991 First Drive
#16
01-26-2012, 09:12 PM
I'd get the non-optioned S. It already has PTV along with PASM and, of course, more power. The S comes standard with a "Sport" button, so if you're getting a manual transmission, Sport Chrono isn't absolutely necessary. Also, I've read on several forums that the exhaust note of the S is great and PSE might not be necessary. If price is an issue, I'd definitely trade these options for the extra power.
#20
01-27-2012, 07:07 AM
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Minnetonka, MN
Age: 64
Posts: 321
Rep Power: 35 
. Select Option Class Option Unique Option Description Std Eqp Price Comments Data Color
( ) BSEMDL BASE The new 911 Carrera S Y 96,400
( ) BDYCLR 1H Platinum Silver Metallic 710
( ) TOPCLR 1H Platinum Silver Metallic 0
( ) INTERI AZ Black leather interior 3,690
( ) OPTION ZAB Ornamental Porsche Crest Y 0
( ) OPTION ZAA Auto AC 0
( ) OPTION 250 Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) 4,080
( ) OPTION 651 Electric sunroof 1,490
( ) OPTION 636 ParkAssist (front and rear) 990
( ) OPTION 658 Power Steering Plus 270
( ) OPTION 690 SiriusXM(TM) & HD Radio tuners 1,120
( ) OPTION 640 Sport Chrono Package 2,370
( ) OPTION 176 Sport Exhaust System 2,950
( ) OPTION 844 Multi-function steering wheel 615
( ) OPTION 748 Electric folding ext. mirrors 320
( ) OPTION 427 20-inch Carrera Classic wheel 1,170
( ) OPTION 345 Steering wheel heating 270
( ) OPTION 682 Burmester(R) Sound System 5,290
( ) OPTION 762 Launch vehicle 0
( ) OPTION 583 Smoking package 0
( ) OPTION 630 Light Design Package 510
( ) OPTION P06 Power Sport Seats (14-way) 0
( ) OPTION 321 Power Sport seats (right) 0
( ) OPTION 322 Power Sport seats (left) 0
( ) OPTION P38 Premium Package w 14-way seats 2,940
( ) OPTION 276 Automatically dimming mirrors 0
( ) OPTION 342 Seat heating (front) 0
( ) OPTION 603 Porsche Dynamic Light System 0
( ) BSEMDL BASE The new 911 Carrera S Y 96,400
( ) BDYCLR 1H Platinum Silver Metallic 710
( ) TOPCLR 1H Platinum Silver Metallic 0
( ) INTERI AZ Black leather interior 3,690
( ) OPTION ZAB Ornamental Porsche Crest Y 0
( ) OPTION ZAA Auto AC 0
( ) OPTION 250 Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) 4,080
( ) OPTION 651 Electric sunroof 1,490
( ) OPTION 636 ParkAssist (front and rear) 990
( ) OPTION 658 Power Steering Plus 270
( ) OPTION 690 SiriusXM(TM) & HD Radio tuners 1,120
( ) OPTION 640 Sport Chrono Package 2,370
( ) OPTION 176 Sport Exhaust System 2,950
( ) OPTION 844 Multi-function steering wheel 615
( ) OPTION 748 Electric folding ext. mirrors 320
( ) OPTION 427 20-inch Carrera Classic wheel 1,170
( ) OPTION 345 Steering wheel heating 270
( ) OPTION 682 Burmester(R) Sound System 5,290
( ) OPTION 762 Launch vehicle 0
( ) OPTION 583 Smoking package 0
( ) OPTION 630 Light Design Package 510
( ) OPTION P06 Power Sport Seats (14-way) 0
( ) OPTION 321 Power Sport seats (right) 0
( ) OPTION 322 Power Sport seats (left) 0
( ) OPTION P38 Premium Package w 14-way seats 2,940
( ) OPTION 276 Automatically dimming mirrors 0
( ) OPTION 342 Seat heating (front) 0
( ) OPTION 603 Porsche Dynamic Light System 0
Last edited by DaveKrek; 01-27-2012 at 07:11 AM.
