Since I bought the 991.1 (first half of 991) Carrera 4 GTS, I've been completely captivated by the first half of 991 these days, but this time I was blessed with the opportunity to test drive the original (base grade) Carrera of the first half of 991. I would like to talk about the charm of the original 911 as well as that report.

Why do people who have transferred Porsche return to the original 911?

This is a story I've heard many times before riding a Porsche, but often prominent car critics and people who have succeeded to many Porsche cars"Porsche 911" is the bestHe says.

I used to hear that"That's not the case. The higher grades are higher and it's decided to be good. Speed and power are justice. Turbo, GT3!"There was a time when I always thought.

Then I bought a few Porsche and transferred, and after riding a lot of Porsche from 356 to the latest Taycan, I finally understood the meaning.

Porsche has a different grade concept from other manufacturers

For those who buy Porsche for the first time, like many other manufacturers, all the upper grades are included,Many people think that if you buy a higher grade, all the performance of the lower grade is included.

So, at first, many people are attracted to the hierarchy and the coolness of the design, and aim for the higher grade. And I think that if you buy a higher grade, power, comfort, and fun must all be better than a lower grade.

It's partly right,Not so much for Porsche.

For example, in an extreme case, if you compare the plain 911 and GT3, these two can not be used in the same way. To be precise, the orientation is very different. Compared to the versatility of the original 911, the GT3 is expensive but has less comfort equipment and sound insulation, and the gear ratio and engine power band are extremely lacy. that's why,Just because it is a higher grade called GT3, it does not include the functions of the original 911.

On the other hand, the higher grades and special tuning models of other manufacturers naturally have power and equipment, but that doesn't mean they are not suitable for usability, and they are considered to be fully usable for everyday use.

This time I compared my Carrera 4 GTS with a plain Carrera,It is quite different between raw and GTS.This time, I would like to report mainly on that area.

Raw 911 Carrera

The vibrant red color of Guards Red is eye-catching, and the options are minimal.There are no running options, Standard 19-inch wheels, suspension without PASM, and no sports chrono package or sports exhaust.

This isCarrera in a genuine stateIt is.

When you start the engine, you wake up with a slightly gentler starting sound than the GTS, although the volume is loud. The 350ps 3.4L engine is the same as the one on the 981 Boxster S and GTS, with only a few tuning differences.

The seat is a standard sports seat. The standard sports seats of this era have a thick seating surface, and are not as thin and hard as the 992. Although the holdability around the shoulders is inferior to that of Sports Seat Plus, there is a lot of free space around the shoulders, so I think that the shoulders do not get stiff even over long distances.

As they start to run, theThe first impression is "light".Very light. I think it's better to say that this is a light movement rather than a light weight. Like GTS, it feels like it's full of power right after the start, and it's not like the rugged feeling of starting to run while grabbing the road surface, but it seems that the power of the whole body has been lost, or in human terms,Feeling like relaxing your shoulders and starting to runIt is.

The ride quality is not bad at all. Compared to the Carrera S with PASM that I rode before, I think that it is better in terms of unevenness processing and smoothness in small parts, but unless you compare it directly, no one will complain. think.

In sports mode, keep the tachometer needle in the middle rev range and carefully turn the curve. The engine sound isEven though there is no sports exhaust, I can hear it enough, and I am very satisfied with the amount of change in tone color, volume, and sound quality.

I hear that the engine sound was developed with extraordinary effort when the 991 was released. It is designed to change the tone and volume according to the driving conditions, load, shift, etc., and Wolfgang Hatz, who is in charge of technology development, saidIt is said that it was described as a "6-cylinder orchestra", but it is a beautiful voice that lives up to its name.

The engine sound that can be called the thick "roar" of GTS is also wonderful, but the sound without this original sports exhaust is also wonderful.The engine sound is light and elegant.Even the same 911 991 has a completely different seasoning, and this is also a point that makes it difficult to select a Porsche grade. I think it's a place where opinions are completely divided depending on taste.

Personally, the powerful sound of GTS is good for use like running up the winding, but in situations like running around the country road in the countryside.I felt that the sound of the original Carrera could be heard all the time without getting tired of it.

Also, the power feeling of 350ps is just right. It is a feeling of power that can be taken by Japanese winding, and the fun of running with the engine running is definitely more than the upper grade.

The gap between the front fender of Carrera and the tire. About 4 fingers.

This is Carrera 4 GTS. About 3 fingers.

The handling is also quite different. First of all, the big difference is the amount of rolls. The roll is clearly larger for the plain Carrera. (By the way, it's a story compared to GTS. It's far less than a normal car)

My wife said that the roll and the lightness were rather uneasy, but I didn't think that way at all. Rather, I felt that the condition of the roll acted like an instrument to measure the load and the limit range, and I felt that it would inform the driver of the situation of the car every moment.

Therefore, it is very easy to interact with the car, and it is very easy to grasp the left and right load by steering operation, the front and rear load transfer by turning the accelerator on / off, and turning the brake on / off. now,You can see what the car is like and how much room you haveIt is. To be honest, I thought this was fun.

If you run the same course with GTS, even if you step on the accelerator, I think that it is thanks to the 4WD and PTV, but it bends like a squeaky cut and escapes the corner with an interestingly stable load without being so conscious of anything. I will do it. This is exciting and irresistible, but there is no doubt that the feeling of manipulating it is stronger for the plain Carrera.This is close to the "maneuvering" feeling of an air-cooled Porsche.

I think that is one of the reasons why Porsche's experienced people say "plain 911 is good". If you are familiar with driving and experience various cars, after allYou end up with a car that feels like you are driving yourself.The strongest feeling is always "Genuine 911" even in the times. That's why I think they can continue to be chosen.

Balance is important for the quality of the car

The loud but light 6-cylinder NA sound, the lightness of this suspension, and the moderate underpower of 350ps match very well. I think this is "good balance". Even if only the GTS sound is added to this car, the balance between the feeling of the suspension and the feeling of power will be unbalanced, and it will feel somewhat strange.

GTS is based on the good balance of GTS, and the original carrera is based on the good balance of the original carrera.It is. I think it's a good idea to think that adding spice to this balance to your liking is a Porsche running option.

In this way, Porsche is particularly good at the upper model, and it does not mean that the lower model is inferior to it.The only advantages or disadvantages are speed and price.For those who value speed, the higher model is fine, but for those who value fun and operability, it is better to choose a grade that suits your skills and taste without being confused by the appearance, appearance, and hierarchy. I think.