Log in or Sign up

Porsche 911 (991) - First Drives/Test Thread

Discussion in '911' started by Merc1, Nov 9, 2011.

Page 7 of 8

tristatez28lt1 Well-Known Member

[video=youtube_share;_NMxGf5LqbE]http://youtu.be/_NMxGf5LqbE[/media]

tristatez28lt1, Mar 13, 2012

#121
- Like x 4
bombardier01 Well-Known Member

:icondrool:icondrool

Road Test - Porsche 911 Carrera S 3.8 (A)

bombardier01, Mar 14, 2012

#122
- Like x 4
K-A Banned

Yes and yes! Sat in my first 991 today. I dig.

K-A, Mar 14, 2012

#123
DeDe Contributing Member

Auto - 991 Carrera vs. 991 Carrera S

This will be interesting, the first head-to-head comparison by Italian Auto. I hope I'll be able to post the scans soon.

DeDe, Mar 17, 2012

#124
- Like x 2
K-A Banned

You MUST post the article!!!! Contemplating on whether I'd want a C or CS if I decided on a 911 in due time. I don't need 400 HP, but I don't want to miss out on a holistic experience if the CS truly provides it over the Carrera, other than simple HP advantage.

K-A, Mar 17, 2012

#125
hoffmeister_fan Well-Known Member

K-A said: ↑

Yes and yes! Sat in my first 991 today. I dig.

It feels good, doesn't it? It fit me like a glove when I sat in one a few weeks ago. Quality material all-around, and that was without the extensive leather. Everything is where it ought to be and within reach. If I could high-five all the engineers and designers at Porsche, I would.

hoffmeister_fan, Mar 17, 2012

#126
K-A Banned

Agreed! This one was the "basic package" as well, and it was MORE than good enough for me. I'm a rare species in that I actually prefer some good vinyl over leather, as the ease of maintenance is far beyond. I love my MB-Tex, but was shocked at how refined and incredibly "leather like" Porsche's vinyl mix was. I honestly couldn't tell what parts were vinyl and what were leather (the salesman said that there was a vinyl mix in there?), and it still had that leather-y smell.

"Fit like a glove" is the perfect way to put it. It really just wraps around you. At 6'5-ish, I actually had more headroom than in my E-Class, which is incredible since considering how used I am to bigger cars, when I first walked up to and towered over the little 911, I felt like I was a giant ready to step in an elf house.... looked like it would have been incredibly uncomfortable. When I sat in it, it all felt right.

I really am waiting to hear some Carrera VS Carrera S comparisons. If anyone knows of any, please post them.

K-A, Mar 17, 2012

#127
-=Hot|Ice=- Well-Known Member

Saw my first 991 on the road today. All. Gatta say is that pics do not do this car justice.it looks great in pics, but it looks drop dead gorgeous in the real world. I could of sworn the car was filled with drool after I saw it.

-=Hot|Ice=-, Mar 17, 2012

#128
Cashmere Well-Known Member

^ Agreed, I saw one at the local auto show over the weekend. It was on display right next to the 997 C4S cabrio and 997 still looks beautiful!

Cashmere, Mar 17, 2012

#129
MoSs Well-Known Member

K-A said: ↑

Agreed! This one was the "basic package" as well, and it was MORE than good enough for me. I'm a rare species in that I actually prefer some good vinyl over leather, as the ease of maintenance is far beyond. I love my MB-Tex, but was shocked at how refined and incredibly "leather like" Porsche's vinyl mix was. I honestly couldn't tell what parts were vinyl and what were leather (the salesman said that there was a vinyl mix in there?), and it still had that leather-y smell.

"Fit like a glove" is the perfect way to put it. It really just wraps around you. At 6'5-ish, I actually had more headroom than in my E-Class, which is incredible since considering how used I am to bigger cars, when I first walked up to and towered over the little 911, I felt like I was a giant ready to step in an elf house.... looked like it would have been incredibly uncomfortable. When I sat in it, it all felt right.

