Driving the WIDOWMAKER: What's The Fearsome Porsche 911 996 GT2 Really Like?

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  • Опубліковано 29 лис 2024
  • CarVertical: The History Checking Service
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    Today I drive the scariest 911 of all - the GT2. 480hp, two wheel drive and no traction control. Is it a recipe for success, or disaster?
    #Porsche #911 #turbo
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 374

  • @JayEmmOnCars
    @JayEmmOnCars  2 місяці тому +10

    CarVertical: The History Checking Service
    Use this link or code "JAYEMM" for a discount!
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    • @ericv435
      @ericv435 2 місяці тому +1

      i thought the 930 was the Widowmaker

    • @Brianunich
      @Brianunich 2 місяці тому +1

      930 turbo was the widow maker

  • @BR-hj9kp
    @BR-hj9kp 2 місяці тому +290

    Isn't the widowmaker supposed to be the 930 turbo? Anyway loved the video as always!

    • @OGPorscheCat
      @OGPorscheCat 2 місяці тому +102

      There's about a dozen cars known as "The Widowmaker."

    • @peterdodd8324
      @peterdodd8324 2 місяці тому +50

      Agree I lways thought the 930 turbo was the really twitchy one. Others earning the nickname include the Maserati Bora, Detomaso Mangusta, proper Cobras and numerous Trevors.. Modern tyres have probably tamed them all a bit,..a bit

    • @tyler9703
      @tyler9703 2 місяці тому +16

      ​@@OGPorscheCatJeremy Clarkson also coined the McLaren P1 as "The Widowmaker" and as far as I know no one has ever died in one of those 🤷

    • @RoemaatPiet
      @RoemaatPiet 2 місяці тому +24

      Dodge viper?

    • @freshjive818
      @freshjive818 2 місяці тому +6

      I thought it was the 993 GT2 but I guess there all sketchy 😅

  • @jdh8727
    @jdh8727 2 місяці тому +107

    Had a 996 GT2 for five years. Did several hard track events and spirited canyon roads with it. Basically, suspension setting and alignment is key for performance and predictable handling. Many US market cars were delivered with improper suspension settings. Once set up, they are outstanding! It goes without saying that tires that haven’t sat and gotten old/hard are important as well.

    • @jonasbaine3538
      @jonasbaine3538 2 місяці тому +2

      My old mr2 turbo was also very sensitive to correct alignment and suspension setup. Otherwise it was wickedly unpredictable in curves.

  • @johnmitchell2269
    @johnmitchell2269 2 місяці тому +72

    It's maybe worth pointing out that when the 996 GT2 first came out, tyres back then were nowhere near as advanced as they are today. So a lot of these sketchy cars like various TVR's and Vipers, with today's tyres (premium performance tyres) won't be as dangerous to drive as they were when they were brand new. Having said that, if you have never driven a car without traction/stability control, and you have a heavy right foot, then you could possibly run into trouble. So tyres and experience. I still have that video of a Viper under-steering of a cliff engraved into my mind.

    • @TheBucketOfTruth
      @TheBucketOfTruth 2 місяці тому +8

      I had this same thought, but the Michelin PS2 really wasn't that bad. The trouble with the GT2 is that if you want a normal street tire in the stock sizes you are still actually running that same Michelin compound from back then. The PS4S does not come in GT2 sizing. All the other tires for the GT2 are R compound quite sticky units like Yokohama A052 or Toyo R888 type of thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but food for thought. Maybe that's fine because you don't like driving your widowmaker in the wet regardless.

    • @harald.370
      @harald.370 2 місяці тому +13

      I hear that about the Carrera GT as well; that modern tyres make it completely different to drive (far better, that is)

  • @876632
    @876632 2 місяці тому +110

    James, you have really developed into a first class reviewer /auto journalist. First class mate, entertaining, honest and in depth. Always been good but you have certainly upped your game since I started watching the channel! Thanks

  • @archiegoodwinjr
    @archiegoodwinjr 2 місяці тому +43

    As a viewer (or as a bystander) I appreciate that the owner has refrained from showing off with bright colors and a loud exhaust.

    • @JayEmmOnCars
      @JayEmmOnCars  2 місяці тому +16

      It's very tasteful isn't it?

  • @The80shilling
    @The80shilling 2 місяці тому +14

    I owned a 2003 Arctic Silver one, with tan glove leather interior, exterior color matched painted seatbacks with matching center tunnel. My dream car. It was EPIC!
    First gear was just to get moving, second gear was so short, it never built full boost; third gear was where it went ballistic, and it kept on going, just building speed, all the way up to sixth gear, and 201 mph. The handling needed sorted. From the factory, it had a bunch of understeer built in, supposedly to stop people putting it backwards through the nearest hedge, but it actually made the problem worse. The fix, was to dial in -2.0 negative front camber (or more if you could get it) and then it actually gripped correctly.
    Around Laguna Seca (I was an instructor for various local track organizations) my GT2 was around 1.2 seconds a lap faster than the GT3RS driven by other instructors. I had changed the ride height to Euro specs, and managed to get -2.5 degrees negative camber in the front.
    It's a totally analogue driving experience; no driver aids (apart from ABS) no nannies, all you need is skill and balls, and it's just bloody brilliant.
    Best car I ever owned; had to sell it when I needed money to buy a house. I freaking miss that car more than any other I have ever owned.

