You’re almost there. You already know, from the last few miles, that cranking on the lock at this point in the corner is going to scrub the front tires for no reason. The next two seconds feel like two hours, at least compared to the same experience in cars that don’t put the cart before the horses. Sensing that the front is still a little too light, you relax your big toe, letting the accelerator pedal come up a smidge and feeling the nose come down just enough as you turn toward the apex.
And when it all comes together my goodness does it come together. Those hour-long seconds suddenly return to normal cadence as you feel the weight of the engine behind you help point the car in the direction you’re looking. The feeling is somehow crude and elegant all at once as, with the car now properly rotating, you put the power back on to steady the rear before firing out of said corner. Perhaps you get a little greedy and flat-foot the right-most pedal, catching a tiny dab of opposite lock . No one has to know. If they’re lucky though they’ll hear you as the tach clips the six, the seven, the eight…
There is a growing bubble in the car world. Those who are out of love with the progression of automotive technology. You hear terms like “golden era” or “the last of the analogue.” Sometimes the word “best” is thrown about, with people painting a picture of all the machines that belong at the last supper of drivers’ cars.
The 911 is a particularly interesting guest at this meal, with a decades long history of enthusiasts arguing about which example is the pinnacle of the model’s development, and each generation having support from the relevant disciples. As always, the newest driver-focused 911 has its hat in the ring, since it’s hard to completely dismiss the current 911 S/T’s spec sheet. The combination of a naturally-aspirated 9,000RPM flat-six and three pedals is something out of a Gran Turismo dream. At the same time, the extent of its performance envelop means your only opportunities to exercise the car are in digital form or at the Nurburgring touristenfahrten you’re never getting around to.
This is all a convoluted way for me to ask, how do you define “best?” I would proffer something is at its best when its full essence can be accessed with minimal barrier. Though most people wouldn’t put it in those words, I think this is why folks are finding it more difficult to appreciate the newest breeds of performance cars. As much as headlines love an ever-ascendant horsepower number and tire sizes previously meant for Cat mining trucks, attempting to enjoy cars of that nature is akin to unlocking your front door with a stick of dynamite. Thrilling and fast, yes, but you soon find yourself looking for a way to access your home without all the noise and sweaty palms.
Cars have progressed so much, but in many ways it feels like progress for the sake of itself. Which is how we find so many folks looking into the back catalog for cars like this 996 GT3. Of course, this is by no means a slow car, but it being that bit slower and requiring so much more of your skill than the latest crop of driver’s cars means you’re able to experience the “thrill of driving” (hat tip: Evo mag) more of the time. And the thrill is the point of this silly passion, isn’t it? Smaller tires, less power, less aero capability, in a car that has a wonderful engine and the correct number of pedals. In cars like this you find the key to unlock moments like the opening of this post without having to do triple-digit speeds.
I truly believe people conflate the figure on a speedometer with the joy in driving. Speed is fun, but Jay Leno has it right when he says most of the fun in a car is just over the highway speed limit. It’s the sensation of limit behavior that drivers are looking for. Folks don’t necessarily actually desire to go 100MPH everywhere, but newer cars being both more numb and capable of such high speeds requires going that much faster just to try and feel anything.
Some say we’re in the golden era of performance cars now, with many manufacturers throwing the might of modern tech at ICE cars. But if you pay attention to the established legends, the more performance cars progress the harder it becomes to enjoy them. Yes, new cars sell, but there’s a reason previous generations of 911, M3, NSX, and even cars like previous GTI and Integra Type R are appreciating so steeply. These cars may have been reaching for a performance target in their time, but the end results were definitive character that’s still accessible on your daily commute or your favorite backroad. If we really are in a golden era of performance cars we’re at the tail end of it. Myriad new cars are faster, but the speed seems to be less progress than it is necessity to make the experience interesting enough amidst all the mandated tech and sense-blunting capabilities. The last of the “best” cars are probably being made right now, but cars like this 996 GT3 show where the plateaued started.