#21
01-27-2012, 10:16 AM
Sorry guy's. I didn't want to offend anyone.
Seems like a nice color. It looks like a bit like my 911 in pewter and with the light almost beige/champagne, thats why a said that.
Very nice.
Seems like a nice color. It looks like a bit like my 911 in pewter and with the light almost beige/champagne, thats why a said that.
Very nice.
#23
01-27-2012, 04:34 PM
I own a PDK equipped 2009 C2S and I just had the opportunity to drive a highly optioned 991S PDK for a short test drive. The paragraphs below describe my initial impression. The bottom line is that it’s a much refined design inside and out, but it’s still a 911.
When you approach the car, the design is clearly an upgrade of the 997 which looks sleeker and meaner presumably due to the length / height ratio; the combination of the longer length and lower body. The first impression is that it should cut through the air easier. I’m of average height and despite the lower roofline I did not notice any more difficulty getting in or out. When you first walk up to it one notices an interesting new design on the front fenders. No longer is the top of them round, they are slightly oval with peak on the inside portion of the fender. I’m not sure of the reason for this and the spokesperson at the dealer didn’t know of a technical reason. It may have something to do with keeping the Cd at .29 given the larger frontal area, perhaps tripping the flow, or it may have something to do with lower reflection area required given the high tech lights as the lights look slightly oval also. From the side, the 20” wheels look impressive, and the body looks nicely proportioned. I thought I might object to the sharper line down the fast-back, but I didn’t, in fact I really like the look from the rear quarter as well with its sleeker lights and slight line across the top of the engine compartment that may act as a mini spoiler. The luggage carrier nicely attaches to two points under a rubber cover.
The lighter / smaller key is nicer feeing in the pocket and fits easily into the ignition switch. There is no metal “key” sticking out of the remote. Instead, the forward half of the 3” remote fits into a socket. Starting the engine requires the normal clockwise turn of the remote. Personally, I would prefer a proximity lock / unlock remote and a button start like the Corvette C6 and I’m surprised Porsche didn’t do the same, but that’s a minor issue. There is an option for a more passive entry that approaches that capability, but unfortunately it is only available as part of a larger, and expensive option. Inside, the car feels slightly bigger, but not much. Visibility from the inside is excellent. Location of the mirrors on the door sides reduces the forward blind spot slightly and that, combined with the larger windshield makes forward visibility slightly better. Visibility to the rear is slightly worse than the 997 due to the shape and size of the rearview windshield mirror. You can see the new mirror shape by “building a car” in 3D mode on the Porsche site if you’re interested. The esthetic quality of the interior is fine, but I thought the 997.2 was just as good and the size and shape of 997.2 mirror enhanced rearward visibility slightly better. There are design improvements however, such as the 4” TFT and 7” displays (with integrated functions) and the center console which looks good and adds to vehicle functionality mostly because of the sport, sport plus and other buttons in the PDK cars are easier to reach. I don’t know, of course, how well it would work with the manual transmission, but I suspect it would be an improvement there as well. The side pockets are reminiscent of the original 911 pockets, pulling out rather than the top opening up. This car had the smoker’s package which I would advocate as it gives an addition 12 volt socket. The center console storage area (under the center arm rest) is not much better than the 997. This car had the sport seats which are very comfortable. Head room seems to be increased. The luggage compartment up front follows the strategy of the rest of the car and is slightly bigger. Because it’s very cube-like without intrusions, it is very efficient. Access to the tools is much better. They are integrated into two pull out compartments at the top left and right part of the compartment. Tools and equipment are molded on the inside. Finally, you’ll be happy to hear you can set the car to chirp (or not) when you lock the car with the remote.