  • @rgstar7702
    @rgstar7702 2 місяці тому +56

    That shirt is absolutely bananas

    • @Al_is_XXX
      @Al_is_XXX 2 місяці тому +3

      I come here as much for the shirts, as for the cars.

    • @erykszymanski9167
      @erykszymanski9167 2 місяці тому +6

      I believe those are flowers, could be wrong though.

    • @jamesmaybrick2001
      @jamesmaybrick2001 2 місяці тому +1

      @@Al_is_XXX Yup. I could give less than 2 fucks about a car i will never be able to afford. But those shirts? The man is a sartorial genius. Im waiting for a 3rd channel. Jay Emm, Straight eye for a straight guy.

  • @resnonverba137
    @resnonverba137 2 місяці тому +23

    The 'Widowmaker' was the original 930 Turbo.

    • @Euphorica
      @Euphorica 2 місяці тому

      This car also had the same nickname

  • @jameswillard1
    @jameswillard1 2 місяці тому +35

    I drove a 2002 GT2 a few years ago with a remap and an exhaust. It was far from a widow maker by today’s standards. It put the power down beautifully and with no drama. Maybe things were different back then on what people considered sketchy but this car was anything but that

    • @staLkerhu
      @staLkerhu 2 місяці тому +8

      Somewhere around the mid 2010's we got the likes of Michelin Pilot Supersport, Pilot Sport 4, Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport and others. Since that point I believe lots of cars gained much better drivability.

    • @danjo911
      @danjo911 2 місяці тому +3

      It never was a “widow maker” tbh. I think some wag made that up and it stuck.

    • @alexmercer8042
      @alexmercer8042 2 місяці тому +2

      @@danjo911 996 was never a widowmaker in the first place. That nickname is primarily used for 930 and RUF 930s

  • @lshrem1
    @lshrem1 2 місяці тому +3

    Agree. I race a 2003 996 GT2, often at Watkins Glen, Monticello and VIR. It started as a street car and went all the way down the slippery slope to full race race, It's 700+ HP and a hand full. Around 2014, I had a coaching session with David Murray who said that his favorite track car was a 997 GT2 and his least favorite was a 996 GT2. The problem is bump steer, along with lack of traction control. At Thunderbolt on the last turn, it can spin the wheels in 4th at 110 mph if not careful. After much work, including a bump steer kit, which you can do on a street car also, it is better behaved. 305 front and 325 rear slicks help. Having said that , this car does not suffer fools. It will bite you if you make a mistake. The upside is that this car is a monster. After about 100 track days, it became very comfortable. It is ecstasy to throttle steer this car through a turn. In a straight line, it is faster than my 991 Turbo race car, also with 700+ HP. Up through 2018, it could compete with up to 991 cup cars. It can't compete with 992s. Time and technology march on. The fun factor remains. The 991 Turbo race car is so much easier to drive. The 996 GT2 is old school fun. Digital vs. analog. There is no reason to get rid of it. Old race cars don't sell for much. Maybe someday, I'll return it to street as a funky retired race car.

  • @BiglumpADV
    @BiglumpADV 2 місяці тому +10

    The GT2 is one of those cars I have idolised since I was a lad. The fact is has very few nanny state electronics is very much a positive for me. As someone who rides superbikes with no traction aids I have no issues at all with a car like the GT2.

  • @jasonforrester6522
    @jasonforrester6522 2 місяці тому +3

    You have hit the nail on the head. I have owned ours for 13 years now, I never intended on keeping the car that long. But as time passes, it truly has become special to me, as a driving experience and just its ownership. I honestly would not trade it for a 992 RS or any Porsche.

  • @Gorbyrev
    @Gorbyrev 2 місяці тому +43

    Lovely. I do wonder, as with the Carrera GT, if the huge steps made in tyre technology have rendered the GT2 less lethal.

    • @browners_28
      @browners_28 2 місяці тому +18

      This is correct. They’re fine now

    • @JayEmmOnCars
      @JayEmmOnCars  2 місяці тому +15

      It has certainly made a big difference

    • @MrLg55555
      @MrLg55555 2 місяці тому +5

      The advancement in tyre technology has/would indeed be of huge benefit in enhancing the handling capabilities of the said car being reviewed...
      What they won't do, unfortunately, is create better drivers of those who own such cars...
      Far to many people who drive high powered cars of any brand, have very poor levels of driving skills and are therefore " an accident waiting to happen"...
      I myself have owned a number of "nice" cars including an aforementioned Carrera GT and I quite often get the hammer down on demanding roads, but I know how much to push and that is generally way more than most drivers are capable of doing...
      I respect what the car is capable of and don't ask it to do anything that it won't...

