996 C2 Man : Test Drive Report
Discussion
Said I'd post a quick report so here goes my best motoring journalist impression 
I've always thought that the 996 wasn't particularly the greatest 911 shape, but standing in the bright winter sunshine with the glossy black paintwork reflecting back at me I'm beginning to reconsider.
The door pops open with a reassuring germanic 'clunk' and sinking into the contoured sport seat is easy, though I'm required to roll the seat back a fair way to make room for my lanky frame. It's at this point I wish I wasn't wearing a pair of office shoes, still the pedals feel well spaced enough for me to cope so I fire the engine and get the muted burble of that famous flat six from somewhere way back behind me. That sounds like a 911, it's unmistakeable.
Easing out into traffic I'm very wary, this is a 50k car, it's not mine, and I haven't driven a manual car for about 3 weeks (my everyday car ia a merc c36 auto), and to top it all I'm pretty sure that I got done at just under 100 with a police laser in the merc only a few hours earlier. Better take it easy then! Still by concentrating (and by the grace of a remarkably well weighted clutch pedal) I find 1st and second gear quite adequate to get me out on the main roads from the showroom without kangarooing about and after a couple of sets of lights I have the measure of the main controls.
Once I hit dual carriageway my passenger the salesman urges me to drop the hammer as the way is clear ahead. With some trepidation, I press the loud pedal into the carpet and the car surges forward. It's not whipcrack accelleration as you might find in a turbocharged car, but it's powerful and relentless. Building from 2k on the revcounter things just get better, the car pulls harder and I'm out of road before I get anywhere near the redline. Even so this is substantially faster than just about anything else I've ever had the pleasure to drive and I can't hide the grin on my face.
After 10 minutes or so on majorish roads the salesman guides me onto some more challenging tarmac, a left turn onto some classic English country B roads, this is
a nervous moment at first, it's one thing piloting a 170mph car down a dual carriageway, quite another threading it down a wet muddy country lane.
The car is starting to feel more natural to drive now, the 'light' nose that had me worried (as when I drive anything with the engine in the wrong place) and I'm naturally adopting the classic 'slow in fast out' approach to the now winding roads I find myself on.
Theres even a little frost on the hedges around here so I'm being careful as hell, but sure enough my confidence grows such that after 20 minutes I can really believe in the car. The messages coming through the steering and up through the seat are positive and clear and mean that driving is more a matter of instinct than anything else. The suspension is stiff, but I never feel uncomfortable, even major potholes are absorbed without upsetting the cars balance or jolting driver and passenger about.
This is a revalation, never have I adapted to such a kind of car so quickly. I've driven maseratis, ferraris, and various porsches in similar test drives, and to be honest at the end of each one I've been relieved to return to base unscathed. This time though, I don't want to stop now, but time is against me, I've got a job to go to, so I set course for the dealership again. One more time I stretch the car's legs in 1st and second at an opportune moment, giving me a chance to hear the engine rise to a satisfying howl that makes me grin like an idiot.
Corners are now fun, the level of grip is immensely comforting even on these apparrently greasy roads, I'm no longer concerned about every little twist, the car flows naturally and never steps out of line all the way back to the showroom.
Rolling back into the carpark the saleman inevitably makes me park next to the hulk of my c36. A word on parking, this car isn't really a problem to park, the steering at slow speeds does seem quite assisted, but it's not ott. It's a measure of the confidence I have gained in the car that I can swing into a narrow parking space without concern, where 30 minutes ago I would have turned pale if you'd asked me to reverse it though a set of goalposts...
Overall my impression is that this is a very special car. Yes it's not as 'hardcore' as a 964, and may not be aircooled or quite as pretty to some as a 993, but it is a very fine motor car and as a piece of automotive enginnering it's impressed me far more than it's older siblings ever have.
It's an evolution, smooth, powerful graceful under pressure and a delight to sit in. I get the impression that this car would keep suprising you for months.
It is often said that everybody should own a 911 at least once in their life, and if you ask me, I think thats damn good advice.
Thanks to James at AFN for the test drive.
I've always thought that the 996 wasn't particularly the greatest 911 shape, but standing in the bright winter sunshine with the glossy black paintwork reflecting back at me I'm beginning to reconsider.
