RC:
A little personal comment: although the specs sound nice, they're far beyond of what Porsche SHOULD have offered on the facelift.
I know that the 997 Turbo successor will be a blast, making the competition look weak (yes!) but right now, the facelift is a bit of a disappointment. In reality, it feels more like a cost reduction facelift than a performance facelift, even if the 0-100 kph acceleration sounds impressive (keep in mind that it is achieved using launch control). 2 kph more top speed? Well, not that this really counts but this is ridiculous. 0-200 kph almost unchanged? Well...another not quite so good performance figure.
Truth is, the facelift marks the DEATH of a wonderful engine and a longtime Turbo tradition. For the first time in 911 Turbo history, Porsche changes the engine concept the 911 Turbo was always based on. The new engine may be more fuel efficient and less polluting, it may be a very modern engine but I highly doubt that it will have the same durability and bullet-proof concept the "old" engine had.
So while some people may actually farewell the old engine and welcome the new engine, personally I rather think that this is a painful good-bye, similar to the good-bye to Porsche's independence.
The new 997 Turbo facelift may be just a facelift to many people, maybe even to Porsche. For ME, as a 911 Turbo driver and lover, the new 997 Turbo facelift is the death sentence for the 911 Turbo tradition. What is next, a V8 in the 911 Turbo?!
Yes, the new chassis/suspension/4WD improvements may make the new 997 Turbo facelift the hell of a track car, I bet it can be very fast on the Nordschleife and many other tracks around the worlds. Still: this doesn't justify the death of a long tradition, sorry.
R.I.P. 911 Turbo...the old times are over. So is the 911 Turbo tradition.
Btw: as much as I like the new backlights on the 911 Carrera, I think they kind of look odd on the 911 Turbo?!
VERY WELL SAID.
The more Porsche brings up the new Turbo's C02 footprint the less I'm interested in the car. Give me MORE performance instead of selling a cheaper made, "cost reduction" engine that delivers greater profits delivered to Porsche, one that's Al Gore approved. Sucks where this whole thing is going. The end of an era.
btw: There's been PLENTY of engines that turned out to be the very best, classic engines now that at the time were replaced by ones that were supposedly more advanced. I have a feeling this is one of those times.
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Re: 997 Turbo Facelift at IAA 2009 in Frankfurt
