Dealer in Denver called me Friday afternoon and said they had a new 991 in Guards Red available for me to drive on Saturday if I wanted it. Needless to say I said "yes".

Picked it up Saturday morning, it's a Carrera S coupe with PDK, Burmeister sound system, sport chrono, keyless entry, sunroof and a few other nice options. Apparently all 991's now come with Nav/Sat/ipod/bluetooth std as this one had it without listing it as optional.

The hood looks longer than my 2006 C2S and the frunk is noticeably bigger. The back end is a little different but I still really like it. The interior is much roomier both in width and driving length, which is important to me as I am 6' 4" tall. They definitely borrowed the center console from the Panamera, it's much bigger than the 997 console but well laid out. I like it.

The performance of the car is amazing. We drove it up I-70 into the mountains above Georgetown and in the normal mode the exhaust is barely audible, the noise level in the cab is very quiet and the ride quality is superb. You feel like you are riding in a high end touring sedan.

But when you put it in Sport or Sport Plus it's a whole different animal. The exhaust wakes up to a pleasing loud grumble that really sounds hard core sports car when you're winding it to the upper rpm limits. The PDK was flawless even going around the tight and twistys, automatically matching engine speed with gear changes when downshifting hard and braking before turns. The car really handled like it was on rails. The engine I believe is rated at 400 hp and you feel every bit of it. It is significantly faster from a dead stop than my 06 Carrera S that is chipped with exhaust.

The sticker said it is rated for 20 mpg city and 27 mpg highway, can't say if that is accurate as we had out foot in it all day long. When in normal mode the engine automatically shuts off when you're sitting at a light. As soon as you release the brake the engine starts right up. Sort of like a hybrid without the electric motor and battery. I guess this would be useful if you do a lot of city driving. I would never use it as I mostly drive open roads plus the feature is bypassed in Sport mode which I turn on every time I drive.

Sticker on the car was $115,000. Overall I loved the car and couldn't find anything about it I didn't like. I will probably wait a while since I've still got 18 months left on the CPO for my current car. I figure by then the prices will be a little more negotiable and there may even be a gently used one coming in off of a lease.

Go drive one, it's a blast!

 

I also test drove a 991 Launch Edition a few days ago. Interior of the 991 is beautiful. PDK felt even smoother than previous generation. I really like the Sport Exhaust option with its responsive sound, & the acceleration was pretty amazing. 991 felt like a smoother ride, but it does lack the familiar feedback on the steering wheel, probably due to the longer wheelbase & newer suspension. This could be good or bad depending on the individual. I personally prefer the feedback on the 997 versus the "tamer" 991 in this area. The 991 is a great car, but I just absolutely love my 997.2 C2S!

 

Does the sport exhaust open a valve controlled tube that allows engine sound into the cabin. Someone posted that on here before. If that's what they are doing, it sounds like it really is an enjoyable feature. I hope the tuner companies come up with a retro fit kit for the 997s! Hearing engine response really connects you to the car.

 

Yes, thats what I was told and you could really hear the engine when it was in sport plus with your foot into it.

 

I'm curious about the $115k price tag. I saw a 991 S coupe in the showroom at my dealer's open house that had the high end sound system and sport exhaust, and the list price was about $126k. A similar coupe without those 2 options was $115k. Both cars had full leather interior.

 

how was the burmester system ?

 

I didn't get a chance to hear the one in the showroom, but I think I'd have a hard time justifying the extra $5k for the system in a car that makes fine noises on its own.

 

granted.

but considering the mediocre sound u get from $2420 Bose system, spending additional $2590 for a awesome Burmester sounds like a no brainer..

i have not heard the Burmester in Porsche, but i am well aware of their overall stellar reputation in sound reproduction.

PS
if i can spend only $5k to get their home system, i would do it in a heartbeat.

 

This car did not have the full leather inerior, still looked nice though

 

The Burmeister system was a noticeable improvement in sound quality over the Bose system in my 997.1. I would have to hear a 991 with the Bose though to do an apples to apples comparison. To be honest, probably because I am about 1/2 tone deaf anyways, unless i won the lottery I would probably not spend the extra $$ on the Burmeister as it would be mostly wasted on (nearly) deaf ears. I would rather spend that money on stuff that makes the car go faster

 

As a person whose only car is a 997.2 4S, the large(r) frunk is one of the first things I noticed at the 991 unveiling at my dealership. I look forward to driving one, but I don't think I'll be upgrading any time soon. I still prefer the exterior look of my car, though the 991's interior has won me over for sure.

 

I agree. I also still like the 997.2 look, but definitely think the 991 interior is an improvement.

 

I am afraid you are misreading the customer base. The 991 customer base needs the Burmester, as the car's planned use and performance envelope, is serene/isolated rides in total cushy comfort.

 

So it has a larger trunk... is there also a spare wheel in that "larger" trunk or??

 

adias u r such an ***

u must own a gt3, right ?

tell me u have the base stereo in ur car & u don't even listen to music..

for rest of us who drive our cars in the real world and not just on the track, its nice to have a great sound system at times.