So I just drove an 08 997TT today. I recall reading all of these articles talking about how great the 996TT is but how the 997TT is even better - and how they all but eliminated turbo lag etc.

Well I beg to differ. The car was an absolute beast on boost. But it definitely had lag. On an NA 500hp car if you burry the gas from a dead stop (without dropping the clutch) you get an instant response. With the 997TT there is a few seconds before it rips your neck off!

Anyhow, I digress. So I'm wondering if the 997TT is a case of more is not always more. I have not driven a 997S yet but plan to. Seems like the NA while slower could be a purer driving experience - better sound, quicker throttle response etc.

Anyone driven or owned both? Or shopped both and can give some feedback on which they think is the better drive?

 

Yep there is lag .... but less than with the 996tt (comparing both in stock form) .
On the other hand the tuners have taken the car where Porsche left off .

I noticed that with my first round of engine mods (Evomsit software . intercoolers . werks intake , Tubi exhaust ) lag was gone . When i upgraded the Turbos to the Evt700 not only was that lag gone but the remaining car had almost the seamless linear acceleration of an NA car but with double the Hp. The weight of the AWD makes for a different car but hands down there is no comparison between the dry sump gt1 engine compared to a 997S . Here's photos of my car's build as well as a you tube clip below it of one of Sharky's cars.
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...ul-engine.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7gFWzo0kiE

 

Thanks for the feedback as a TT owner. Considering how much more the TT costs over NA it really shouldn't "require" those mods to not have all the lag.

What about exhaust sound. Don't the NA cars generally sound better?

Anyone else looked at a TT and picked an NA because it was actually more satisfying to drive?

 

It's the nature of FI cars to have lag. Boost can't build instantaneously or it would defy the laws of physics. If turbo's cars truly had no lag, there would be no reason to have NA cars.
Turbo'd cars can never sound as good as NA cars. Period.
There are countless owners that choose NA cars over TT's. But usually they migrate toward the GT cars, not an S.

 

I have not driven a 997TT but there is very minimal lag with the TPC turbo. Get a NA bolt on a turbo, cheaper, faster, less lag, and you get the rear wheel drive if you wish.

 

I am also a NA owner as i have both a 997tt and a 997S . hands down I'd pick the Turbo .. so much so that i bought the 997S in part to preserve the miles on the Turbo in order to keep it long term .

As for cost .. you are right .. the car should have been a 10 second car in stock form but perhaps porsche didn't want average drivers crashing them on public roads (so they made the car tame ) . They made a luxury power car much like an AMG Benz. (which BTW is expensive too)

When they revised the car with the 997.2tt they made significant improvemenrs yet the car can not be modified to the same levels as the 997.1tt. So it really boils down to whether the owner prefers getting a great stock car vs buildiing an amazing modded car .

As for the 997S .. it offers a balance . It's not a Gt3. It's not a Turbo . it's not even as fast as cars which cost less .
So in both categories it lacks the same greatness but what it does have is the versatilty that the others lack .

I have driven both of my cars back to back . There really is no comparison . Both are modded with quality parts .

I like my 997S .. but am in love with my Turbo . Big difference.

 

I test drove the turbo and S, and wound up going with the S, partly because it feels more "natural" to me, and partly because it costs less. I did find noticeable turbo lag, though apparently mods can improve that.

If I wanted to dial up the performance, I'd probably go with the GTS or GT3 rather than a turbo.

Also consider that the choice of transmission (PDK vs manual) can change the overall experience of the car, due to the interaction of the transmission and engine.

 

Regarding lag .. and ONLY comparing stock to stock .. look at this .

Do you see any lag on the 997.2tt ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOE7dv5hs_o

One more thing .. even with the 996tt there was lag .. it still can take a 997.2S .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5BVmaU-Vvo

 

I almost traded my S for a Gt3 .. many times .
The deals were so good back in 2009 and PDK was so new .

BUT ..
If i could do it all over again .. I'd get the Gt3 .
But would never sell the Turbo.

I think the ideal setup is both .. with the M3 as the DD.

 

Of all the 911 variants, the one I currently most lust for is the GT3 RS 4.0:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdurh...eature=related

 

Manifold -- I am totally with you on the Rs 4.0 .
Just to clarrify .. when I said "Gt3" I was splitting hairs over the models. The 4.0 was not out yet .

The biggest snag isn't the car .. nor the price . i actually feel its decently priced for what the car offers . I just can't imagine owning one and driving it on the streets of South Florida . The road construction and carelessness amongst many of the drivers is not the ideal setting for any supercar . As it is .. I find myself driving my Porsches less than my M3 and Honda more .

Sadly .. even the M3 is too nice a vehicle for this place .

 

Ok. So are there any modders out there that have modded an S to levels that are almost as satisfying as a GT3? GT3 has no back seat and less sound deadening (I think) and also like what $30k more when new and similar price gap in the same years when used. For folks that want a bit more daily drivability an S with coil-overs, exhaust, wheels ought to feel great no?

I have never driven a GT3 but I'm super curious how it feels. The Elise and 93' and older NSX with no power steering had some of the best feel of any car I've owned or driven. The Evo had a super quick ratio and felt great but was a smidge light. Drove an Evora S a few weeks ago and it felt great too but quality concerned me...

 

One can never make a 997S become a gt3.
Some might say that they can .
But they can't .

What they can do is make a very nice 997S.

 

Finding a 2010 GT3 is a piece of cake. Looks like they're approaching $100k. Looks like people either get them and decide they want something more for the track or drive it for a couple of thousand miles on the street and can't take the ride or the ride height. Indeed they seem incredibly cool, but question the purpose. Funny, the biggest point of the 4.0 reviews is that the car has a much better ride than the 3.8.

 

I think Porsche overproduced the Gt3 which is so odd considering that they trimmed production of the 997 . In 2010 between only three dealerships I counted almost 20 cars listed in inventory . It didn't even include the custom orders . No one expected to see a Gt3 in 11 because they released the Rs but in 11 the Rs and Gt3 were both out and the RS was also seemengly over produced .

Compared to 07 with limited production and cars priced at MSRP and in some cases over sticker .. the revised models sat on lots and some dealerships even still have cars .

It's not a street car but can be a great weekend toy . some guys pound the pavement that they drive it daily .. much like some women who weigh 300 lbs wear high heels and say their knees are fine.

The 10 Gt3 also did not come with engine mounts at first and there are a few other upgrades which came after the first batch.

They are one of the rare current bargains in porsche . However .. buying a used Gt3 requires a thorough inspection . Many of the used cars say "never been tracked" . I think it's BS .. but if the car really has been pampered then I would scratch my head as to why anyone woild quickly sell one of the greatest 997 cars so quickly.

It is the last dry sump Gt1 normally aspirated traditional porsche .
I even feel that the RS . will one day be a collector car .