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You can almost plot the evolution of mankind over the last 30 years by looking at the Porsche 911 Turbo. In the beginning (1974, to be exact) the fastest 911 was ragged, rugged, very fast and not especially responsible. And throughout the ’80s it was more of the same, only wilder.

Then in the late 1990s Porsche realised that there should be more to the 911 Turbo than pure excess. As the world was getting richer and more sophisticated, so did the Turbo, reaching its zenith in Y2K.

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I currently own a 2008 GT3 and an Exige S 240; both excellent cars and some of the best you can own as an enthusiast.  After purchasing the GT3 I couldn't help but wonder if I should have test driven the Turbo and looked at it a little closer.  Not that I was disappointed with my GT3 purchase, but because when spending over $100K on a car, it makes sense to consider all of your options.  After 2 months of ownership and after my GT3 was broken in I made friends with a new 997 Turbo owner.  We met for lunch and then traded cars and had some fun.  My verdict: there is nothing about the Turbo that I like better; nothing.  I could not believe what a soft, uncommunicative, "girly" car it has become.  I was extremely disappointed and even happier about my GT3 purchase.  Although in a drag race the Turbo will beat my GT3 (but not by much and not for long), it falls way short in any other performance category compared to the GT3.  And the Turbo power is not linear; the car absolutely has turbo lag (they could learn a lot from BMW's new twin turbo motor), and the ridiculous "gimmicky" sport button makes the entire behavior of the car even worse and actually difficult to drive because of the overly sensitive throttle. In comparison, the new GT3 is extremely comfortable for daily use although it doesn't quite have the Buick suspension of the Turbo; I do admit that.  The controls on the GT3 require some deliberate effort (not for girly men), but give you a sense of quality and feedback that is unparalleled.  With the worthless rear seats missing the GT3 has quite a bit of storage capacity also.  It also has a better resale, is more rare, and is track ready right out of the box, but can still be easily used as a daily driver; save for the girly men.The only issue that some real men might have is if they have children and need to strap them in the rear with a child safety seat; that is actually a good reason for not buying the GT3.  However, you can buy all of the parts from a Porsche dealership to make this conversion and it has been done by several GT3 owners already. I also drove the 997 C2S Club Sport the other day and found it to be sportier and provide more feedback than the new Turbo.  I would take a C2S with PASM and the X51 package any day over a Turbo.

 In conclusion, the GT3 is worth every penny in my opinion, but the Turbo for even more money can stay in the dealership showroom and look pretty. I'll take my GT3 with floor mats only any day, and take the extra money and spend it on track tires and wheels. The new Turbo is a huge disappointment and shows how Porsche is constantly refining and making their cars heavier to please the ever increasing wimp population of the world.  The only Porsches with any kind of soul are the GT cars and the lower end Boxster and Cayman, especially the S variants.  But I must admit that even these cars, including the GT3, are also a disappointment to me when it comes to the weight.  This is why I MUST have a new Lotus in my stable at all times; but a modern reliable one with electronics that work and a Japanese motor.  The new Eagle will more than likely be replacing my GT3 next year and I might just have to drop Porsche all together.

Oh, and one more thing; in case you haven’t seen Autocar's short video of the test drive of the new 997 facelift with DI and PDK, you might want to check it out.  The weight increase, over refinement, and wimp factor continue to increase for 2009!  Why oh why is the Lotus 211 not street legal in the land of the free and brave?  The cars that you guys have access to that the US never even sees is so unfair.  Shoot, if I had to pick between the new 997 Turbo and the Focus RS (as a gift to me that I cannot sell), I would take a bright metallic green Focus over the Turbo in a heartbeat!

 

 

Throughout the 80s and 90s, I aspired to be a 911 owner. Now that I probably have enough money in the bank, I find the prospect of 911 ownership about as exciting as a bag of cold chips.

Don't quite know what caused this change of heart. Maybe as simple as the 911 has just become a dull prospect. It's too familiar and it's Beetle derived mechanical layout just strikes me as silly nowadays.

Great post Turbo-Exige Lotus Lover.

I could't agree with you more. I'm affriad I fall into the once-a-Porsche owner club, but the GT3 and C2S are the only cars in the 997 line up I'd take, those and the Cayman S I once had further down the Porsche hierarchy. Which was a great car.

A friend of mine is convinced that given £120,000 out of any car on the planet he'd take a 997 Turbo with Ceramics and all the boxes ticked. I called him something quite politically incorrect and ticked the 997 GT3 RS box. Have you ever considered one of those Lotus Lover?

I think the GT3 is out of my price range for a few years yet, I'm praying somebody in Zuffenhausen says, lets build a "Cayman RS!".

 

March1981:

A friend of mine is convinced that given £120,000 out of any car on the planet he'd take a 997 Turbo with Ceramics and all the boxes ticked. I called him something quite politically incorrect and ticked the 997 GT3 RS box.

Well... I'm one of those politically incorrect and just love it!  Just recently traded in a 997 C4S for a 997TT with ceramic brakes and all the boxes ticked,  what a car. amazing road holding, unvelievable performance that can also potter at 25 mph in town... Maybe if I did not have young kids and wanted a 2nd car for tracks days & fun then I would have had a GT3RS or a GT2... but I need a car to use daily, all year round & in any condition. The choice is made! 

Yes, I'm one of those whimps. but I'm a wimp who has driven Ferraris, Astons, formula 3 and too many bikes to count.... 

francois hi

 

i sold my carrera s a year ago and since doing so have only wanted another! then after making the big decision again i was on hold on the phone to a delaer when i saw the turbo was possible to afford - please can u tell me anything about the difference? i will read very single word lol as i simply cannot wait to have the car that i have waited a lifetime to own - is it much faster that the carrera s? and driving ? is it as much fun ? i read sometimes it has less feeling in it but everyone also goes on about how its so very fast ? any thoughts at all about the differences would so very much be appreciated!!! i simply cannot wait the 4 weeks i have to now to own it - i am already not sleeping at night lol

Just traded in a 997 C4S for the Turbo, the difference in performance is obsulutely amazing... Very easy car to drive, very tacktable. I was afraid of the turbo lag but it is very progressive. Like it so much that I also convinced a friend with a C2S convertible to trade it in for a Turbo and he loves his new car too... Go for it, you want regret it!!!