tommallett

This weekend I was able to try a new Porsche 991 for the second time. This car was an 'S' matched with the PDK gearbox, and will probably prove to be the most popular combination for most buyers. I was also pleased to try the car with my father, who bought a 997 in late 2004 and has kept it ever since. As someone who has owned a few 911's and driven plenty more, what would he think?

As soon as I got home I opened the double garage in which the 997 is kept, evacuated the other vehicle that is kept in there and squeezed the 991 in next to the older car. It was at this point that I realized how much wider the new car looks. It is also worth noting at this point that a standard Carrera and an 'S' model share the same body.

The measurements on Porsche's website claim that the 991 is only slightly bigger, 30mm longer to be exact and no wider. However, the car does feel bigger when you drive it, and even when viewed side by side with a 997.

It is certainly surprising that the raw data does not support this feeling that the 911 has grown. However, upon closer investigation there is a difference, and that is at the front end of the car. Indeed, it is when the 991 and 997 are measured across the front axles (between the headlights) that the difference becomes more apparent.

It is interesting to note that the difference in this department is as stark as the difference between a993 and a 996. Here are the measurements in inches: 993 - 46.5, 996 - 50, 997 - 51.5, 991 - 55. This is a major contributor to why the 991 feels and looks bigger on the road than its predecessor. Just imagine the four sets of lights in your rear view mirror, or trying to squeeze it into a garage which also houses a tractor. It provides more of a challenge, that much is certain.

The 991 is also lower than the 997, and this may, in part, account for the screen moving forward 75mm. Meanwhile, the wheel arches also sit a touch higher than the 997. So, what does this all mean? You can see slightly less of the outside, but the inside feels much more airy. In short, the 991 is making the transition from pure sports car to sports-GT car.

The latest 911 is a better car than its predecessor. Its chassis balance is better, it is more efficient, it rides incredibly well even on 20 inch wheels, the xenon headlights are fantastic and it feels better made. This is the car I would buy, given the money, to do 30 thousand miles a year in.

It's just that, for the weekend, a Cayman S would now sit in the garage, not a 991. Porsche still make the best 911, it's just known as a Cayman nowadays.