So I have a 997...although not quite what I ordered
So today was the day I was supposed to be spending being shown round the Porsche Museum and Factory and then starting the journey home in MY 997S. Alas as some of you may have read, the order got a little confused.
BUT I did get a 997 today, albeit not mine and not quite what I would have ordered.
The car I have for the next 3 to 4 months is the Porsche demonstrator, a Seal Grey/Black 997 tiptronic. Spec is interesting as this was one of the first RHD cars in the UK but is not proper UK spec as it doesn't have full leather which is standard on all UK cars. Its running standard 18" wheels, has Sport Chrono, no PASM. Seats are adaptive sports heated actually very impressed with them despite earlier comments I made about comfort. Bose stereo, Satnav and phone modules, interior dimming mirror NO rear wiper (odd), sunroof, heated seats, that's about it.
And so to driving... what do I think?
Well, for one, living in central London, I'm now wondering if I needed the extra power of the "S" model. This is a fast car. Considering its on standard suspension, the compromise between comfort and control is pretty impressive. I had a Z4 on 18" wheels without the sports suspension which was not as composed as the 997 and much harder.
Power is noticeably up on my last 996, a 3.6 targa tiptronic. The delivery, especially with the sport mode enabled is extremely rapid. You do feel that the 'box could use an extra cog occasionally as every so often you feel caught between two ratios. The roadholding is nothing short of awesome, on damp roads I was cornering on one favourite long left hander at over 70mph and I was nowhere near the limit - my previous 996s where much more fidgety over the same piece of road. True the steering is a little less communicative but actually it has a meatier feel to it. I'm not a big fan of the steering wheel itself, this one has the one which is standard on the S and I have to say that the manual gearchange buttons are now off the mark. I'd be happier with a gearshift change rather than the buttons. I never understood why they dropped that from the 964/993 'box.
First impressions - I'm going to have some fun, if only I can keep hold of my licence...
Will post some pics soon. Only wish it was the S I ordered but I don't have to run this in and I can be a little less gentle with it as it belongs to Porsche!!!
BUT I did get a 997 today, albeit not mine and not quite what I would have ordered.
The car I have for the next 3 to 4 months is the Porsche demonstrator, a Seal Grey/Black 997 tiptronic. Spec is interesting as this was one of the first RHD cars in the UK but is not proper UK spec as it doesn't have full leather which is standard on all UK cars. Its running standard 18" wheels, has Sport Chrono, no PASM. Seats are adaptive sports heated actually very impressed with them despite earlier comments I made about comfort. Bose stereo, Satnav and phone modules, interior dimming mirror NO rear wiper (odd), sunroof, heated seats, that's about it.
And so to driving... what do I think?
Well, for one, living in central London, I'm now wondering if I needed the extra power of the "S" model. This is a fast car. Considering its on standard suspension, the compromise between comfort and control is pretty impressive. I had a Z4 on 18" wheels without the sports suspension which was not as composed as the 997 and much harder.
Power is noticeably up on my last 996, a 3.6 targa tiptronic. The delivery, especially with the sport mode enabled is extremely rapid. You do feel that the 'box could use an extra cog occasionally as every so often you feel caught between two ratios. The roadholding is nothing short of awesome, on damp roads I was cornering on one favourite long left hander at over 70mph and I was nowhere near the limit - my previous 996s where much more fidgety over the same piece of road. True the steering is a little less communicative but actually it has a meatier feel to it. I'm not a big fan of the steering wheel itself, this one has the one which is standard on the S and I have to say that the manual gearchange buttons are now off the mark. I'd be happier with a gearshift change rather than the buttons. I never understood why they dropped that from the 964/993 'box.
First impressions - I'm going to have some fun, if only I can keep hold of my licence...
Will post some pics soon. Only wish it was the S I ordered but I don't have to run this in and I can be a little less gentle with it as it belongs to Porsche!!!