You guys are too hard on CreatureCat. I think he has a legitimate concern. When we were growing up, we all knew the Porsche as a very fast and potent car. And it is still that, but within context of modern machinery, it truly is no faster than a mid-level sedan.
It's always surprising when modern (and heavy) cars or trucks outrun an old 911. However, that surprise wears off quickly. Speed and purpose are different. Speed is at the ready in almost any car line available. There's a Saturn out there which can give my 911 more than enough straightline competition. But I'm not worried.
Purposefully, I don't drive my car to race other cars as more often than not if they're good drivers in modern cars, or simply ham-heeled drivers in modern cars whose only requirement is to keep the gas pedal down, in the end, I'll be beat. I drive the car because of the experience of driving something simple and non-electronically assisted; an automobile that is at its newest part (the engine) is over two-decades old. I'm proud of the fact that I drive a car that is not just reliable and classic, but is also 30 years old. Whom else can say that of their modern machinery whose lifespan is nothing longer than 5 to 7 years according to most warranties?
But look at it this way. Our old 911s still run, are paid for, and will continue to run if we maintain them. I bet our old cars are also infinitely stronger than the Cayenne. The Cayenne also looks like a VW, and the VW looks like any ubiquitous SUV/wagon. Nothing else looks like a 911, especially an older 911.
Also, as I've been told many times, the 911 is one of the most challenging cars ever produced in which one can hope to drive quickly. Bragging rights come in droves if one can say, "I drive a 911 - and fast - around a race track." As for the Cayenne, it is complex, heavy and computerized to go as fast as it does. The 911 takes skill.
I'm not going to take anything from the Cayenne - it's a nice vehicle. But that's just it: it's a vehicle. The 911, especially the older ones are a passion, and passion takes power everytime.