Initial start using the key is almost identical to my 997.2; you can hear the starter gear engage the flywheel and turn over quickly a couple times before the engine comes to life. But after that the differences begin to show. My 997.2 has significant engine vibration at a 600 RPM idle that go away at about 800 RPM. My dealer tells me that it cannot be increased to 800. This car idles at 800 RPM and there are very little vibrations. The car is appreciably quieter, especially at idle. With the doors closed at an idle the dB meter read 75, making it also considerably quieter than my 997 at 85dB. The PDK is even more refined than my 997.2. There is no longer a hesitation or noticeable clunk when starting in drive; it just smoothly starts moving forward as if it were using a torque converter. Shifts are also smoother and much quicker in the manual mode than the 997.2, changing gears in probably half the time of my car. My guess is that the new car takes about 100ms to make a gear change. Downshift is a miracle watching the engine match RPMs within that time, then dropping into the lower gear. The start/stop feature is excellent, especially as you can choose to save gas using it or not by switching it off. When using it, during the start or stop sequence there is a small shutter both when shutting down and starting, but it is nearly transparent. In addition, it saves gas and makes the car very quiet when sitting at a light. Under normal circumstances you can’t get your foot from the brake to the accelerator before the car is at idle. It doesn’t seem to use the normal starter motor / gear for this action; rather it starts like hybrids with another starter motor integrated into system. Though it’s not quite as transparent as hybrids (presumable due to compression and valve timing differences) it is virtually seamless and not annoying. The “sailing” feature is also very transparent to the point that you have to be looking at the tachometer to notice it happened. Re-engaging from “sail” to cruise is equally smooth and transparent. I didn’t notice any difference in the steering due to the electric boost, but of course I wasn’t on a track at limits, I was just driving it around town. For parking, the variable ratio is effective and it reverts to the normal effort as speed increases a little. Noise at cruise is considerably less than my 997.2 measuring 89-92dB vs. 94-97dB in typical highway cruise in the 997.2. It’s not quite as quiet as my very quiet hybrid which on the same streets was reading 85-87dB, but it’s significantly better than the 997. Most of the reduction is in road noise this enables one to hear the engine better which for those with the PDK offers the visceral induction sound of a formula car with its very quick shifts on acceleration and for those with a stick shift, enables them to match RPMs for downshifts. The ride is very smooth and it seems to take concrete seams better.
In summary; it’s just fine!
ChuckJ
When you approach the car, the design is clearly an upgrade of the 997 which looks sleeker and meaner presumably due to the length / height ratio; the combination of the longer length and lower body. The first impression is that it should cut through the air easier. I’m of average height and despite the lower roofline I did not notice any more difficulty getting in or out. When you first walk up to it one notices an interesting new design on the front fenders. No longer is the top of them round, they are slightly oval with peak on the inside portion of the fender. I’m not sure of the reason for this and the spokesperson at the dealer didn’t know of a technical reason. It may have something to do with keeping the Cd at .29 given the larger frontal area, perhaps tripping the flow, or it may have something to do with lower reflection area required given the high tech lights as the lights look slightly oval also. From the side, the 20” wheels look impressive, and the body looks nicely proportioned. I thought I might object to the sharper line down the fast-back, but I didn’t, in fact I really like the look from the rear quarter as well with its sleeker lights and slight line across the top of the engine compartment that may act as a mini spoiler. The luggage carrier nicely attaches to two points under a rubber cover.
