991 GTS versus 997 GTS
Discussion
Had the chance to drive the new 991 GTS at the experience centre yesterday - a good day but thought I would set out my thoughts in comparison to my own 997 GTS. Just my opinion and obviously most people tend to favour the car they have.......
Got to drive a manual 2wd GTS and 4wd PDK GTS cab and a 4wd PDK Carrera S .
Good stuff
Overall a better car - let's face it cars rarely go backwards
Engine is nicer with a bit more power , spins a bit more freely
The exhaust sound is much much better
PDK auto downshifts in sport and sport plus quicker . Manual PDK changes no different from 997 that I could tell.
manual gearbox auto blipping on downshift was a nice fun feature
Enjoyed the 4wd more than I thought I might, could feel the front pulling out of tight bends
Steering - felt fine to me .
Not so good
No 'beep' when you select reverse - small thing yes but useful
The manual box - don't get me wrong it's a nice box but PDK a lot better for us average types (each to his own obviously) and soooo much quicker
Alcantara - I was expecting it to feel great but it didn't to me - for the long haul leather is going to be a better bet I think. The Porsche guys admitted it went 'shiny' after 6 months with their test cars.
So would I upgrade? The gains are probably not really worth the investment and inevitable depreciation but if you have the dosh and want a new one it's a great car. A used 997 isn't that far off though I think.
Anyone else got a view on 991 GTS versus 997 ?
Got to drive a manual 2wd GTS and 4wd PDK GTS cab and a 4wd PDK Carrera S .
Good stuff
Overall a better car - let's face it cars rarely go backwards
Engine is nicer with a bit more power , spins a bit more freely
The exhaust sound is much much better
PDK auto downshifts in sport and sport plus quicker . Manual PDK changes no different from 997 that I could tell.
manual gearbox auto blipping on downshift was a nice fun feature
Enjoyed the 4wd more than I thought I might, could feel the front pulling out of tight bends
Steering - felt fine to me .
Not so good
No 'beep' when you select reverse - small thing yes but useful
The manual box - don't get me wrong it's a nice box but PDK a lot better for us average types (each to his own obviously) and soooo much quicker
Alcantara - I was expecting it to feel great but it didn't to me - for the long haul leather is going to be a better bet I think. The Porsche guys admitted it went 'shiny' after 6 months with their test cars.
So would I upgrade? The gains are probably not really worth the investment and inevitable depreciation but if you have the dosh and want a new one it's a great car. A used 997 isn't that far off though I think.
Anyone else got a view on 991 GTS versus 997 ?
I have a 997 GTS too, and not that I can comment on a 991 but it would always be a better car. Like you say a manufacturer is never going to go backwards. I love my GTS, for me its the perfect Porsche with little tweaks that lift it above a standard S without the need for body kits like with Turbos and GT models, because that has never been my thing. The 991 is a far better looking car and the GTS just emphasises that. Lots of people aren't fans of how big they have got, but I like that personally. I also love the black rear spoiler, I was actually looking to see if I could have my rear spoiler wrapped in black to match the colour of the alloys, similar to that of the 991 because that looks awesome. Thats what I love about the GTS although it lacks the performance of a turbo, the turbo lacks the subtlety of the GTS. The only thing that does disappoint me about mine is the PSE is rubbish compared to my old gen 1 C2S PSE.
I had a go in a 991 GTS 4WD PDK the other day, so was able to compare with my 997 which is also 4WD and PDK.
It wasn't the longest test drive in the world but I did manage to get motorway, twisty and around town squeezed in.
The stuff I really liked was:
It's a thing of beauty, especially the front end.
It was a bit quiet and faster than the 997 I didn't notice as much difference as I expected to.
PDK seemed much faster to me in either manual or auto. A major plus point.
Sat nav and other info such as which wheels were receiving the power contained in one of the dials was great.
The dashboard clock wart was better integrated and less annoying.
I gather it's lighter than the 997 which is more something that's good to know.
Stop Start wasn't nearly as bad as I was expected and I could live with it.
I was less keen on:
The steering. This one has some sort of extra light low speed feature which was terrible. The salesman said it was because Audi drivers who're upgrading want this stuff. I really hated it.
PDCC. The car felt weird and definitely lost the sweetness of handling that made me fall in love with the 997 GTS when I test drove it on exactly the same roads three years earlier.
Interior switches. Too many, too Panamera.
Size. I know it's not much bigger but it seemed it. No idea why.
Electric handbrake (pointless and annoying). Electric steering column (too GT, not sports car, and why put it in after weight has been saved).
I still might get one, but would have to try one for a longer period of time, and without the Audi steer. The only things I ever really wish I could change on the 997 GTS are that it would be good if it was a bit quieter as tyre roar on motorways can be annoying, and I wish I could reprogram the PDK so it was quicker even if it meant a harder change.
