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From C2 to GTS, (via another C2)...

findtom

Well-known member
Joined
18 Mar 2009
Messages
376
Hello all,

Having had my GTS for 3 months now, I thought I would write a short piece about my recent change from a 991 C2 PDK to a 991 GTS PDK.

I have been a long term 911 fan for quite a few years. Starting with a 993 C4 and then moving to a 997.1 then a 997.2 PDK, two 991 C2 PDK and finally a 991 GTS.

So this is my third 991, something I did not intend to happen, but after thinking very long and hard about buying a new 991.2 I decided that, for me at least, the GTS was the best car available at this time.

There are lots of things I could say about the C2 v the GTS, but I thought I would just look at three areas for now. The power difference (350 v 430), the styling and the performance v cost.

The POWERRR!.... 3.4 v 3.8

So this will be controversial, while there is a difference between the 3.4 and the 3.8 it isn't as pronounced as you might think. The moments when you really feel the difference are in the top end of the rev range. Typically as the 3.4 is trailing off the power the 3.8 gets its second wind. What this translates to in the real world is that over 70mph is where you really feel the difference. Of course none of us go over 70(!) so that begs the question, is the extra muscle worth the additional cost? Of course I joke, there are a few additional differences that show up when you are in the wrong gear, (which doesn't matter in the 3.8 as much as the 3.4), but of course the wonder of PDK means that if you are in the wrong gear it is only for a second (or less). And that's the issue, while the 3.8 feels more muscular it really doesn't matter if you have PDK with the 3.4. I would gander that the actual performance difference is almost indistinguishable between the two engines. If anything, the manic nature of the 3.4 lends itself to the overall feel for the baby 911.

I should mention that until I owned my second C2 PDK (with SPASM and PTV etc), I longed for an S. But the feel I gained from the SPASM together with Sports Chrono etc, was a real leveller both in terms of performance and feel, and for me it is all about feel....

GTS bits

So, why buy a GTS over say an S? Well for me it's the wide body (love), the black bits, (on my white car, outstanding) and the extra toys you get as standard. Oh and the noise, did I mention the noise? A GTS is the (I think) the loudest 991 you can buy (not withstanding the GT cars). I was dead set on buying a 991.2 until I drove two of them (C2 and C2S). Great as they were, (and they are really good), I really missed the sound my C2 made. Then when I drove the GTS, I was reminded why I had lusted after one for sooooo long. There is a two-stage noise flap, (not the correct technical term) that opens as you nail the throttle. It sounds 'holy cow' good, and will I bet sold/will sell many, many GTS's on noise alone. I don't recall any other 991 making quite the same noise. (Do power kitted 991s have the two stage flap thing)? But for me, again, it felt like a 911, even more so as you get higher and higher up the rev range. The C2 could not match the noise and theatre of the GTS power kitted 3.8, in fact I'm not sure many engines can.

Performance

So, is the GTS faster than a C2? Well yes, yes it obviously is, it is 350hp v 430hp in largely the same car. But, and this is the big but, there is something I would like to add as someone who has driven 991 since 2013. If you buy a bongo, standard C2 manual without Sports Chrono and without SPASM, then the chasm between them, not just cost wise, but in terms of feel and performance will be notable. But, if you have a fully loaded C2 with Sports Chrono (dynamic engine mounts), SPASM, PTV, and any other performance enhancing bits (ceramic brakes maybe), then honestly, the difference will be very small. Add sports exhaust, (a must on a 991) and that gulf becomes a tiny stream.

However, and this is where I admit that I made a mistake. I thought that the GTS came with SPASM as standard, if you look at the Porsche web site it is very unclear about SPASM added to the car and there are very few GTS's (or other 991s) with SPASM, so I assumed it was standard. It isn't. And so as a result, honestly my last C2 felt and drove better..... I didn't notice it on the test drive because it is such a tiny thing when every other thing about the GTS is a step up from the C2, but it is there. The steering, stance and feel of my C2 was a tiny, tiny percentage better than the GTS I now own.

I should also mention the cost. My last C2 with all the bits it had was £96k new. No one in their right mind would spec a C2 to that amount of money, except Porsche. My car was an ex-Porsche car that had been speced to the nines and then sold on at 6 months old. I paid just over £74k for it and at that money it was a great deal, but compare that to a 6 month GTS at £96k and its an interesting problem. Is the GTS worth the extra £22k? I guess it depends on what you want and what you are happy to spend. For me I float between no, and yes, (noise)! Well, not unless you buy one with SPASM then it is worth every penny.

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Anyway, I'm now looking at fitting the BILSTEIN B16 DAMPTRONIC COILOVER SUSPENSION KIT to correct my error. I would be very interested to hear of anyone's experience with them on a 911 or another car?

Regards,

Tom
 

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Great write up, enjoyed reading your honesty. More should be posting real life stories giving their true views.



:thumb: & hope you don't stop writing in the future
 
Awesome write up.. very soon i should be sharing my views.. picking my first 911 in 48 hours..
i went for a 991 c4s rather than GTS as the GTS was a bit out of my price range for now.

really looking forward to my experience as i come from a series of luxury barges( Jag XF, Jag XJ, Continental Supersports)
[/quote]
 
Hey guys, thanks very much.

48 hours? Lol I bet you can't wait for the Bank Holiday to be over....

Welcome to the club, I love these things. Having had just about every kind of performance car you can name in the last 20 years, I can tell you there really isn't anything like owning a Porsche.

I will look forward to seeing you post some photos and telling us the spec.

Have a great weekend and I hope the pick up goes well!

Tom
 
A great post Tom. Thanks :thumb:

:envy:
 
Hi Tom - great to hear you're grand and fantastic description of the change from the C2 to the GTS.

One day I might just get my act sorted and finally get to the 991 club.

Hopefully we'll see it in the flesh sooner rather than later? Are you still at Northolt? :thumb:
 
Great write up. I must be one of the few who own a C2 991 that isn an s ,GTS etc

Oddly mine was specced super high like yours too. It is my first 911 so I was happy with a c2 but this one came fully loaded with PSE , sports chrono , SPASM, s alloys, and much more like your old one. would have cost the owner £95k plus. I did wonder why they just hadn't gone for a c2s. But buying it used meant i got it for a really good price from the OPC in Glasgow.

I haven't driven any other 991 variant , the c2 is so close to perfection . Even nearly a year down the line the smile factor is amazing. I've always wondered how much better could it get.

Your post has put that to rest ....for now anyway .
 
findtom said:
Hey guys, thanks very much.

48 hours? Lol I bet you can't wait for the Bank Holiday to be over....

Welcome to the club, I love these things. Having had just about every kind of performance car you can name in the last 20 years, I can tell you there really isn't anything like owning a Porsche.

I will look forward to seeing you post some photos and telling us the spec.

Have a great weekend and I hope the pick up goes well!

Tom

I have gone for the 991 C4S with Sports Chrono Plus, PSE, Adaptive seats, PDK, Bose, Black exterior and Pebble/Agate grey interior, Sunroof, heated seats..
yes, this has been the longest bank holiday weekend ever. however i am here in Belgium with my friends XF RS and 550bhp RWD V8 is still a lot of fun in a 4 door saloon. not comparing but just stating the fun i am having..

24 hours more.. picking the car up at 14:00pm tomorrow..
 

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