The lighter / smaller key is nicer feeing in the pocket and fits easily into the ignition switch. There is no metal “key” sticking out of the remote. Instead, the forward half of the 3” remote fits into a socket. Starting the engine requires the normal clockwise turn of the remote. Personally, I would prefer a proximity lock / unlock remote and a button start like the Corvette C6 and I’m surprised Porsche didn’t do the same, but that’s a minor issue. There is an option for a more passive entry that approaches that capability, but unfortunately it is only available as part of a larger, and expensive option. Inside, the car feels slightly bigger, but not much. Visibility from the inside is excellent. Location of the mirrors on the door sides reduces the forward blind spot slightly and that, combined with the larger windshield makes forward visibility slightly better. Visibility to the rear is slightly worse than the 997 due to the shape and size of the rearview windshield mirror. You can see the new mirror shape by “building a car” in 3D mode on the Porsche site if you’re interested. The esthetic quality of the interior is fine, but I thought the 997.2 was just as good and the size and shape of 997.2 mirror enhanced rearward visibility slightly better. There are design improvements however, such as the 4” TFT and 7” displays (with integrated functions) and the center console which looks good and adds to vehicle functionality mostly because of the sport, sport plus and other buttons in the PDK cars are easier to reach. I don’t know, of course, how well it would work with the manual transmission, but I suspect it would be an improvement there as well. The side pockets are reminiscent of the original 911 pockets, pulling out rather than the top opening up. This car had the smoker’s package which I would advocate as it gives an addition 12 volt socket. The center console storage area (under the center arm rest) is not much better than the 997. This car had the sport seats which are very comfortable. Head room seems to be increased. The luggage compartment up front follows the strategy of the rest of the car and is slightly bigger. Because it’s very cube-like without intrusions, it is very efficient. Access to the tools is much better. They are integrated into two pull out compartments at the top left and right part of the compartment. Tools and equipment are molded on the inside. Finally, you’ll be happy to hear you can set the car to chirp (or not) when you lock the car with the remote.
Initial start using the key is almost identical to my 997.2; you can hear the starter gear engage the flywheel and turn over quickly a couple times before the engine comes to life. But after that the differences begin to show. My 997.2 has significant engine vibration at a 600 RPM idle that go away at about 800 RPM. My dealer tells me that it cannot be increased to 800. This car idles at 800 RPM and there are very little vibrations. The car is appreciably quieter, especially at idle. With the doors closed at an idle the dB meter read 75, making it also considerably quieter than my 997 at 85dB. The PDK is even more refined than my 997.2. There is no longer a hesitation or noticeable clunk when starting in drive; it just smoothly starts moving forward as if it were using a torque converter. Shifts are also smoother and much quicker in the manual mode than the 997.2, changing gears in probably half the time of my car. My guess is that the new car takes about 100ms to make a gear change. Downshift is a miracle watching the engine match RPMs within that time, then dropping into the lower gear. The start/stop feature is excellent, especially as you can choose to save gas using it or not by switching it off. When using it, during the start or stop sequence there is a small shutter both when shutting down and starting, but it is nearly transparent. In addition, it saves gas and makes the car very quiet when sitting at a light. Under normal circumstances you can’t get your foot from the brake to the accelerator before the car is at idle. It doesn’t seem to use the normal starter motor / gear for this action; rather it starts like hybrids with another starter motor integrated into system. Though it’s not quite as transparent as hybrids (presumable due to compression and valve timing differences) it is virtually seamless and not annoying. The “sailing” feature is also very transparent to the point that you have to be looking at the tachometer to notice it happened. Re-engaging from “sail” to cruise is equally smooth and transparent. I didn’t notice any difference in the steering due to the electric boost, but of course I wasn’t on a track at limits, I was just driving it around town. For parking, the variable ratio is effective and it reverts to the normal effort as speed increases a little. Noise at cruise is considerably less than my 997.2 measuring 89-92dB vs. 94-97dB in typical highway cruise in the 997.2. It’s not quite as quiet as my very quiet hybrid which on the same streets was reading 85-87dB, but it’s significantly better than the 997. Most of the reduction is in road noise this enables one to hear the engine better which for those with the PDK offers the visceral induction sound of a formula car with its very quick shifts on acceleration and for those with a stick shift, enables them to match RPMs for downshifts. The ride is very smooth and it seems to take concrete seams better.
In summary; it’s just fine!
ChuckJ
#24
01-27-2012, 05:27 PM
I own a PDK equipped 2009 C2S and I just had the opportunity to drive a highly optioned 991S PDK for a short test drive. The paragraphs below describe my initial impression. The bottom line is that it’s a much refined design inside and out, but it’s still a 911.
