now to find the right booster seat...

But, other than the trip to Cars 3 and the realization that came with it, I have to say the GT4 has been a perfectly suitable daily car, and a bulletproof one too. Your enjoyment will only grow, I suspect.

NoGaBiker

Pssshaw... not nearly a good enough movie to tank a GT4 over. Now if this had happened over Cars 1, okay, I'd cut you some slack.

stout

It wasn't the movie. It was my daughter's friend's eyes, followed by a memory from long ago of a dad sitting across the intersection at a stoplight in an SC Targa with two little girls in the back—smiling and jabbering away as besties—and he just had this grin.

The GT4 didn't stand a chance.