Is owning a Porsche today the same?

[duaneh1]

LOL
I've owned Porsche's for 35+ years, from a '72 911S (owned for 13 years) to my current 2011 GT3RS 3.8 & 2015 GT3
anyone who thinks a GT3/RS is "uninvolving" needs to have their head examined.
Whenever I drive a longhood car now I am shocked at how slow the car is...not just acceleration but steering, shift, brakes, chassis stiffness (or should I say weakness), throttle response, etc.
Not trying to diss the LH cars, I still love them that's why I am here...but to say the newer cars are dull ? Spend a day with a 997 RS or 991 GT3
The cars are bigger & heavier yes (you can thank the govt and the fact we're bigger now) but operate at a much higher performance level
From the REAL sport seats (LWB from the 918) to 12+compression ratio to 9000 rpm redline the Porsche GT cars are so much more than any early S

YMMV

I suppose comparing the technology from 50+ years to today is somewhat facetious. Remember how the 356 was known as the "giant killer" in racing lore? P cars ran rings around the cars of its day. To continue to be revered as highly (although old) as they are today the LH cars still possess engineering that is timeless and commanding. You can pull up old footage of early 70's Trans Am race footage of those heavy American built almost Bison-like cars, that would slide off the track when applying a sharp turn. They were fast & big but could not handle as well with the technology they were built with incl. suspension & brakes. It is only today that the, Ford Mustang GT, has been built with comparable handling to a P car of any vintage. I know you are comparing old to new Porsche but, My take is to consider the time period perspective when comparing vintage to modern.

[swbstudios]

I suppose comparing the technology from 50+ years to today is somewhat facetious. Remember how the 356 was known as the "giant killer" in racing lore? P cars ran rings around the cars of its day. To continue to be revered as highly (although old) as they are today the LH cars still possess engineering that is timeless and commanding. You can pull up old footage of early 70's Trans Am race footage of those heavy American built almost Bison-like cars, that would slide off the track when applying a sharp turn. They were fast & big but could not handle as well with the technology they were built with incl. suspension & brakes. It is only today that the, Ford Mustang GT, has been built with comparable handling to a P car of any vintage. I know you are comparing old to new Porsche but, My take is to consider the time period perspective when comparing vintage to modern.

Uh, not exactly. The Penske Camaros/Javelins, Bud Moore Boss 302 Mustangs, etc were very good handling and stopping cars. The 911's(when they were somehow classified as "sedans" and allowed to run TA) could certainly out handle/stop many of the privateer ponycars, but were not in the same league as the factory cars.
No Mustang until today could outhandle any P car of any vintage? Again, simply not true. I'm quite sure a Boss 302, Cobra(remember the earlier ones had IRS), Cobra R,etc can handle corners just fine. The early Shelby Mustangs also handled very well-numerous B/P Championships as proof. I've vintage raced both early P-cars and Shelby Mustangs-they both handle well.

[xpensivewino]

I sold my 997.1 GT3 to get back into an early car, however only to fund the restoration. The 997.1 GT3 was the most awesome 911 I've ever driven. In the perfect world I'd have both, the 6 speed GT3 or RS and a 911 E. I do however feel that the GT3 is almost too much for the street, you can literally get arrested in that damn thing. Once the E is finished, I'll be rolling all my pennies again to try to save up for another 6 speed GT3.

[duaneh1]

Uh, not exactly. The Penske Camaros/Javelins, Bud Moore Boss 302 Mustangs, etc were very good handling and stopping cars. The 911's(when they were somehow classified as "sedans" and allowed to run TA) could certainly out handle/stop many of the privateer ponycars, but were not in the same league as the factory cars.
No Mustang until today could outhandle any P car of any vintage? Again, simply not true. I'm quite sure a Boss 302, Cobra(remember the earlier ones had IRS), Cobra R,etc can handle corners just fine. The early Shelby Mustangs also handled very well-numerous B/P Championships as proof. I've vintage raced both early P-cars and Shelby Mustangs-they both handle well.