When you approach the car, the design is clearly an upgrade of the 997 which looks sleeker and meaner presumably due to the length / height ratio; the combination of the longer length and lower body. The first impression is that it should cut through the air easier. I’m of average height and despite the lower roofline I did not notice any more difficulty getting in or out. When you first walk up to it one notices an interesting new design on the front fenders. No longer is the top of them round, they are slightly oval with peak on the inside portion of the fender. I’m not sure of the reason for this and the spokesperson at the dealer didn’t know of a technical reason. It may have something to do with keeping the Cd at .29 given the larger frontal area, perhaps tripping the flow, or it may have something to do with lower reflection area required given the high tech lights as the lights look slightly oval also. From the side, the 20” wheels look impressive, and the body looks nicely proportioned. I thought I might object to the sharper line down the fast-back, but I didn’t, in fact I really like the look from the rear quarter as well with its sleeker lights and slight line across the top of the engine compartment that may act as a mini spoiler. The luggage carrier nicely attaches to two points under a rubber cover.
The lighter / smaller key is nicer feeing in the pocket and fits easily into the ignition switch. There is no metal “key” sticking out of the remote. Instead, the forward half of the 3” remote fits into a socket. Starting the engine requires the normal clockwise turn of the remote. Personally, I would prefer a proximity lock / unlock remote and a button start like the Corvette C6 and I’m surprised Porsche didn’t do the same, but that’s a minor issue. There is an option for a more passive entry that approaches that capability, but unfortunately it is only available as part of a larger, and expensive option. Inside, the car feels slightly bigger, but not much. Visibility from the inside is excellent. Location of the mirrors on the door sides reduces the forward blind spot slightly and that, combined with the larger windshield makes forward visibility slightly better. Visibility to the rear is slightly worse than the 997 due to the shape and size of the rearview windshield mirror. You can see the new mirror shape by “building a car” in 3D mode on the Porsche site if you’re interested. The esthetic quality of the interior is fine, but I thought the 997.2 was just as good and the size and shape of 997.2 mirror enhanced rearward visibility slightly better. There are design improvements however, such as the 4” TFT and 7” displays (with integrated functions) and the center console which looks good and adds to vehicle functionality mostly because of the sport, sport plus and other buttons in the PDK cars are easier to reach. I don’t know, of course, how well it would work with the manual transmission, but I suspect it would be an improvement there as well. The side pockets are reminiscent of the original 911 pockets, pulling out rather than the top opening up. This car had the smoker’s package which I would advocate as it gives an addition 12 volt socket. The center console storage area (under the center arm rest) is not much better than the 997. This car had the sport seats which are very comfortable. Head room seems to be increased. The luggage compartment up front follows the strategy of the rest of the car and is slightly bigger. Because it’s very cube-like without intrusions, it is very efficient. Access to the tools is much better. They are integrated into two pull out compartments at the top left and right part of the compartment. Tools and equipment are molded on the inside. Finally, you’ll be happy to hear you can set the car to chirp (or not) when you lock the car with the remote.