    • @Raffles-68
      @Raffles-68 2 місяці тому

      Also dry warm road with the modern tyres. But then most 460bhp rwd cars are loose in the wet!

  • @vincentschneuwly9783
    @vincentschneuwly9783 2 місяці тому +12

    This car is the main reason I am driving a 911 today, a luxury car dealer in my neighborhood used to drive one when it came out and it was an event for me and my friends, we just got our licence at the time, each time we would spot it. I had it as a wallpaper on my computer when studying in university for the motivation 😊. Gt2 RS being so expensive and limited I wish Porsche would build a "regular" GT2

    • @jkliao6486
      @jkliao6486 2 місяці тому +2

      Seeing how limited and expensive GT3 and GT4's have got, I don't think that's really a feasible solution. However, it is rumored that we might get a regular GT2 for the 992.2 generation.

    • @Al_is_XXX
      @Al_is_XXX 2 місяці тому +1

      ​@@jkliao6486that would be nice, and surely not that hard to do, with their parts bin...

  • @c.lday44
    @c.lday44 2 місяці тому +16

    GT02 EGG, love it 😂 GT2 with fried egg lights!

  • @Z-u-m-a
    @Z-u-m-a 2 місяці тому +5

    That's just lovely. By modern standards the understated design (and colour) and compact size are particularly cool.

  • @geoffclarke3796
    @geoffclarke3796 2 місяці тому +3

    Not long after I bought my 996.1 GT3 in 2004, I attended a Porsche trackday at Bedford Autodrome where there was a good number of air cooled 911 RS's plus several 996GT3/GT3RS's and a red 996 GT2 with just a few hundred miles on clock. I was finished for the day and chatting to a 993RS owner in the pitlane when I saw the GT2 owner spin nearby and slide on some grass before slaming into a fence outside the pitlane. He was lucky as the only damage appeared to be some stone chips on the rear of the car from the gravel trap. You really have to know what your doing if you want to set a quick lap time these things.

  • @ammaralfuzaia4933
    @ammaralfuzaia4933 2 місяці тому +5

    You have given us very great times recently
    458 speciale then the gt4 and now this
    Even the biggest car channels never have been more entertaining thank you very much

  • @YachtReport
    @YachtReport 2 місяці тому +1

    Correct about the servo being removing making the clutch very heavy. There is a popular ‘mod’ on the 997 of revoking the servo from turbos as the assisted clutch is too light and a bit vague finding the biting point.

    • @mark4lev
      @mark4lev Місяць тому

      Yes same for the 996 turbo. 996 / 997.1turbo are mechanically almost identical. The clutch and steering are a bit over assisted I’ve always thought for the USA market. They weighted things back up for the specialised models .

  • @bassplayer2011ify
    @bassplayer2011ify 2 місяці тому +4

    This is my dream Porsche. Its basically a 930 with modern (for the time) amenities.

  • @jrbuch
    @jrbuch 2 місяці тому +2

    I love these things.I had a ride in a 996 GT3 back when they were new. Always loved these things. When I saw one a few years ago driving around, I lost my shit.

  • @MrRoyck10
    @MrRoyck10 2 місяці тому +3

    I love the classic proportions of the 996 GT with its understated exterior design when compared to the newer models, keep the classic BoxEngine content coming, I will certainly click the thumbs up button before watching. Thanks JayEmm!

  • @normsallitt2753
    @normsallitt2753 2 місяці тому +2

    The hydraulic assisted cluth in the 996TT and 997TT was an absolute nightmare. I've been driving manual transmission cars for over thirty years, and those were the only ones I've ever owned where starting off from a dead stop was always a gamble, lol. The hydraulic system made it very easy to press in, but it also made it so there was always a different engagement point. The GT2 slave retrofit was one of the only fixes for the issue.

    • @mondo74
      @mondo74 2 місяці тому +1

      hahaha, yep. agree with this. was fine if it is your only manual car, but swapping between this, and air cooled G series and a 993TT meant i looked like a learner driver for the first few minutes of getting in.

  • @Rgh71fish
    @Rgh71fish 2 місяці тому +3

    996 GT2. When I was a kid, I saw one new in the showroom at Porsche Zentrum in Stuttgart. It was quite something just to be in its presence. It was silver and had a sold sign in it. I remember wondering who the lucky rich guy was. One thing's for sure. In those days it couldn't have been a youtuber.

  • @MRVSKIN
    @MRVSKIN 2 місяці тому +11

    One of the most underrated 911’s of the history of 911’s

    • @alexp893
      @alexp893 2 місяці тому +2

      One could probably apply that moniker to much of the 996 range. That you can buy a 996 turbo for a quarter of the price of this GT2 tells me the 996 turbo represents incredible value (in my humble opinion).

