997 Carrera Tiptronic - short review
It was a very smooth ride, the suspension though is stiffer then anticipated and although there is noticeable difference in stiffness and especially in sportiness to the 20 mm chassis on my 997 Carrera S, the difference in ride quality isn't that big as expected.
Comfort oriented people might want to go for PASM to be able to get that extra comfort on the push of a button.
Surprisingly, the steering feels a little bit less direct and less nervous than the steering on my 997 Carrea S.
It might have to do with the 19'' wheels and the sportier tread mixture of the 19'' Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires.
Engine sound is pretty good too, surprisingly. It doesn't provide that special "roar" of the 997 Carrera S, especially in higher rev ranges above 5000 rpm but it makes the engine sound pretty enjoyable, though not as loud as some people would like it to be. But again, comfort oriented people will be happy, although it might be even a tick too loud and sporty for them.
The Tiptronic works very nicely, it reacts fast, throttle response is pretty good but could be better, especially when the throttle isn't fully applied. Compared to the 996 Tiptronic setup, the 997 Tiptronic seems to work faster, more spontaneous and much more "logical". I also liked the acceleration from standstill, there is no lag whatsoever. If you fully apply the throttle from standstill, you get an instant full acceleration without hesitation or any traction problems. And no, not even the PSM comes on, pretty impressive and another argument FOR the rear engine design of the 911.
Another big surprise: the engine feels much more powerful than the 997 Carrera S engine. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the Tiptronic somehow always chooses the right gear on a logical basis and therefore "covers" pretty good any power or torque gap which might exist, especially compared to the Carrera S. I also mentioned that the Carrera S needs high rev figures above 4000-5000 rpm to be and feel fast, the Carrera seems to be more torque oriented and in combination with the fabulous Tiptronic reaction, it results almost in a perfect combo.
Final conclusion: personally, I think that the 997 Carrera Tiptronic is the perfect choice for people who drive a lot in the city and in city areas. And as much as I hate to say it but I honestly believe that the 325 HP are sufficient for this car. The more high rev oriented engine of the Carrera S, though it has more torque on the paper, is very nice for a manual gearbox but I'm not sure it provides a lot of fun with Tiptronic and especially in the city.
The only two things I would miss would be the chrono sport package and the PASM suspension. A 997 Carrera Tiptronic with those two extra options would be the perfect combo for owners who don't want to drive like a racecar driver all the time and who want to relax too for the next business meeting.
It definetely wouldn't be my choice but I'm surprised to learn how good the 997 Carrera Tiptronic is and how fast it can be, even without 30 HP more and the 20 mm chassis.
Update: The 997 Carrera had the standard sound system, not the BOSE sound system installed. I'm no real audiophile, I just love to listen to music but it is a huge difference between the standard sound system and the BOSE system. I can only recommend to go for the BOSE system, even if you listen to music only occasionally.