Initial start using the key is almost identical to my 997.2; you can hear the starter gear engage the flywheel and turn over quickly a couple times before the engine comes to life. But after that the differences begin to show. My 997.2 has significant engine vibration at a 600 RPM idle that go away at about 800 RPM. My dealer tells me that it cannot be increased to 800. This car idles at 800 RPM and there are very little vibrations. The car is appreciably quieter, especially at idle. With the doors closed at an idle the dB meter read 75, making it also considerably quieter than my 997 at 85dB. The PDK is even more refined than my 997.2. There is no longer a hesitation or noticeable clunk when starting in drive; it just smoothly starts moving forward as if it were using a torque converter. Shifts are also smoother and much quicker in the manual mode than the 997.2, changing gears in probably half the time of my car. My guess is that the new car takes about 100ms to make a gear change. Downshift is a miracle watching the engine match RPMs within that time, then dropping into the lower gear. The start/stop feature is excellent, especially as you can choose to save gas using it or not by switching it off. When using it, during the start or stop sequence there is a small shutter both when shutting down and starting, but it is nearly transparent. In addition, it saves gas and makes the car very quiet when sitting at a light. Under normal circumstances you can’t get your foot from the brake to the accelerator before the car is at idle. It doesn’t seem to use the normal starter motor / gear for this action; rather it starts like hybrids with another starter motor integrated into system. Though it’s not quite as transparent as hybrids (presumable due to compression and valve timing differences) it is virtually seamless and not annoying. The “sailing” feature is also very transparent to the point that you have to be looking at the tachometer to notice it happened. Re-engaging from “sail” to cruise is equally smooth and transparent. I didn’t notice any difference in the steering due to the electric boost, but of course I wasn’t on a track at limits, I was just driving it around town. For parking, the variable ratio is effective and it reverts to the normal effort as speed increases a little. Noise at cruise is considerably less than my 997.2 measuring 89-92dB vs. 94-97dB in typical highway cruise in the 997.2. It’s not quite as quiet as my very quiet hybrid which on the same streets was reading 85-87dB, but it’s significantly better than the 997. Most of the reduction is in road noise this enables one to hear the engine better which for those with the PDK offers the visceral induction sound of a formula car with its very quick shifts on acceleration and for those with a stick shift, enables them to match RPMs for downshifts. The ride is very smooth and it seems to take concrete seams better.
In summary; it’s just fine!
ChuckJ
When you approach the car, the design is clearly an upgrade of the 997 which looks sleeker and meaner presumably due to the length / height ratio; the combination of the longer length and lower body. The first impression is that it should cut through the air easier. I’m of average height and despite the lower roofline I did not notice any more difficulty getting in or out. When you first walk up to it one notices an interesting new design on the front fenders. No longer is the top of them round, they are slightly oval with peak on the inside portion of the fender. I’m not sure of the reason for this and the spokesperson at the dealer didn’t know of a technical reason. It may have something to do with keeping the Cd at .29 given the larger frontal area, perhaps tripping the flow, or it may have something to do with lower reflection area required given the high tech lights as the lights look slightly oval also. From the side, the 20” wheels look impressive, and the body looks nicely proportioned. I thought I might object to the sharper line down the fast-back, but I didn’t, in fact I really like the look from the rear quarter as well with its sleeker lights and slight line across the top of the engine compartment that may act as a mini spoiler. The luggage carrier nicely attaches to two points under a rubber cover.
The lighter / smaller key is nicer feeing in the pocket and fits easily into the ignition switch. There is no metal “key” sticking out of the remote. Instead, the forward half of the 3” remote fits into a socket. Starting the engine requires the normal clockwise turn of the remote. Personally, I would prefer a proximity lock / unlock remote and a button start like the Corvette C6 and I’m surprised Porsche didn’t do the same, but that’s a minor issue. There is an option for a more passive entry that approaches that capability, but unfortunately it is only available as part of a larger, and expensive option. Inside, the car feels slightly bigger, but not much. Visibility from the inside is excellent. Location of the mirrors on the door sides reduces the forward blind spot slightly and that, combined with the larger windshield makes forward visibility slightly better. Visibility to the rear is slightly worse than the 997 due to the shape and size of the rearview windshield mirror. You can see the new mirror shape by “building a car” in 3D mode on the Porsche site if you’re interested. The esthetic quality of the interior is fine, but I thought the 997.2 was just as good and the size and shape of 997.2 mirror enhanced rearward visibility slightly better. There are design improvements however, such as the 4” TFT and 7” displays (with integrated functions) and the center console which looks good and adds to vehicle functionality mostly because of the sport, sport plus and other buttons in the PDK cars are easier to reach. I don’t know, of course, how well it would work with the manual transmission, but I suspect it would be an improvement there as well. The side pockets are reminiscent of the original 911 pockets, pulling out rather than the top opening up. This car had the smoker’s package which I would advocate as it gives an addition 12 volt socket. The center console storage area (under the center arm rest) is not much better than the 997. This car had the sport seats which are very comfortable. Head room seems to be increased. The luggage compartment up front follows the strategy of the rest of the car and is slightly bigger. Because it’s very cube-like without intrusions, it is very efficient. Access to the tools is much better. They are integrated into two pull out compartments at the top left and right part of the compartment. Tools and equipment are molded on the inside. Finally, you’ll be happy to hear you can set the car to chirp (or not) when you lock the car with the remote.
