there have been a lot of really good threads on the board covering some decently long drives from both owners & testors. i'll try to cover a couple of things that may have had less focus - at least from my memory of the threads. these are based on a mere 24 hours.

PASM - i am really amazed with the new PASM - in sport plus with PASM on the car is not just drivable on highways. i was on one of my favourite windy narrow fairly beaten roads today. it was hard to take PASM on it in the 987 Boxster and the 997.2 turbo was equally rough. i always take the cayenne GTS through it with PASM on sport but that is another beast. anyway, i had it in sport plus so decided to re-engage PASM and i was amazed at the ride. it stiffens things the way i love with PASM, but the hard hits and feelings of bounce were gone on this car. i have only had the car for a day so had assumed PASM would be too ruff & was just dis-engaging it out of habit when hitting sport plus. When just cruising, the normal setting really is like my comfort on the GTS; still firm but it takes the edge off things when roads get bad or you just need to relax on the drive. PASM is now a button that i will use more on this car than was ever used on my other cars which is so great as i do like that PASM edge. it is just bang on now imo.

Engine Sound - the car is pretty loaded but did not have PSE; notwithstanding, i am amazed at what sound they have cranked out of this engine. i would suggest it has an almost air cooled sound on cold start up that really catches your attention. interior volumes when you get the rev's going - (limited given break-in cautions) is really amazing. it has a lot of great noise coming from behind you that just says here we go. PSE will be amazing, but anyone coming from a non-PSE'ed 997 is going to be so happy with it that they can always install PSE later; in the meantime the sound blows away the old cars so don't steer from something on the lot if it has most of what you want but no PSE - get PSE for next season.
Now on downshifts, the pops are dramatic; you can't miss them, they also gurgle a bit and and you get that back pressure sound that reminds me of what little noise my stock turbo made. i think this part of the engine sound will really come to the front when i can finally rev it up into the red line ranges on the downshift.


SMALL THINGS - they don't make it go faster but.........

Seats - you can set the seats to pull back when you turn off the key and want to exit. this is a great option- before i found it i clubbed my knee a few times on the dashboard getting inside & i otherwise know how to get in a sports car. the standard seats also have more bolstering than the old versions; sport seats are nice but again, if one is on the lot & it has much of what you want, don't pass it just because it does not have sport seats.
Locking - the car beeps when you leave it & lock it. again dam simple, but i have always found it annoying with all my other cars that it would only flash lights. locking the car when you leave is such an automatic brain function that you usually don't realize you are doing it, but as with most habits, there are times when you walk away & think, did i lock it? the beep is THE best reminder.
Lights - it has AUTO on the light switch so no more worrying whether you or someone else less familiar with the car left the lights on. simple but nice.
Trunk - the front boot lifts higher when you hit the release; it is a breeze to get at the latch even with gloves & i needed those at 7am this morning! the increase in size is also handy & helped in bringing some of my daughters stuff back from school yesterday.
Window - missing is the Porsche decal in the rear window that read properly on the outside and through the rear view mirror. pretty minor but always liked that little touch so will have to mod it.
Visual Park assist - the old ones were useless imo. this has already saved me as i was backing up in a near empty parking lot while showing my daughter something. it had been raining so without a rear window wiper i was a bit careless; seeing red in the display made the brain immediately react notwithstanding it had ignored the various levels of beeps.
The Wart - adding a clock to it means that when you see it sitting there at least there can be some informational value.

 

Nice review, thanks for taking the time!

 

Thanks for the write up, great info!

 

Love your review and can really concur with the PASM and non-PSE experience still being great! Its killing me having to wait for the 4WD but I drive it in the winter and I have heard some scary stories of the 2WD in the snow!