Automotive

ThomasM
[PuristS]
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Quick looks - 2013 Porsche 991 Carrera S

Ok, so here's the thing - I've never been a Porsche fan, though I have always respected them intellectually.

1976 Porsche Turbo?

When the super car world had the Countach and the Boxer?

The now legendary and highly coveted 1973 2.7 RS?

Maserati Khamsin and Bora...not to mention the run out edition of the Miura and of course, the Daytona and Dino (underappreciated at the time)...

The buzzy almost whiny boxer 6 versus the mechanical symphony of the 12 cylinders from Maranello and St. Agata, or the deep rumble of the V8's from Modena...

never mind the 6 cylinder models like the Dino and Merak, or the 8 cylinder Urroco and 308GTB/GT4 also lacked that 12 cylinder symphony...

Porsche was winning at the track, but on the road, their road cars were...less sexy and the build quality SEEMED to be lower rent (I use SEEMED because though the Italians were swathed in supple and luxurious Italian leather, if one were to look carefully, seams seldom met, stitches frequently looked like they were finished by hung over seamstresses; switchgear that looked cool frequently worked only when they felt like it, or came off in your fingers if you actually tried to use them...)

At the time, I didn't yet grasp the subtleties of PERCEIVED luxury, cachet, the AURA of prestige and exclusivity versus the substance. If a brand or model had the reputation, it must be that way... 

It didn't help that street Porsches had the reputation of being swingers' pick up tools - the Rolex drape cruising down Wilshire Blvd or slamming the Porsche key down on the counter in the singles bar havens of Marina del Rey, silk shirts open down to there with hirsute chests showing off chesthairs blowing in the wind...

I'm not sure exactly when the turning point was, but certainly by the 2000's Porsche's star was on the rise and with their escalating prices and higher "quality" (both finish and materials) to match the exotics, the prestige and dream factor was approaching that of the traditional exotics ending in "i" as well as the British aristocrats coming out of Aston Martin, "the sporting cars of Princes" ...(gasp, A-M was owned by Ford in the mid-90s!!!)

The performance was always close, if not occasionally better, and the reliability and availability of parts always surpassed that of the exotics.

What is now the strength of the evergreen 911 body style was, back then, borderline boring, and certainly nowhere near as sexy and fantasy inspiring as those stunning new bodies from Pininfarina and Bertone that clothed the "i" cars on a regular basis.

Even the daring 928...didn't quite work. Ever notice how a dirty white 928's rear end reminds one of an unclean toilet bowl? (I wouldn't mind a GT4 or GTS today...)

So, fast forward to today - I lust for a GT3, any GT3 but preferably a GT3RS or GT3RS 4.0 (Cup car remains a dream only for many reasons.)

The first step in my rehabilitation to the Porsche allure was the first generation 997 -

1100 miles in 3 days - comfortable, I didn't need to be a contortionist to gracefully enter or exit; fun, exciting when pushed, reliable.

hmmm...

Then I started meeting Porsche drivers that actually DROVE and not just pose...then made friends with Porsche Cup racers...

I was infected.

Pros: great build quality, both interior and exterior

reputation for reliability

availability of parts and after sales support

screamer of an engine, power and torque from low down and all the way through the range, with smooth delivery without lumps or dead spots (that I could feel)

great tranni - fast, responsive, smooth, predictable (unlike the Lamborghini Aventador) but imho the FF tranni is just a point or two better in my world

stable smooth ride when cruising, without harshness

stable planted ride and handling when pushed; it just grips without the feeling that the tail was going to come around and bite you at any moment.  Just for shit and giggles, I took a sweeper at close to 80 that most of the others were proud to take at 60, and I lifted just before the apex - there was a beautiful blond in the passenger seat who had never been in a Porsche or other more "pure" sports car and had just sold her SL and was looking. I also was getting ornery after a full day of driving c.10 cars on the same long stretches of road for comparison purposes.  

The 991 Carrera S did break from the line but was easily caught. There was no snap oversteer and very little excess drama. Proof was the passenger let me keep driving and didn't refuse to talk to me for the rest of the circuit, and even actually told me she enjoyed the ride.

Cons: just a little teeny itsy bitsy too soft when pushed than I would prefer; in this one regard the Vette 427 was the king of the day, though the 991 was slightly better than the FF in this area. Put more simply, I wish the handling was just a little bit flatter and stiffer when pushed. Just a little.

Rear seats are really basically useless when the front seats are set to any normal position.

Is the ignition key position being on the left side rather than the conventional right side a con or just a charming quirkiness?

General Comments: I'm undecided about the center console that is basically a continuation of the dash, or its resemblance to the Panamera; maybe it's just a matter of getting used to.

The 991 Carrera S was in a tight finish for favorite choice of the day with the FF. If I were to throw in the intellectual consideration of price, the 991 wins hands down. Afterall, with the change left over, I can get a full blown track toy, a truck and trailer, and a very nice sedan (Audi S8 anyone?) to fulfill every niche desire.

The 991 Carrera S just instills confidence from the first sit down and turn of the key (just like the Ferrari FF, the intimidation of a near $300k price tag notwithstanding, but hey, I'm a Purist; I've practiced not even noticing price tags for decades...)

Conclusion: my intellectual top choice goes to the 991 Carrera S, with a close, close second by the FF - Teutonic perfection vs Latin passion

But there is no question the Germans are building in more emotions and passion into their clinically interesting cars, while the Italians are upping the left brain quotient while maintaining the right brain appeal - what a great time to be a performance car enthusiast!

BUT...call me crazy, my purely emotional choice would be...

?

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(some friends have asked me about the videos; no they are not fixed GoPro or Contour; I didn't get the order in time!  :-(

All videos shown are iPhone or Blackberry videos. One's gotta do what one's gotta do...Forgive me, or bite me...