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911 · Type 997

997.2

Direct injection, no intermediate shaft, PDK. The same body around a fundamentally different car.

Years
2009–2012
Trims
13
Power
345–620 hp
Known issues
6
Lightest
2,998 lb
Quickest 0–60
3.1 s

Overview

The 2009 facelift is the most consequential mid-generation change in modern 911 history, and the body barely moved. Direct injection brought the 9A1 engine, which has no intermediate shaft at all, so the failure that defines every M96 and M97 conversation simply does not exist here. PDK replaced Tiptronic and transformed the automatic option from a compromise into the quicker choice.

The practical effect on ownership is enormous. A 997.2 asks you to inspect a car; a 997.1 asks you to inspect an engine. The market has understood this for years, which is why the price gap between a late 2008 and an early 2009 is wider than four months of depreciation could explain.

What replaces engine anxiety is gearbox maintenance. The PDK mechatronic is the most expensive single drivetrain component, and its fluid service is the one most often skipped. Buy the car with the service records.

The range

13 Sorted by output
Trim Years Engine Power Torque 0–60 Weight Drive
Coupe / Cabriolet
2009–2012 3.6 L 345 288 4.7 3,131 RWD
Coupe / Cabriolet
2009–2012 3.6 L 345 288 4.8 3,285 AWD
Targa
2009–2012 3.6 L 345 288 4.9 3,494 AWD
Coupe / Cabriolet
2009–2012 3.8 L 385 310 4.5 3,175 RWD
Coupe / Cabriolet
2009–2012 3.8 L 385 310 4.6 3,329 AWD
Targa
2009–2012 3.8 L 385 310 4.7 3,538 AWD
Speedster HaloPDK only
Speedster
2011 3.8 L 408 310 4.4 3,250 RWD
GT3 HaloManual only
Coupe
2010–2011 3.8 L 435 317 4.0 3,075 RWD
GT3 RS HaloManual only
Coupe
2010–2011 3.8 L 450 317 3.8 3,020 RWD
GT3 RS 4.0 HaloManual only
Coupe
2011 4.0 L 500 339 3.8 2,998 RWD
Turbo Halo
Coupe / Cabriolet
2010–2012 3.8 L T 500 480 3.4 3,494 AWD
Turbo S HaloPDK only
Coupe / Cabriolet
2011–2012 3.8 L T 530 516 3.1 3,538 AWD
GT2 RS HaloManual only
Coupe
2011 3.6 L T 620 516 3.4 3,020 RWD

Power in hp, torque in lb-ft, 0–60 in seconds, weight in pounds. Hover a badge for what it means.

Year by year

4
  1. 2009

    The facelift that matters: direct injection, the 9A1 engine with no intermediate shaft, and PDK replacing Tiptronic.

  2. 2010

    DFI Turbo replaces the Mezger with 500 hp. The 3.8 L GT3 arrives with 435 hp and centre-lock wheels.

  3. 2011

    Turbo S, GT2 RS at 620 hp, GT3 RS 4.0 and the Speedster — the densest year of halo cars in the generation.

  4. 2012

    Final 997 model year before the 991 arrives.

Known issues

6