[sawzall]

I got to spend a fair bit of time with a 991S this weekend, and I have to say that i'm really impressed. There were four things that really stood out to me.

1. The electric steering is not noticeable. I think when most people are referring to a lack of feel, they are talking about the power steering plus option, which provides a huge amount of assist at low speeds and kills the feel. I've driven the car with and without this feature. At anything over 50kph, the steering feels very good - you can still feel the road through the steering, and it is extremely accurate. At low speeds with the plus option, it does feel lifeless, but honestly, at less than 40kph, I don't necessarily think its a bad thing.

2. The new PDK is absolutely fantastic. I went into the dealership insisting on a manual, having driven one when I was out in Scottsdale. IMHO, the 991 continues the 911 tradition of offering the best feeling manual out there. That being said, the PDK is on a whole different level. It is responsive at high and low speeds, and it is ridiculously fast at track speeds. I'm not a fan of the push/pull buttons for gear change though - I suspect it will take a long time to get used to coming from the paddles. At lower speeds, I find that it lurches less than the E92 M3. The 991 PDK is now on par with the M3 DCT, something which I couldn't say about the 997 PDK, and that speaks volumes about how good the DCT really is.

3. I know I'll be scolded by purists, but I love the GT-ishness of the 991. With the M3, I love being able to cruise home in comfort from the track, which in some cases can be 3-4 hours away. As a relatively big guy (i'm 6', 250lbs), I can easily see myself sitting in the 991 for hours without any issue. It is comfortable in both regular and sport modes. Finding comfortable track/street seating positions is easy, and I love the 'enveloped' feeling you get from the new interior.

4. As for it being fast, it definitely is. I've decided in moving up to a 991S, as it is more than enough car for me. It'll be a while before I have the skill to push a GT3 (or Turbo for that matter) around, and frankly, I like the blend between comfort and speed.

With that all said, I still love my M3. It's an absolutely amazing car for the price, and it isn't a direct comparison to the 911. But in my opinion, the 911 offers enough of an upgrade to justify the price difference, which is something I couldn't say before this weekend.