"When it became clear that Porsche was going to introduce the 7th generation of the famous Porsche 911 - intern called 991 - at the IAA in Frankfurt in September 2012, the excitement was great. Once again it should be the last of its kind. Once again, the cast-iron fans of the brand shouted and summoned the end of the rear engined classic. As we know today, everything turned out different and the 991 became a brilliant and worthy successor. Nevertheless it is still worth to take a look behind at the last model of the 997 series. The beautiful Carrera GTS!"
Once again the 997 was the last of its kind. Because in September 2012, a new generation of 911 stood on the IAA in Frankfurt. Even shaking the foundations of the 911 history. It was bigger and had more wheelbase. The angry screams of the hard-core regular clientele was thus foreseeable. They had seen the end of the classic Porsche dawn with beautiful regularity again.
That was the case when power steering was introduced, and certainly when the air cooling of the engine was abolished. The sinking of the rear engine empire will not come, but it can still be a good idea to buy a Porsche 997 GTS today!
The suspension comfort is surprisingly good for a sports car of this power class, the driving behavior in the test characterized by exemplary precision. The limit of the Porsche 911 GTS is so high up that it can not be reached by sensible drivers on the road - that was Porsche's philosophy decades ago.
With its 3.8 liter flat-six in the back - which is still freed from any turbocharger or downsizing - the car already brings it up to a proud power output of 408 hp. Thus it can definitely not be mentioned underpowered and it also crackes the so prestigious benchmark of 300 km/h without any problems.
Nevertheless, the 997 may be compared to his successor - the 991 - as downright petite. The interior is also largely obscured by technical finesses and gimmicks of the modern "touch and tab era". Even virtual displays are in vain.
Here, parameters such as speed and rev counts can still be read out from five genuine round instruments. Simple, analog and honest.
This could give the 997 the title of a future classic and if one observes the prices for a used neat 997 GTS tody, you might find out that even in its years, it is necessary to spend a proud little sum if you want to call one your own in the near future.
© Photos: Alp Emre Göksel // www.alpemregoksel.com
Model: 997 GTS
• engine: 3.8 litre flat-six (n.a.)
• power: 408 hp
• Topspeed: 304 km/h
• 0-100 km/h: 4.3 sec.
Big thanks to the owner of the car, for sharing his pictures with us! - Follow him on Instagram: www.instagram.com/driven34
Kommentar schreiben
Andrew (Samstag, 06 Januar 2018 16:45)
Oh yes! - The 997 GTS is a brilliant car, to be honest I wish I had one...
But prices are still very high
Fredrik (Samstag, 06 Januar 2018 17:57)
Had a black 997 4 gts. Sold it way too early and bought a 991 turbo s instead. Not that you can really compare the two. But I miss my GTS. The sound, the feeling when you wake the neighborhood in the morning.
Perfect car (Mittwoch, 09 Mai 2018 17:21)
I truely Love my 2012 997 GTS. It is art
aesthetically and mechanically. The only car/s that can exceed the overall driving experience without a big wing and with a manual, is the 991.2 GT3 touring or 911R. And those might be too harsh/expensive for everyday.
andrew greenW (Sonntag, 19 Februar 2023 15:40)
We have owned 7 Porsche's including two turbo's along with examples of almost all the other major sports cars marques e.g. Aston Martin, Lotus, Maserati, TVR, Ferrari, Jaguar, etc during the last 25 years and without question, the 997 GTS was the finest car we have ever owned. In addition, it was outstandingly civilised, well made and had no flaws what so ever. While running costs over a three year period and 30,000 miles+ were very low and at the same time, the cars depreciation was also low in comparison to other sports cars we have owned.
Indeed, the car proved so enjoyable to drive and exceptionally easy to live with, that we are looking to buy another as a long term classic purchase. If you do get the chance, please take one out for a long drive and if funds allow, make the effort to buy one.
Octavio A (Samstag, 04 November 2023 21:48)
It's truly a dream come true to own and cherish such a piece of art. I can never get tired of staring at it when I'm walking away from it. When I drive it it feels like I can feel the ground with my bare feet. The driver interaction with the car and road is the best feeling of a true sports car.