The new PDK steering wheel with paddles is IMO what PAG should have designed right from the start. I'm glad they listened to all the feedback. It also looks much more beautiful to me than the other one with rocker switches.
I wonder if anyone will choose the rocker switch steering wheel over the paddle steering? I imagine v v few. But PAG wouldn't want to be seen accepting that it was a mistake - and dropping the rocker switch steering wheel entirely would be an admission of this. But I imagine they will quietly drop it in the next model year arguing both choices were initially offered to help 'transition' those who liked Tiptronic S on the 997.1 TT.
Nice choice of rims. One of them is very similar to the HRE P40. I never liked the 997.1 TT rims.
PTV seems to be a good new technological advance.
I wonder if they improved the exhaust sound?
Rear LEDs are nice.
The performance improvement is really underwhelming. 20HP more is really miserly. The main improvements are in fuel consumption and emissions. It seems like PAG has just given up trying to match the LP560-4, the F430 and the new 458 Italia for performance and power.
Dropping the GT1 derived engine for a 3.8L DFI engine will upset those who want something tried and tested. However, Reginos is right IMO. PAG should not stay chained to its past glories. Simply hanging onto the GT1 engine implies a mindset that the 'golden age' is in the past and that the future is just all downhill. PAG needs to innovate and come up with something new, something better. These small incremental increases are leaving Porsche behind.
I find the whole debate about GT1 engines in the TT to be disconnected from the market realities. PAG could not continue to use Tiptronic S. That technology is totally ancient. PAG couldn't marry PDK with a GT1 engine. Since they had to drop Tiptronic S and implement PDK, they had to drop the GT1 engine.
Also, the GT1 engine was just too expensive and in today's financial climate, that matters. I think the major achievement has been to get the PDK system to handle the 997.2 TT's greater torque. But I guess the investment to make that happen was shared with getting that right for the Panamera TT.
I would expect this is also a tacit admission that the TT will continue on the path towards being an ever more user-friendly, ever softer car while the more track oriented buyers will be ever more catered for using the GT3, GT3 RS and GT2 models. The GT1 engine may continue with another iteration of the GT3 using a manual transmission. This 997.2 TT confirmed to me (at least) that the most rewarding 911 driving experience is available in the GT3.
If I were an existing 997.1 TT owner, I wouldn't be able to justify the depreciation hit in upgrading to a 997.2 TT. For non-Porsche owners or owners with a Boxster/Cayman, Carrera/Targa etc, IMO moving up to a 997.2 TT would be a great upgrade.
I plan to hang onto my 997.1 C2S and to increase my own driver potential by attending driving courses. I may feel tempted to get a 991 TT but I would be looking for enough change of appearance from the 997 if I upgrade. Let's see...
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Rennteam Moderator - 997.1 C2S Coupe GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm/LSD, PSE, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection