Tiptronic tip

Whilst I enjoyed your ‘Affordable 911s’ article ( evo 249), I completely disagree with your criticism of the Tiptronic 996 Turbo. You have given potential buyers the wrong impression of this car.

Whilst the Tiptronic’s 0-60 time is slower than that of the manual car [above] by 0.7sec, after this any performance difference is negligible. Also, the 996 Turbo is a GT car highly suited to long drives across continents, and the Tiptronic ’box is well suited to this type of driving.

There are other benefits, too. With the performance on offer – the 996 Turbo is very quick even by modern standards – it can be helpful to keep a firm grip on the wheel with both hands under hard acceleration, as this makes the car more controllable and allows you to place it more accurately and safely, especially on B-roads or uneven surfaces. Probably the biggest benefits are that you can be sure that the engine won’t have been over-revved and you will not have the significant cost of replacing the clutch.

I have owned both manual and Tiptronic versions of this car and I consider them to be equally enjoyable, but the Tiptronic is a better ownership proposition, especially if you want to drive your car rather than wrap it up in a blanket in a garage!

So don’t write off the Tiptronic – it is the bargain of the moment. Tim Cunliffe