Which is your favourite 'do it all' 911?
Discussion
Off the back of a couple recent discussions on people using 997s as their every day cars, I am interested in getting your opinions on which is your favourite 911 that does everything. I suspect for lots of people their 911 is a special weekend, touring or track car. But equally for lots the whole appeal is that they are an everyday commuter, school run, supermarket and fun car in one.
So if you only had one car and it had to be a 911 which would it be?
Brand new Carrera?
An older Turbo?
997 GTS?
Something air-cooled?
Manual / PDK?
Does a new-ish 991.2 Carrera T best embody the 'do it all' 911 ethos?
Or are you full on and it'd be a GT3 regardless.
So if you only had one car and it had to be a 911 which would it be?
Brand new Carrera?
An older Turbo?
997 GTS?
Something air-cooled?
Manual / PDK?
Does a new-ish 991.2 Carrera T best embody the 'do it all' 911 ethos?
Or are you full on and it'd be a GT3 regardless.
For me it is the 997 RS as it has a radio. Otherwise I’d be tempted to put the 996 forward - although no power steering takes commitment in the city, but it has rear seats for my dog to make up for that. They only miss 4wd for going snowboarding in winter
Pics for good measure - because every thread is better with pics
Pics for good measure - because every thread is better with pics
I’ve used 997.2 GTS manual and 991.2 Carrera T PDK as daily’s and fun cars. Both filled the role perfectly, apart from the absolutely moronic centre lock wheels on the GTS. So for me I’d give it to the Carrera T. More than enough power for a daily. Modern enough with CarPlay, etc, and an entertaining chassis that makes every journey fun.
Koln-RS said:
I’ve always thought that, whatever the model - 3.2, 964, 993, 996, 997, 991, 992 - a nice Coupe, RWD, Manual, with a few essential options, best represents the ‘classic’ 911 theme.
It was exactly this simplicity that made the 911 special and successful in the first place
Indeed.It was exactly this simplicity that made the 911 special and successful in the first place
It's just a shame they've long since generally abandoned that adage ...
I'll go the other way for a "do it all" 911...I'm very happy with my 997.2 C4S.
Modern enough not to be a ball ache day to day, but still with a bit of a raw edge.
4WD means all year round use is easier, even in snow etc.
PDK means you can be lazy or involved. Sport Chrono means the involvement can be sharpened up a lot when in the mood.
I also think it's one of those aesthetic sweet spots in 911 history.
I am of course biased...but then it's the car I searched out having looked at all the options, so I would be
Modern enough not to be a ball ache day to day, but still with a bit of a raw edge.
4WD means all year round use is easier, even in snow etc.
PDK means you can be lazy or involved. Sport Chrono means the involvement can be sharpened up a lot when in the mood.
I also think it's one of those aesthetic sweet spots in 911 history.
I am of course biased...but then it's the car I searched out having looked at all the options, so I would be
Got to be the humble 993 carrera for me.
Aside from daily-driver role (not 993 forte), this is the perfect 911 for trackdays, errands with young kid/s in the back, local countryside drives with massive engagement at sensible(ish) speeds, longer GT drives e.g. up to Lake District from the south east (standard seats so comfortable), and finally the odd track day here and there as long suspension has been refreshed.
Doing double track day at Spa in September, can't wait!
Aside from daily-driver role (not 993 forte), this is the perfect 911 for trackdays, errands with young kid/s in the back, local countryside drives with massive engagement at sensible(ish) speeds, longer GT drives e.g. up to Lake District from the south east (standard seats so comfortable), and finally the odd track day here and there as long suspension has been refreshed.
Doing double track day at Spa in September, can't wait!
997.1 Turbo (manual)
Fast, comfy, extremely well built, always well spec'd and feels very modern to drive. They're do it all because they can cover anything you throw at it in any weather. Still not sure why I sold mine last year, and the hunt for another one is not bearing fruit right now - too many people wanting silly money (imo).
Fast, comfy, extremely well built, always well spec'd and feels very modern to drive. They're do it all because they can cover anything you throw at it in any weather. Still not sure why I sold mine last year, and the hunt for another one is not bearing fruit right now - too many people wanting silly money (imo).
I always thought my first 911, a 996 3.4 with factory sports option pack was all I ever really needed in a 911 and was just a great package, been tempted to buy another one a few times now.
More than fast enough for the road, comfortable enough on a long run and a real blast on a windy road. Never tracked that one, but had a few laps around Knockhill with Alan McNish in a same spec car, that kind of blew me away at the time !!
More than fast enough for the road, comfortable enough on a long run and a real blast on a windy road. Never tracked that one, but had a few laps around Knockhill with Alan McNish in a same spec car, that kind of blew me away at the time !!
I chose my 997.1 C4S specifically because it fulfilled this brief and it has delivered it aplenty.
I don't drive daily, but the 997 has been used to carry 50+ bottles of wine through Europe in middle of winter, go skiing, go mountain biking and fully loaded on 2-month long summer Euro trips with child several years now. Its generally comfortable (great seats, bit noisy), surprisingly spacious, fun to drive yet safe. Occasionally a bit too fast really, its so easy to press pedal to the metal and be over the stated speed limit at any given time.
