Porsche Blogs

997 Porsche Carrera Review

Posted on 10. May, 2009 by PB in 911

The Porsche 911 has evolved into something of a legend and the 997 Carrera is without a doubt more seductive than its predecessor. Having said that, to most non-Porsche obsessors, the new 997 pretty much just looks like the last one. And the3 one before that..and the one before that. However, If you look more deeply, there is a heck of a lot going on in this new model than first catches the eye. It first becomes obvious looking at the wheels. This leads you to the power of the machine that lies behind its wheels of course. Reviewers have, of course, compared 997 with 996.

Porsche have always claimed that the Carerra is an "everyday super car" and for around 60,000 GBP, this new 997 certainly lives up to that. Porsche seem to have made this car even easier to live with and with the new interior looking the way it does I would be more than happy using it everyday. Even stuck on the daily commute! But of course, the real fun begins when you suddenly find an excuse to get out of the city and hit the 'noise pedal' with your right foot.

As with the 996, the new 997 Carerra makes you look good. Not in a sitting at the lights way, but in the way that it makes practiced experts out of amateurs. It just seems to work the way it should do. Cornering, breaking, steering are all exactly the way they should be allowing point and squeeze, then smile from ear to ear style driving. You are guarded against rocks, slime, weather and other imbalances in this new model, with the only problem being that is is sometimes easy to forget your in a very very fast car. It will bite if you give it too much lead. Beware

In fact, the 997 rips you forwards kicking and screaming if you want to play, making you (well me anyway) give out a slightly scared yelp. "Ouchabuggeritsfast" being the Scottish funicular.

Perhaps, it's the low-grunt that has been augmented to this version or may be the super strong grip or braking power. Maybe also be the smooth gear change that just seems to slot into place, making you feel like you are driving something bigger and better than anything man could create. This car is very near to perfection. Can you tell I liked it?

To cut the long story short, the 996 was great. I loved it. But you sometimes had to work hard to get the best out of it. The 997 made even someone with my lack of driving ability look and feel like Marc Lied. And I think that's a bonus. Yes, this might be a bad thing if your local bobbie's is overly keen on his fund raising laser toy. You know what I'm talking about. You might just lose your license in this beauty.

I'll have mine with some Vossen VVS-084 wheels thank you very much.

• Price: £58,380 on-the-road (in the UK).

• 0-62mph: 5.0 seconds

• Top speed: 177mph

• Combined economy: 25.6mpg

• Emissions: 266g/km

• Kerb weight: 1395kg