I really am waiting to hear some Carrera VS Carrera S comparisons. If anyone knows of any, please post them.

Great review there KA, the new 991 is spacious, I've never had any problems inside the car, I'm a big man too, im 6'1 btw, and driving the 911 everyday is no problem for me, u got allot of headroom and space bettween u and the passenger, it is very comfortable inside, not like a sedan u still hear wind noise with the windows closed, just barely tho, and IMO the suspension is still stiff even when active sus is set to off, the only problem u will have is getting in and out of the car.

One thing I noticed from driving everyday, is that on high speeds 80 mph+ because of all that weight in the rear end, the front end gets very light, the front suspension gets kinda loose, compared to the s5 it was very very stable on high speeds.

MoSs, Mar 18, 2012

#130
klier Member

K-A said: ↑

Yes and yes! Sat in my first 991 today. I dig.

Me too! Sat in one yesterday for the first time (a few different ones even, and a new cabrio too)

I said damn. Several times. It's quite simply the perfect fit.

klier, Mar 18, 2012

#131
K-A Banned

MoSs said: ↑

Great review there KA, the new 991 is spacious, I've never had any problems inside the car, I'm a big man too, im 6'1 btw, and driving the 911 everyday is no problem for me, u got allot of headroom and space bettween u and the passenger, it is very comfortable inside, not like a sedan u still hear wind noise with the windows closed, just barely tho, and IMO the suspension is still stiff even when active sus is set to off, the only problem u will have is getting in and out of the car.

One thing I noticed from driving everyday, is that on high speeds 80 mph+ because of all that weight in the rear end, the front end gets very light, the front suspension gets kinda loose, compared to the s5 it was very very stable on high speeds.

Thanks for that info! Yeah, getting in and out constantly for someone who's tall would be a big pain I can imagine. Interesting about the wind noise. As much as people tout this as a "Luxury Car" for a 911, I think to someone like me who hasn't driven a proper sports car in a while, it would feel quite sporty and definitely intended for sportiness (though obviously still very comfortable and refined on its own).

The suspension comments also interest me. I spoke to someone who has one, and they said that on SoCal roads, with the heavy potholes, etc., the daily commute could be rather tedious, and all those road imperfections are already leading to some rattles and squeaks in the car. Any issue's like that for you, Moss? It's upsetting to me as one of the reasons that I bought a Luxury Sedan with a V6 is because the potholes and constant traffic frustrate me to the point where I feel like I'd drive myself crazy having such a precise sports tool, yet never being able to use it, and having to watch its firmer suspension being put to use only to get hammered by damaged roads.... Argh! Fix our roads Cali!!!! Lol.

Also, I'm surprised at the comments about the high speed stability! However, I think that it makes sense given the very different nature of this car (engine in the rear). I'm sure it's very stable but you have to get used to how to manage and feel-out in a confidence aspect, the car when in higher speeds.

Enjoy it! It's really a beaut.

BTW, I agree with the upper comment about the 997. I've seen some 997's next to 991's, and the 997 is going to age as gracefully as any 911 or more. It certainly holds its own. Hard to even spot the differences, but as your eyes acclimate to the 991, you notice how well massaged it is, and how it has just that extra amount of "volume" and voluptuousness.

Klier, how'd you like the car's appearance in person?

K-A, Mar 18, 2012

#132
Centurion Contributing Member

MoSs said: ↑

Great review there KA, the new 991 is spacious, I've never had any problems inside the car, I'm a big man too, im 6'1 btw, and driving the 911 everyday is no problem for me, u got allot of headroom and space bettween u and the passenger, it is very comfortable inside, not like a sedan u still hear wind noise with the windows closed, just barely tho, and IMO the suspension is still stiff even when active sus is set to off, the only problem u will have is getting in and out of the car.

One thing I noticed from driving everyday, is that on high speeds 80 mph+ because of all that weight in the rear end, the front end gets very light, the front suspension gets kinda loose, compared to the s5 it was very very stable on high speeds.

You car isn't equipped with dynamic chassi control is it?

