Shark

Once in awhile you may find yourself at the right place at the right time. Like at a strip joint during free lap dance night. Or maybe at the bar when beers are on the house.

Well, it just so happened the powers that be somehow managed to put me exactly where I should have been yesterday afternoon. Here's how it went down. I had a 2:00pm meeting with the owner of a telemarketing company that my firm is working with. When the receptionist paged me to let me know that my 2:00 appt. had arrived, I walked to the lobby and noticed a sparkling late model grey 911 parked outside. What a site to behold! The classic rakish lines of the 911 combined with the wide stance of the 997 series are enough to bring a car enthusiast to his knees.

After the meeting, we began talking about sports cars and the different twisty roads that are in the area. One thing led to another and then it happened. I heard something that I thought I'd never hear. "Here, take the keys. Let's check out some of the roads you mentioned. I want to see what this thing can do." I seriously could not believe what I just heard.

I slipped into the driver's seat and adjusted the mirrors, seat and steering wheel. The most expensive car my butt has ever had the pleasure of sitting in was the C6 that I rented in Vegas back in May. You can practically buy TWO C6s for what this 911 cost. The quality of the car is amazing when compared to anything I've ever been inside of.

I twisted the key and brought the 3.6 liter boxer engine to life. I've never been a big fan of the Porsche engine sound, but that was about to come to an end. I pulled her out of the parking lot and headed towards my favorite twisty road: Route 842 in Chester County, Pa.

As soon as I pulled away from the last stop sign in downtown West Chester, Pa., I let 'er rip. The sound of the boxer engine at WOT is really incredible. I'll never criticize the sound of a Porsche again.

The overall feel of the car is superb. The clutch is on the heavy side but it's extremely easy to modulate for smooth shifts. The gearbox is a gem, too. In fact, the gearbox and clutch are the best I've experienced in any car, including the S2000. The 2-3rd shift is especially nice. I've never been able to shift so quickly in my life. One criticism I have is the 3-2 downshift. I kept banging into the reverse gate. I found it very difficult to perform this downshift smoothly.

The handling is exceptional. I was surprised at how balanced the car was. I wasn

mr.B

Nice write up, when you say "lack of steering/chassis feed back" do you mean that the steering is light ( i.e. effortless turn in ) or that it was lacking feed back after apex on power?

Shark

It didn't provide the level of feedback I would have expected. It wasn't completely numb, mind you. I just didn't feel connected to the car the way I did with the 2006 Boxster that I drove a few months back.

The steering was definitely on the slow side.

On a positive note, the steering was extremely accurate. I had no trouble following my line while powering out of the apex.

protokultur

I have driven a 997S several times and disagree on the shifter and clutch. IMO it is far less precise than an S2000. If there is one thing Honda got right with the S2k it's the shifter. I find that steering and responsiveness are very much improved when PASM is turned off.

Most new Porsches find their way into the hands of an owner who primarily wants the looks, prestige, and comfort, and is at a loss as to how to handle the spirited driving part. If this guy was willing to let you flog his whip, he's a very cool dude and more laid back than most 997 owners would be...

superjimbo

Nice! But I agree with protokultur. If there is anything wrong with the 997...it's the gearbox. It's way too notchy for my taste and and throws are a bit long. However, the rest of the car is superb. Great story.

BeachBum

You must be a regular contributor to Penthouse forum

bjohnston

Great write-up. How does the Carrera compare to the C6 you drove in May?

Shark

The setup does have its quirks. The shifter throws are definitely on the long side. And the 3-2 downshift seemed hard to master.

The S2000 setup is tough to beat for sure. I just felt like I could manhandle the 911 more. The S2000 feels a little fragile in comparison. Then again, it's been about 2 years since I flogged a Stook so maybe I'm wrong.

Without a doubt, the owner of this car is the coolest guy in the world. He's definitely an enthusiast. He's just a little afraid of the car.

Shark

[QUOTE=bjohnston,Sep 29 2006, 08:36 AM] Great write-up.

bjohnston

That's how I felt about the C5 Z06. It felt more like a muscle car to me than a sports car. That's the primary reason why I bought the S2000 over it. Too bad, I thought the C6 was supposed to be a big step above the C5 in terms of feel. Well, at least you can get a 3.4 Boxster S now...