So, for me its the 997 Carrera that takes my vote.
However, I do think that any Carrera variant works. My only concern is age, as any car gets older its more risky that, no matter how well maintained, there might be issues which could get in the way of "doing it all" as that intrinsically requires for the car to be reliable.
Possibly the 997 GTS or first gen na 991 GTS but thinking about it neither cars are actually special enough even with 'manuel' gearboxes.
So for the sweetspot its the 991.2 GT3 winged 'manuel' or even the Touring both of which offer that heady mix of driver interaction even at lower speeds with very special occasion, warp speed with effective cup car engine, reasonable usability overall, charismatic pre ppf authetic sounding engine (now lost on the 992 GT3) with 9k rev limit with contantly variable awesome induction noises across the whole rev range, old school mech diff, perfectly spaced gear ratios and gearbox action with a remarkable flatshift option for added entertainment.
Only really gripe is the overlight clutch which since late 2017 Porsche saw fit to fit in all their GT cars presumably to keep the wusses/snowflakes happy.
So for the sweetspot its the 991.2 GT3 winged 'manuel' or even the Touring both of which offer that heady mix of driver interaction even at lower speeds with very special occasion, warp speed with effective cup car engine, reasonable usability overall, charismatic pre ppf authetic sounding engine (now lost on the 992 GT3) with 9k rev limit with contantly variable awesome induction noises across the whole rev range, old school mech diff, perfectly spaced gear ratios and gearbox action with a remarkable flatshift option for added entertainment.
Only really gripe is the overlight clutch which since late 2017 Porsche saw fit to fit in all their GT cars presumably to keep the wusses/snowflakes happy.
I first fell in love with the 911 ethos back in the early 80s because of the one car does it all.
So any 911 will do depending on your flavour, manual or auto, turbo or NA , 2wd or 4wd and so on.
Mine would have been a 997SC when you could buy one a few years back for less than a £100k! Would have been extremely economical too! Now I think it’s got to be a a base 991.2 pre September 2018 so no Gpf.
So any 911 will do depending on your flavour, manual or auto, turbo or NA , 2wd or 4wd and so on.
Mine would have been a 997SC when you could buy one a few years back for less than a £100k! Would have been extremely economical too! Now I think it’s got to be a a base 991.2 pre September 2018 so no Gpf.
I think the original ethos of the 911 has become a bit lost recently.
The new 911 cars are certainly great, but wasn’t the 911 a small, light, nimble sports car, not a GT?
Therefore, is the new ‘do it all’ 911 actually a Cayman?
Although, to answer the question, probably a 997 C4 with PDK!
The new 911 cars are certainly great, but wasn’t the 911 a small, light, nimble sports car, not a GT?
Therefore, is the new ‘do it all’ 911 actually a Cayman?
Although, to answer the question, probably a 997 C4 with PDK!
Edited by mrfunex on Tuesday 5th April 18:29
OP pretty much describes my situation.. can only have one car in the household (live in London with only 1 parking permit allowed each and wife doesn’t drive!) and it had to be a 911!
Needs to handle family days out with the dog, school runs with 3 11 year olds , B&Q trips as well as track days and Nurburgring trips
Manual 991.1 GTS ticks all the boxes for me, a manual 991.2 GT3 would be lovely but the lack of rear seats is a deal breaker for me and the “only car” brief
Needs to handle family days out with the dog, school runs with 3 11 year olds , B&Q trips as well as track days and Nurburgring trips
Manual 991.1 GTS ticks all the boxes for me, a manual 991.2 GT3 would be lovely but the lack of rear seats is a deal breaker for me and the “only car” brief
As we all know the 911 is not the only iconic car to increase in size, mini, golf, 3 series etc.
It is what it is but a modern 911 is still small compared to many cars these days so imo the original ethos is still there for the modern era.
Also I don’t think a caymans footprint is that much smaller than a 911, basically same car although 911 engine is out back but has a shorter wheelbase than the cayman (or use too)
It is what it is but a modern 911 is still small compared to many cars these days so imo the original ethos is still there for the modern era.
Also I don’t think a caymans footprint is that much smaller than a 911, basically same car although 911 engine is out back but has a shorter wheelbase than the cayman (or use too)
AND7 F said:
OP pretty much describes my situation.. can only have one car in the household (live in London with only 1 parking permit allowed each and wife doesn’t drive!) and it had to be a 911!
Needs to handle family days out with the dog, school runs with 3 11 year olds , B&Q trips as well as track days and Nurburgring trips
Manual 991.1 GTS ticks all the boxes for me, a manual 991.2 GT3 would be lovely but the lack of rear seats is a deal breaker for me and the “only car” brief
Haha, great pic. To me this is where it is difficult to think of a single other car that fits the bill.Needs to handle family days out with the dog, school runs with 3 11 year olds , B&Q trips as well as track days and Nurburgring trips
Manual 991.1 GTS ticks all the boxes for me, a manual 991.2 GT3 would be lovely but the lack of rear seats is a deal breaker for me and the “only car” brief
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