The door pops open with a reassuring germanic 'clunk' and sinking into the contoured sport seat is easy, though I'm required to roll the seat back a fair way to make room for my lanky frame. It's at this point I wish I wasn't wearing a pair of office shoes, still the pedals feel well spaced enough for me to cope so I fire the engine and get the muted burble of that famous flat six from somewhere way back behind me. That sounds like a 911, it's unmistakeable.
Easing out into traffic I'm very wary, this is a 50k car, it's not mine, and I haven't driven a manual car for about 3 weeks (my everyday car ia a merc c36 auto), and to top it all I'm pretty sure that I got done at just under 100 with a police laser in the merc only a few hours earlier. Better take it easy then! Still by concentrating (and by the grace of a remarkably well weighted clutch pedal) I find 1st and second gear quite adequate to get me out on the main roads from the showroom without kangarooing about and after a couple of sets of lights I have the measure of the main controls.
Once I hit dual carriageway my passenger the salesman urges me to drop the hammer as the way is clear ahead. With some trepidation, I press the loud pedal into the carpet and the car surges forward. It's not whipcrack accelleration as you might find in a turbocharged car, but it's powerful and relentless. Building from 2k on the revcounter things just get better, the car pulls harder and I'm out of road before I get anywhere near the redline. Even so this is substantially faster than just about anything else I've ever had the pleasure to drive and I can't hide the grin on my face.
After 10 minutes or so on majorish roads the salesman guides me onto some more challenging tarmac, a left turn onto some classic English country B roads, this is
a nervous moment at first, it's one thing piloting a 170mph car down a dual carriageway, quite another threading it down a wet muddy country lane.
The car is starting to feel more natural to drive now, the 'light' nose that had me worried (as when I drive anything with the engine in the wrong place) and I'm naturally adopting the classic 'slow in fast out' approach to the now winding roads I find myself on.
Theres even a little frost on the hedges around here so I'm being careful as hell, but sure enough my confidence grows such that after 20 minutes I can really believe in the car. The messages coming through the steering and up through the seat are positive and clear and mean that driving is more a matter of instinct than anything else. The suspension is stiff, but I never feel uncomfortable, even major potholes are absorbed without upsetting the cars balance or jolting driver and passenger about.
This is a revalation, never have I adapted to such a kind of car so quickly. I've driven maseratis, ferraris, and various porsches in similar test drives, and to be honest at the end of each one I've been relieved to return to base unscathed. This time though, I don't want to stop now, but time is against me, I've got a job to go to, so I set course for the dealership again. One more time I stretch the car's legs in 1st and second at an opportune moment, giving me a chance to hear the engine rise to a satisfying howl that makes me grin like an idiot.
Corners are now fun, the level of grip is immensely comforting even on these apparrently greasy roads, I'm no longer concerned about every little twist, the car flows naturally and never steps out of line all the way back to the showroom.
Rolling back into the carpark the saleman inevitably makes me park next to the hulk of my c36. A word on parking, this car isn't really a problem to park, the steering at slow speeds does seem quite assisted, but it's not ott. It's a measure of the confidence I have gained in the car that I can swing into a narrow parking space without concern, where 30 minutes ago I would have turned pale if you'd asked me to reverse it though a set of goalposts...
Overall my impression is that this is a very special car. Yes it's not as 'hardcore' as a 964, and may not be aircooled or quite as pretty to some as a 993, but it is a very fine motor car and as a piece of automotive enginnering it's impressed me far more than it's older siblings ever have.
It's an evolution, smooth, powerful graceful under pressure and a delight to sit in. I get the impression that this car would keep suprising you for months.
It is often said that everybody should own a 911 at least once in their life, and if you ask me, I think thats damn good advice.
Thanks to James at AFN for the test drive.
Honest review Mr Tony...sounds like you may well be approaching that time in your life ?
I went on a limb when I bought my '02 996 and appreciated some of the qualities you mentioned initially.This was my 4th successively newer 911 and wasn't sure about a few aspects of driving it.I can say it is a much better car as the months have gone by with it impressing me more than I ever thought it would.
I went on a limb when I bought my '02 996 and appreciated some of the qualities you mentioned initially.This was my 4th successively newer 911 and wasn't sure about a few aspects of driving it.I can say it is a much better car as the months have gone by with it impressing me more than I ever thought it would.
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