2005-2008 (997)
The 997 arrived in July 2005 as the generation that repaired the 911's reputation after the divisive styling of the 996. Porsche returned to round headlights and a more classically proportioned face, while the interior finally moved past the 996's much-criticized cabin quality. Production began with the Carrera and Carrera S coupes, followed by the all-wheel-drive Carrera 4 and 4S arriving that November as 2006 model year cars.
The base Carrera carried an evolution of the 996's 3.6-liter flat-six, tuned to 325 hp, while the Carrera S stepped up to a 3.8-liter version at 355 hp. Both engines were still water-cooled units in the M96/M97 family, carrying forward the IMS bearing design that would later become a well-known point of concern before Porsche redesigned it away entirely in the 997.2's engines. The Turbo arrived for 2007 powered by the legendary Mezger-derived 3.6-liter twin-turbo flat-six, a race-proven design distinct from the naturally aspirated Carrera engines, producing 480 hp with variable turbine geometry turbochargers, a first for a gasoline production car. The GT3 launched for 2006 at 415 hp from a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated engine sharing its architecture with the Turbo's Mezger block rather than the Carrera's, and the GT3 RS followed in 2007 with the same 415 hp output but a lighter body and stiffer suspension aimed squarely at the track. The GT2 closed out the generation's specialty models in 2007, using a rear-wheel-drive-only tune of the Turbo's engine at 530 hp, making it the most powerful road-going 911 offered up to that point.
- Model years: 2005 to 2008
- Trims: Carrera, Carrera S, Carrera 4, Carrera 4S, Targa 4, Targa 4S, Turbo, GT3, GT3 RS, GT2
- Power range: 325 hp (base Carrera) to 530 hp (GT2)
- Transmission: 6-speed manual standard, 5-speed Tiptronic automatic optional (Carrera/Turbo trims)
- Notable firsts: first 911 to return to round headlights after the 996; first Turbo with variable turbine geometry turbochargers; first 997-generation GT3 and GT3 RS
- Available as: Coupe, Cabriolet, and Targa depending on trim, with GT3, GT3 RS, and GT2 offered as Coupe only