991.1 GTS vs Ftype R vs R8 v10 vs Vantage GT

[Seattle M3]

Vantage GT. Timeless design, fast enough that you can actually enjoy it on the street, terrific exhaust note, reliable, great DD.

[dgoldenz]

Originally Posted by Seattle M3

Vantage GT. Timeless design, fast enough that you can actually enjoy it on the street, terrific exhaust note, reliable, great DD.

lol

[neliconcept]

Originally Posted by dgoldenz

991.1 GT3. 10 year 120k engine warranty. Drive one and there will be no other choice if you can afford it. It’s absolute perfection.

For his only car though and to be driven in the winter? Yea I dunno about that one.

If I were him, I'd go 991 GTS 4 with two sets of wheels and call it a day.

[neliconcept]

Originally Posted by baege

Hello all

I may be in a position to look for a new ride soon. I don't commute to work but this would be my only car and it would be winter driven (occassionally)

Looking for opinions on which of the following would bring the most smiles per mile (which is really my only criteria).

R8 V10 (1st gen or second gen, manual 2010 and up or Stronic 2014 and up)
F type R Coupe 2016 and up
991.1 GTS or 981 GT4
2015-2016 Vantage GT manual

pretty much all priced similar except for the R8 and 991.1 GTS, which are at another level, I can swing it, but do wonder if the extra cost is worth it.

As you can tell from the list, I value normal aspiration.
I also like low end torque.
I like smaller cars with good visibility.

I have always been a manual guy, but the zf8 in my m240i is pretty good, and as I mature I am thinking a really good paddle set up might actually be my preference

I've had 2 981 Cayman S's so I've already done the porsche thing.
I have always just loved the vantage looks, but past test drives have been disappointing in terms of driving dynamics

I have never driven an R8 but sat in my friend's v10 manual

I am leaning towards the ftype R, the last one I drove made me smile and giggle like a school girl

I am not a track guy so it's really about enjoying a car as a road car on pleasure drives

If you do the F Type R, I would suggest going used. They have terrible resale and I mean terrible!! 2016s are going low 50s right now with a 102 msrp. That's roughly 50% in just 2 years or so. I do agree that the F type is a blast and I loved driving the one I was about to get. Decided against it because the seats really are not comfortable.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by neliconcept

For his only car though and to be driven in the winter? Yea I dunno about that one.

If I were him, I'd go 991 GTS 4 with two sets of wheels and call it a day.

I've seen a number of rwd 911's when skiing and driven daily in the snow when I worked in Frankfurt. 65% of the weight on the drive wheels makes 4wd kind of redundant. You could make a GT3 serviceable year round, but it would absolutely require great snow tires and a modicum of driving skills.

[Flacht3]

Originally Posted by Seattle M3

Vantage GT. Timeless design, fast enough that you can actually enjoy it on the street, terrific exhaust note, reliable, great DD.

Timeless yes. Priced right, yes.

Fast...not so much. Have you driven one? They sound phenomenal and definitely give off the sense of something "special" but leave you underwhelmed in terms of speed and the transmission is a bit of a clunker as is the suspension and handling.

I wouldn't want one as my only car...maybe as a weekend cruiser when I'm looking for something with less edge than my GT3 but as my only car it would put me to sleep.

Reliable...yea not so much.

[neliconcept]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

I've seen a number of rwd 911's when skiing and driven daily in the snow when I worked in Frankfurt. 65% of the weight on the drive wheels makes 4wd kind of redundant. You could make a GT3 serviceable year round, but it would absolutely require great snow tires and a modicum of driving skills.

A lot of driving skills would be in order. It's possible but would it be fun to drive that thing in the snow? Sometimes yes, but most of the time no. Depends if he plans to buy another car/suv for ski trips later.

And Germany is very good about keeping the roads clear unlike sometimes in the northeast. Also the OP is in Toronto so I'm assuming they get quite a bit of snow.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by neliconcept

A lot of driving skills would be in order. It's possible but would it be fun to drive that thing in the snow? Sometimes yes, but most of the time no. Depends if he plans to buy another car/suv for ski trips later.

And Germany is very good about keeping the roads clear unlike sometimes in the northeast. Also the OP is in Toronto so I'm assuming they get quite a bit of snow.

Okay, Toronto probably warrants awd. For me in TX with trips to CO and NM, I can justify rwd, but Poutine Land is more in the awd camp. Or at least the two car camp.

