This is a great document for anyone considering the 997tt. Thank you for posting, Ron(Houston) and Brian. It clearly explains the differences between the 997tt and 996tt, and how all the little changes add up. Some tidbits...
. The change from 18" wheels to 19" wheels affected so many elements of the car including gearing and suspension. I guess that means 19" snow tires are de facto required for the 997tt....
. The new electronically-controlled center differential lock should materially improve the driving dynamics of the 997tt vs the 996tt. The old viscous-clutch system could only transfer torque to the front wheels after the front and rear wheels were spinning at different speeds. The new electronically controlled system can transfer torque before that happens, and also when the system detects that one of the contract patches has run out of grip (eg., oversteer or understeer). The true test is in the driving, but the training brouchure makes a compelling story.
. My favorite translation gafe is on p.2 "The optical authority emphasizes its performance potential." instead of "The visual authority....".
. Greatest disappointment was the tiny luggage compartment. The luggage space in the 911 was never big, and it's a shame to see it get smaller, down to only 25.1 gallons for the US-spec 997tt due to the addition of a charcol filter. At least the gas tank got bigger, from 16.6 gallons to 17.7 gallons, and the cruising range increased as well due to improved fuel economy.
. The spare tire is only available in Saudi Arabia, Guatamala, and the Virgin Islands. Which means you can get an OEM spare tire if you really want one.
. The key benefits of the 997tt versus its competitors are identified as (a) more agile cornering due to shorter wheel base and lower weight; and (b) lower total cost of owneership including insurance. Additional benefits include good visibility and the 2+2 seating layout, depending on the competitor.
. Porsche is very high on the "optional roof rack system", they list it as a key advantage vs. all but two of the competitors
The document is labeled "Confidential" but I don't understand why Porsche doesn't make this document directly available to their customers world-wide. The only thing vaguely sensistive is section 15, which identifies the turbo's competition (F430, Gallardo, M6, SL55, SL600, and DB9) and provides relative selling points for the turbo with respect to each of thos cars. Even that was pretty tame and shouldn't cause a problem for Porsche.