I just realized where the future fans of 996’s will come from. It’s the current teenagers. Here’s my awakening; My nephew (and a few of his friends, all about 15 & 16 years old) came over yesterday. When pulling the new sled out of the garage to show them, I was appalled to hear them say they didn’t like the front-end of the car! WHAT??? WHY??? And the most important question … how can one of them be related to me?<O</O
I LOVE the nose of the 997's over the 996’s ... but to them, Uncle Gregory and his friends have always had a Porsche with the “Dog-Leg-Head-Light-Pods” and Porsche's are "supposed" to have dog-leg headlight assemblies … anything else "just isn't a Porsche"! I suddenly realized they’ve only known that look as their passion for cars have developed and that’s the iconic look of Porsches for them.<O</O
I realized why I loved the look of the 997 … it represents the ‘look’ of what I think Porsches should look like from my youth. But for him and his generation, the dog-leg headlight cluster being the definition to what is a Porsche. <O</O
I can see it now … in 12 to 15 years from now, he’ll be at the prime age of buying his new Porsche, and the new P'Cars will have a ‘retro-look’ and it'll be the ‘dog-leg-headlight-pods’ of the early 2000's … on that day I’ll really feel old!

 

I have to admit. I am a fan of the 996 lights.

But I think Porsche did the right thing in keeping that look on the Cayman/Boxster and going with the round lights on the 997. There's a little something for everyone.

 

I must be the same age as the OP because I can't stand the fried egg "dog leg headlights" of the Boxster/996

 

I prefer the round eyes too. Old school.

 

That's one of the reasons why I still have my 996 turbo S. This is the look that I fell in love with originally. I was probably around 20 when the 996 Turbo came out and that's what I grew up idolizing. It was my first true dreamcar.

I've had many people who dont "study" porsches like we do, think the 996 lights look more updated and aggressive than the round lights.

That said, I personally think the round lights look good as well and I can understand why some people like them more.

 

I'm 20 so I kinda grew up near the same generation as you're nephew, and started getting into cars around the same time the 996 came out, but I like both, however I like the 996gt2 look over the 997. Everything else though 997 all the way. I have to admit though being a child of the 80's growing up in the 90's and driving in the 2k I have a slight bias towards the cars that were cool in my age. The GT, the F1 and the C5z06 yes I know it doesn't compare to the others but its the car that got me into loving cars. Hence why I own a 02 car.

 

Very interesting observation. After owning a 930 for 17 years and like Saintly, having learned to love Porsches in the 70's and 80's, I was thrilled to see the return to the round headlight with the 997. I was actually looking around for one of the last 996TTs when I decided to get the 997TT instead, sight unseen (waitlisted for the car even before publicity photos out). I was pleasantly surprised with the redesign.

 

I ordered my 997 TT Cab as soon as they could (legitimately) take orders ... because I couldn't wait to get a 'round eye' turbo cab. Those round-eyes epitomize what a Porsche is supposed to look like (to me). Loved my 996, but love the look of my 997 more.

 

I perf round eyes all day