    • @ErnestDziadekGruz
      @ErnestDziadekGruz 2 місяці тому

      And WTC is most overrated 911 of all 911s

    • @Euphorica
      @Euphorica 2 місяці тому

      Under rated...
      By nobody

  • @ThereIsNoSubstitute
    @ThereIsNoSubstitute 2 місяці тому +3

    One of the most enigmatic 911s.

  • @dongidongi
    @dongidongi 2 місяці тому +3

    My first project at my first ever job out of undergrad in 2003 was on data for the configurations for Porsche. It was a clusterfuck, but hey I got to explore my love (previously stoked by Need For Speed, Porsche Unleashed) for Porsche's a lot more.

    • @dongidongi
      @dongidongi 2 місяці тому +1

      And this was in 2003.

  • @phillsmith9255
    @phillsmith9255 2 місяці тому +4

    I've always thought the 996 GT2 was very identifiable. It looks like no other 996.

  • @joelsmith9311
    @joelsmith9311 2 місяці тому +5

    There are only 2 996 GT2’s for sale at the moment here in Australia - they are both a hair under AUD$400,000. That’s over 200,000 pounds, so…. the UK is sounding like a bargain!

    • @gixxr88
      @gixxr88 2 місяці тому

      Bunch of dreamers, there's a GT2 there's that has literally been for sale for over 5 years

  • @paulgarrad1581
    @paulgarrad1581 2 місяці тому +2

    Rare car is an understatement. I've seen it claimed that there were only 16 UK gen 2's (483bhp version).

  • @aggressivesopossum
    @aggressivesopossum 2 місяці тому +1

    As a 996 4S owner this is my dream car! Thanks for the outstanding review Jay.

  • @TheBucketOfTruth
    @TheBucketOfTruth 2 місяці тому +3

    I still have a 2004 996 Turbo X50 and it's been a dream for reliability. Don't let this video scare you. Yes servicing and other things are expensive on a Porsche (but obviously less than a Ferrari), but buy the right car and you'll be fine. I bought mine with 12,000 miles on it and it's got 42,000 or so now over 13 years. Clutch slave and accumulator is a common issue (that you won't have on a GT2 since it doesn't have the same assist). I did an oil pressure sending unit replacement. Some clunky links in the control arms or something had to be swapped. Most of the money has just gone to basic maintenance, gas, and tires. GT2 is great if you're a collector, but they aren't quite so cheap in the states. 996 Turbo is still the best bargain for experience in a modern Porsche right now as it has been for years. You can always remove the front drive and mod yours up to be like a GT2 or more for pennies on the dollar. They need modern upgraded suspension over stock more than anything else out of the box. I bought a 718 GT4 to replace it but haven't had the heart to sell it yet. It may just hang on a bit longer.

    • @9MAS
      @9MAS 2 місяці тому +1

      I’ve had my 996 turbo for 12 years and done nearly 40k miles and just done the turbos and some suspension refresh. Feels great. Recently Bought a 991 GT3 but can’t bring myself to sell it too, especially now it’s all refreshed. It’s just done 2500 miles around Europe in a week. Didn’t miss a beat.

    • @TheBucketOfTruth
      @TheBucketOfTruth 2 місяці тому +1

      @@9MAS My 996 Turbo is now my most reliable car. The 08 Range Rover Supercharged of course has issues and the new car has just blown it's second active engine mount. I like you am very much due for suspension though. Maybe Ohlins if I decide to keep it.

    • @scottchelmford7136
      @scottchelmford7136 2 місяці тому +1

      @@TheBucketOfTruth don't sell it! The x50 is awesome

  • @STORMBREAKER_250
    @STORMBREAKER_250 2 місяці тому +2

    I remember building a Tamiya kit of one of these in high school! Thanks for the nostalgia!

  • @colofsco1
    @colofsco1 2 місяці тому +2

    Manual gear box, no traction control and no stability control...Yes yes and more yes!!!!!

  • @kevinneary2283
    @kevinneary2283 2 місяці тому +2

    Amazing review.
    My brother in law purchased one of the last ones I think it was 04 in same colour brand new got a massive discount from Porsche
    Think it was 110k ish not sure exactly .
    He took me out in it touching 160 mph on a b road seemed very fast .
    He then let me drive it I was a little scared was fast and beautiful.
    He didn’t have it long part exchanged it for a brand new discounted SLS ! .
    He did the same with that took a massive loss .
    How times have changed! .
    Have to say the SLS I drove also special and drew a crowd at the local pub .
    I would love a GT2 today understated I like the fact only enthusiasts would notice 👍

  • @SportecOne
    @SportecOne 2 місяці тому +1

    The car is simply something special. We took on a 996 GT2 a few years ago, and now it's even closer to the title of “Widowmaker” ;)

  • @Lowpro
    @Lowpro 2 місяці тому +7

    Great choice of car. About to sit down with a cuppa to watch!

