Team - After 2 911s, I have come to appreciate and frankly crave the driving experience of Porsche. The issue is, I have discovered that while the back seat can accommodate 2 of my 3 kids, it has hampered my ability to put much needed miles on my car. Net net, I am more often than not forced to drive my wife's boat (escalade esv, which I loathe).

So...here's where I need opinions. Before I solicit your advice, it may help for you to understand what has captivated me about the 911...with priority ranking:
1. Throttle response...you guys know this...the go-cart response rings a pavlov's dogs like bell that creates a feeling like no other.
2. Steering...a friend that introduced me to Porsche sums it up best - where you think, you are.
3. Third gear...perhaps a compilation of the 2 above, but I think there's a wierd psychological thing going on here where I anticipate the challenge of finding situations where I can execute excellence of third gear. This is appealing for a competitively wired dude like me.
4. Sound...pse...

Now...am I on the right track to evaluate the Cayenne and m3? On track? Anything else line up to my decision criteria above?

 

Keep the 911. Trade the Escalade for a Cayenne. Any Cayenne will do.

 

adias - this was indeed plan "A," but I have lost that sales campaign with my wife. She is hell-bent on having a large lux-liner for her. I envy those of you that are fortunate to own multiple Porsche cars!

 

Maybe a CPO Panamer 4S? The only problem I see with that is the lack of a 3rd rear seat.

 

Would be a no-brainer if I had 3 seats in the back...! Even though I hate the Panny body, I would sacrifice in exhange for drive experience. I wasn't too enamoured with 911 body either, but now...wow she's hot .

 

Has your wife driven a Cayenne? The impression it makes on her and on her female friends, may change her mind. I have seen that before.

P.S. - I am sure your wife has not yet realized the Escalade is the ugliest mommy-truck on the road these days, only popular with drug cartel types and gang members.

 

I have noodled this...as she's a car lover. She loves driving my 911 and loves the thought of a large 911 (cayenne), but her decision criteria different than mine. For her it's space, comfort, image, THEN drive experience. However, you have a point...I need her to drive it before I make final call. I will literally cry if I have to sell my car.

 

sorry, but IMO the base cayenne wil not cut it for him...

 

I do not like the steering feel in the new M3's.

 

Cayenne GTS with 6MT, not as nimble as the 997, but fun to drive with 5 seats

 

I agree. My rec was to keep the 11 and replace the Esc with a Cayenne...

 

Northvan - what do you mean by "nimble?" Do you mean throttle response, steering, both? Nimble sometimes implies "lightweight, turns on a corner, or track-able." I tracked my 911, and while fun, I'm not obsessed. This will be something for the fututre...so, I could compromise with weight in exchange for responsive throttle and steering precision.

 

+1

The Cayenne GTS is one nimble SUV, and the V8 power is quite addicting. The space is not quite there like the Escalade.

 

Buckwheat - I have not driven an m. So when you say you didn't like it, what about it did you not like? Did it feel like a wobbly sedan (Lexus, infinity, even cts-v)?

 

When you throw the GTS into a corner, it behaves like a "sports sedan", and not like an SUV. It feels responsive and sure footed. Body lean is kept to a minimum.