Centurion, Mar 18, 2012

#133
DeDe Contributing Member
AutoBild Sportscars - TechArt 991 Carrera S PDK (first drive)

The Aerokit is OK to me, without those ugly 21-inch wheels it would look pretty good IMO.

Specs:

New sport exhaust-system (with an additional power-plus of 9-10 hp)

New sport-suspension

TechArt-aerokit, -wheels and -interior

Real power-kits will be available soon (+35-40 hp)

Picture gallery:

Scans:

:t-cheers:
DeDe, Mar 18, 2012

#134
- Like x 6
DeDe Contributing Member

SpeedArt tunes the 991 Carrera S: The new SP91-R 425

With 425 hp and 475 Nm.

Specs and info: http://www.speedart-tuning.de/2008/fileadmin/pdf/SP91_Carrera_Englisch_WEB.pdf

:t-cheers:

DeDe, Mar 18, 2012

#135
- Like x 2
K-A Banned

How much is that aerokit on the yellow one? Gets the car "just right" for how I'd like my Porsche to look if I had one. The kit on the white car is repulsive. Doesn't even fit right, nor is it painted to match the car.

K-A, Mar 18, 2012

#136
Cashmere Well-Known Member

Jeremy Clarkson's review on the new 911

When I was growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, labour- and time-saving devices were all the rage. The Ronco Buttoneer, for instance, made putting on a button a quick and easy job. Which was just as well because the button you’d just attached often came adrift again in a matter of moments.

The top-loading washing machine had replaced the front step, and then came the remote control box for the television, which meant we no longer had to sit through Nationwide because we couldn’t be bothered to get off our backsides. We also waved goodbye to the punka wallah with the invention of the Pifco fan. Life was very good.

But at some point in recent years someone decided to put the complication back. So now, instead of adding boiling water to a spoonful of instant coffee, we have machines that require constant attention. Every single morning mine wants more water, or more beans. Then it wants me to empty its trays and clean its pipes and decalcify its innards. Making a simple cup of coffee has become a 30-minute palaver.

It’s much the same story with my* mobile phone. Because it turns out that even when you are not using an application, it’s still open, in the background, chewing the battery. And shutting it down is a complex procedure that usually ends up with you taking a photograph of your own nose.

Televisions are massively complicated now. And gone are the days when you simply loaded a VHS tape and watched a movie. Now, with Blu-ray, the machinery takes 10 minutes to warm up and you have to sit through hours and hours of waivers and copyright threats and trailers.

My dishwasher is more complex than Apollo 11, my juicer has a 200-page instruction book and have you tried to use a pay-by-phone parking meter? Of course not, or you’d still be out there, in the street, asking yourself what on earth was wrong with putting a pound coin in a little slot.

Naturally, cars are now very complicated as well. It’s almost certainly true to say that the ignition key for your modern car is more complex than the whole of an Austin A35. Which means, of course, it rarely works. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been in a car* that keeps flashing up a message saying, “No key detected,” when I’m sitting there waving the damn thing in front of its dash, whimpering slightly and wondering out loud what was wrong with the old system.

Then there’s the BMW M5, which can get from 0 to 62mph in about 13 minutes. You spend 12 minutes and 55.7 seconds telling the on-board computer what sort of setting you’d like from the gearbox, the chassis and the engine, and then 4.3 seconds going from 0 to 62.

You might imagine that the new Porsche 911 had been spared all this nonsense — 911s, after all, are meant to be pure, clean, unfettered sports cars. And there is no place for complexity in such things.

Well, dream on, because the new 911 is a geek’s fantasy. Every component can be tuned while you’re on the move to deliver something different, and there are now two read-outs on the dash telling you what gear you’re in. Which seems a bit odd in a manual. I know I’m in third. I just moved the lever.

The thing is, though, this being a Porsche, it’s all very instinctive and commonsensical. Amazingly, since there are no buttons on the steering wheel itself, you don’t have to go into submenus or hold knobs down for two seconds to make stuff happen. I hate to admit it, but I thought it was brilliant. But that’s probably because I never bought the whole 911 sports car thing in the first place.

