[K-Man Isle]

Having both a 967.2 and a 981 Cayman, I must confess that I look at the digital speed readout rather than the analog. As much as I like analog, and definitely prefer the analog tachometer, I find the digital readout for speed, temp, oil pressure, volts, etc. to be more reassuring. It must be the perception of the digital information being precise. Or maybe it is the rapid fluctuation of rpms compared to the gradual change of temp, pressure, etc.

 

[Bbbboxster]

Hate to burst the bubble, but we don't even have a dipstick... Recalling the VDO gauges of the 1960s, as well as the Opel dash (similar to the Volvo above) that rolled from green to yellow to red, as you went faster... Much less - the Chrysler AstraDome of 1960! Those were the days, my friend - we will likely never see them again, as even Porsche doesn't offer a stick shift in the new 911...

 

[Kuroneko]

VDO?
Analog?
Retro?

All right up my touge...

I always liked my elfenbein weiß 356 gauge faces.
Including the green zone on tach and speedmeter.

Ditching the Comic Sans font on my 987.2 Cayman was an easy decision.

Looks great at night too.

VDO clock, 356-style gauge faces, and we're done...

 

[114318]

So, it's all over the web that Porsche will now have digital gauges. Now I know I'm old because I still like the old school VDO gauges of yore, even better than mine. But compared to digital? It's another thing to love about my 987.2 and the list keeps growing. What do you owners think? You like the progress or analog retro? I'm sure the speedo shops in Cali aren't partying with the news. Is it just my age? Do other members like the new change?

Analog, Although the digital are better than "idiot lights" . You can watch a analog tach moving up or down with ease, tying that to the revs you hear.

 

[jdavis8361]

The 2025 Porsche 911 Isn't Even Pretending to Be Analog Anymore

The new 911 loses two little interior quirks that made it unique.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Sandy G]

Analog all the way. Born in the mid 80s, first car was a NB Miata. No traction control. It didn't even have cruise control and "modern" options were ABS brakes and power steering. I remember the satisfaction I got when I upgraded the gauges from black to white ones in the front yard on a hot southern US day. Painted the tip of the RPM needle red to stand out against the white gauge. My 987.1 is the perfect "analog" car. The problem I have with "the screens" is they act like its a high tech upgrade to the car when in fact it is a cheap cost cutting measure and then they jack the prices up more and more. What people want but don't know they want is gauges like in the Pagani cars, swiss watch level of beauty. The massive size of all new cars/trucks is ridiculous (thanks to dumb CAFE regulations).

If any big auto maker made the following it would sell like hotcakes;
small (90s size vehicle) car or truck (if truck, single cab short bed)
manual trans
I4 or I6 N/A
rear wheel drive
limited slip diff
rack & pinion power steer
disc brakes
some form of "pop up" style headlights, whether in the grille that rotation like old 60s cars or 80's pop ups (yes I know they couldn't be like the 80s entirely because of pedestrian safety laws)
No screens, only buttons
ability to turn TC completely off

Basically, if they built a brand new late 80s/early 90s japanese sports car or pickup.

Sounds much like my '86 MR2.

 

[jimrawson]

So, it's all over the web that Porsche will now have digital gauges. Now I know I'm old because I still like the old school VDO gauges of yore, even better than mine. But compared to digital? It's another thing to love about my 987.2 and the list keeps growing. What do you owners think? You like the progress or analog retro? I'm sure the speedo shops in Cali aren't partying with the news. Is it just my age? Do other members like the new change?

When I was racing and I was forced to go to digital I felt like you but after using digital that is all I want now. Reading gauges is much faster and easier.

 

[Boristhespyder]

When I was racing and I was forced to go to digital I felt like you but after using digital that is all I want now. Reading gauges is much faster and easier.

Today vinyl records are big hit. Snap crackle pop even with a discwasher; in that situation I prefer digital. But not anywhere else except imaging.

 

[Ric_in_RVA]

I've locked in my Analog choices and hope they will keep me going for the rest of my life. Near 60 so I figure 20 years? My 987.2 manual 2.9 and my last of the good straight six BMW's 128i sport should do it.

As well as the 62 year old sailboat (although it does have a sweet GPS/ autohelm system!) and my fascination with spring driven timepieces.

The flat panel dash boards are horrendous....but I am old and I am NOT their market.

My 356 style gauge face is in production. I found I hardly ever use the speedo needle so I had the space from 50 -75 marked with the gray lines (that will backlight at with lights on) and now it should be easier to pick up and read.

