Porsche 997.2 Carrera S - The Last Drivers' 911?

I've always been a big fan of the 996, and the 997 that followed. But I've not actually ever driven a 997, until now. What will I think of it? Watch and find out... don't watch, and never know!

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[MrElnuno]

I own a 997.2 and therefore understand some of the arguments on both sides of the fence. The fact is, this is a very Jekyl & Hyde sort of car. When driven at 8/10ths and below it can feel very docile and dare I say it, underwhelming. But at 9/10ths and above it just seems to come alive and transform into an eager and very competent sportscar. And that is actually something I love about the 997. You have to seek out the performance! It doesn't just lift it's skirt and show you the goods from the outset. Many 911's through history are like this. The engines are somewhat 'race inspired; in that they need to be worked in order to deliver the thrills, and this is where the rewards lie. Modern 'turbo era' cars are no doubt easier to drive fast, and deliver much more accessible performance, but in some ways this leads to the problem whereby many people become bored of this sort of driving experience very quickly end up looking for something more 'old school' . This is where I think the 997 excels, providing are fantastic balance of modern looks and luxury, combined with a very visceral driving experience that requires some level skill and patience to extract.
Some of the worlds best motoring journalist regard the 997 as a major 'sweetspot' in the 911 lineage, and I think the reason for this is the work required to uncover it's amazing abilities when the conditions allow. Long live the 997!!!!

[ganthrithor]

Man, I've got a 997.1 base Carrera and I love it to bits. It's just got a lovely blend of attributes:

- Great steering feel (miles better than any of their current cars, including the GT3)
- Not too large for driving on little, winding roads (the 991 feels like trying to squeeze a battleship through the Panama Canal by comparison)
- Lovely noise (just plug the resonator chamber on the air intake or buy one without a resonator to unlock +10 howling noise)
- Perfect amount of power for driving on public roads-- the car has enough power that it feels quick, but not so much that you can't hold the throttle wide open with regularity. It's also a lovely little engine with a nice linear build in available horsepower and plenty of torque for dealing with daily driving throughout. The fact that the powerplant is at its best above 4, 500 rpm is ideal-- it gives the driver a reason to want to push the car. And the sound of the flat six at high RPM is its own reward!
- Fairly analog suspension and drivetrain-- I love the fact that the car just has springs and dampers, to be honest. I don't really enjoy the feeling of constant witchcraft that comes with electronically-controlled everything on newer cars
- Soft enough suspension for driving little-used back-roads-- a lot of "sportier" and / or more modern cars have gone to massive wheels, skinny tyres, and minimal suspension travel for looks and sporty feel. That's all fine if you're driving on track or well-maintained main roads, but take them into the backcountry where you can actually have fun and they start to bounce and shimmy off of any significant pavement imperfections. The little Carrera does a great job of keeping the rubber on the pavement.

All the other historical 911 stuff applies as well (seating for four in a pinch, plenty of room for cargo if you've only got front-seat passengers, brakes that can go all day, etc). It's just a wonderful little package, and unless you're in a position to own multiple cars for different purposes, I'd honestly struggle to pick a better all-rounder. I just don't agree with your assessment that the 997 is not a sporty car (I do find in general that PDK removes a lot of driver involvement, but that's easily avoided by buying a manual!). If you're not having fun driving a 997 you're not pushing it hard enough or you're on the wrong road-- even the slowest, most-civilized one of the bunch can be driven properly hard to great effect. I don't see how the fact that it's comfortable and easy to drive in less-sporting conditions detracts from that.

[qikqbn]

Appreciate your comments and point of view. I am a long time Porsche owner and car enthusiast. It takes some mileage and seat time to really get under the skin to see and feel what each 911 model brings to the table. They all have strengths and weaknesses. Some made for more sport and others for autobahn cruising. With that said I have been a Porsche owner for 18 years and owned many different models. The 997 range is one of my favorites due to it's some what modern feel, yet still driver focused compared to all the gadgety stuff that is overwhelming in a lot of the newer cars. Naturally aspirated engines are my preferred choice. There is no doubt out of the box the 997.1 engine has a better sound than 997.2. Add a cold air intake kit and it literally can scream like a much more exotic sports car. In some ways you can say the 997.1, although not as overall fast as the 997.2, there seems to be a bit more even power delivery in the 997.1 versus the 997.2 which really does not feel much faster until it begins to surge from 5000-7000. A power surge is felt in both engines above 5000 rpm, but that difference is more prominent in the 997.2 DFI engine, which makes the bottom end feel even more lacking, although it's still strong. Definitely in the 997.2 that is where you will feel the power difference between the 2 engines. The 997.2 engine, which seems to get a lot of praise because of the lack of an ims bearing, still has its own issues. As time marches on the 997.2 is not as bullet proof as so many have claimed and jumped on the band wagon. There are rare high pressure fuel pump issues that are fairly well known, fuel intrusion from the DFI is leading to cylinder wall scoring issues, and more importantly there have been some multiple reports of abnormal cam chain wear. If the chain fails, the end result would be the same as an IMS failure. Now, these are very rare issues, like the IMS, but I only say this to keep things in perspective and in some ways to keep people from bashing the 997.1 cars, which are GREAT cars and have really nice engines. 2006-2008 being their strongest. EVERY car manufacturer has rare reliability issues. Porsche is no exception, but I have to say as an overall package I have not found any other car manufacturer yet that ticks all the boxes for me as a Porsche does. That's just my humble opinion.

