The 'best' 911 turbo?
Discussion
Ok, i was having a discussion with a friend and i think i have to get the PH Porsche collective involved to gather a few opinions.
Whilst i love the fearsome reputation and relative simplicity of the early cars (930), and i admire the engineering and ability of the later cars (997, 991) - i think the pinnacle of "911 turbo-ness" (if you'll pardon the expression) would be the 993 GT2.
Although i've not driven a RUF BTR 3.8 or Yellowbird, and i suspect they'd be right up there too.
Forget the money, or the investment, what i'm talking about is DRIVING. The sensations, the experience, the pleasure.
Thoughts?
Whilst i love the fearsome reputation and relative simplicity of the early cars (930), and i admire the engineering and ability of the later cars (997, 991) - i think the pinnacle of "911 turbo-ness" (if you'll pardon the expression) would be the 993 GT2.
Although i've not driven a RUF BTR 3.8 or Yellowbird, and i suspect they'd be right up there too.
Forget the money, or the investment, what i'm talking about is DRIVING. The sensations, the experience, the pleasure.
Thoughts?
I am fortunate to have owned all the road going turbos, from 78...but never a 959...
For me 2 stand out above the rest, the original 86, 930 bhp flat nose, and the 964Turbo S, both imv the last of the great drivers turbo cars, I have a new TTS, one month old, its crazy fast, no faster car on a-b, but not a patch on the older cars from fun to drive point...
For me 2 stand out above the rest, the original 86, 930 bhp flat nose, and the 964Turbo S, both imv the last of the great drivers turbo cars, I have a new TTS, one month old, its crazy fast, no faster car on a-b, but not a patch on the older cars from fun to drive point...
I've been fortunate to have owned a few I quite like forced induction!
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Crimp said:
I've been fortunate to have owned a few I quite like forced induction!
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Impressive ownership record and I've heard the 964 is the best to look at and worst to drive.89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Have you tried a 997 Turbo and how does it differ to a 996?
APOLO1 said:
I am fortunate to have owned all the road going turbos, from 78...but never a 959...
For me 2 stand out above the rest, the original 86, 930 bhp flat nose, and the 964Turbo S, both imv the last of the great drivers turbo cars, I have a new TTS, one month old, its crazy fast, no faster car on a-b, but not a patch on the older cars from fun to drive point...
I agree there's no standard car quicker a-b but a properly fettled 996 or 997 turbo would leave a 991 for dead and be more fun. I thought about buying a 991 turbo S but went instead with sending my knackered old banger 997 turbo to 9e and couldn't be happier. In fact it would be in with good shout for best turbo ever but may be a bit hardcore for some tastes. Mines flipping quick but is just a baby tune compared to the 38, 3.9, 4.0 and 4.1 litre cars in 9e's paddock. 991 turbo S is the best all rounder in the world though combining rapid pace with S class levels of comfort. Don't know how Porsche keep on improving the 911 turbo but I've thought that about every version since the 993!For me 2 stand out above the rest, the original 86, 930 bhp flat nose, and the 964Turbo S, both imv the last of the great drivers turbo cars, I have a new TTS, one month old, its crazy fast, no faster car on a-b, but not a patch on the older cars from fun to drive point...
fastgerman said:
Crimp said:
I've been fortunate to have owned a few I quite like forced induction!
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Impressive ownership record and I've heard the 964 is the best to look at and worst to drive.89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Have you tried a 997 Turbo and how does it differ to a 996?
The 6T is certainly a rawer car but they are very similar performance wise.
My current car is kicking out 550 ponies so is stupidly quick but can be enjoyed in all weathers unlike my GT2.
I have only driven two - the 993 Turbo S and the 997 Gen2 Turbo. The latter is just an unbelievable easy and fast car to drive. If I have to get anywhere fast and safely for certain I would take that car BUT the 993 Turbo S is for me the much more exciting, enjoyable car of the two to take out. i think it looks so much better too. I am off to look at a 997 GT2 RS this weekend - read lots about them and looking forward to adding this to the collection!!
VerySideways said:
Ok, i was having a discussion with a friend and i think i have to get the PH Porsche collective involved to gather a few opinions.
Whilst i love the fearsome reputation and relative simplicity of the early cars (930), and i admire the engineering and ability of the later cars (997, 991) - i think the pinnacle of "911 turbo-ness" (if you'll pardon the expression) would be the 993 GT2.
Although i've not driven a RUF BTR 3.8 or Yellowbird, and i suspect they'd be right up there too.
Forget the money, or the investment, what i'm talking about is DRIVING. The sensations, the experience, the pleasure.
Thoughts?
