Test Drive of the Porsche 991 Base Grade

The other day, I had the chance to test drive a reader’s Porsche 911. It was an early 991 model base Carrera, with simple options: BOSE, power folding mirrors, sport steering wheel, and seat heaters only.

The body color was Guards Red.

It perfectly matched the image from Momoe Yamaguchi’s song, the “bright red Porsche.” (Though the era was different from the 991.)

When I arrived at the meeting spot and saw the Guards Red 911 in person, it was incredibly beautiful. The red popped against any background and looked like a picture. I could have stared at it forever.

Unlike our GTS, the rear was smaller and had a refined, feminine vibe. I even found myself saying to the owner, “Could you let me know if you ever sell this? (Though I can’t buy it yet).”

Once inside, the engine start sound was very pleasant—not too loud, not too quiet, just right. When driving off, even without the sports exhaust option, a crisp, well-tuned engine sound came from the rear of the body.

It was louder than I expected, and my husband said,

The engine sounds really great. Even without the sports exhaust, it’s enough. The only difference I notice is the lack of bubbling sound when you lift off the accelerator.

I really agreed with him.

Also, this 991 didn’t have PASM, but the ride comfort was surprisingly good. There was no harshness at low speeds, and it felt smooth even at moderate speeds. I thought, “This is totally fine for city driving.”

That made me realize how stiff the suspension is overall on the current 992.

However, when driving some corners on the Royu Driveway at a decent pace, I felt a bit uneasy… but that was mostly due to my own driving skill.

The basic performance is excellent, but compared to the stable feel of the Carrera 4 GTS, there were moments where I thought, “If I corner at this speed, it might get a bit unsettled.” I couldn’t quite grasp how far the car could go and couldn’t drive at my usual pace.

Autumn Porsche 911 Early Model Festival

Later, when we stopped at the Royu Driveway lookout for a break, to my surprise, there was a 911.1 Carrera S Cabriolet parked!

Like our GTS, it had an Agate Grey body with a brown soft top. The yellow PCCB calipers really stood out on this very cool 911.

My husband said, “Oh, that’s ●●’s car!”

Indeed, this 911 Carrera S Cabriolet belonged to an owner we had previously introduced on this blog here.

What a coincidence… unexpectedly, the “Royu Autumn Early 991 Festival” was underway, like the Yamazaki Autumn Bread Festival.

Then, when I drove the 911 Carrera S, it was completely different from the base model, which surprised me. The grade and options really make a big difference.

The initial acceleration felt a bit heavier than the base, but once moving, it was definitely faster. Also, thanks to the PCCB, the brakes worked better than usual, allowing me to corner with rock-solid stability. The grip was strong, and there was almost no body roll.

Driving with the top down, the engine sound pouring down from above, feeling the autumn breeze, and switching to manual mode was simply exhilarating.

I even thought, “I want to keep driving like this forever” (laughs).

The True Charm of Porsche’s Base Grade

Later, I sat in the passenger seat of the Guards Red base 911 and experienced it from my husband’s driving. Within seconds of starting, I couldn’t help but shout out loud:

Wow!! This is totally different from when I drove it!! The car feels so alive!!
…Wait!? Does it really sound this good!? Can it really corner this well!? It’s like a fish in water!
I can’t believe it’s the same car I drove…!!

Watching the video of my surprised reaction later, I realized how funny I must have looked, as I was amazed and shouting the whole time inside the car (laughs).

The car felt so alive, and I finally truly experienced how great this 911 is. My husband said,

Since it’s such a great car, it’s a waste not to keep the revs up while driving. I love driving my GTS, but in a way, the base Carrera lets you really enjoy the pure fun of driving.
My GTS is all-wheel drive, so it’s super stable and fast in corners, which is fun, but with this simple base 911 with few options, it’s really fun to think about how to master it and communicate with the car while driving.
That feeling of wrestling the car, answering its “I can still go! Can you keep up!?” challenge, and syncing your rhythm to nail a perfect run—that’s the best fun!

I see… I bet it’s really fun once you get to that level.

Having driven the early 991 GTS, S, and base models around the same time, I thought this:

“Skilled drivers can enjoy the pure driving pleasure with Porsche’s base grade (though the 992 base is already very high performance). On the other hand, those less confident in driving might feel safer and enjoy more with higher-end models like the GTS, which have stronger grip, more solidity, and less body roll.”

From now on, I’ll aim to improve my driving skills with my Swift even more. I’m truly grateful to the owners who let me drive their precious cars this time!