I was given a surprise opportunity yesterday to take a 991 Carrera S for a very short (20-minute) test drive. I should say upfront that this was a left-hand drive vehicle equipped with PDK - both of which are factors with which I am not acquainted on a day-to-day basis. Also, I had just stepped out of my manual GTS, which is equipped with -20mm Sport PASM (and which I always drive in Sport mode with PSE on - but with suspension in Normal setting when not on a track). Finally, the drive was mainly on a fairly straight piece of highway with smooth tarmac.
My first impression of the aesthetics was that Porsche has certainly tried to up the "luxury" factor in the interior. The car I drove had the full leather interior in a cream/beige colour, which I must admit was a bit overwhelming - it felt like I was sitting in a mini Panamera. A different 991 on the showroom floor had a black interior, which seemed less "in your face" and somehow more in keeping with the sporty nature of the 911. The deeper slant to the windscreen was immediately apparent and added to the feeling that there was slightly less headroom (although this may have been an illusion). In fact, while some have commented on the feeling of more space in the interior, I did not get that sense. I did not like the electronic handbrake and would have struggled to find it without the dealer's assistance (it's hidden below and beyond the key). Also, while some have commented on the more solid thunk when closing the door, I actually noted that the door felt a lot lighter (which is a good thing) and certainly didn't close with a more solid "thunk" than my 997.
On to the more important issue of driving impressions. In Sport (or Sport Plus) mode, this car accelerates like a bat out of hell - one can actually feel the power and torque climbing in the upper rev ranges, i.e. beyond 5,500 rpm (which is something I think RC has previously commented on). The sensation of rapid acceleration is accentuated by the absolutely glorious sound of the Sport Exhaust! PSE in the 991 is an absolute pleasure (much more impressive than on my GTS) - it is raspy and throaty, and burbles and pops on the overrun. In fact, it's worth changing down just to listen to the soundtrack. Frankly, I don't care if this is "piped" into the car or not - I've heard it from the outside and the inside, and in both cases it's a pleasure. So much for the positives.
My first impression of the suspension was that it felt surprisingly "soft" and seemed to filter out all the imperfections of the road surface - in line with Porsche's claim to this effect, I guess. Bear in mind that I drove on fairly smooth surfaces, so I'm not sure how my view would have been affected on a more "interesting" surface. This sensation was accentuated by the steering, which felt (dare I say it) somewhat "dead" - I missed the little tugs on the steering wheel with which a 911 usually communicates feedback from the road surface. By contrast, the 991 just felt incredibly stable in a straight line, with a surprising degree of play around the centre line (as opposed to the 997, which reacts immediately and directly to any small steering input). Again, bear in mind that this was on a smooth surface. Finally, the brake pedal seemed to have a surprising amount of play before "biting" - which could perhaps have been a feature of this specific car, rather than of the 991 in general.
Bearing in mind that one ideally needs to spend a few days, rather than a few minutes, to properly evaluate a car, how would I sum up my initial, tentative impressions? Porsche has clearly endeavoured to make the new 911 more luxurious, more accessible and easier to drive - and I think they've succeeded in this regard. This car will be a huge success. There is nothing wrong with the power delivery and the sport exhaust is just fantastic! As someone who prefers his sports-car driving experience to be a little more on the raw side, however, I think that many 911 enthusiasts will be a little disappointed with the apparent loss of direct feeling and feedback from the steering and the suspension. Driving the 991 left me feeling just a little more disconnected from the experience than in eiter the 997.1 or .2. This is probably the key issue - someone asked the question here a little while ago: what is more important to you in a car, pure speed or the driving experience. For those who prioritise pure speed, buying the 991 will be the obvious choice. Those who love the 911 precisely because of its unique driving characteristics, however, may not be equally impressed.
From a purely personal perspective, I will certainly not be rushing out to replace my GTS with a 991 any time soon - but I will keep a very close watch on what Porsche does with the next GT3.
and is only 50 kg or so heavier.
Don't expect huge straight line improvements or power increases but the next gen Turbo will have a huge improvement in Nordschleife track time. Surprise, surprise... 
