he 100,000th 997 rolled off the Porsche production line in mid-2007, signalling a significant milestone – no 911 generation had been built this quickly. Appetite for the model was clearly very strong, more so after a refresh in July 2008 heralded the arrival of the 997 Gen II. More than a facelift, the revised 997 product line brought direct injection engines, updated suspension, a touchscreen Porsche Communication Management (PCM) system and the first widely adopted incarnation of the Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) double-clutch transmission. LED lights added sparkle, with beefier bumpers displaying the new car's performance intent.
Referencing the 911's past and addressing complaints from owners of first-generation 997 Carrera 4 and 4S models, who were disappointed not to see the iconic full-width reflective strip at the rear of their all-pawed Porsches, the bright red bar was reinstated for the Gen II Carrera 4 and 4S. It's a design element harking all the way back to the G-series 911, before Porsche chose to make the feature specific to four-wheel drive models, a decision reversed in time for the beginning of 992 production in 2019.
The 340bhp Carrera/Carrera 4 and 380bhp Carrera S/4S variants of the 997 Gen II coupe and cabriolet debuted first, with updated Targa 4 and 4S cars following. The inevitable 997 Gen II Turbo was more of a supercar slayer than previous incarnations, its new 3.8-litre six-banger boasting a whopping 493bhp and 480lb-ft. The Turbo's larger intake manifold was taken from the GT2, enabling PDK- and Sport Chrono-equipped Turbos to reach 62mph from rest in just in 3.4 seconds. Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) ensured greater agility under hard cornering, while optional dynamic engine mounts helped fine-tune handling.
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The 997 Turbo S answered questions about lack of power no-one was asking. With Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), Sport Chrono and PDK as standard, the Turbo S was recognised as a formidable road racer from the get-go. Revised intake valve timing and a carbon-fibre air box lifted power to a massive 523bhp. New 429bhp GT3 and 443bhp GT3 RS models upped the 911's effectiveness as a fearsome asphalt
