I already like this forum! I have a ton of stories and have never found a place to write them all down. Now atleast other people can enjoy them as well.

The predecessor to our RS4 detailed in another review was a 2006 Porsche 997 C4S. It was a launch car, black/tan, fully loaded. The only options it did not have were sport seats and PCCB. Full leather, natural tan plush leather seats, BOSE premium sound, PSE (Sports Exhaust), PSM (Suspension), and more. We traded it in for the RS4 as I had my 968 and we didn't have a car that could haul more than $50 worth of groceries!

Having driven every version of a 911 since its creation in the 60's, I can without a doubt this is the best 911 for what Ferry Porsche envisioned as an everyday sports car. While all 911's have their own character, the 997 pulls them all together for a very pleasurable driving experience. Porsche is going to have to work very hard to improve on this car.

Porsche skipped updating the 1999-2005 996 and went back to the drawing board from the 993. Due to financial restraints, many of the Boxsters interior parts carried over to the 996, body styling resembled that of the boxster, and overall the car wasn't very enthusiastic. It was updated through the years of its production, but it was always plasticy and only the top end models were exciting. The 997 is very different. The standard model has plenty of power and goodies to entertain, but upgrade to the S and you won't regret it.

From the outside the car is completely new. Headlamps resemble 993 type parts, even the non S models have hips again like the 993, and the car is finally again enjoyable to look at. The interior was updated in a very good way, going back to 993 esque parts again. The car is very solidily built and much more enjoyable to drive over the 996.

Once you enter the car you will note the fine leather appointments (if you option for the well-deserved full leather package). There is literally nothing not covered in leather. The dashboard and door cards have visible french and dove stitches done perfectly, beautiful hand stitched steering wheel, shift boot, and e-brake boot. Even the rear is beautifully stitched. While our car wasn't equipped with such, you can personalize your car with appointments such as deviated stitching (different color stitching), leather covered rear-view mirror and air vents, and have the center console swapped for exterior colored plastic. The smell of leather is almost intoxicting in a good way. The guages are standard Porsche style, large tachometer with a smaller speedometer and plenty of guages to go around. The best part though are the two buttons on the lower center dash that read Sport and PSM (if you choose these options). They are the 'fun' buttons.

The engine starts flawlessly and settles down to a known idle. Not loud, but unlike a Mercedes you know the car is running. If you've never driven a 911 before, the sound from the rear is very enjoyable. It is critical that you warm the car up before driving it hard. Doing such, the car has plenty of power in low RPM's. Suprisingly you could stay below 5000rpms and be perfectly fine. Unfortunately the engine doesn't like to stay below 5000rpms. It just wants to rev like nothing factory I have driven before. Its also very critical that you follow break-in procedures decently well as Porsche is pretty smart about ragged out engines. So for the first 1000 miles you have to take it easy which isn't easy...I promise.

Once the car is broken in and warmed up, hold on. While only 355hp, the car flat rips. It pulls on the highway very well in any gear, and gas mileage is is decently good even when driving the piss out of it.

More later - appointments to attend to!

Wes

Sorry for the delay, I had things to attend to yesterday that came up in the middle of my post.

So the car is much faster than previous models was where I left off. The engine is much more linear than previous models and the 3.8 has plenty of torque for anyone. While the Turbo is very fast, the standard S model is more than enough to get you in trouble on any road.

So what does it drive like? Around town it is very easy. Granny shifting is no problem as the car has plenty of torque to pull out of any gear. In standard (non-Sport) mode, the suspension if very compliant. Firm but not stiff. It takes underlations very well and never gives the feeling of instability.

When you press the sport button though, the beast awakens. Very similar to the RS4, the sport button opens an exhaust valve, makes the throttle more sensative, and unlike the Audi it stiffens the suspension. The PASM button next to the Sport button will deactivate the suspension if you just want the other features of the sport button. The car is loud with PSE, such that Tubi and others will be hard pressed to make a better exhaust without being over the top. The sensative throttle is a bit tricky; shifts get much more jerky and power is much more abrupt. Now the car really wants to wind out. The suspension is a tad bit on the stiff side with PASM in sport mode. Bumps are very noticable. The rear end seemed a bit stiff for my liking, such that over large bumps the rear end would get a bit unstable. Not to the point where I felt the car would come around, but to where I had to get white knuckles. The brakes are fantastic just as you would expect on any Porsche. Never did I sense a problem and the pedal is very progressive.

On the track the car is very fast. In previous C4 models the cars always felt heavy and typically understeered pretty bad. Previous 993 Turbo's and 996 Turbo's were the worst because the power would just lift the fronts. This C4 is completely different. The turn in is super light just like all Porsches and it does exactly as you expect. Unlike previous models though you can left off in the middle of a turn and not experience Porsche snap oversteer. In the 993 they changed the suspension which has since made Porsches much easier to drive at the track; this 997S is no exception. Mid turn the Porsche is very neutral with less throttle bringing the back end to a slight angle and more throttle enciting a little push. At exit though its all about power on oversteer. Very similar to Mitsubishi's EVO MR, the 997C4S very slightly rotates on you at exit setting the back end perfectly. Not even to the point of countersteer, but just right. Very easy to drive on the track, and for the first time in my life I can honestly say this car could be driven well by novices.

We didn't have the car very long (1200 miles) so we did not encounter any problems. From the day it rolled off to the day it was sold it was as solid as new. There have been very few problems reported throughout the communities so I think this car will hold up very well.

Wes