With respect to 911's, it is very convenient to be a "purist" as it stakes out a good defensive position: If your car is not as fast as the other guy's, you simply say "I'm a purist, I don't have to compete with the newest whiz-bang technology." Also, the purist doesn't have to spend $125k to buy a new 991 because "I'm a purist, I prefer what I already have."

Being a progressive kinda sucks by comparison. You have to compete with everybody and you have to hit the hip whenever something new comes along!

 

True dat.

 

I am extremely biased and if you you look at the histroy of the great car manufacturers you will find certain models and series deemed more desirable and valuable than others. In that regard I think that the 997.2 will be thought of as one of those special cars. The 997 and especially the .2 was designed and developed before VW and the recession and the atttitude was simply to design and build something very special.

 

991 is a true 911. Lets move on... I have 997.2 with an order for 991... Looking forward to a quitier, softer ride with better handling and more power and fuel eco....

 

The argument is clearly stated in the last sentence of the article, "The 2012 911 Carrera S is brazen, an athletic machine on 20-inch alloys. It’s Brooklyn Decker in a Hervé Léger bandage dress and Louboutin heels. That’s impressive, but it may not be so timeless."

What is your opinion?

 

But why conflate liking the 991 or the 997 better with whether or not either or both are legitimatly called 911's? I have owned a 997 and drivien 993's and even a few earlier vintage 911's and they feel nothing at all like each other. Big picture, the driving dynamic is similar with all, including the 991, as they are all similarly proportioned, rear engine, rear axle driven, two-ish seater sports cars. Past that, they all drive totally differently. Weight, size, weight distribution, suspension, power and power delivery, all are factors and all have changed quite a lot from model to model. The differences between the driving experience of the 991 and 997 are nothing compared to the differences between either and a mid '80s 911.

So back to your question (subject to a bit of edit). Why do you (I would not presume to speak for all 991 or 997 owners) feel that you are entitled to call your 997 a 911? If you love it so much, what would it matter if it is called a true 911? Why not just enjoy it for what it is?

The problem is not whether you like the 991. I hate the Mustang II's of the 70's and am only warmish on the fox bodies that came after. But I don't presume to suggest that they are not Mustangs, or less of Mustang than the '67 I owned or the '2006 I still do. I don't have to like them or think that they are as good as mine - for me - (I do respect them for what they are and respect the people who love them). But I don't attempt to marginalize them as being less of a Mustang in an effort to claim that my purchases or tastes are some how purer, superior or more authentic.

Porsche is technology, engineering and innovation along with smallish production and craftsmanship. It has always advocted these qualities. I could argue that with this in mind, the 991 is the only pure 911 as it is the current pinnicle of those qualities. But I would never presume to do that. IMO, it is counter productive. LOVE your 911 - you should, it is a great car - no joke. let me love mine.

 

I would be pretty happy with Audrey or Brooklyn. You can add that to the long and growing list of things that would never happen. And I think we would be in the same boat by trying to say one is more authentic or purer than the other.

As to the last, only time will tell - and I might sell mine for the next version of the 911 (whatever crazy number they come up with for that), if I like it better, for me. It will still be a 911 and every bit as much as any other. IMO!

 

Ps - what a stunning car you have!

 

You may be totally correct - but they are both every bit a 911. A number of people are very critical about the 996's. But popular or not, as valuable or not, they are no less a 911 than a 993 or a 997, or a 991.

 

Not at all. When did cost or vintage equal purity? When did technolgy = impurity. Is the new iPad less pure because its hardware and software are better. Was the 993 less pure than the 911's that came before it just because it represented the best technology of the time and improvements over what came before it. Nonsense!

 

Huh? I don't see what this has to do with tmg57's (humorous) comments.

 

i must have misread his commemt...nevermind.

 

It all hinges on what makes a car a true 911, ie the essence of the 911. Apparently, people have different ideas about what that is. As I said before, for me it comes down to the driving dynamics, relating to the pitch and roll of the car, jiggling of the steering wheel, etc.

I haven't driven anything older than the 996, but I find the 996 and 997 to feel very similar, and quite different from all other cars I've driven, including the 991. Obviously, many people agree with that assessment, and many don't. Maybe the 993 and older feel even more 911ish than the 996/997, but that doesn't diminish the qualitative gap between the 996/997 and 991.

I can't explain that difference in assessments, but could hypothesize that people have different driving habits and/or different sensitivities to the way the car behaves. My driving tends to be spirited+, and I stay very focused on interaction with the car, almost never listening to music in the car or noticing how the interior looks. Basically, I drive on the road as though I'm practicing for the track (of course at lower speeds).

 

I kinda like it like I said, I'm a bit biased!

 

^^^Sweet^^^