There was a lot more I liked as well. The styling may be ludicrously similar to that of the previous model — and the one before that. And the one before that as well. But the little things that have changed have given the new model some nice new curves. You could even call it good-looking.

The big debate about this new car is its electric steering. Because of European Union rules on emissions, manufacturers are under pressure to introduce systems that use less energy, whether or not they are better at the job. So the conventional hydraulic power-steering setup has been ditched in favour of one that works off the battery.

In the same way as Neil Young keeps banging on about the awfulness of digital sound compared with vinyl, various 911 purists say that the classic “feel” of a 911 is now gone. And I’d agree with that. But since I’m not a 911 purist, I must say I think the new system is better. For sure, you are getting an artificial sense of how the tyres are interacting with the road and, yes, on a track you can spot this. But for everyday driving, the electric system is meaty and tremendous.

Emissions regulations have had other effects as well. The engine now shuts down at the lights and Porsche has had to fit a seven-speed gearbox. In theory this is fine. You lope up the motorway at tickover, sipping fuel like a vicar sips sherry. But when you’re in seventh, doing 60mph, you don’t get the twitching and fizzing you expect from a car of this type. It feels a bit puddingy.

Of course, when you get off the motorway and realise you’re running late and you need to make up some time, it’s not puddingy at all. It’s just delightful. That said, I would opt for the bigger-engined S model. The standard car I drove, while lovely, sometimes didn’t feel as fast as I’d been expecting.

Now normally when I’ve reviewed 911s in the past, I’d get to this point and say that while the car is jolly clever, it’s not for me. The rear-engined Porsche is like Greece and marzipan and Piers Morgan. Simply not my cup of tea.

But this one is different. Over the years, the engine has crept forward in the chassis so that it’s no longer slung behind the rear axle waiting to become a giant pendulum. It’s water-cooled, too, these days, which means the Volkswagen air-cooled clatter is gone.

Inside, the silly buttons that looked like half-sucked boiled sweets and felt about as cheap as an Albanian’s suit have been replaced with good, high-quality items. The driving position is better, the seats are wonderful and though the car is now bigger than ever, it’s still small compared with all its rivals. That’s a good thing.

Drawbacks? Two, as I see it. The boot’s at the front, which means you get dirty fingers every time you open it; and Porsche has never shaken off the City boy braces-and-Bollinger image it earned in the Eighties. Which means you are never, ever, let out of side turnings.

Okay. Two and a half. The engine isn’t quite gutsy enough. But go for the S and that’s resolved. In spades. Just avoid the convertibles. Unless you enjoy looking a plonker.

I’m sure there is much that will disappoint the diehard 911 fan in the new effort. But there is so much to delight those of us who have never liked 911s. I could even see myself buying one. It’s a fab car. Really, really fab. And, all things considered, good value as well.

PS: Since finishing this piece, I’ve realised the Porsche actually gets no stars at all because it’s useless. Last Sunday the tyre went flat. There is no spare. And no depot carried anything that would fit.

Recently a friend of mind had a flat tyre in his 911 and it took Porsche two weeks to find a replacement. Unless the manufacturer can address this, there is simply no point buying its cars. Because one day you will need, say, to take your mum to hospital and you will have to phone and cancel.

Cashmere, Mar 20, 2012

#137
- Like x 8
Soup Well-Known Member

Soup, Mar 24, 2012

#138
- Like x 4
Soup Well-Known Member

Soup, Mar 28, 2012

#139
- Like x 12
Centurion Contributing Member

I applause Nissan for continually improving the GTR. The only thing is dislike about it is the snap over steer tendencies that I cannot get to grips with when I drive the car. Sure I manage to wrestle the car through corners but I am never 100% comfortable with the turn-ins.

And oh this is in Real Racing HD 2

Centurion, Mar 28, 2012

#140

(You must log in or sign up to reply here.)

Page 7 of 8

Share This Page