I have about 1,200 miles on my 991 S with all the goodies and it has to be one of the most comfortable fast cars I've ever driven. The seats are incredibly comfortable (18-way) and the ride is extremely smooth even though it corners flat (PDCC). The only way a performance car could have more comfort is if the driver's seat is replaced with a bathtub filled with hot water and fluffy bubbles.

 

It is that we traded opinions on the 991. It is funny how things pan out.

 

You bet. I knew deep down that I'd like it (which I did), just didn't want to risk catching the fever and then not having the same love for my car afterwards. Thankfully I can say that I've avoided the fever and now probably look at my car with that much more appreciation.

But from now on it will be like a weight-loss program: Losing it is one thing, but maintaining it is another. Let's see how my opinion holds up over time, and what surprises my car will deliver to maintain or change my opinion to keep it. But some interior updates are getting ready to go in to keep her 'fresh' in my eye...more to come once I'm done.

 

Wonderful analysis. Thank you! I am interested in your opinion of where the 991, 997 GTS, and 997 GT3 stack up in terms of ride. I was under the impression that the GTS and 991S were comparable in power and suspension (possibly not as comfy when the 991 is in normal mode) and that neither was too over the top in sportscar ride and feel, where the GT3 was just more of a race car.

Newman I would love you to chime in as well!
Thanks again for the post.

 

Gerenb - how are you? Fluffy bubbles indeed!. I think it needs a fresh coffee dispense before I would go to bath time.

I am at just about 1,200 as well and loving the car more every day. Hit sports+ this weekend for the first time. Felt like I needed another seatbelt! Man that was fun. I have about 100 mile day tomorrow and I m looking forward to taking it.

Hope you are well.
Michael

 

Let me preface this with the fact that I have very little seat time in a GT3: 2 brief test drives. So, there are others that are in a better position to comment. But I can say that the GT3 is noticeably firmer than the GTS (normal mode), which is very subtly firmer than a 997 C2S. I never drive my 911s in the Sport suspension mode. Always in Sport mode for throttle response, but normal suspension mode.

As for 991 C2S v 997 GTS suspension feel: night and day to me. In the GTS (and 997 C2S) you not only feel every imperfection coming through the steering wheel and seat, but you hear the tire noise much more. I hesitate to use the word 'rough', but the 997 feels rough compared to the 991. The 991 is incredibly composed and actually comfortable if not luxurious. It was just silly smooth. If you blindfolded a person and put them in a 991 and then in a Bentley Continental or MB SL550, I dare say the only clue they would have as to which car they're riding in would be the exhaust note.

In fact, to go further with the blindfold comparison, if blindfolded and earplugs in use:
* I could tell a GT3 from a 997 GTS/C2S
* I doubt I could tell the GTS from a 997 C2S
* I could certainly tell any 997 from a 991
* I seriously doubt I could tell a 991 from a Panamera (air suspension, comfort mode), SL, Bentley.

The 991 has really grown up. From what I can tell, EVERY individual component is improved over the 997. When you sum all of those up, it's very much a different car while very much the same car. It can simply serve more roles than the 997 can, but with it's default character on a more sedate side.

That is, until the GT and Turbo versions are launched...no, scratch that...unleashed.

Something tells me that over time my preferences (and bad back) will steer me towards the 991. But I don't drive enough to not want that raw feeling the 997 delivers all of the time...even just dropping the kiddo off at school.

 

It's going to be interesting... In speaking with a Porsche sales guy here in the BAY area last week-end, he said that the new 991 C4 / TT will NOT have the -assumed- wider body. Holding my breath on that one.

 

Sales Manager in Plano told me exactly the opposite yesterday. And he was trying to get me to buy the 991 C2S but knew I want a WB. He had every reason to claim it wouldn't be wider but told me otherwise. He did say it won't be anytime soon (9+ months) until launch, which I took as a pure guess. Porsche has so many model launches coming that I'm sure it's tricky for dealers to be knowledgeable on all.

 

Thanks again for the great analysis. My back has also thanked me for the change to the 991, but not my knees from getting in and out - silly knees!

 

not picking a fight here, but manifold, you didn't even notice the difference in the PASM of the 991 vs the 997.2.

i don't see how you muse on subtle almost esoteric views like "classic 911 feel(s)

 

Fair comment.

Looking back, I'm not sure what suspension setting I had when I did my first two test drives of the 991S with PASM. If it was the firmer setting (and the ride did feel fairly firm), that might explain why the ride felt similar to my 997S in the normal suspension setting.

My second two test drives were with a base 991 without PASM, and the ride of that car definitely felt similar to my 997.

Again though, my roads around here are decent, and any differences in the how the cars ride would be magnified on worse roads.

Also, I generally don't mind a firm ride, since I like to feel the grain of the road. Even the ride of the pre-2012 GT-R doesn't bother me, whereas some people find it harsh.

I'll be sure to make a note of the suspension setting when I next drive a 991 with PASM.

 

I sincerely hope the Bay area Porsche sales guy proves to be very, very wrong: http://jalopnik.com/5904422/2013-por...-its-wide-rear

It's been great reading this thread guys...thanks.

 

Yeah I'm pretty sure the sales guy was wrong...
My dealer told me the same as DallasCajun's did, "it WILL be a wide body".
Even Matthias Muller has stated it's going to be wide...

That said, I do not think that these spy shots (in link) are from an actual wide body... the same shots have been used on 5 different sites but I belief it's an inevitable internet "monkey see monkey do" syndrome rather than factual verifiable info.

Thus-far no one has been able to get any confirmation from Porsche which is what model (of the 991's not released yet)... so everything is speculation (including my own conclusions ).
However many (including myself) think that the 991 mule made to look like a turbo (fake air-intake sticker etc) is actually the new C4S and the one with the real air intake (although altered to look like the 997 shaped intake) is the real 991 Turbo.

All of these test mules are VERY distinctively wider... a lot wider (my dealer tells me a whopping 2.4" ) check it out below.
Now that's a big @ss!!!
The supposed wide-body shots on the jalopnik site look nothing like this.

Thus I'm trying to be patient for the next 4 months... damn it's gonna be a long summer!

Cheers!

 

I ALWAYS take what salesmen tell me with a huge grain of salt. Just sayin

 

Now if the C4S comes out and is that much wider, I might be screwed and spending some $$$. Thankfully all of the builds I've done online have been rather modest ($114k) by only adding different wheels, leather interior with Sports Plus seats, SPASM, 7spd, Bose and a couple of small interior items. So, I would expect (hope) that a similar C4S build would be south of $120k.

But for me that possibility is still 12-18 months away as I am not interested in having one of the first ones out there. Not for "first model year jitters", I just don't want to pay a premium to be the first guy on the block with one.