It's not a question of driving like the old cars and not changing. It's a question of keeping/enhancing what's especially good (and loved) about the old cars, while trying to add new characteristics which are also good. The problem is that sometimes the latter comes at the expense of the former, so there's a real question of whether 'progress' has been made. With the 991, I'm not so sure ...

 

Of course you're right. But this particular forum is for people who like to complain. Even if they don't make any sense, they get together with what they think is "a better idea."

Improvements are looked at as abandonments. The 991 blows the 997 away in every single way. It is 13 years more advanced than the last platform and nothing, I repeat, nothing is even a little bit of a step backward. Everything that was weak or wrong in the last generation has been addressed in this "correction" and that includes the steering.

I put my 991 in the shop for the recall and was given a 997 for a loaner while they worked on it. The steering felt like a fishing rod made up one link of the connection to the wheels. It was twitching and flexible for no reason whatsoever. I'm sorry, I don't buy into this group-think that the steering is less communicative. What I was feeling was slack in the connections. I had a 997 and, after reading the collective complaining about the new steering was worried that something great had been lost. Just the opposite: the weak link had been corrected. This goes against the collective group-think that something has been lost. It isn't lost, it's corrected and anybody that goes back after getting used to the 991 will see what I mean.

 

Honda and caddys should change....they haven't got there yet. I don't mind that the driving dynamics changed with the 991 but it does not mean everyone finds its to their liking.

Thats all. And there is nothing wrong with that.

 

sorry, but if you want to remove the driving experience from the comparison,then exactly what are you referring to in bold?

 

Hmmm...that's interesting. I wonder if the 997 loaner had worn bushing or such to cause the "fishing rod" effect?! And this is the first time, EVER, that I've read anyone referring to 911's steering as slack...

With the electronic steering motor, some of the non-essential noise were toned down, so in effect, its less communicative by design. But IMO, not a detriment to the overall philosophy.

A very interesting analogy indeed... 997's steering akin to a fishing rod with only 1 link to the wheel?!

 

It's hard to make the case that people with qualms about the 991 are experiencing groupthink, given that most people seem to like the 991 more than 997.

When I first drove the 991, I fully expected it to far surpass the 997, to the extent that I'd want to get one sooner rather than later, but that's not what happened.

The 991 is a fine car, and I haven't ruled out eventually getting some variant of it, but I think Porsche has consciously made a decision to go in a new direction which substantially breaks away from the 911 tradition. Many people like that, but some don't. C'est la vie.

 

The driving experience is exactly what I'm referring to. That has a strongly subjective aspect, so I'm not going to pretend that either car can be called objectively better in this regard. But many people feel that much of the distinctive 911 character has gone away, replaced with more of a Cayman feel.

 

I never said Porsche should be the exception your missing the point. In general newer doesn't mean better. A lot of these newer automobiles lose the fun factor because of weight such as heavier materials luxury options GPS electronic driving aids all add weight. Weight is the enemy when it comes to sharp handling the feeling to be tossable in the turns with great feedback. You want that communication between the road and driver. Porsche is using a new formula I understand this, however only time will tell if the engineers chose the right one.

 

Yep, kudos to Porsche for lowering the weight, although they could have done more; it still weighs as much as a Vette. I'd would have like to see it bust the 3000 pound mark (on the downside).

ChuckJ

 

How is this a bad thing?

 

Not a bad thing to some...to others it is.

Depends what you are looking for when you plunk down your money.

 

Since Porsche already offers a Cayman, I'd rather see the 911 remain distinctly different from the Cayman and stay truer to its heritage. I don't see a benefit in homogenizing the cars. As you know, I say this as an owner of both a 911 and a Cayman.

 

I see. I don't disagree that choice is great. I guess it comes down to preference. I prefer the handling of the Boxster/Cayman platform to the 911. So obviously, I'm biased (perhaps a bit much). Which is probably why I don't disapprove of the 'Cayman' like handling movement of the 911.

My wish list consists of a Cayman Turbo S. I may have to wait a very long time until this becomes a reality. The closest I have come is an R8V10. I think this is why I'm so taken by that platform (Audi). It has all of the qualities I want in the Porsche, but the model doesn't exist.

 

+1, and dedicated rear suspension components instead of fronts from previous gen 911 mounted backwards!

 

Agreed, the Cayman is begging for more power and torque. That could make it a silly fast car. But I suspect that Porsche will always keep it a little behind its domineering older brother, the 911.