It wasn't the longest test drive in the world but I did manage to get motorway, twisty and around town squeezed in.
The stuff I really liked was:
It's a thing of beauty, especially the front end.
It was a bit quiet and faster than the 997 I didn't notice as much difference as I expected to.
PDK seemed much faster to me in either manual or auto. A major plus point.
Sat nav and other info such as which wheels were receiving the power contained in one of the dials was great.
The dashboard clock wart was better integrated and less annoying.
I gather it's lighter than the 997 which is more something that's good to know.
Stop Start wasn't nearly as bad as I was expected and I could live with it.
I was less keen on:
The steering. This one has some sort of extra light low speed feature which was terrible. The salesman said it was because Audi drivers who're upgrading want this stuff. I really hated it.
PDCC. The car felt weird and definitely lost the sweetness of handling that made me fall in love with the 997 GTS when I test drove it on exactly the same roads three years earlier.
Interior switches. Too many, too Panamera.
Size. I know it's not much bigger but it seemed it. No idea why.
Electric handbrake (pointless and annoying). Electric steering column (too GT, not sports car, and why put it in after weight has been saved).
I still might get one, but would have to try one for a longer period of time, and without the Audi steer. The only things I ever really wish I could change on the 997 GTS are that it would be good if it was a bit quieter as tyre roar on motorways can be annoying, and I wish I could reprogram the PDK so it was quicker even if it meant a harder change.
So I finally got around to writing up my 997 GTS vs 991 GTS 24Hr test drive thoughts
Engine
In isolation my 7GTS has a very responsive engine with an amazing top end, but it simply cannot live with the 1GTS which has a simply electric (no pun intended) top end that is simply unbelievable. The 1GTS really moves the game on and although both engines really sing and punch again above 6500 rpm the 991 definitely goes harder. The unfortunate thing on the 991 is the gearing which is just silly. I started getting frustrated by how limited the opportunities are to rev the thing out with 2nd gear heading above 75mph (obviously a guess as I never hit this sort of speed....).
Then there is the sound. My PSE sharkwerks equipped 7GTS sounds pretty good and grumbles like a good'n on the overrun with a bit of help from a light throttle, but the 1GTS popping on overrun in sport plus mode rivals a Maserati Granturismo for exhaust drama which takes some doing. It is laugh out loud hilariously spectacular. After a few hundred miles however, it started to feel a little synthetic and I'm not sure the machine gun act really suits the car. A good laugh however, and you can switch it off. The engine / intake sound inside the car is also epic.
Handling
Electric steering is much lighter than the 7 and deadly accurate allowing millimetre placement of the car, but offers no feel of what the tyres are doing. The thing is, I am not sure you need to bother knowing what the tyres are doing as all they do is grip grip and grip some more. Getting back into the 7 and the steering much weightier, which initially feels like weight not feel, but as you push beyond grip levels (which unlike the 1GTS is possible on the road), lots of feel starts to filter through telling you what is going on and to me making it a lot more “fun”.
Interior
991GTS interior is a class above my 7 which feels old school after the 1GTS. Just a lovely place to be but it feels like a much bigger car than 997 from the inside. Refinement is amazing and the sports adaptive seats are the most comfortable I have ever experienced. My two previous 997 turbos had the old sports adaptive but cannot compete with the 991 thrones. My 7GTS sports seats are great but I would love the flexibility of these ones fitted to this particular 991. The 1GTS does feel a bit to luxury to me for a sports car and I sometime thought I could be sitting in a nice Merc or BMW and I concluded that although a lovely place to be, it lacked a bit of character.
Exterior
To me 991s looks much bigger than 7s when you pass them on the street, but once on your driveway it seems much closer to the 7 size wise. All black 20 inch turbo s centrelock wheels are impressive but the looks of my 997 with centrelocks hold its own in a smaller but very classic style. One unusual thing that I did notice was the lack of weight in the 991 doors and bonnet. They are still 100% solid but you can tell they are lightweight aluminium (I think). Having had two 7 Turbos, I can always notice the difference between 997 door material which is a bit geeky but I find the turbo doors make a more satisfying noise when the close than the steel standard ones. I wish they had gone another step and fitted these to the 7GTS to save a bit of weight.
Back on topic, overall, I love the looks of both the 7 and 1 GTS.
Verdict
The 1GTS is not as remote as I thought it would be and is definitely fun. I would have loved to have a had a manual 1GTS for the 24Hrs to make it a true like for like test, but I concluded that although both cars are amazing, on the roads I use, the lower limits and interactive steering of my car make things more interesting more of the time. I also prefer the old school, more intimate surroundings, but wouldn’t say no to dropping a 991 lump in the back of it! What I would say is that anyone I doubt anyone who owns a 991 GTS is going to complain about it any time soon. It’s a great car.
