996 vs 997

[London Irish]

Hi all,

Will try to be brief. Did Porsche make a mistake in returning to the 993 round lights front?

The rear of the 997 is much more agressive looking....but the front has gone soft. I prefer the front of the 996! Does anyone else agree?

PS
This forum can damage your health. Every time I log on I risk wanting to sell a kidney!

>>> Edited by London Irish on Sunday 24th April 23:12

[oldtimer]

Where Porsche made a mistake was in not addressing the weakness in the engine design ( the bit that goes in that 'improved' tail end)....the restyling is almost just cosmetics and an attempt to differentiate from the boxter..

[Roshambo]

I just cannot get used to the 997 front end myself those lights still look odd to me. Plus Porsche hasn't done a great job of making the 997 look differend to the Boxster - they still look very similar from the front !

[911fan]

I agree about the front lights and the rear design, but it leaves me thinking that it's an 'interim' design until they come out with the facelift which will be really be the evolved article.

911fan.

[jjr1]

I think the 997 looks a 100% better at the front now as I really hate those fried egg style lights of the 996.

[softinthehead]

London Irish said:

Hi all, The rear of the 997 is much more agressive looking....but the front has gone soft. I prefer the front of the 996! Does anyone else agree? >>> Edited by London Irish on Sunday 24th April 23:12

nope. diametrically opposed! I always thought the 993 front was gorgeous, and the 996 cluster a fussy, overdesigned, hideous L shaped collection of deeply unattractive plastic that spoiled the lines and made it look just like the equally ghastly boxster cluster. but then I've got a 968 so I would say that.

porsche seem to be subscribing to the less is more school with the 997 front end, which personally I think is correct. they may also be trying to tap into the groundswell of rose-tinted nostalgia associated with the "last of the air cooled" 911s. just look at residuals on 993s compared to 996s to see that there is something hin the 993 that stirs people, and the just 996 doesnt have it.

in the end, simplicity alwasy beats fussiness in design, and more metal always beats more plastic

now diving back below the parapet before the 996 owners finish their mid-morning cuppas....

>> Edited by softinthehead on Monday 25th April 12:46

[Thunderfoot]

I think the 997 is simply to bland for a 60k+ sports car. I don't know exactly what it is, but the front end of the 997 just doesn't look quite right, not finished, and as many have said, it really does look like a Beatle Type R.

Just as I have got into the Porsche marque with my 996, they have produced the first car I'm not too keen on.
It looks too much like a Boxster (still), this along with the mass produced numbers, has made the Porsche brand far less exclusive, and if we are honest, this is part of the appeal.

My next car will be either 996 TT or GT3. After that I'll be moving to another marque, the 997, unless facelifted just doesn't appeal to me.

[lightweight]

I think this topic is interesting. What does it say about Porsche people ? we all tend to be a little conservative 'small C'.Maby we buy into the brand because of its heratige so the old model is always the best looking? I fell in love with the 3.0RS as a boy my first porsche experiance was a 968 but I migrated to a 3.4 996 and swore I would never buy a facelift 3.6 now I have a C4S and will possably get a 997 GT3 if it looks as good as the 997 cup car which is growing on me.

Big boys toys

[marx]

Compared to the aircooled, the 997 front end looks too long with the round lights. It seems a physically big car. From some angles, the rear wings seem too wide & high and don't fall to the bumper. There's a certain hump-backedness to the rear engine cover that the 996 didn't have. 996 C4S looks nice with the red strip across the back as it disguises the bulk of the 911 rear-end

[t urbo]

Im not too fussed with the styling, as long as the 997 tt s has more power, handles better and is quicker all round than the current X50 then i will be buying one.

[STEVEJT]

Although the 997 looks might be controversial the one major reason why I am trading my 996 C2 for a 997 C2S is build quality. I have spent a long time going over the 997 and it really does remind me of the 993 in terms of how well it is put together. I pick up the new car tomorrow and can hardly wait

[pesty]

I love 996's but I prefer the 997.

There is a black one driving around near me and its absolutely bloody gorgeous!

[BT52]

Totally agree, much prefer the styling of the 996.
997 looks retro to me, as if it's trying to be a 993 (which I never liked).

Mark

[silver993tt]

997 actually looks like a 911 unlike the "Japanese" 996

[Mnorato]

I've owned a 996 and now have a new 997 and the difference is amazing. The 997 has a much bolder stance and more defined look. Part the two cars side by side and take a look from all angles and you’ll be stunned by the difference in look.

Additionally the interior is now what one would expect from a car that costs $90k, striking the right balance between form and function.

And lastly, I actually prefer the 997 nose vs. the scrambled egg head lights of the 996 and the 997 looks nothing like the Boxster.

[kayc]

Mnorato said:

I've owned a 996 and now have a new 997 and the difference is amazing. The 997 has a much bolder stance and more defined look. Part the two cars side by side and take a look from all angles and you’ll be stunned by the difference in look.

Additionally the interior is now what one would expect from a car that costs $90k, striking the right balance between form and function.

And lastly, I actually prefer the 997 nose vs. the scrambled egg head lights of the 996 and the 997 looks nothing like the Boxster.

Scrambled egg? Only if its been in a head-on crash.

[Phooey]

Looks like the search function is working again

[Nano2nd]

Mnorato said:

I've owned a 996 and now have a new 997 and the difference is amazing. The 997 has a much bolder stance and more defined look. Part the two cars side by side and take a look from all angles and you’ll be stunned by the difference in look.

Additionally the interior is now what one would expect from a car that costs $90k, striking the right balance between form and function.

And lastly, I actually prefer the 997 nose vs. the scrambled egg head lights of the 996 and the 997 looks nothing like the Boxster.

2 posts and you drag one up from 5 years ago?

[Beaky59]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it's how it looks to you which is important

Personally, I prefer the 997 to the 996, then again I like the look the air cooled stuff (they are not as bulky) to the new crop

[shoestring7]

Well it might be an old post, but you can hardly claim that the debate has moved on at all!

At least the 997.2 appears to have a proper fix to the 996/7 engine problems. Having said that, the DFI is potentially an area for a whole bunch of new problems, if my experience of a N/A Dfi Audi is anything to go by.

Mind you, on that basis the non-DFI Cayman/Boxster 2.9 is the safest long-term bet!


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