Nick, not every sportscar owner wants to attract attention.
We Germans are experts when it comes to "stealth richness".
We are those who invented the de-badging of expensive Mercedes and BMW models. Most BMW 7-series and Mercedes S-class models are driving around without any model designation over here. This even applies to the 5-series, the E-class and other models from Audi, etc.
My Cayenne Turbo Powerkit is the best example: in the US, people would put a "Turbo S" badge on the rear, I have...NONE.
Same with exhaust "loudness": many customers, especially in Germany (the second largest market for Porsche), are business men. The 911 has already become some sort of "icon" for the succesful business man over here but the colours are usually dark colours or silver, you don't see many red or even yellow cars around here. You can't expect a business man to drive a business car with a loud exhaust, this wouldn't be possible. And of course it has to do with comfort too, people are working in these cars, for example making phone calls.
To make it short: to allow the 997 Turbo to be a (almost) perfect daily driver, the sound has been somehow "cut off". Another problem regarding sound is the turbo charger technology. It never was easy to make a turbo charged car sound nice without compromises regarding power output and torque.
But maybe we should listen to what Mr. Dürheimer (Weissach boss) had to say during an interview: he claimed that there will be a sport exhaust available for the 997 Turbo. I hope he is right because I wouldn't want to mess around with aftermarket stuff on a turbo charged car.
But I get your point and I agree: the 997 Turbo is definetely not "sporty" enough regarding the exhaust/engine sound and I would have preferred something more "throaty" for my car.
And before somebody gives me the F430 as an example, I would like to point out that most GERMAN F430 are driving around ILLEGAL. The legal sound isn't that nice and the "button activated" sound is not legal over here. But the same appliest to the PSE hack.