My new 991S Cabriolet

[BnB]

The last week I've been sat on the horns of a dilemma: taking pleasure in a long-arranged family holiday, but the enjoyment mitigated by the knowledge that my new 991 is waiting for collection at the OPC. Anyway, the holiday turned out to be the best way possible to delay this kid's christmas and my new baby is at last here.

I thought I might try to give a maturing review of the 991 in cab form. By maturing I mean posting incremental updates as I become acquainted with the car. I don't pretend to have the expertise or experience of RDMcG so I'll try not to ape his excellent review of the coupe on PH http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... but I'll attempt to add something to the accumulated knowledge, and from an owner's rather than a journo/reviewer's perspective.

The one aspect I'm not going to cover, after a cursory mention here, is price. Yes, I got a satisfactory discount. No, I won't reveal how much, so please don't ask.

Is the 991 pricey? For the current state of the UK economy, undoubtedly. For the ROW ex-Europe, sales figures suggest not. Enough already. Let's talk about the car.

Perhaps I should start by explaining why I went for a cab. I've never previously even considered the 911 in cab form. The roofline on all previous iterations is not to my liking and I don't enjoy the compromises that traditionally go with cab ownership. On the other hand I live in the Yorkshire Dales and spend a lot of time in the highlands of Scotland, where enjoyment of the beautiful scenery is greatly enhanced by the open top experience. I'm also at an age where, a couple of years from now, I can see the teenagers disappearing off to university, leaving Mrs BnB and I to enjoy regular breaks away in a sporty AND comfortable car. I'm conveniently ignoring the fact here that I'll have swapped this car for another by the time the kids have actually departed, but I thought you might as well hear the "logic" anyway.

I hadn't been convinced by the 991 redesign. If anything, I thought it was too evolutionary, particularly from the headlamps back to the rear, which itself is challenged. One day, however, I was in the local OPC, and saw the 991 cab and it just captured my attention in a way the coupe had not and still does not. Why?

This isn't easy to describe but I'll do my best. Firstly, the new roofline, in aping the coupe's with a technological tour de force, preserves the classic coupe shape, yet gives it a new colour-contrasting twist that, in certain colour combinations, is particularly effective. Red and black best of all (for me). Secondly, the bigger wheel arches, a "marmite" feature in the coupe, reduce the bulk of the bum to give the car a better balance longitudinally. The look is a little more Speedster and less chop top. Thirdly, sticking with the challenging redesign of the rear, the differentiation of the roof colour alters your perception of the view. The appearance is less 911, and so the swage line and "Aston" rear lights impinge less on your expectations of what a 911 rear should look like. I still don't like those features, but, in the cab, they are more acceptable to me. In the same way, and moving back to the front, the (to the eye less striking) black of the roof lends emphasis to the curves of the bonnet, the grille cutting into the LEDs, and the bulging headlamps. The "happy frog" look as someone else here described it.

The car I swapped for the 991 was a Guards GTS PDK. An absolutely superb car in many ways. But I had grown tired of its low-rent interior, and I have hearing damage which makes me sensitive to droning road noise and tyre roar, a problem with all 997s and before. I also didn't think much of its steering feel compared to the Cayman S, 997.1s, 996s and 993s I have owned or driven. This is the elephant in the room as far as I am concerned with the shift to electromechanical from hydraulic steering. I honestly think the 997.2 steering feel falls away from the 997.1 further than the 991 does from its predecessor.

Moving into a cab was a further step away from the GTS than changing into a another very similar-looking coupe and therefore an easier sell to myself when justifying the extra expense (even if the price goes even higher with the cab roof). Also easier to justify with Mrs BnB, who is never outwardly judgemental of my purchases, but the girls have their little ways of letting you know whether they're happy, don't they?

Suffice to say that the journey home from the dealer was more stressful than I expected. It must be my age but I like things just so, and I'm willing to spend good money to achieve that. The downside is that I can't enjoy my purchases until I get close. I should take a chill pill, but that's just how I am. Normally on buying a new car I sit with the manual in the dealer's car park until I've mastered the in-car electronics. On this occasion, I had my daughter with me and we were keen to get home to the rest of the family. All the way home I found myself fussing with the buttons and trying to program the settings on the OBC instead of just driving the thing. I won't say it wasn't fun, but my enjoyment was compromised by my impatience. And by the over-inflated tyres...

At home, an hour with the manual fixed that and soon the tyres and electronics were set up to my liking, allowing me to properly enjoy the 2 hour hoon I took last night. I hesitate to make snap judgements but this car, proper 911 or not, is damn good. How good will reveal itself over time.

I have to go to work now so I'll follow up over the next few days with more thoughts. Suffice to say that I've been hugely impressed by the sound insulation of the roof, the volume and range of noises from the (sports) exhaust and inlet, the electronics, the ride, the handling (with PDCC, of which more later when I've properly considered its effects). But above all, the uprated PDK, which is quite simply epic!

