Having just taken delivery of a 2018 991.2 4s, MT and as a former owner of a 981 BS also MT, I thought I it would be useful and fun to record my ownership experience with this car using my 981 BS as a reference point. Most of the reviews I have read don't really reflect actual ownership experience so I am hoping this is useful not just to myself but also to others who may be thinking of buying this version of the 911. I am only going to focus on the driving experience and not electronics and other stuff irrelevant to the drive. Please note that I am just an average enthusiast and not some professional driver who can tease out the nuances and finer points in the driving experience between the two cars. These are just my impressions.
My second drive today about 30 miles mostly back roads and a bit of highway.
Impressions of the MT: The feel of the 7 speed MT is very similar to the 6 speed in the BS. If anything, it feels slightly notchier ( new car) but clutch engagement is very forgiving and quite similar. Clutch is much lighter so I needed some recalibration.
Strangely, I noticed some drivetrain lash/ chatter in the 911 in first that I do not recall in my BS. Maybe a new car.
Steering: The steering feels lighter in the 911 and I don't sense any greater feedback than in my 981 BS. It is very accurate and very similar so I can't say that one is superior to the other.
Power delivery: remarkably similar and surprising. The turbo six feels very much like a NA motor. I could not sense an abrupt onset of power despite the turbo. Below 3.5k rpms, even the 420 hp six is a sleeper. Not that different in feel from the 3.4 NA flat six. I haven't revved the engine past 4.5k rpms and I am waiting for break in period. Less NVH not that the 3.4 was coarse.
Brakes: nothing to say except that the brakes are very strong but these are Porsches we are talking about.
Ride: I used comfort settings (tire pressure) today in my 911 with the PASM in normal mode. My BS with 19 inch wheels did not have PASM. Here I notice a clear difference. The 911 rides much better especially on the highway. Feels much more settled and more like a sport sedan than a sports car. Very nice for long drives. In town, I really can't say it is any better. Firm ride and does not like undulations in the road.
Cockpit and comfort: As I had hoped, the 911 with its 18-way seats is vastly superior. It is clearly a more comfortable cabin. I get a much better sense of space and comfort and having a glass sunroof makes the cabin very airy and nice. Sunroof open and windows down, it doesn't quite simulate the convertible experience but is close. Very nice. Visibility is excellent. My BS had the 14-way seats and for my body, 5 ft 11 inches and 170 lbs, the 18 ways feel way more comfortable.
Sound: I did not get the SE but despite that, in sport mode, the car is not quiet. I can clearly hear the raspiness of the flat six which starts raising its voice past 4K rpms. It is quieter than the 3.4 with the SE but I am happy with the level of sound and am glad that I did not get the SE. Windows down and sunroof open, in sport mode, I could hear the flat six but also the turbo whoosh. Windows up and closed sunroof, it is a little quieter but by no means a quiet car. Tires make quite a racket as well.
Handling: Now this is my first rear engine car and that too an awd but already I sense the greater weight in the back. I took an on ramp, a long descending right sweeper with a posted limit of 30. I used to take that ramp at about 70 in my Boxster with little drama. In the 911, I could already feel the heft in the back which needed some brain recalibration. This car handles differently. At a similar highway split where I took the sharp right fork, again I could feel the lightness in the front compared to my BS. Interesting.
Anyway that's all for now. As I pulled into my garage I noticed a screw in my right rear tire. It had gone in about quarter of an inch. I pulled it out. No loss of air. But very strange that I would encounter this in only my second drive.
My second drive today about 30 miles mostly back roads and a bit of highway.
Impressions of the MT: The feel of the 7 speed MT is very similar to the 6 speed in the BS. If anything, it feels slightly notchier ( new car) but clutch engagement is very forgiving and quite similar. Clutch is much lighter so I needed some recalibration.
Strangely, I noticed some drivetrain lash/ chatter in the 911 in first that I do not recall in my BS. Maybe a new car.
Steering: The steering feels lighter in the 911 and I don't sense any greater feedback than in my 981 BS. It is very accurate and very similar so I can't say that one is superior to the other.
Power delivery: remarkably similar and surprising. The turbo six feels very much like a NA motor. I could not sense an abrupt onset of power despite the turbo. Below 3.5k rpms, even the 420 hp six is a sleeper. Not that different in feel from the 3.4 NA flat six. I haven't revved the engine past 4.5k rpms and I am waiting for break in period. Less NVH not that the 3.4 was coarse.
Brakes: nothing to say except that the brakes are very strong but these are Porsches we are talking about.
Ride: I used comfort settings (tire pressure) today in my 911 with the PASM in normal mode. My BS with 19 inch wheels did not have PASM. Here I notice a clear difference. The 911 rides much better especially on the highway. Feels much more settled and more like a sport sedan than a sports car. Very nice for long drives. In town, I really can't say it is any better. Firm ride and does not like undulations in the road.
Cockpit and comfort: As I had hoped, the 911 with its 18-way seats is vastly superior. It is clearly a more comfortable cabin. I get a much better sense of space and comfort and having a glass sunroof makes the cabin very airy and nice. Sunroof open and windows down, it doesn't quite simulate the convertible experience but is close. Very nice. Visibility is excellent. My BS had the 14-way seats and for my body, 5 ft 11 inches and 170 lbs, the 18 ways feel way more comfortable.
Sound: I did not get the SE but despite that, in sport mode, the car is not quiet. I can clearly hear the raspiness of the flat six which starts raising its voice past 4K rpms. It is quieter than the 3.4 with the SE but I am happy with the level of sound and am glad that I did not get the SE. Windows down and sunroof open, in sport mode, I could hear the flat six but also the turbo whoosh. Windows up and closed sunroof, it is a little quieter but by no means a quiet car. Tires make quite a racket as well.
Handling: Now this is my first rear engine car and that too an awd but already I sense the greater weight in the back. I took an on ramp, a long descending right sweeper with a posted limit of 30. I used to take that ramp at about 70 in my Boxster with little drama. In the 911, I could already feel the heft in the back which needed some brain recalibration. This car handles differently. At a similar highway split where I took the sharp right fork, again I could feel the lightness in the front compared to my BS. Interesting.
Anyway that's all for now. As I pulled into my garage I noticed a screw in my right rear tire. It had gone in about quarter of an inch. I pulled it out. No loss of air. But very strange that I would encounter this in only my second drive.
I like staring at it. Good thing it is not a woman or I'd be arrested for stalking. 