  • @davidthomas1424
    @davidthomas1424 2 місяці тому +1

    There's a beautiful 996 Turbo around the corner from me, that also looks splendid in that colour. Very classy.

  • @conorhughes4910
    @conorhughes4910 2 місяці тому +5

    Solid princess bride reference

  • @alexadelaide
    @alexadelaide 2 місяці тому +1

    Man the 996 with the updated headlights looks so good

  • @DavidBrown-bs7gg
    @DavidBrown-bs7gg 2 місяці тому

    Had one of these in 2003, and spun it repeatedly (on track thankfully). The suspension was so hard, even going over expansion joints in the road would cause it to become airborne. Replacement front carbon discs were £20k a set, and didn't last that long (mine went at 10,000 miles and Porsche said they were consumables). It also chewed rear tyres at a rate of knots

  • @Ace-vy3ps
    @Ace-vy3ps 2 місяці тому +1

    GT2 clutch is a direct acting slave, the turbo clutch uses an accumulator. However, I fitted a new clutch pedal helper spring to my GT box, which really lightened the pedal. So much so, that I didn't use the SRM slave I had planned because it became acceptable. Maybe try that?

  • @arthurdardalis
    @arthurdardalis 2 місяці тому +6

    Have driven a GT2, like all cars ever made, it needs to be treated with respect

  • @chrisslaterwalker
    @chrisslaterwalker 2 місяці тому +1

    James I'm loving your florid analogies. And the florid shirts.

  • @looveruk
    @looveruk 2 місяці тому +2

    In the early days of UA-cam, there was an anonymous guy nick named ‘Mad Rob’ who had a GT2. Used to show off with insane driving on early Gumballs. I always link a 996 GT2 with him!

  • @fransb8543
    @fransb8543 2 місяці тому +1

    Like you James, I lusted after these when I was 16. I even went as far as to modify one of the cars in Need for Speed: Porsche unleashed to come as close as possible to the gt2.

  • @Gripen047
    @Gripen047 2 місяці тому +1

    By the early 2000s, practically every major manufacturer had an online configurator of some sort. These kinds of online configurators began in the mid-90s, as far as I can remember.

  • @Pommieboi13
    @Pommieboi13 2 місяці тому

    Followed one of these in silver on the way to work this morning. By modern sports cars standards its very understated yet had so much presence on the road

  • @AntoniusTyas
    @AntoniusTyas 2 місяці тому

    Thanks to you I have grown really fond of Porsche 996. Not that I'd be in position to be able to buy one any time soon, but now every time I see a 996 I find myself admiring the thing. My favourite would be the 996.2 GT2 in Speed Yellow and the tart-tastic GT3 RS. Maybe 996.2 Turbo S too. In Speed Yellow.
    EDIT: Porsche actually never really abandoned GT2 class. After the reclassification of the GT class racing with GT1 and GT2 class returning to FIA GT Championship in 2005 - taking over from GT and N-GT class previously used from 1999 - Porsche always took part in GT2 (and later renamed GTE) class in FIA GT, the failed FIA GT2 European Championship in 2010 (which actually only consists of Spa 24 Hours as its sole race), Le Mans Endurance Series (later Le Mans Series, ILMC and WEC), American Le Mans Series (and subsequently IMSA WTSC), and European Le Mans Series. But the cars they use, weirdly, has always been based on 911 GT3, with 996 GT3 RS, 997 GT3 RSR and 3 different generations of 991 RSR up until GTE class was abolished last year.

  • @mikefaulhaber
    @mikefaulhaber 2 місяці тому +2

    There's a silver GT2 in East Sussex, seemingly quiet and innocent, but with a reg plate that hints at its diabolical nature.

  • @Flatmat
    @Flatmat 2 місяці тому +1

    My Boss had a black GT2 back in the early 2000’s.
    Twas a beast, sadly he could not drive. But lots of words came out of his mouth… 😂😂😂

  • @Covkiller
    @Covkiller Місяць тому

    I've just bought one and it's 600bhp. I love it.

  • @theswissdriver
    @theswissdriver 2 місяці тому

    I once drove a 997 GT2 and I recall getting wheel spin in 3rd gear at 80kph on the highway, after I decided to step on the accelerator, in dry weather. I think all GT2 models deserve that widowmaker nickname

  • @benprouty2446
    @benprouty2446 2 місяці тому

    Good review. The values are where they are for examples that have been on the market for some time, for good reason. Most GT2s have some kind of “story” given what you rightly said about the combination of power, RWD and tyre technology at the time. The handful of clean examples go for much more and don’t stick around on the market for long!

  • @MrAaronb400
    @MrAaronb400 2 місяці тому +16

    Rob lonman driving a gt2 is a good watch.

    • @chrisdunbar3400
      @chrisdunbar3400 2 місяці тому +4

      I bought his car and had it for over 6 years, ended up doing just over 84k miles in that time, should have never let it go......