Initial start using the key is almost identical to my 997.2; you can hear the starter gear engage the flywheel and turn over quickly a couple times before the engine comes to life. But after that the differences begin to show. My 997.2 has significant engine vibration at a 600 RPM idle that go away at about 800 RPM. My dealer tells me that it cannot be increased to 800. This car idles at 800 RPM and there are very little vibrations. The car is appreciably quieter, especially at idle. With the doors closed at an idle the dB meter read 75, making it also considerably quieter than my 997 at 85dB. The PDK is even more refined than my 997.2. There is no longer a hesitation or noticeable clunk when starting in drive; it just smoothly starts moving forward as if it were using a torque converter. Shifts are also smoother and much quicker in the manual mode than the 997.2, changing gears in probably half the time of my car. My guess is that the new car takes about 100ms to make a gear change. Downshift is a miracle watching the engine match RPMs within that time, then dropping into the lower gear. The start/stop feature is excellent, especially as you can choose to save gas using it or not by switching it off. When using it, during the start or stop sequence there is a small shutter both when shutting down and starting, but it is nearly transparent. In addition, it saves gas and makes the car very quiet when sitting at a light. Under normal circumstances you can’t get your foot from the brake to the accelerator before the car is at idle. It doesn’t seem to use the normal starter motor / gear for this action; rather it starts like hybrids with another starter motor integrated into system. Though it’s not quite as transparent as hybrids (presumable due to compression and valve timing differences) it is virtually seamless and not annoying. The “sailing” feature is also very transparent to the point that you have to be looking at the tachometer to notice it happened. Re-engaging from “sail” to cruise is equally smooth and transparent. I didn’t notice any difference in the steering due to the electric boost, but of course I wasn’t on a track at limits, I was just driving it around town. For parking, the variable ratio is effective and it reverts to the normal effort as speed increases a little. Noise at cruise is considerably less than my 997.2 measuring 89-92dB vs. 94-97dB in typical highway cruise in the 997.2. It’s not quite as quiet as my very quiet hybrid which on the same streets was reading 85-87dB, but it’s significantly better than the 997. Most of the reduction is in road noise this enables one to hear the engine better which for those with the PDK offers the visceral induction sound of a formula car with its very quick shifts on acceleration and for those with a stick shift, enables them to match RPMs for downshifts. The ride is very smooth and it seems to take concrete seams better.
In summary; it’s just fine!
ChuckJ
How did you guess that the shifting takes 100 ms?
#26
01-27-2012, 08:24 PM
First thing my rep says to me when I go to see the car is "sorry no deals on this one yet". I guess we are few years out for that hehehe..
#27
01-28-2012, 03:18 PM
How did you guess that the shifting takes 100 ms?[/quote]
Sorry, I used to work with electronic flight control latency so you get used to judging delays. It's obviously not exactly 100ms but it's a lot faster than mine in the 997. And I'm only talking about from the time you activate the steering wheel switch to the time it goes in the next gear up.
ChuckJ
Sorry, I used to work with electronic flight control latency so you get used to judging delays. It's obviously not exactly 100ms but it's a lot faster than mine in the 997. And I'm only talking about from the time you activate the steering wheel switch to the time it goes in the next gear up.
