New Columnist Diego Gabathuler
Switzerland
Model 3.0 CARRERA SC Year 1982 Acquired JANUARY 2018
Model 997.1 TURBO Year 2008 Acquired AUGUST 2011
Model 997 GT2 Year 2008 Acquired FEBRUARY 2013
Model 997.2 GT3 RS Year 2010 Acquired MAY 2016
Model 991 GT3 TOURING Year 2018 Acquired FEBRUARY 2020
Model 992 GT3 TOURING Year 2022 Acquired MAY 2022
My 911 journey and obsession began in 2003 when I was in my late 20s. It was a used 996.1 Carrera, with a manual gearbox and lots of miles on the odometer. Everything else was out of my reach at that time. I enjoyed this comparatively small and light sports car for many years, travelling on weekend tours through the Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps.
After a few joyful years with my 996.1 Carrera, I traded it in for a 997.1 Carrera with an X51 power kit and a short shifter. To this day, when I see a first-generation 997, I catch myself thinking about its beautiful, minimalistic design. But I still had the desire for more power and so I traded it in for a 997.1 Turbo with a manual transmission. The car’s still with me today.
Next was a 997.1 GT2. I bought it used around the time when the 991s became widely available, at about half of its original price and with very few miles on the clock. The 997 GT2 is an absolute beast, combining the raw power of the 530hp, twin-turbo engine with the marvellous chassis and suspension from the Porsche GT department.
Now and then a good friend of mine lets me drive his 997.2 GT3 RS 3.8 in exchange for my GT2. Although not as fast in a straight line as the GT2, the overall composition of the GT3 RS – with its unique engine sound and the hair-raising feeling it creates – is one of a kind. And a desire to own one started to grow inside me since my first drive.
Newer GT3 RS models are faster, but the 997 has something magical about it. It took me quite a while to find a good example that someone had taken meticulous care of. Even though all new and improved models are quicker, the 997 series is still my favourite and I consider it the ‘sweet spot’ of 911s.
I’ve always admired the look and design of the old 911s, especially the first and the G Series with their compact bodies. No other sports car in its most recent design still looks like the first model of its line. With a fair portion of luck, I acquired a late 3.0-litre SC with 204hp, no leather, no air-conditioning, no sunroof, no fog-lights but in good condition. What a different experience compared to the 996s and 997s! Those two feel huge and heavy in comparison to the first two series of 911s. Coming from a 530hp car, I expected my G Series to be a lot slower, but