    • @MrAaronb400
      @MrAaronb400 2 місяці тому +1

      @chrisdunbar3400 took plenty of abuse when he used it on the events. Was it wrapped/painted a light blue when you owned it? I also think it's back to silver now or the last photos I saw of it.
      Glad it was used well after he had it. I did wonder what happened to Rob in recent years as the Internet doesn't have any info.

    • @bensparkes
      @bensparkes 24 дні тому

      ⁠@@chrisdunbar3400Are you the doctor on pistonheads?
      Do you guys know where the car is now? or the plate?? last i saw his plate was on a VW Transporter if memory serves…

    • @bensparkes
      @bensparkes 24 дні тому

      @@MrAaronb400as for Rob it seems he stepped away from the internet a few years after gumball. probably retired on an island somewhere. would be great to hear from him though

  • @chrisjohnhyman
    @chrisjohnhyman 2 місяці тому +1

    Mine was an absolute pig when I got it. Sent it to Chris @ Centre Gravity and he made it an joy to thrash. They're very sensitive to suspension setup.

  • @one87dnb1
    @one87dnb1 2 місяці тому +2

    Spot on review!

  • @Clarkeisawesome
    @Clarkeisawesome 2 місяці тому +1

    You have the best intro of any youtube channel. So awesome.

  • @Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab
    @Peter-Oxley-Modelling-Lab 2 місяці тому +2

    I do feel that interior seems a bit plasticky so agree the carbon would be better. Otherwise a truly stunning machine...a UNICORN! 🦄

  • @jonathanwong8206
    @jonathanwong8206 2 місяці тому +1

    I have a modified 996 Turbo:
    Bilstein PSS10 - stiffer suspension engine transmission mounts, more aggressive GT2/3 suspension alignment
    Markski ECU Tune 100 CEL Exhaust Cats Race Intercoolers - 530BHP+ 530lbTQ+ at the crank
    Built Tip Trans - capable of handling 700BHP 700LB TQ
    997 Big Brake kit conversion with front 6 pot calipers better stopping power
    Have a set of K16 billeted turbos with 1000cc injectors that will increase the power to 650BHP+650LB TQ but not bothered it is way too fast already
    Much better car to drive in terms of performance. But the biggest difference isn't the speed its the handling steering braking much sharper which makes the original cars feel too soft
    The big let down is the interior lots parts are 2000s VW/Audi and squeaks rattles. Secondly, ancilliaries - window regulators, alternators, coolant pipes popping - now they're 20+ yrs old so lots of parts old and break so always something to fix

  • @Randy-lg1qo
    @Randy-lg1qo Місяць тому +1

    I had a similar car, “The Widower Maker”
    Nissan Micra and for completely different reasons

  • @HarveyJohnWillmott
    @HarveyJohnWillmott 2 місяці тому

    I dreamed of that car so much when I was a kid, but 20 years later it doesn’t do much for me at all, but I still respect what it is.

  • @Inazuma68
    @Inazuma68 2 місяці тому +1

    I drive a 996.2 GT3 Clubsport. As far as I know and been told it is 1380 kg and without cage it would be 1360 kg.

  • @russellomax9319
    @russellomax9319 Місяць тому

    At the garage where my dad was buying his 996 gt3 was also a gt2 for sale, the sales guy told how someone was on a test drive doing 250km/h and nailed the throttle, only to induce a whole lot of tail spin!
    Another story of the 996 gt2 I have was a guy my dad knew had just sold his gt2 and took his 2 small kids out for one last drive, they were found next to the car with a tree half way through the cab and the guy dead at the scene, widow-maker for sure

  • @kirk8359
    @kirk8359 2 місяці тому +5

    This was never considered a widow maker, that title goes to the 930 Turbo and maybe the Carrera GT.

    • @MrLg55555
      @MrLg55555 2 місяці тому +3

      The Carrera GT is no Widowmaker... Only the drivers with poor driving skills who have driven and crashed one, have given it that unfair moniker...
      How do I know?... I owned one in the mid 2000s and I'm here to tell the truth...
      A " Miss Daisy" car when needed and an awesome handling steed on demanding roads...

  • @detonator2112
    @detonator2112 2 місяці тому

    That's a stunning color. Many air cooled cars and 928's had that color too. Probably Iris Blue?

  • @deaks25
    @deaks25 2 місяці тому +1

    I'm pretty sure it was the 996 GT2 that I read that is not actually a Widowmaker, that it's actually a very well-behaved car that just has a zero tolerance policy for people who drive it like an idiot and so was the Bane of the Banker. For me the GT2 is the true petrol heads car; it's for a driver, not a poser. Basically a German TVR.
    It makes me laugh these days that the once-maligned 996 generation is coming very much into fashion, it's not just the cheapest way into a Porsche, it's actually becoming a route people want to go. I've always had a soft spot for the 996 to be honest, and the Turbo bodykit I think looks great.

