So I took my 997S out today (I drive it about once/week) to get the cobwebs off and I can't help but end up comparing it to my new X. Obviously, they are both two very different ways of going fast. The 997S is gruff and organic. The motor howls and its traction is very mechanical and the way it grips is very honest; when you start to lose traction in the front, it's very gradually from soft to heavy understeer. The rear is practically unmovable unless you're doing something very, very stupid. The engine is linear in its power delivery.

Now, driving the X, I can't help but feel that its a more precise tool. The chassis feels stiffer and easier to toss, you simply cannot upset the chassis with any mid-corner bumps or corrections, and as we all know, the car cannot understeer but even when it allows you to get the rear rotating, it does so in a way that never makes you feel like you've lost confidence. I consider myself a bit of a Luddite in terms of automotive technology but for the wizardry of the Evos really has caused me to become a bit of a hypocrite, most likely because the car never loses its ability to involve the driver in its equation, even if it does make you feel as if you're the weakest link in the performance equation.

While both can achieve similar cornering speeds, I feel the X does so with more confidence. The differential and weight distribution allows the car to do things that don't seem human with an amateur driver such as myself. The only thing that undermines this is its uneven power delivery which adds an air of charm to the car although the 997 sounds definitively better and more mechanical. Strangely, the X's shifter is less vague and more direct.

Overall, the 997 really trumps the X in one major category and that's the overall build quality. While I appreciate the character of the 911 with its classic lines and awesome soundtrack, it's the X that I yearn to drive. I'm actually considering returning the 911 to my house at lunch to retrieve the X. Another item to note is that the X rides nicer than the 911 however the 911 does ride on Bilstein PSS coilovers.

So, does anyone want to buy a 997S?

I don't know why I typed this up; I guess I felt like comparing the X to something that honestly doesn't draw a normal comparison. I really can't say enough good things about this car. My gripes are the obvious: I don't care for some of the interior materials, it really needs 6 gears for everyday driving, and the motor, while better sounding than the 4G63, does sound a bit hollow and uninspired. All of these complaints though I consider minor, especially consider how much car you really get for the price tag.

Now, I can't wait until the spring when the tracks start opening up...

 

Well put. A month since buying my X, I am still captured by its performance and looks. It simply "feels" awesome. There is not a car in existence under $40K that compares. And coming from a winter state, that incredible traction is greatly appreciated!

 

What continues to amaze me is that Mitsubishi, which frankly is far from a top tier manufacturer with a less than stellar reputation in the world market, can build a car that feels like an honest sports car out of a heavy economy sedan.

 

No kidding. I know I wasnt expecting the performance level I got. However, I bet my thoughts would be different had I owned an VIII / IX with AYC in the US.

 

mitsubishi does very well in the world market, just not in the US....

Its hard to compete with the camry and accord and the civic/ corolla.... So that hurts also.... I think if the base lancer could get 32+ mpg it would be good...

 

in japan the Mitsu is higher ranked then the Subi ?what i heard, but some JDm guy can chip some info in/
Or in eu the mitsu have a VERY GOOD reputation, and being japan car is expensive too.

 

good thing the Mitsu decided to bring the S-AYC here too!

 

Love 997s, please post a pic or two.

 

 

Trade your 997s in for an X MR. Lol

 

The only thing I miss about my 911 is the exhaust note. At full pelt that car sounded just how a sports car should sound. I loved getting off the gas and hearing the exhaust pop and gurgle as it decelerated. The C4 was also very sure footed in the wet but you were never quite sure where the limit of traction was. I was driving the X in the wet the other day and threw it into some corners at ridiculous speeds and I just could not unsettle it and never felt once that I was out of control.

I hate the hit I took on the 911 but I don't regret the switch one little bit.

 

I don't blame you. The 911 is every bit a sports car but in that, it takes a tremendous driver to extract the proper performance out of it. It's blade irons compared to the Evo's cavity back - in the right hands, you can't beat it but with 99% of drivers, it's far too much of a tool to use properly.

That said, I'm debating offering a trade with a guy with a 993 C2S who is looking to upgrade to a 997 C2S.

 

Many thanks for the insightful comparison. Although I've never driven a 997, I share most your sentiments compared to several fr rwd cars I've driven in the past. Several AWD cars out there also grip very well, but there are none that I can think of that are just as if not more enjoyable that a well balanced rwd car.

That being said, my intuitive guess is that the 997 probably isn't the most forgiving rwd choice out there. Performance withstanding, perhaps you would have enjoyed a more forgiving Cayman (got to test drive a friend's car, and enjoyed it very much) or a M-coupe. I always find that a car I feel comfortable to push hard is one where I enjoy more. No fun to push a car if the constant fear of crashing it is there.

 

Beautiful car and wheels are those the LM's?

 

RONMCDON: No awd cars more enjoyable than a balanced rwd car!

Have you ever driven a GTR?

Obviously not! lol J/K