Seeing how the responses are going, maybe the thread title should not be the 'best' 911 Turbo but the 'most fun' or the 'best looking' or some other random subjective personal aspect because clearly the latest is the best. Which has always been the case. And in the great tradition of Porsche, the next one will be better again, incredibly!Whilst i love the fearsome reputation and relative simplicity of the early cars (930), and i admire the engineering and ability of the later cars (997, 991) - i think the pinnacle of "911 turbo-ness" (if you'll pardon the expression) would be the 993 GT2.
Although i've not driven a RUF BTR 3.8 or Yellowbird, and i suspect they'd be right up there too.
Forget the money, or the investment, what i'm talking about is DRIVING. The sensations, the experience, the pleasure.
Thoughts?
Sine Metu said:
Seeing how the responses are going, maybe the thread title should not be the 'best' 911 Turbo but the 'most fun' or the 'best looking' or some other random subjective personal aspect because clearly the latest is the best. Which has always been the case. And in the great tradition of Porsche, the next one will be better again, incredibly!
The responses so far are exactly what I had hoped - discussing the pros and cons, and the fun factor as opposed to the speed and capability alone.I don't doubt that the 991 turbo will cover ground more comfortably and effortlessly than previous 911 turbos, but that doesn't make it the "best" for me and it seems I'm not alone...
fastgerman said:
Crimp said:
I've been fortunate to have owned a few I quite like forced induction!
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Impressive ownership record and I've heard the 964 is the best to look at and worst to drive.89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
A properly maintained and set up 964 turbo is certainly not rubbish to drive. IMO.
I've tried a 993 Turbo and more recently a 996 TurboX50. I wouldn't choose either as a weekend toy over a 964T. The interior build quality of the 996 is pretty dire as well.
Crimp said:
fastgerman said:
Crimp said:
I've been fortunate to have owned a few I quite like forced induction!
89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Impressive ownership record and I've heard the 964 is the best to look at and worst to drive.89 low mile 930-Great looks that's about it.
92 low mile 964 Turbo as above but better brakes/suspension
3 x 996 Turbo's x 3 epic at everything they do and in all weathers and a future classic.
996 GT2-Epic but not an all weather car, scary in the damp.
For me the best turbo powered cars are the 996
Have you tried a 997 Turbo and how does it differ to a 996?
The 6T is certainly a rawer car but they are very similar performance wise.
My current car is kicking out 550 ponies so is stupidly quick but can be enjoyed in all weathers unlike my GT2.
VerySideways said:
Sine Metu said:
Seeing how the responses are going, maybe the thread title should not be the 'best' 911 Turbo but the 'most fun' or the 'best looking' or some other random subjective personal aspect because clearly the latest is the best. Which has always been the case. And in the great tradition of Porsche, the next one will be better again, incredibly!
The responses so far are exactly what I had hoped - discussing the pros and cons, and the fun factor as opposed to the speed and capability alone.I don't doubt that the 991 turbo will cover ground more comfortably and effortlessly than previous 911 turbos, but that doesn't make it the "best" for me and it seems I'm not alone...
The 991 is clearly the actual 'best.' There's no debate there. But there might be a debate as to which was the best of it's time, maybe. All 911 turbo's, and they've all come out during my adult lifetime, seemed to get rave reviews at the time of launch. I'll always remember a black 3.3turbo splashing through a pool of water to the headline "Black Power' in CAR magazine when it came out. Stunning photo, awesome looking car. I don't really remember much of the 964 era because possibly, it was just seen as the same car updated a bit by most people. The next big wave seemed to have been the 993. A whole new body design and big technical changes it seems stirring the media into fits of awe and adulation. It seemed to be a perfect car (Although not visually to my taste). The 996 came along and stunned the world with it's awe inspiring real world capability, then the 997 did the same but a notch higher and now the 991 is doing it again, a notch higher. The world has come to expect an ever increasing level of capability from the 911turbo. And Porsche seem to be delivering. Except, and here's the but, in an age of 458's, BMW I8's, McLarens, etc. and soon to be Merc GT, Honda NSX etc, the 911 turbo performance isn't so far 'out there' anymore. Everyone is now capable of reaching similar levels. So it's harder for Porsche to really shock the world the way it did with the 930 and the 993. And the legacies of those particular versions leave an enduring impression. It certainly is never going to visually shock the world if it never really changes the fundamental exterior design. So in a way maybe you could say that they were possibly the best of their time. But the actual 'best of all time' still has to be the 911. Or alternatively, if we want, we can just put to one side anything relating to actual performance, capability, brilliance at cornering, grip, power, braking, design, safety, economy, quality, etc. and just talk about the one to have more 'fun' in whichever that is and for whatever personal reason. And call that the 'best.' In which case you're talking about the 930 if it's for less than 15 minutes and the road is dry!
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