Engine
In isolation my 7GTS has a very responsive engine with an amazing top end, but it simply cannot live with the 1GTS which has a simply electric (no pun intended) top end that is simply unbelievable. The 1GTS really moves the game on and although both engines really sing and punch again above 6500 rpm the 991 definitely goes harder. The unfortunate thing on the 991 is the gearing which is just silly. I started getting frustrated by how limited the opportunities are to rev the thing out with 2nd gear heading above 75mph (obviously a guess as I never hit this sort of speed....).
Then there is the sound. My PSE sharkwerks equipped 7GTS sounds pretty good and grumbles like a good'n on the overrun with a bit of help from a light throttle, but the 1GTS popping on overrun in sport plus mode rivals a Maserati Granturismo for exhaust drama which takes some doing. It is laugh out loud hilariously spectacular. After a few hundred miles however, it started to feel a little synthetic and I'm not sure the machine gun act really suits the car. A good laugh however, and you can switch it off. The engine / intake sound inside the car is also epic.
Handling
Electric steering is much lighter than the 7 and deadly accurate allowing millimetre placement of the car, but offers no feel of what the tyres are doing. The thing is, I am not sure you need to bother knowing what the tyres are doing as all they do is grip grip and grip some more. Getting back into the 7 and the steering much weightier, which initially feels like weight not feel, but as you push beyond grip levels (which unlike the 1GTS is possible on the road), lots of feel starts to filter through telling you what is going on and to me making it a lot more “fun”.
Interior
991GTS interior is a class above my 7 which feels old school after the 1GTS. Just a lovely place to be but it feels like a much bigger car than 997 from the inside. Refinement is amazing and the sports adaptive seats are the most comfortable I have ever experienced. My two previous 997 turbos had the old sports adaptive but cannot compete with the 991 thrones. My 7GTS sports seats are great but I would love the flexibility of these ones fitted to this particular 991. The 1GTS does feel a bit to luxury to me for a sports car and I sometime thought I could be sitting in a nice Merc or BMW and I concluded that although a lovely place to be, it lacked a bit of character.
Exterior
To me 991s looks much bigger than 7s when you pass them on the street, but once on your driveway it seems much closer to the 7 size wise. All black 20 inch turbo s centrelock wheels are impressive but the looks of my 997 with centrelocks hold its own in a smaller but very classic style. One unusual thing that I did notice was the lack of weight in the 991 doors and bonnet. They are still 100% solid but you can tell they are lightweight aluminium (I think). Having had two 7 Turbos, I can always notice the difference between 997 door material which is a bit geeky but I find the turbo doors make a more satisfying noise when the close than the steel standard ones. I wish they had gone another step and fitted these to the 7GTS to save a bit of weight.
Back on topic, overall, I love the looks of both the 7 and 1 GTS.
Verdict
The 1GTS is not as remote as I thought it would be and is definitely fun. I would have loved to have a had a manual 1GTS for the 24Hrs to make it a true like for like test, but I concluded that although both cars are amazing, on the roads I use, the lower limits and interactive steering of my car make things more interesting more of the time. I also prefer the old school, more intimate surroundings, but wouldn’t say no to dropping a 991 lump in the back of it! What I would say is that anyone I doubt anyone who owns a 991 GTS is going to complain about it any time soon. It’s a great car.
Nice review C4sman.
Tend to agree - 991gts an excellent car but probably not worth the trade up right now from the 997.
Interested in your comments on the sharkwerks - that's on my list for after my warranty renewal. Would you say definitely worth it? Need to get closer to that 991 sound
Tend to agree - 991gts an excellent car but probably not worth the trade up right now from the 997.
Interested in your comments on the sharkwerks - that's on my list for after my warranty renewal. Would you say definitely worth it? Need to get closer to that 991 sound
Sharkwerks is great, but it will not make your 997 sound like a 991GTS. Having owned and driven quite a few P cars over the years, I would say Porsche spent a lot more time tuning the sound of the 991 sports exhaust than they have done for many years of 911, not just in loudness but also in tone and popping madness.
The 997 just doesn't have the same sound, but the sharkwerks made my car a whole lot better than the standard PSE and at least does it justice. Like all exhaust, please try hard to find an owner who will let you listen to it in and outside the car for you to judge for yourself if the investment is worth it. I guarantee that you will not think it is too much, but I guess that some may think it is not loud enough.
The 997 just doesn't have the same sound, but the sharkwerks made my car a whole lot better than the standard PSE and at least does it justice. Like all exhaust, please try hard to find an owner who will let you listen to it in and outside the car for you to judge for yourself if the investment is worth it. I guarantee that you will not think it is too much, but I guess that some may think it is not loud enough.
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