gthal

Really? Not sure if you are serious with your comment or if you are just missing the point of a comparison test on a track.

BOTH cars are tested by the same driver in the same environment. That creates a relative comparison of their abilities. Also, most of these tests are done with magazine editors who would be good drivers but FAR from professional drivers.

It isn't the actual "time" they recorded that matters... it is the time relative to the other car they also tested that matters.

You are right in that you can't/won't achieve this performance on the street but that isn't relevant because you won't with the 911 either. However, if one is concerned about actual performance (regardless as to whether they will achieve it on the street) then it is relevant (I know that isn't important to you based on what I have read).

skank

First and foremost, why don't these magazines test apples to apples. Seven speed manual to seven speed manual. That would take the 911 completely out of the performance equation. Looking at the final tally I can see certain subjective criteria that is way out of wack. Exterior design given to the beetle. You have got to be kidding me. The C7 design embarrasses the antiquated 911 design. The interior design is the same story. A dynamic driver centric interior enviroment vs. the same old staid Porsche look. The Corvette interior completely outclasses the Porsche. Those issues right there would pile up points even further to dominate the Porsche. Driver comfort and ergonomics????? No way does the Porsche have those qualities over the Vette. Fit and finish is also a wash. Corvette is much closer if not on par with Porsche in that respect.

pietro c7

It actually is quite important to him(notch)look at his posts throughout the years,he just keeps changing the `sports car` credentials to best suit his views....

ivanjo11

Thanks. Interesting that the 911 despite having the PDK it received the same score as the C7 manual.

Main difference between the two is the vehicles category

The Slalom speed is quite slow for both cars usually these cars are in the 70's


Pretty sure that the C7 CE is going to look at this comparison to make improvements to the car in the upcoming years.

Like MT here they gave the 911 the edge in handling.

ivanjo11

And lap time should be taken into consideration in the objective scorecard.

Snorman

Our resident Porsche fans are probably completely discombobulated now that a major car mag picked the C7 over the 911.
"How can this happen?"
S.

Snorman

It would be absolutely impossible for me to agree with you more. The 911 is a boring, bland, fading design. A base 911 is ugly IMO.

I also loved the fact that the test scoring included the category "Rear Seat Space". Unbelievable.
S.

ByByBMW

I actually like Porsche's, as well as Corvettes but you are right, the rear seat space is just a way to pad the 911 results. It should never have been included.

punky

True. This is going to be quite difficult for the Porsche defenders of the faith. Some of these diehards have been posting 10 or 20 times per day here for a year about the superiority of the Porsche nameplate.

This C7 is the Porsche boys worst dream come to life.

gofobroke

Car mags gotta love them, September's Motor trend "Best drivers car" comparo has the Porsche 911 Carrera 4s on top(151K) beating SRT viper, SLS AMG black MB, Aston martin, Bentley, GTR track edition, Audi R8 V10, Jag F-type, BMW m6, and even a ford focus!!! Testing at Laguna seca for all around winner.

Interestingly they could not get GM to give them a C7 to participate. GM was not going to risk a preproduction car not doing as well as they would like this time. Can't blame them as they had little to gain and more to lose with the article coming out right when the C7 was hitting the showrooms.

A Bentley and a ford focus in the same compare lapping Laguna Seca??? CAR MAGS ARE A JOKE.

tuxnharley

The Porsche:

".... steering marginally less precise than the Corvette's".

" It's an un-freaking-believeably good day when you get to say that another car beats this one".


The Corvette:

".... the times don't reflect how much more stable the Corvette feels at the limit".


Overall:

"The Corvette doesn't win on dollars. It wins on sense."

My conclusion:

Those certainly sound like SUBJECTIVE factors to me. It looks like the Corvette can now win on a combination of factors - some numerical, some subjective, and, oh yeah, the as tested prices of $68,375 vs $148,245.

DaveFerrari458

100%

I don't need a magazine to tell me what car looks better. I can make that decision myself. And what size of ***** does Porsche have selling a $130K non-Turbo 911??? What a rip off!! We're getting close to exotic priced cars and the 911 is in no way in that league!! The only way they can get rid of these things is to come up with great lease programs.

ospreycorvette

They gave the 911 2 more points on looks over the Vette, really, 911's have been so dated for 10 years, wow.
The vette looks a lot like th eF12 Ferrari, and they like the 911.

Right.

Rear seat room, come on.

No wear does it show how much more fun to drive the Vette is with all that torque.

jimmyb

I think my postman reads my C&D before he delivers it to me, it seems like I get mine a week after everyone is THROUGH talking about it. Can anyone scan the article and post it?

Jimmy

jimmyb

The tested 911 was $148,245???? Now that takes some nerve. Based on Porsche's website, the base price of a 911 Carrera S is $98,900 so the tested car had $49,345 in OPTIONS!!! Jeez...for another $5,450 added to the options on this 911 you could buy a SECOND stripped Z51.

Jimmy

ivanjo11

The C7 is the closest car in looks to a Ferrari and they picked the 911 better looking than the C7?

No way.

B747VET

There is simply no basis of logic in the above argument.

OnPoint

Interesting article.

Thanks for posting, OP.

jimb100

My point is this: If you can drive a C7 at 52% of its potential on the street and a 911 at 53% it doesn't matter. If I can drive a 458 at 49% of its potential and an Aston Martin at 56% of its potential, so what?

The potential of all these cars is so great they can only come close to realizing it at the track with a very experienced driver under racing conditions.

So all the talk about the minutia of performance at racing levels doesn't do much more than provide bragging rights for those who enjoy barroom discussion about things that don't really matter.

This forum revels in it, while practical information about actual handling, ergonomics and useable acceleration on the street isn't to be found. Likewise, quality gets little consideration while the nuances of "steering feel" between 911 and C7 gets dissected to a fine point. I agree, steering feel is important but my C6 is excellent and so is the 911. And the complaint about the C6 was that it is a handful at the limit. That limit is so far from what I'll ever experience on the street as to be no negative at all.

Numbers are great but if movie reviews only reported the number of killings, explosions and words of dialogue they wouldn't be of much use. It seems thats about all track tests do.

MKDFW

"I may be alone in this, but I reckon that a lot of performance cars I drive lack proper feel. I blame the Nürburgring. Being able to claim that your daily driver holds a production car lap record somewhere in Germany is a good boast down the pub for the feeble minded, and the map of the place that Aston Martin embroidered on the center console of the N400 might make its owners feel superior, but it's all nonsense."

Top Gear's James May goes over why he thinks the world-famous 'Ring isn't as good as it seems for the development of sports cars. He claims that automakers' tunnel-vision of achieving the fastest Ring times and outright grip sacrifices the need for feedback and satisfying handling.