997: SWEET Spot of the Entire 911 lineup?

You might have thought that some light arguing would have taken place within the Total 911 office before we made such a pronouncement. Or at the very least many hours of firm debate late into the evening, surrounded by empty coffee mugs. But there was none of that. In fact, the decision to call the 997.2 possibly the sweetest of spots within the 911 range was a remarkably simple one to reach. We like the 991, and certainly admire its towering performance and impressive technology, but the 911 is no longer the lithe, compact sports car that many of us hanker after in this form.

When it comes to traits like character, everyday practicality, stunning performance and driving purity, the 997.2 has them in abundance. As you can see from the cars assembled here it’s a generation that also includes some truly special models. It’s not just

“Quite possibly the finest generation of all 911s? We think so”

rarity they have in common, either, as each offers something unique, whether it be luxury or race car levels of performance and ability. Sometimes it’s both.

It’s not just us that feels this way about the 997.2. Paragon Porsche’s Jamie Tyler is a firm fan, too, saying they still feel exciting to drive: “They’re so alive on the road,” he tells us. Hexagon’s Jonathan Franklin agrees: “You feel as if you’re almost wearing the car when you’re driving. There’s bags of character.”

Greig Daly from RPM Technik is equally effusive, reckoning: “It’s definitely a sweet spot in the last decade of 911s,” adding that not only do the more compact dimensions ensure a link with the older, classic models, but with the advent of the sevenspeed 991, it could be the six-speed 997.2 that’s the “last, proper manual 911.” Quite possibly the finest generation of all 911s? We think so.