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Porsche 911 (997)

The Porsche 997 is the sixth generation of the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche between 2004 (as Model Year 2005) and 2013. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupés began in early 2004, all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S began to be delivered to customers in November 2005, the Turbo and GT3 derivatives went on sale in late 2006 and the GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupé and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were also available, which carry on with the "glass canopy" roof design used since its first application on the 993 until the 991, which reverted to the classic targa top layout used on the early 911 Targas.

The 997 was an evolution of the preceding 996, with the most significant changes being interior and exterior styling, the most notable being the replacement of the "fried egg" headlamps used on the 996 with the classic "bug eye" units. Larger 18-inch wheels were fitted as standard, and other engineering changes include slightly increased power; however, the car is technically very similar to its predecessor albeit with many revisions. A new S version was offered, with additional power from a slightly larger engine, sports suspension, and sports exhaust.

During 2009, Porsche updated the 997 line-up including styling changes, a new engine with direct injection and the introduction of the company's new "PDK" dual clutch transmission. As a result, the updated 997 models were faster, lighter and more fuel efficient than the outgoing versions, with improved handling. In the case of the 997 Turbo, a comprehensively re-tuned all wheel drive system with an optional "torque vectoring" system was also a part of the upgrades package; in an October 2009 preliminary review, Car and Driver magazine estimated that when equipped with the PDK transmission, the updated Turbo should be capable of accelerating from 0-97 km/h in three seconds.

The 997 received mostly positive reviews from the worldwide motoring press; even British motoring journalist Jeremy Clarkson, a known detractor of Porsche cars, noted that the 997 will "make love to your fingertips and stir your soul."

History and development
By February 1999, just a few months into the 997 development programme that began in the fourth quarter of 1998, designers were already at work on the 997 body design. After numerous reviews during the rest of 1999 and full size clay models built from 2000 into 2001, a final design by designer Grant Larson was approved. Early prototypes were built in late 2001 for testing, based on the newly set parameters. While the exterior styling was revised, it was again more evolution rather than revolution; typical of Porsche. The rear bodywork was a total of 88 mm wider than its predecessor. However, the most notable aesthetic difference between the 997 and the 996 was the return to oval headlights like those of pre-996 Carreras, with separate indicator units. The interior was re-designed with new controls; however, it was more reminiscent of classic 911 interiors than of the outgoing 996. The body in general remained low profile with a drag coefficient of 0.28 for the Carrera and 0.29 for the Carrera S.

Cabriolet
For the first time, development of the cabriolet version of the 997 led the design and engineering effort at Porsche with the coupé following. Porsche applied the logic that if you started with the more difficult cabriolet challenges (for chassis stiffness) the coupé version would simply be more rigid. Despite additional weight, the cabriolet versions attain nearly the same performance figures as their coupé counterparts. Even the rear wing rises slightly higher on the cabriolets to compensate for differences in drag over the canvas top vs. the smoother coupé shape. The 997 cabriolet had factory optional hard tops that provided better protection from unexpected weather conditions than the conventional canvas top. It is interchangeable with that available on the late 996 cabriolet models. The hardtop provides a winter option to cabriolet owners.

911 Club Coupé (2005)
The 911 Club Coupé is a limited (50 units) version of the 2006 Carrera S coupé with X51 Powerkit commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Porsche Club of America (PCA).

The vehicle included an Azurro California-colour scheme (similar to the colour found on the Porsche 356), a vehicle identification number (VIN) which ended with the production number and special commemorative badging and door sills, Sport Chrono Package Plus system, and optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes.

The car bearing chassis number #001 was transferred to the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. One PCA member won the car bearing chassis number #050 in a sweepstakes drawing. The remaining 48 units were sold to randomly chosen U.S. and Canadian PCA members. After 2005-08-15, unsold units were made available to the general public.

The vehicle was unveiled in PCA's 50th Annual Porsche Parade in Hershey, Pa.

The vehicle had an MSRP of US$99,911 or $145,911 CDN.

Targa
The Targa 4 and 4S versions were introduced in 2006. Like its predecessors, the 993 and 996, the 997 Targa is equipped with a glass roof system. At any speed, the roof can be opened where it drops down 25 mm and slides a metre back underneath the rear window. As the roof weighs an additional 60 kg, the suspension has been modified as compared to the other Carrera models. When the glass roof is retracted, a small glass deflector is raised above the windshield to aid aerodynamic stability.

Unlike previous versions, the 997 Targa was only available with all-wheel drive. Targa 4 models are slightly slower than the hard top Carrera models because of the heavier roof and the all-wheel-drive system.

The 997 Targa became available in the fall of 2006 as a 2007 Model. In the first year, Porsche produced 1,760 cars worldwide (with 800 sold in the US market) out of the 38,922 911 models produced in total.

Carrera S and 4S
Following the success of the earlier 996 Carrera 4S, Porsche introduced the Carrera S in 2005 which had power output increased by 29 PS as compared to the base Carrera.

The new all-wheel-drive Coupé, Cabriolet, and Targa versions were later available either in the S version alongside the Carrera with the following additional features:

 * increased displacement of the engine (3.8 L vs 3.6 L) with increased power
 * lowered suspension with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management, i.e. dynamically adjustable dampers)
 * 19-inch wheels
 * upgraded braking system
 * sports exhaust
 * Bi-Xenon headlights
 * aluminium trim in the interior

Turbo
The 997 Turbo debuted in February 2006 at the Geneva Motor Show. It featured a new front bumper with LED turn signal strips integrated in the air intakes; the fog lamps were moved to the corners of the bumpers. Large air vents fore and aft of the rear wheels provide other obvious visual cues of the Turbo model. The turbo utilises the wide body shell of the AWD models, giving it a more aggressive stance than the base 911 models. Also featured was a retractable rear wing, as used on the 996 Turbo along with air vents on the rear quarter panels in order for effective engine cooling. The 997 Turbo is 90 lb lighter than its predecessor due to the extensive use of aluminium in key elements of the car.