[Alfisti]

AWD is one of the all time great myths. Just get snow tyres, they do a far better job and you'll need them anyway. Toronto is flat as a tack anyway and you don't do more than 10kmh with snowfall as the roads grind to a halt.

[baege]

thanks for all the responses...lots are focused on practical stuff like depreciation and winter ability

I am really looking for perspectives on which one will bring the most driving enjoyment for a low end torque smallish car junky like me

[Flacht3]

Tires > AWD

Good snow tires on a RWD or hell even FWD car will perform better in the snow than the wrong tires on an AWD car. People put place too much importance on the drivetrain when it's secondary to what kind of rubber you're packing.

[Alfisti]

Originally Posted by baege

thanks for all the responses...lots are focused on practical stuff like depreciation and winter ability

I am really looking for perspectives on which one will bring the most driving enjoyment for a low end torque smallish car junky like me

For me, personally, couldn't enjoy an R8 because too showy. I'd go the Porsche.

But only you can answer that question, i mean you like the F type where most of us would have that 3rd for sheer driving pleasure. You looking for obnoxious fun or handling?

Bigger/heavier car but i had some time in a base Mustang GT and it was pretty good fun, sounded fantastic. A GT350 may be up your alley, it's one HELL of a NA engine, if not the torque you are after.

[neliconcept]

Originally Posted by Chris_DM

Tires > AWD

Good snow tires on a RWD or hell even FWD car will perform better in the snow than the wrong tires on an AWD car. People put place too much importance on the drivetrain when it's secondary to what kind of rubber you're packing.

AWD + Snow owns all. just my opinion.

Plus the GTS has 305 rear tires so wider snowtires will help but still won't do much over something where you can put skinnier tires on. So having AWD plus the snows would be best. Granted, it's his choice and I could drive a RWD with snows and be fine.

[Alfisti]

I don't see the point in owning and driving a sports car then anchoring it with AWD. Sucks the life out of it. Just get a daily beater or fucking uber it on snow days.

[neliconcept]

Guess you've never driven a GTS 4, Turbo, R8, GTR, Huracan, Aventador? All are AWD. They all drive awesome too.

[Alfisti]

Nope. But it would just feel wrong. RWD .. it's a sports car.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by neliconcept

Guess you've never driven a GTS 4, Turbo, R8, GTR, Huracan, Aventador? All are AWD. They all drive awesome too.

Except any time they make a RWD Gallardo, R8, etc it's a lot lighter and everyone talks about how much better it is drive. I can't see a situation where rwd and awd were available that I'd pick the awd option. Of course the same goes for three pedals vs two for me.

[TSM330i]

Here's someone with a ton of exotic car experience. My buddy and I actually did the half day, drive five different exotics with his company. The Aston Martin DB9 was a POS. It felt like garbage and the quality was a joke. Lambo Gallardo and Murci were much better than I would have thought. The Ferrari 599GTB was on another level from all the cars driven that day including a Mercedes AMG SLS.
Great video! My next car will be a 911.

[SunnyD]

R8 V10 manual

[yco]

Originally Posted by Chris_DM

Tires > AWD

Good snow tires on a RWD or hell even FWD car will perform better in the snow than the wrong tires on an AWD car. People put place too much importance on the drivetrain when it's secondary to what kind of rubber you're packing.

it started to snow in California lately?

i totally disagree.. the thing you re saying is for wet.. good tires on FWD or RWD is better than bad ones on AWD.. have you spent 3-5 months in 10-50cm of snow? i guess not, and its good though.. 10-20kmh average speed city driving can be ok if there is not much uphill or downhill but higher speeds and the rest AWD saves a lot..

i rather have RWD all the time though.. it dont like AWD.. but for snow things are different.. cause if there is snow generally there is ice also under it.. then you rather have some power on all wheels..

[nrgy]

I would probably go for the R8 V10 with the GT4 following up a close second. Both of those cars are going to bring a ton of smiles, with the R8 giving more grin factor if you want to stand out a bit more.

Regarding AWD, I've had plenty of RWD cars and I have a supercharged LP570, and I would not want this car without AWD. I can light up all 4 tires in 3rd gear and get it sideways at the mere thought and still maintain total control. But snow and heavy rain, forget it, but I think that's a moot point when looking at either of these cars.

[gatorfast]

991 for sure