 

[PorscheGreg]

As I read some of the comments, I realize that it’s actually an involved topic. You can have an analog dial type gauge like the coolant temp that is getting digitally massaged data so it’s not accurate. You can have numbers in combination with a dial the way we do with a speedo dial but also a digital speed indicator at the bottom of our tach gauge.

So numbers versus dials. And the source info being accurate. On my 987.2, I’ve replaced my sport Chrono gauge with an oil and coolant temp gauge which is directly tied to the CAN bus for accurate readings. The gauge is digital and it displays numbers as well as a dial of sorts which even changes to different colors at different temps.

This gauge has immense utility. I know exactly when my coolant and oil are up to the right temp before driving hard. And I know if my car is getting too hot when I’m driving on the track in high ambient temps. If Porsche had given us accurate gauges for oil and coolant, I wouldn’t need it, but I think the information is critical to the health of the car.

 

[Ric_in_RVA]

Saab had a feature that blacked out the panel except for the Speedo and only lit up a gauge that was out of a safe range.
Like if your fuel got low then the fuel gauge would illuminate.

They brought that over from their aircraft panels.

 

[secorbett]

One of the most interesting posts I've read! For the record I'm analog all the way. Starting with a 1956 Chevy with a 265 without an oil filter which was optional that year.

 

[jrhillma]

Having both a 967.2 and a 981 Cayman, I must confess that I look at the digital speed readout rather than the analog. As much as I like analog, and definitely prefer the analog tachometer, I find the digital readout for speed, temp, oil pressure, volts, etc. to be more reassuring. It must be the perception of the digital information being precise. Or maybe it is the rapid fluctuation of rpms compared to the gradual change of temp, pressure, etc.

I've had a digital speedo readout since around 2011. Kind of grown used to it. My wife's BMW actually has HUD, which can be nice, unless I'm wearing my sunglasses because it's incompatible with polarization, which is a PITA. When I drive my second-to-youngest son's Mazda with only an analog speedo, it's a bit jarring to have to interpret the needle point vs. text, but doable and my brain "remembers" after a couple of minutes. That being said, I haven't paid much attention to the speedo in the CS much at all, whether the digital readout or the analog gauge. Probably setting a bad example for whomever is riding with me. Or, worse, courting a pricey ticket.

 

[Ric_in_RVA]

WSJ paywall...I bet I know what it says though.

As an insurance agent they are incredibly expensive to fix too!!!

 

[SJFoster]

As I read some of the comments, I realize that it’s actually an involved topic.

Totally agree. The science of the presentation and interpretation of real-time data about systems is primarily "Human Factors and Ergonomics". It's probably reached a peak in commercial aircraft cockpit design although its importance is evident in many applications. In relation to this I find that terminology is often misused e.g. analog and digital. Many of the comments here should refer instead to mechanical and electronic, I think, in combination with analog and digital. Briefly and roughly speaking, analog displays are perceived to move continuously through a range of values (e.g. old-school sound level VU meters, speedos and tachos) while digital displays use numeric values (or discrete graphics) that change abruptly from one value to another (these can also be mechanically driven). Hence, the speedometer and tachometer in the latest incarnations of flat panel dashboards are electronic analogue in contrast to the older mechanical analogue. On another level, many electronic digital and analogue displays also need to translate and reassemble data from a signal source or sensor. There are exceptions of course - older fuel level sensors used an analog voltage from a mechanical sensor and an analog display.
Personally, I love the mechanical analogue speedometer and tachometer of my 981 from an aesthetic perspective. Having said that, I actually look at the speedometer dial extremely rarely, usually out of curiosity to see how it compares to the digital speed display. I find the digital speed display far easier to use. I also like the flexibility of the small TFT dial. So for me it's not one or the other but a combination of the best of both, both aesthetically and functionally.

 

[Ric_in_RVA]

Personally, I love the mechanical analogue speedometer and tachometer of my 981 from an aesthetic perspective. Having said that, I actually look at the speedometer dial extremely rarely, usually out of curiosity to see how it compares to the digital speed display. I find the digital speed display far easier to use. I also like the flexibility of the small TFT dial. So for me it's not one or the other but a combination of the best of both, both aesthetically and functionally.

This is why I asked to have the area from 50-75 highlighted on the the new "356' gauges I am getting. An "at a glance" indication that I'm in the "wont go to jail in Virginia" range.

That little section will be back lit too.

The red line is far more evident on these and I like having a lower limit on the tach too.