2 doors = Porsche 911

4 doors = M5

 

Didn't say it wasn't fast, just a pig. If highway runs is what you are looking for a M6 is great. But the M6 is still a heavy pig, a very fast GT at best. The 997 is an all around gem. Being able to toss-around a lighter car is half the fun of driving. A 997 is a much more involving car.

OP just get a 911 GT3. Trust me will not regret it. A car you will never forget for the rest of your life.

 

Well, good luck going 160 on public roads here in the US...! The beast is fast, I'll give you that, but roads aren't straight and the 911 holds all the cards when you're motoring along anything other than a straight line. And that's simply down to weight, handling and tossability, not HP or top speed. The real fun of a 911, in fact of any car claiming truly sporting credentials, is its handling and steering, not 0-160. And straight line speed is really the only area where an M6 has it beat. The 997 excels in all the areas that really matter when you're looking for something sporty, that's not really a claim you can make about the M6.

+1 on JetBlack5OC's GT3 suggestion, although they are tough to find.

And some comparison data between a 997 S and the M6

http://www.fastestlaps.com/index.php?page_...2=45896d4b380a0

 

which areas???

ok, 0-108 is perfect, and thats only thru 3rd gear!

I luv the 911S and all higher variants of the 997 so no disrepect, but im telling you the M6 is just a better car overall...if we are just speaking of US public road driving, there is no better factory car in the world for every day driving, imho...I dont know too many roads that are just turn after turn after turn where the 911s could take advantage in any meaningful way, its mainly long straight aways with larger circular bends, the exact type of setup the M6 will excel at since we can maintain speed easier...

...sure, if you are using your car as primarily a track car, I would say 100%GT3 is the car to own, this is the 911 I would get if I was someone going to a track for the best enjoyment south of the GT2 ( and if I was going to spend that type of money, Id go for the Dinan S3 in any case)...but for day in day out sports luxury that you can drive anywhere in near any condition, I just have to go with the M6 ...the power band is so smooth that your adrenaline flows every time you hit the gas pedal(really!!!, does yours do that to you?) , and the engine and transmission and tune go perfect for a race car driving experience every day, all wrapped in a cockpit of leather, suede, and carbon fiber

...and the design is something I luv so its a perfect combination in my eyes...

 

As much as I love the M6, the point several of us are making, and essentially what you've described in your post, is why the M6 is wonderful GT, but not a sports car. Effectively, the M6's clear advantage in the glorious V10 and its 500 hp is frittered away due to excess mass. With just 355 hp, the 997S posted quicker times around all of the circuits highlighted in the link I included. It was actually as quick around the Top Gear track in the (very) wet as the M5 was in the dry. It's the ability to do that, consistently, yet with 150 fewer horses, that highlights the differences. Make it a mountain road or the Tail of the Dragon and the result is the same. I won't dispute that the M6 is very, very fast. But it's the ability to be fast around corners, to brake late, to brake hard and brake repeatedly with no fade and then get the power down early that distinguishes a sports car from a GT - and that's why the 997S was quicker round the 'Ring than the M6 and is more capable in the areas that define a sports car, not a GT.

The defining points, and the areas where the 997 shines, are handling, steering, roadholding and braking (and braking without fade). Does that put a smile on my face? You bet. And a Lotus Elise, with much less hp than mine, takes that up a notch when it does much the same for its owner, as it follows the traditions of Colin Chapman with its "added lightness". It's the weight that's the dealbreaker for the M6. Do you realize that the 997 Carrera curb weight is barely unchanged from the 993? Just a few pounds, but 15 years between them. How much have BMW's increased in that time? Sports car owners don't really care about "luxurious" leather, suede and carbon fiber cabins" (although Porsche actually does that better than BMW if you're prepared to pay). It's about feel and it's about soul. And for me, that's really what the M6 lacks compared to the 997. So there you have it. My slower car can actually be the quicker car, in all but a straight line. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

The bottom line is that the 911, and the 997 as its latest incarnation, is generally understood by all to be a sports car. For many, it remains the epitome of the sports car. It has capability, it is massively robust (should you want to, it can take dreadful punishment at the track and then happily drive home), and it has over 40 years of history and heritage. It's the benchmark everyone wants to beat. The M6, on the other hand, is a wonderful GT. An awesome car, and I'd be very happy if I were to own one, but it's not a sports car.

 

Guys lets try to keep this thread on topic, both M6 and the 997S are great cars, however I am considering the M5 and not the M6 so let's please avoid arguments over which is better.

 

If you are in College and really don't need to haul a family around then get the 997 for sure.

 

MB E63 AMG

 

BMW all the way.

 

M6 BEST FAST SPORTS TOURER
its bigger and more comfortable than a 997, more beautiful!!!

997 BEST GERMAN SPORTS CAR
in Germany the porsche is still the no.1 pure sports car full stop.