  • @seshelbow336
    @seshelbow336 2 місяці тому +2

    The 996 GT2 won’t kill you on a dry B road at 70%. It will kill you one rainy night when you think you’re at 30%

  • @mazboengineer
    @mazboengineer 2 місяці тому +1

    996 GT2 ❤ ….my childhood hero car

  • @JennyGavinWear
    @JennyGavinWear 2 місяці тому

    driven on the edge they have a tendency to suddenly spin. it's hard to control because there is very little warning before they go.
    i think it's more about engine placement and balance than TC.
    take it on to a track lol

  • @BernardMann-nf1ks
    @BernardMann-nf1ks Місяць тому

    Wicked my brother we've heard about how good they are. Thank you

  • @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek
    @NigelDeForrest-Pearce-cv6ek 2 місяці тому +1

    Sounds Like the Best 911!!!!

  • @WhiteMouse77
    @WhiteMouse77 2 місяці тому +1

    Considering German POV on this GT2...it seems to beee .... The Autobahn version of race track purposed GT3... 😏
    From Jay's testing I understand this GT2 as much friendlier variation of Carrera GT V10... Something Like GT2 has only half thirst for your blood as GT V10...🤪

  • @mountain_walker
    @mountain_walker 2 місяці тому +5

    God the 996 is looking better and better these days. I still think the market is sleeping on 996’s. I have no doubt 996 Turbo (manuals) GT3’s, GT2’s are only going to go in one direction.

    • @Spenny909
      @Spenny909 2 місяці тому +3

      That's right. Look at the side profile of all the 911s, the 996 is the best. Porsche fans can be idiots.

    • @9MAS
      @9MAS 2 місяці тому +2

      Agreed. The prices have softened for 996 turbos yet the 993 turbos have gone up and up. Won’t sell mine.

    • @mountain_walker
      @mountain_walker 2 місяці тому

      @@9MAS Not that people should keep them as investments as they should be used and enjoyed, but I really do think the 996 Turbo’s time is only round the corner

    • @idokwatcher2062
      @idokwatcher2062 Місяць тому

      They are not sleeping they don't want to pay $30K for an engine without flaws like the nepo baby from this channel can do. But eventually they will relent, eventually 997 will go out of reach and they will swallow the pill and go for 996 + new engine.

    • @9MAS
      @9MAS Місяць тому +1

      @@idokwatcher2062 the 996 turbo/GT2/3 has the renowned Mezger engine unlike the Carreras with all their issues.

  • @adrianbunyard6015
    @adrianbunyard6015 Місяць тому

    Can't ignore that shirt. It's hypnotic.

  • @bispal
    @bispal 2 місяці тому

    Thanks for the review. Been an ambition of mine to try one. Would you pick the 996 GT2 or a 718 GT4/Spyder if it were your money????

  • @danwilliamson1991
    @danwilliamson1991 2 місяці тому +6

    First thing I'd check is the age of the tyres. Otherwise, go nuts.

    • @JayEmmOnCars
      @JayEmmOnCars  2 місяці тому +2

      I always do with performance cars!

    • @danwilliamson1991
      @danwilliamson1991 2 місяці тому

      @JayEmmOnCars A friend wrote off a Ferrari 456 a few years ago, which we unofficially put down to old tyres. Check your tyres folks. 4 years or older is not good.

    • @MrLg55555
      @MrLg55555 2 місяці тому +1

      @@JayEmmOnCars, you didn't before you drove your friends CLS Shooting Brake AMG 63S!...
      They may have been well in date, but Rapid tyres are cheap and nasty... Small wonder you were getting the sensation that the car didn't handle great...
      I own the very same model of CLS and I can guarantee you that with quality tyres fitted it handles superbly...
      On demanding roads it's easy to keep up with smaller and lighter cars with power...
      Then again, I know how to drive...
      So tell your friend to invest in some Pilot 4Ss or Continental Sport Contact 6s...As a minimum P Zeros, Eagle F1s or Dunlop Sport...
      You can't penny pinch on tyres when your car has 585bhp and 750+ Nms of torque...
      Accident waiting to happen

  • @Vagkost
    @Vagkost 2 місяці тому

    Great video mate..Also I laughed a lot about the story of your mother in law..Greetings from Athens-Greece keep up the good work

  • @Wargasm54
    @Wargasm54 2 місяці тому +5

    Pretty sure the 930 Twin Turbo is the “Widowmaker”.

    • @-Jason-L
      @-Jason-L 2 місяці тому +2

      @@Wargasm54 there was no twin turbo 930

    • @Wargasm54
      @Wargasm54 2 місяці тому +1

      @@-Jason-L my bad, it was a single turbo. But it was known as “the Widowmaker” or could’ve been the 993 a few years later. But pretty certain it was the 930 Turbo that was affectionately known as The Widowmaker. Probably due to its single turbo dumping all the power at once. I think that’s why they went twin shortly after.