I'll also give some thought to the car's apparent weaknesses: the steering, the progressive evolution into a GT that the 911 has been undergoing for 50 years, the size, the new interior, etc. In the meantime. Here's a look at the spec:

[MrTickle]

Looks fantastic BnB, glad you are not disappointed after trading in such a wonderful car

[Blue62]

Nice one BnB, thought you were taking delivery in September for some reason. Mine has just had a software upgrade (fail safe) and the boot was resealed, I'm sure that as a later car yours won't need these updates but maybe worth checking. Think your comments are pretty much in line with my thinking, it's a stunning drive and quite a departure from the GTS.

[Tony 1234]

Looks good BnB, welcome to the club

[Carl_Docklands]

BnB - looks fab. Really want to see the interior shots. Are the deviated stitching options in red?

[SFO]

beautifully written review.

Cab is amazing, with the electric wind deflector in place, there is very little turbulence in the cabin at high speeds.

Roof up, it's as quiet as a 991 coupe.

excellent choice.

[Manks]

Blue62 said:

Nice one BnB, thought you were taking delivery in September for some reason. Mine has just had a software upgrade (fail safe) and the boot was resealed, I'm sure that as a later car yours won't need these updates but maybe worth checking. Think your comments are pretty much in line with my thinking, it's a stunning drive and quite a departure from the GTS.

Just received a letter about a recall on my old 991, evidently there is an air con pipe needs looking at on the earlier cars. That's further to the fuel line recall. Not very good at pipes, Porsche, for some reason at the minute.

[Paul O]

Really enjoyed reading that, looking forward to your updates.

[Manks]

Pretty car by the way BnB, congratulations.

[J-P]

Congratulations on the new car - it looks lovely!

[Actus Reus]

Lovely looking motor that, and a great review.

One question to the OP, did you consider a 981 at any point in the process, or was it just 991 all the way?

[r1flyguy1]

Lovely looking car.

Excuse my ignorance, but whats a 'smoking package' ???

[BnB]

First update. And in response to a couple of questions: The smoking package replaces a lidless cubby hole in the centre console with a lidded ashtray and 12v socket. More functionality and neater appearance. I don't smoke.

Not cigarettes anyway...

I looked at the Boxster for about 15 seconds. I've had a Cayman S in the past and I thought it about as much fun to drive as anything I've ever been in. But it's so easy to drive on the limit that I got bored. Perhaps I'll go back one day, but it would be to the Cayman not Boxster. I just don't like the styling of the Boxster as much as anything else. Each to their own. Additionally I find the 2+2 handy about once a month and I've got used to 400hp

Here's a pic of the interior, showing the deviating stitching in GR and subtly trimmed mats. Not cheap but I was on the rebound from a pleblon dash in the GTS. As for the cost of the stitching, you know what they say: if you have to ask.... make damned sure you're sat down

It looks in the pic as though the car is pointing straight up in the air like a rocket. First impressions suggest this is far from inappropriate. Remember I'm coming from a GTS with 408hp but this feels even quicker in the band 0-4200 RPM. The PDK really is that good.







I've been thinking over a few aspects of the car. Characteristics that others have picked up on such as NVH, sight lines, damping, the sound symposer, PDCC, weight, tyres, wheel sizes, the threshold at which the car transforms from GT to out and out sports car, the amazing roof mechanism, rear space, low end torque...

But mostly I want to hear what it sounds like at 8,000 revs and I've planned a couple of long trips to get her run-in, starting on Wednesday with a three hundred mile round trip to Silverstone for some fun at the PEC and moving on in mid-August to the Highlands where we'll pass the first couple of thousand miles and she'll be let loose at full chat on my favourite and very familiar roads.

I'll report back shortly. Going for a drive now...

[Actus Reus]

Thanks - as a Cayman S owner myself that makes perfect sense.

Love that interior - the stitching looks superb.

[Sandy59]

Looks good, if you're passing through Fort Augustus I'll maybe keep an eye/ear out, could easily be staying there mid August sometime.

[Emeye]

Good write up, but did Porsche really supply you with a brand new, high performance, I'm guessing close to £100k car, with the tyre pressures set wrong?!?

[MrTickle]

Look after it, it may have my name on it when you succumb to the 991GT3

[river_rat]

I had a 991S coupe (PDK) on 24 hour trial last week.

The performance and noise were epic and so quick to change gear. I hadn't ever considered an 'auto' box before, but this was so good it would definitely be my choice.

I think my 414bhp Audi is going to feel a bit slow after that.

Very jealous!

[Manks]

r1flyguy1 said:

Lovely looking car.

Excuse my ignorance, but whats a 'smoking package' ???

You get a lighter and an ashtray that will self-open if so much as brushed with a cuff. When open it will accommodate two fag ends or three Wurthers Originals wrappers, if folded carefully.

I suspect BnB ordered it just for the lighter though. He strikes me as the sort of fella who would simply toss his cigar ends out the open roof.

[MrTickle]

Manks said:

r1flyguy1 said:

Lovely looking car.

Excuse my ignorance, but whats a 'smoking package' ???

When open it will accommodate two fag ends or three Wurthers Originals wrappers, if folded carefully.

Or if very carefully positioned, approx. 6 20p pieces for parking machines. Not much use to people in the south, but for us 'up north' that's 6 visits to town