X51 or Not

I know this has been covered previously, but as I am making my final decision on my replacement 911 from Porsche (do to the water damage in my current 40th Anniversary car) I have a few questions regarding the performance differences between a C4S and a 40th Anniv. Car. Obviously, the C4S is a better all-year-round car and it has its handling benefits, but in terms of engine performance, am I going to miss the 40th with the x51 power package in day-to-day driving?? I do not track the car, but I do drive aggressively.

can you get a 997? a lot more torque than an x51 and more power too.

I think you're referring to the 997S which has a 10 hp and about 20 lb-ft engine advantage over the X-51 equipped 996. Jaws, the two models feel very different when driven aggressively. This is more due to the AWD system and weight of the C4S than the X-51 of the 40th. It is a very subjective comparison. I chose the 40th because of it felt lighter and quicker to respond to my steering inputs. The C4S felt more stable and secure. Both cars are insanely fast. You can't lose either way. Have you had a chance to drive a C4S?

I have driven many 911, and I have had the 40th Anniversary car for 2 months and 1800 fun filled miles. I have driven a C4S 1x in traffic and it was a Tip (I would only get the 6 spd.) so I did not really get a feel for the car. I know that living in the NE the C4S is a more "practical" option. My real question is will I feel the power difference in day-to-day driving??

The X-51 option moves the power band higher up the rpm curve so around town a X-51 car will be hard to distinguish from a standard car.

The Short and Skinny - YES you will miss the power. Just My Two Cents, Keep the change :-)

This power band crap is bull****... the X51 is noticably faster than a stock car and certainly faster than the heavier and slower albeit lovely looking C4s....as rjmdad996 says you WILL miss the power the 997 has more torque and power than the anniversary car but power to weight is the same and as the 997 is heavier it must feel slower off the mark ...what about a 997C2s that would be my choice

Yep, if you drive "aggressively" you will almost certainly miss the power of the X51

Man, you guys must be standing on the gas pedal at every greenlight and revving up to 7k rpm. Power = torque. X51 torque=std torque. X51 Power band moves up = less mid range power. Humble opinion: assumong you can feel the small differences, not only will you NOT miss the power, the X51 may feel like LESS power in daily driving due to the power band moving higher up in the rpm scale

Have you driven an X51 car for any period of time?

As usual it all depends, and everyone is entitled to what they prefer. When I had my 3.2 I drove a 993/4 through Switzerland several times. Just plain dull compared to the 3.2. When I came to purchase my 40th I drove a C4s quite aggressively. Hands down the 40th was more fun. I don't care if the engine is not much stronger (butt says it is), its a joy to listen to and rev. And the 40th gives you room to grow. I still love being surprized by that little bump right at the apex of a long steep downhill entrance ramp I know of.

Jaws, get another 40th so we can all shut up.

I appreciate all of the feedback I have received from all of you and it has helped in making my decision. I have decided to go with the C4S for a variety of reasons. They are as follows: - After spending time in the C4s, there was not a noticable difference in acceleration or engine performance. The only real difference was over 6800 RPM, and it was negligable. - Living in NJ, the C4S is more practicle for year round use. - Long-term value is stronger (higher residual) with the C4S. - The widebody I will miss the "bling-bling" rims and badging, but the C4S has quite a few cosmetic options (small aluminum, supple leather, bose & changer, exhaust tips) so it became a non-issue. I am picking up my new baby on Friday. - Still 1 year (at least) before replacement model compared to the August 28 release of the 997.

Enjoy!

Yeah!! Don't forget to buy snow tires so you can enjoy it year round.

Good choice. i know you said you don't track the car, but the C4S is an exceptional track car and easy to drive fast. Those big red brakes let you brake later and deeper. The AWD just simply sticks and rotates the car. Apex and exit speeds of the C4S give it a headstart on the straightss that make up for the monster HP cars like the Z06. Enjoy!!!

I think you made the right choice...I KNOW I did, and I too bought it to drive in all-weather. Enjoy!

My dealer called me today to let me know that Porsche declined to allow me to get the C4S because it did not have the same value as my 40th. I am now getting another 40th, which is great, but I was ready to pick-up the C4S tomorrow. The strange thing is that Porsche said no because the 40th is expected to be worth $5k-$6k more at lease end, so the C4S was not enough $$$ for a substitution of collateral.

That's interesting but are you comparing 2 '04 cars?

Still a nice car to have. At least you have the "bling-bling" rims and the badges, plus it's a car that you are used to. You can't miss what you never had. Enjoy your new baby!!

My 2cents worth on the X51: I turned in my 2003 996 C2 (in which I did 22 000 Km) for a 2004 996 C2 X51 (12 000 Km so far), so I have some back-to-back experience. The standard 996 was 0.2 seconds faster down the 1/4 mile (I have several very consistent time slips to back it up), although the X51 has a slightly higher trap speed. The X51 also uses noticably more fuel. Would I get another X51? NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the attempt at objectivity. The statisticians are losing sleep over the coefficient of variation which exceeds that difference though

Thanks for the info. I had been looking at retrofitting the X51, but will likely pass. I'm not a big fan of aftermarket forced induction, so my C4S will stay stockish, well, except for camber plates and Motons.

Jaws, just curious. What caused the water damage?

The damage was caused by the A/C condensor resevoir. It was damaged at the factory during assembly. My replacement car is being picked up on Thursday. Funny thing is that it has the only 2 options I did not get originally, PCM and rear wiper.

If you are thinking of a C4S, but a TT. If you are thinking C2, get the X51. The X51 power is all at the top of the band, but it is noticably afster than the stock car. Not as fast as a GT3 though.