Awesome! So you must have been there in the early 1970's when Ford pulled out of Trans Am racing due to lack of winning!

[swbstudios]

Awesome! So you must have been there in the early 1970's when Ford pulled out of Trans Am racing due to lack of winning!

Actually, I was. FYI, Ford did win the title in the Bud Moore Boss 302 Mustangs-driven by Parnelli Jones and George Follmer(you may remember him-he also won the Can Am in the 917/10). Ford beat them all in the most competitive year in the history of the Trans Am.
All of the manufacturers pulled out of the Trans Am in 1971 except for AMC. As to Ford winning, when they initiated their Total Performance program in the 60's, they won in every form of motorsport including F1, LeMans, Nascar, NHRA, Bonneville,etc. You may want to check the history books as Ford has a competition history as rich as any manufacturer and began winning races in 'ol 999 in 1903.

[duaneh1]

Did all of the manufacturers pull out or mainly the "Pony car" manufacturers? AMC must've started racing someone, uh Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Pontiac, Chevy Corvette, & etc.?

[GT3DE]

... I do however feel that the GT3 is almost too much for the street, you can literally get arrested in that damn thing...

Yes, it is way too much for the street. Which is why I stripped mine out and made it a dedicated race car.

[swbstudios]

Did all of the manufacturers pull out or mainly the "Pony car" manufacturers? AMC must've started racing someone, uh Porsche, Toyota, BMW, Pontiac, Chevy Corvette, & etc.?

Factory backed efforts, you know, like Porsche and Corvette at LeMans

[37yrold911]

Maybe some period correct quotes would help answer the OP's question:


The “356s were more solidly built than the 911.” - ROAD & TRACK, May 1974, p. 6 (answer to letter complaining about rattles and wind leaks on a $14,000 car).


The “Porsche image” is “serious. The driver will take himself and his car … damned seriously…. [He] will have no more than a limited sense of humor. Especially concerning Porsches. … slightly insecure … likely to be possession-proud. A car for the technician, rather than the engineer, if you get the distinction.” -- Road & Track, June 1969, p. 58, from a comparison test of the Porsche 911T, Corvette, Jaguar E-type and Mercedes 280SL “Four Luxury GTs.”


In the 1950’s, the “American Porsche customers differed a lot from the German Porsche customers, [who] consisted mainly of members of the nobility and high society. … In the USA, the buyers were not the so-called well-to-do, but technicians, engineers, pilots, doctors … and most of them with German ancestors.” p. 230 in Seif, Ingo. 1985. PORSCHE: PORTRAIT OF A LEGEND.

[NV Stig]

Great subject. I had a brutal realization recently. We had a charter to Bologna, Italy last month a mere 40 minutes from Maranello. It was a once in a lifetime trip so I went out. Cool seeing the Ferrari Museum and when I got out there, and when I got out of the museum the car driving companies jumped me with the do you want to drive pitch. I'm here, so yeah- go big or go home I've never driven a Ferrari and they have a 430 Scuderia there with my name on it (Enzo performance, and the 458 was booked out for the next 2 hours.) Considering this car cost a house, I'm totally unfamiliar with the town, and I don't speak the language this was more stressful than fun. The first generation flappy paddle shifters and double clutch system are a violent action to be in. I thought the transmission was going to drop out of the bottom of the car the way it shuddered. I was asking the guy if I should back off on the throttle when I shift. The guy told me absolutely not, it gets really harsh then. I never got out of 3rd gear.
I never loved my old 911 more than I did in that moment!!! I don't ever see myself getting the opportunity to hop into a Daytona or a 250 whatever in this lifetime to compare, but I love my little 901 transmission. I love to heel and toe. I love the leaning feel of torsion suspension. That 430 is stupid fast, beyond capable, harsh riding, and a thrill and will most likely destroy any car on the road. But it is no Porsche 911. These cars are beyond a special thing.