2001 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 review from UK and Ireland

The car has been faultless, but so it should be for a car that's only 6 months old.

Before buying my 996, I had driven both a 1995 993 turbo (in excess of 450bhp - brutally fast) and a 1984 911SC 3.2 (very old-fashioned to drive). I believe that 911s are fantastic cars, but the 996 is in a different league.

I love the interior and can't fault the build quality. The layout is superb and has the bespoke feel of TVRs coupled with design restraint and build quality to lend a much more professional and grown up impression. So much improved over the older generation 911s.

When buying this car I also considered the new BMW M3 (too great a similarity with it's common saloon car brethren), the TVR Tuscan (too impractical to be my only car but a wonderful vehicle) and the Jaguar XK8 (too soft and possessed of a rather staid image). The Porsche beats them all hands down, the multitdue of plaudits heaped upon this car are well earned.

I'm a big fan of TVRs, but as soon as I drove the 996 I was sold. It is really in a diffent league to anything else I have ever driven. The handling AND ride are extraordinary. This car is the best car I could have bought, irrespective of price.

My only criticisms are that it lacks the urgency of acceleration that my TVR used to have, despite being faster. Also, TVRs sound so good, they make your heart melt. If the 911 had these two things as well, I'd never drive another car again.