[captgiddyup]

How good is a 997.2? I sold my 991 C2S Cabriolet in Silver/Red for a 2012 Porsche 997.2 Carrera 4S Cabriolet with 11, 000 miles. I can see and touch my Engine again. The 997 feels so much more Porsche!

[RobBoothAutomotive]

Still looks very fresh, I feel many are perhaps overly critical as it's very easy for forget that this car is now 7 years old! Excellent video as per usual James.

[falcorystico]

Put that PDK into manual, select sport mode and drive it like a manual, use the gear lever for gear changes and not the paddles or steering buttons - Then you'll feel how that car comes alive, turn off the psm and hold on "if you dare" - Switch back to auto mode turn off sport button and fetch your kids from school, This car can do it all !

[coreykononchuk]

997.1 Carrera S owner here; I love this generation 911 because A. it's affordable for average plebeians like myself, and B. does so many things so well, most importantly being its ability to drive quickly and enjoyably. As it is my only car and I use it daily, it is very versatile and doesn''t feel less special to me for doing so. I can attend a track day, autocross, or cars and coffee and fit right in, or park it in front of a fancy restaurant or in back of a grocery store parking lot and it feels right at home everywhere. Besides tires, operating costs aren't much worse than an average Japanese sports car so long as you're resourceful (don't go to the dealer!), and the IMS failures are exaggerated, something like less than 3% failure rate. So if you're thinking about one, go out and get it!

[niwouackermann]

Used to have a 997.2 C2S PDK and at first I though I wasn't all that fast as it didn't feel fast to me. But in reality it was significantly faster than my RS4 (B7) or Z4M even though it did not feel like it.
Brilliant overall car

[Number]

A louder exhaust makes a big difference to the engine feel on these! Def too quiet as standard

[henryting]

There are always those that are chronic complainers, raising issues of their own creations. On one hand he comments how refine the 997.2 is and then complains about it lacking the roughness and grunt of a true sports car. He classify this car as neither a sports car, nor a GT. In fact he got it all wrong. A 911 is a a 911, so quit complaining about what it is and what it is not.

[Funscout]

The car you drove looks to have the Sport Chrono pack so should have Sport or Sport Plus buttons? Hitting Sport Plus dramatically changes the shift speed and throttle response. The PSE is loud on mine, especially when hot. It's a given that it's never going to be as loud inside as a Lotus. I have both cars and you're highlighting one of the benefits IMHO.

[drewflanagan]

Did anyone else spend the first 2 minutes or so trying to figure out if and or what he had on his head?

[simplefactu]

Good video, but few points perhaps to expand your future experiences with porsche, to get the engine sings you need to slap on throttle to change the intake haul. The issue with PDK you said has two roots, firmware hasn't been updated, throttle body hasn't reset in long time, the owner has driven it gently . And I'm sorry Lotus never going to be at Porsche level in many aspects . It's fun car and I understand you biased being British but yeah

[tutelarius]

For anyone reading the comments and worrying about the more recent cars, the gen 1 991 and the new 992 are both tremendous and a joy to drive. There's joy and character to be found in every generation. I like the gen 1 991 for its amazing, smooth, high-pitched screaming at high revs, its refinement and its planted feel with the wider track. The PDK really is brilliant if you get off your sofa and actually drive the car. I like the 992 for its sheer speed and competence - it still sounds good, has a bucketload more torque and is still a playful but precision instrument. 997 is great but there's no need to knock the current cars, which are all brilliant too.

[DesertDemons]

I have a 997.2 Carrera S. Best decision I ever made. Period.

[DR-tecs]

The 997 is without doubt the most beautiful 911 .

[rubioalejo]

You should test 997.2 “Manual Transmission “ with Gundo Exhaust Hack . Different experience!

[GlennsCarCollection]

I manual transmission is a must in any 997

[scanspeak]

I wonder if the DFI engines are losing power over time due to carbon buildup.

[TheElephantDan]

Your reviews are great, no b.s. and very knowledgable. I don't understand why you don't have more subscriber/views but thank you.