[patalive]

-------"Everyone should just wake up to the fact that it's 2003 not 1973. There are far tougher noise, pollution and safety regulations in place than anything dreamed about 30 years ago. The fact is, the 996 is bigger, faster, safer, more comfortable, more accomodating, lighter , more accelerative, better handling, cleaner and cheaper than the 993. Want a plusher interior? Just specify full leather. Want a sportier feel, just specify the factory sports exhaust and sports suspension. Want a pukka race engine - tick the box that says Gee Tee Three. Can't afford it - stop *****ing and work harder. "------------

Sorry, cannot agree with you. As we have discussed earlier, one of the main attractions of the Porsche was being able to take a car from the showroom to the track and not worry about the crank twisting, the trans failing, the engine roasting from oil starvation, etc. Yeah, the new 996 Taurus might be all the things you say, but only for the first 3000 miles, Then, on the track, it goes kaput. It's a car for voyeurs, not for true sport car people. It will be interesting to see if there are as many 996s on the road 20 years from now, as there are SCs and Carreras - jeez we run our 30 year old cars, with STOCK engines, at 6300 rpm all day on the track and then drive them home. No chance in hell a 20 year old, much less a 20 month old, 996 Taurus can do that.

Chuck
93 C2