    • @warmachine_
      @warmachine_ Місяць тому

      Id argue that any porsche with a turbo - including the 718 - with tc off is widowmaker: razor sharp handling that spins once over the limit or you tap Gas too hard in non ideal conditions

  • @juryca
    @juryca 2 місяці тому

    I'm not sure if this applies to the GT2, but I know quite a few 996 owners have removed the helper spring behind the clutch pedal to make it feel stiffer

  • @bremms1
    @bremms1 Місяць тому

    Try a 1977 930 turbo modified to 340 HP. Drove it when I was 17. 1980. On vacation in Quebec. The owner knew I loved cars and said give it a try.. he actually wanted me to drive it fast. Boost came on coming out of a corner..He says “Just stay in it! Don’t lift or it will spin” it squirms a good bit and just rockets forward. I was shaking. Kept with it though. I was more afraid of his 19 year old daughter. She took me up in the helicopter. Pretty girl, super smart(MIT) and a helicopter certification.

  • @Yorkshiremadmick
    @Yorkshiremadmick 2 місяці тому +2

    It’s not raining 🌧️ the road hasn’t got diesel on it, there’s no ice.
    So you’re not going to experience the widow making qualities

  • @koreanstallion
    @koreanstallion 2 місяці тому

    Thank you!

  • @quackman
    @quackman 2 місяці тому

    nice blue! almost reminds me of BMW's Interlagos Blue or some other M- or Individual spec color

  • @brcardetailing
    @brcardetailing Місяць тому

    Detailed and coated by myself as are all of Andy’s cars. 👏🏼

  • @VK6AB-
    @VK6AB- 2 місяці тому

    Excellent and intelligent review. PS Tire technology has come a long way since this was first released. Still needs respect on a cold wet day, the same can be said for a lot of modern high powered RWD cars.

  • @exc911ence_channel
    @exc911ence_channel 2 місяці тому +1

    I'd be the guy going crazy after spotting a 996 GT2 in a carpark. 🤩

  • @stu4181
    @stu4181 2 місяці тому +1

    I’ve been on a local car group drive out where a gt2 owner planted it going straight and it snapped 90 degrees into the hedge.
    I’d still buy one if they weren’t over 100k 😂

  • @Carsaddiction
    @Carsaddiction 2 місяці тому

    To anyone who is in marketing with a large corporation:
    As the Americans have the UA-cam version of Top Gear with CarTrek and we recently ran out of supply with Grand Tour, I vote Jayemm, Sam (Seen Through Glass) and Tim (Shmee) to team up because of their unique dynamics and 2 of them are already known to travel with their cars.

  • @icsunonove72
    @icsunonove72 2 місяці тому

    I'd like to see you drive a Fiat X1/9, from around 1980. After all it's 'the original' affordable mid engined sportscar. Later came things like the MR2 and Elise...I know, I know, you're asking yourself: Why would I? Well, because low expectations in combination with positive experiences can put a smile on your face. Just look at Number 27.

  • @chefsaliva5317
    @chefsaliva5317 2 місяці тому +5

    Maybe the practicality issue due to the front spoiler would be fixed if a 400 pound Brit wasn’t inside weighing the poor work horse down.

  • @Lou-f
    @Lou-f 2 місяці тому

    Beautiful car, sounds like it needs some serious dampers and alignment for modern tyres. 👍

  • @LapoftheWorld
    @LapoftheWorld 2 місяці тому

    That term does get thrown around fairly liberally these days but, in my opinion, this was the last *true* widowmaker. The only help it gives you is ABS, and that only does so much keeping the rear in-check. I've driven one of these with some regularity (one that's been lightly chipped to ~530hp) and I do think much of the reputation is down to either poor setup or people out-driving their talent, but at 8/10ths or more you definitely have to be driving ahead of the car with respect to the boost delivery on turn exit, since there's no TCS, no fancy variable vane turbos to smooth out that punch, or AWD to get it to the ground.

  • @eric-wb7gj
    @eric-wb7gj 2 місяці тому

    TY 🙏🙏

  • @user-bt4jg5lh4b
    @user-bt4jg5lh4b 2 місяці тому

    great review

  • @ortontom
    @ortontom 2 місяці тому

    Driven a few - like them, although I would get the 996 RS. A 997 GT2 I drove was a lhd, which makes it even more frightening...LHD

  • @kornonacob
    @kornonacob 2 місяці тому

    When you wanna try out the f40 , f50, la Ferrari, sp3.... McLaren f1, we need to see your reviews on that bunch

  • @danjo911
    @danjo911 2 місяці тому +2

    It’s far more closely related to a gt3 than a turbo S.

  • @kennethross996
    @kennethross996 2 місяці тому +1

    All I heard was 996 911 GT2 GT3 911 GT 718 GT4 993 460 12C GT3 turbo RS 997 993 X50 460 457 996.1 996.2 GT3 GT2 club sport. Haven’t a clue what the video was about.