New 997 photos

[JeremyD]

Originally posted by thabaer
I hope the butt is heavily disguised...



to coin a phrase: THAT'S DISGUSTING!

Holy Buttcheeks Batman! Wonder what they have stuffed back there? mmm four tip exhaust... Think it's an 8?

Oh and I can just hear the 356 crowd when the 911 came out - gawddarn hippies and their bell bottoms and plaid seat inserts - damn 911, heavy luxocruiser.

[plain fan]

The first pictures look like they are still covering the front bumper and turn signal/driving lights for some reason. The hood has some characteristics of the C-GT.

I'd never seen the prototype 986 photos before...now I understand why everyone moans about the "compromises" Porsche made when the 986 was officially put into production. Like my brother said, he doesn't even really like Porsches, "The boxster could have looked like that? Why the hell didn't Porsche build it like that??" I couldn't even give him a wild a$$ guess...

[Decolliber]

I read somewhere that the 997 will have a twin turbo, so that bulging butt may be what it really will look like.
I don't think the front looks too bad - reminds me of the 959.
Interior (instrument panel) looks really cheesy though. Like a Nissan.

[MMARSH]

Originally posted by Mikkel
They are probably planning to call this "911" too.

A 911 is supposed to stir emotions. It's supposed to be unique, timeless and sexy looking.

How is a 911 supposed to be unique if everybody would like the 911 to stay the same. There is no design they could come up with that would satisfy everybody. Personally. I think a GT2 or GT3 is damn sexy looking.

MMarsh

You're right the GT3 & GT2 look good. But they don't have the special 911 trademarks.

The 911 is unique because it stayed the same through all those years. It's unique because it has a number of design details that combine to something unlike any other car. Those details became the trademark of the 911, they "were" the 911. The 911 had charisma and magic because of those details. Trademarks mostly gone with the 996.

"There is no design they could come up with that would satisfy everybody."

I agree on your statement above.

[Pete000]

With out the fresh air vent in the hood, it looks so plain! Well long live the air cooled 911's I am in no rush to give Porsche my money for that!

[thabaer]

A person with a hump got a bad shake from nature, decent people look past that.

This, somebody did it ON PURPOSE!
( and I doubt there's a vaccine...no way to build up our immunity )

[naparsei]

The 996 seems like a natural evoluation to me, the GT2s are sweet and CLEARLY 911s. In 40 years, these cars could have changed MUCH, MUCH more - look at, well, EVERY OTHER CAR FROM 1964! Multiple generations with NO trace of their history (although if GM release a Split Window C6, people would mail checks today for that 2" strip of fiberglass!). You can still see the 911 in the 997 design (hell, you can still see the 356 in that design - let's go back half a CENTURY).

The first 911/901 buyers were not buying the classic, timeless 911 design, they were buying a great sports car (one most of you love 35 years later with a passion). The car looked good then, but it wasn't a legend - but the performance was there, the Porsche mystique and reputation were there.

If the 997 drives like a truck or a Lexus, I'll be among the first to criticize. I, too, would love a return to the type of performance that less weight can provide, but I have no doubt the car will drive and perform like a true Porsche. I loved my 356, my short hood 911, my long hood 911, and my Boxster. They do have a HUGE legacy up to, but who else would you want designing new Porsches? I'm more impressed by a forward looking company that designs the GT3RS (embodying the ideal and concepts of the original in a thoroughly modern way) than a backward looking, sales starved Ford redoing a car this is 30 years old.

[Glasgow 911SC]

More (Coupe) pics here.

[jyl]

My two cents.

$0.01: the various spy shots of the 997 all look quite different. Some are attractive, others are hideous. Some are sleek, some are lumpy. How much is the disguise, how much is the angle? I'm going to resist forming any opinion about this design until I see the actual car.

$0.01: there will surely be aftermarket front bumpers, so if that's all you don't like about the design, its fixeable.

[kstar]

Originally posted by Jeremy964
Holy Buttcheeks Batman! Wonder what they have stuffed back there? mmm four tip exhaust... Think it's an 8?

Oh and I can just hear the 356 crowd when the 911 came out - gawddarn hippies and their bell bottoms and plaid seat inserts - damn 911, heavy luxocruiser.

That rear is somewhat reminiscent of the late 50s, early 60s 356A and B 1600.

FWIW.

BR,

Kurt

[epbrown]

Originally posted by onewhippedpuppy
Anybody know when the 997 will be "officially" unveiled?

Matt, the officila unveiling is to be the Paris Auto Show in September, according to Autocar. The car goes on sale in Europe in October.

Emanuel

[MOMO3.2]

I think the car looks pretty good. I like the curves and I like the round lights. At a 3/4 angle, the front wings and bonnet remind me of a 356. With the right wheels, that car is going to look awsome.

Go Porsche!

Mike

[What's my name]

Ew EW EW EW Not the best. On a scale of 1-10 I'd say 'bout -10M or so

[on-ramp]

from the Autocar article:

"Our first photograph inside the 997 reveals a newer, Cayenne-inspired cabin"

oh great, Porsche's exotic flagship sportscar is now taking cues from their SUV! what a joke.

i agree with others that say this new design is very bland. nothing about it is inspiring. I'm sticking with my SC, thank you very much

[1987C1]

It looks a little more like a 911.

The thing that has me mad is the weight.
As per the AutoCar report the 997 will gain
30kg (73Ibs).

Cayenne-inspired cabin = Cayenne-inspired Weight

With all the new technology in materials today you
would think they could lower the weight!!!

[CJ]

Imagine a longnose on that, I'd buy one.

[K. Roman]

The Silver one above doesn't look bad at all.
I think the 997 cab with the silver/blue with the black rims looked ishhy 'cos the colors made it look as it were pieced together with used parts.

[What's my name]

still u-g-l-y. but it has the right light that look more like the older models