Max Newman
Aylesbury, UK @maxripcor 9WERKS Radio Model 991.1 CARRERA S Year 2013 Acquired SEPTEMBER 2020
If you run a Porsche 911 from the 991 generation, how do you set up the buttons on the central ‘tower’ console? People are often surprised that I have the exhaust button off. Allow me to explain my rationale.
If PSE – Porsche Sport Exhaust, or Porsche Switchable Exhaust as we used to call it – is fitted to your car then you’re already winning because the car sounds incredible without you going anywhere near that button. The exhaust has valves that remain closed when you’re pottering about and the car sounds lovely. When you’re gunning it the valves open and the thing screams to the redline, making all kinds of angry crackles on the overrun.
With the exhaust button turned on the valves are open all the time, even when you’re pottering about, but I find the sound to be a little bit of a drone. It’s here I think the M96/97 motor is far more sonorous and why I think you should buy a 997.1 and not a DFI 997.2, if you happen to be in the market for a manual 997 Carrera. In the upper reaches of the rev-range in spirited driving I find the experience the same – button on or off – and that experience is pretty epic.
Although there are valves in play,
I find how the motor builds to a crescendo with the button off to be a more organic and enjoyable experience. And I like to slip through villages and towns unnoticed rather than announcing my arrival to all and sundry.
I’ve only come to the ‘sport chassis’ button fairly recently, I must admit. A legacy of rock hard 997.1 sport PASM, perhaps? But with the gulf between the best and the very worst roads in Buckinghamshire widening I’ve started to use and enjoy the stiffer setting more and more. The feeling and body control into, through and out of a corner is absolutely sensational, without masking the inherent balance of the car, and the ride is fine.
A serious 911 highlight this month has been spending a bit of time at Silverstone with one of the Holy Grail of 911s: a 1974 3.0 RSR. The car in question belongs to a friend of mine and you’ll likely recognise it as the Café Mexicano car. Owned originally by Héctor Rebaque who took the car to first place overall on its first outing at the IMSA 1000 Kilometres of Mexico City, it went on to contest four editions of the 24 Hours of Daytona, finishing ninth overall at the 1975 event. Eight years later it finished fifth overall and second in class. Additionally, it ran the 12 Hours of Sebring twice, finishing fourth overall and first in class at the
1982 race. Having only seen the car indoors previously, it was really special to see in a proper motorsport context and watch it lapping the circuit. Fantastic.
You’d rightly think that experience would be difficult to top, but I managed it. I attended the inaugural 9WERKS Awards at which the guest of honour was legendary British Porsche designer Tony Hatter. Tony is famous for designing the 993 generation 911 as well as the GT1, but also developed the 50th Anniversary 991 – a 911 that I really covet. It was a real treat to listen to Tony answering questions from the guests present on the evening, but even more special to chat with him in person afterwards, as many of us did, thanks to Tony’s warm personality and generosity with his time.
In my time invested playing ‘fantasy garage’ I’ve often wondered which of the three colour options I’d choose for my own 50th Anniversary 991. I like them all. I’m always drawn towards a black 911 and have always thought it works particularly well on this model. However, Tony revealed that it’s only on the lineup for this car at the insistence of the marketing department. The two colours developed by Tony and his design team specifically for the 50th Anniversary car were Geyser grey, which is designed to evoke the colour palette of the 911 in its early days, and a darker graphite grey that harks back to the iconic Slate grey 911S driven by Steve Mcqueen in the movie Le Mans. Asked which he would choose Tony replied, without hesitation, Geyser grey. That’s good enough for me.