ChuckJ
#29
01-28-2012, 04:02 PM
Today I found out my local dealer was showing off a new 991 on the showroom floor. I decided to head to that side of town to take look. On my way over I came across a line of black Porsche. None of these vehicles had badges. There was 2 black 991 CS with the kick butt 20" multi spoke rims and 2 black Boxsters (the upcoming model). I passed them and honked. The drivers (and their passengers) honked, smiled and waved back. They also took pictures of my car. The new Boxsters are visually very nice. It was a nice experience seeing the cars and the brief interaction I had with the people.
I finally made it to the dealer. They had a black Carrera S, lightly optioned. A friend drove his 997 C4S to the dealer and I drove my black TT.
Inital impressions: The interior was nice, but I wasn't as taken with it as my companion was. My car has full leather, the 991 on the showroom floor did not. Even with the new improved interior I still think full leather does make a big difference in interior feel and look. The seats were comfy, the view from the drivers seat was good. The car felt tighter inside, in build quality by a moderate margin. My buddy's 997 doesn't have a leather interior. He was much more impressed. I think initial impressions of the 991 may be impacted by what you are driving now. If that makes any sense.
I wasn't as crazy as I thought I would be with the body changes. I will say I think rims make huge impact on the looks of this particular model (at least to me). The black 991 CS I saw on the road that had the multi spoke wheels looked much more appealing.
Unfortunately I did not get to test drive it so I have nothing to add to that part of the equation. The dealer I spoke with said once you own a turbo it's hard to go back to a non-turbo model, even if the new model has improvements. Until I test drive one I cannot say whether or not I would "upgrade" to a newer 991. I was worried I would go see this thing and have to have it, regardless of it being turbo or not. After this initial viewing I really do not feel that way. That may change after a test drive, but as of now, I think I can wait a few years to buy a 991 TT used.
Now the new Boxster, well, let's just say I'm almost 100% sure I will be buying my wife one.
I finally made it to the dealer. They had a black Carrera S, lightly optioned. A friend drove his 997 C4S to the dealer and I drove my black TT.
Inital impressions: The interior was nice, but I wasn't as taken with it as my companion was. My car has full leather, the 991 on the showroom floor did not. Even with the new improved interior I still think full leather does make a big difference in interior feel and look. The seats were comfy, the view from the drivers seat was good. The car felt tighter inside, in build quality by a moderate margin. My buddy's 997 doesn't have a leather interior. He was much more impressed. I think initial impressions of the 991 may be impacted by what you are driving now. If that makes any sense.
I wasn't as crazy as I thought I would be with the body changes. I will say I think rims make huge impact on the looks of this particular model (at least to me). The black 991 CS I saw on the road that had the multi spoke wheels looked much more appealing.
Unfortunately I did not get to test drive it so I have nothing to add to that part of the equation. The dealer I spoke with said once you own a turbo it's hard to go back to a non-turbo model, even if the new model has improvements. Until I test drive one I cannot say whether or not I would "upgrade" to a newer 991. I was worried I would go see this thing and have to have it, regardless of it being turbo or not. After this initial viewing I really do not feel that way. That may change after a test drive, but as of now, I think I can wait a few years to buy a 991 TT used.
Now the new Boxster, well, let's just say I'm almost 100% sure I will be buying my wife one.
Last edited by hed; 01-28-2012 at 04:10 PM.
#30
01-30-2012, 05:02 PM
After reading Dave's post, I drove to Carousel today and drove the 991 S launch car they had. They actually had two, a platinum silver (which I thought looked fantastic) and a black one. I got to drive the black one for quite a while and was really impressed. The sound with the sport button was incredible, and I'm not usually a sport exhaust kind of guy (this was the stock exhaust btw). Loved the PDK! It handled great, hard to imagine what 4 inches can do, but it was planted and smooth. The interior was the deal breaker for me the interior really dated my '07, I loved it (I also have an '11 Cayenne S with the new design language so I am biased).