The engine was based on the 911 GT1's design and is rated at 480 PS and 620 Nm (680 Nm at overboost) of torque. The torque is managed by Porsche Traction Management (PTM) system in conjunction with the Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system in order for a safer utilisation of the torque produced by the engine.

The engine uses two BorgWarner VTG turbochargers, a first for a Porsche production car. The turbochargers are fitted with a two-stage resonance intake system. The Variable Turbine Geometry incorporates guide vanes on the turbine wheel that change their angle of attack with exhaust speed, reducing turbo lag at low speeds while opening up to prevent excessive back pressure at high RPM.

The optional Sport Chrono package allows the 911 Turbo to overboost for ten seconds (1.0 bar to 1.2 bar), increasing peak torque over a narrow RPM range.

According to official Porsche figures, the 997 Turbo accelerates from a standstill 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds with the manual transmission, and 3.7 seconds with the 5-speed Tiptronic S transmission. Benchmark times to 200 km/h are 12.8 and 12.2 seconds, respectively. Maximum speed with either transmission is 310 km/h.

As an option, Porsche also offered its ceramic brake system, PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake). The advantages of this high-tech material mean a reduction of 17 kg compared to the standard brake system, excellent fade resistance owing to consistent friction values, and absolute corrosion resistance. The brakes were 380 mm diameter at the front and 350 mm at the rear.

Turbo Cabriolet
Porsche AG announced on 7 May 2007 that the 911 Turbo Cabriolet would go on sale in September 2007. The Porsche 997 Turbo Cabriolet became one of the fastest convertible sports cars in production. It is capable of similar top speeds and acceleration to the standard Porsche 997 turbo coupé, a notable feat due to the typical problems associated with convertible variants of hardtop coupés, such as the poor aerodynamics of a soft top, a lack of torsional rigidity, and the consequential weight increase from structural members.

GT2
The 996 GT2 was superseded by the 997 GT2, which went on sale in November 2007. At its release, the 997-generation Porsche 911 GT2 was the most powerful and fastest road-going 911 ever to have been sold to the public.

The GT2's engine was based on the existing 3.6 L flat-6 engine, but features twin variable geometry turbochargers (as used on the 997 turbo), generating a maximum power output of 530 PS at 6,500 rpm and 680 Nm of torque at 2,200 rpm. Unlike the 997 Turbo, the 997 GT2 uses a rear wheel drive layout for reduced weight (primarily for competing in GT2 class racing as with its predecessors), and boasts a power increase from a newly designed expansion intake manifold, and shorter turbo intake manifolds. Further, a full titanium exhaust system was fitted to the 997 GT2 contributing to reduced weight as compared to the turbo. Despite the power hike, Porsche claims fuel consumption at full throttle is improved by 15 percent compared with the 997 Turbo. The GT2 accelerates in 3.6 seconds to 97 km/h and in 7.4 seconds to 100 mph and has top speed of 329 km/h. This makes it the first 911 to exceed the 200 mph top speed barrier after the 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Race Version (which is not considered to be an actual Porsche 911 due to its mid-mounted engine and overall shape). The Porsche 997 GT2 has a curb weight of 1440 kg. The only transmission available is a 6-speed manual.

The GT2 was the first Porsche equipped with launch control.

The appearance of the GT2 is slightly different from its sister-car, the 997 Turbo, in a few ways. It does away with fog lights in the front bumper and has integrated turn signals in the front air intakes, has a revised front lip, has a larger rear wing (with two small air scoops on either side), and has a different rear bumper (now featuring titanium exhaust pipes).

GT3

The GT3 variant debuted at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show alongside the 997 Turbo. Like previous GT3 models, it is a way for Porsche to homologate aerodynamic features for racing, as well as to offer race cars for customer teams. The 997 GT3 was priced at US$106,000. The engine has the same displacement as the Turbo, but does away with the turbochargers and uses a new variable intake system. The engine is rated at 415 PS and 405 Nm of torque. It has an 8,400 rpm redline matching that of the Carrera GT flagship. The 3.6 L dry-sump engine does not suffer from the rear main seal problems of the earlier 3.6 L/3.8 L integrated dry-sump engines.

The GT3's body work includes a special front bumper which increases cooling for the front-mounted radiators as well as a split spoiler at the rear. The GT3 also includes a special rear bumper and center tailpipes which draw heat away from the engine. The suspension system is lowered and the car utilises 30-series 305 mm tyres and 483 mm wheels. The car weighs 1395 kg.

The 997 GT3 is more driver-friendly than its predecessor, with "comfort" seats and the Porsche Communication Management system installed.

The special GT3 RS model came without many of the luxuries typically found in a Carrera to focus more on track-orientated driving (although the car is still road-legal). The RS trim was also available with a full roll cage and carbon fibre seats along with a large fixed rear wing to add to the race-car-for-the-road feel. The RS trim was introduced in Europe in October 2006; the North American release was in March 2007. A racing version of the GT3 RS debuted in 2007, called the 997 GT3 RSR.

The ratios on the six-speed transmission are closer, allowing the GT3 to reach 97 km/h in 4.1 seconds, while the RS accomplishes the same in exactly 4 seconds. The GT3 will continue to 100 mph in 9.2 seconds and has a maximum top speed of 310 km/h.

Engines
"*" Models with turbocharged engines include Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) turbochargers.

General performance
The base Carrera has essentially the same 3596 cc flat-6 (Boxer) engine from 996 Carrera. The Carrera S however uses a new 3824 cc flat-6 engine. The X51 Powerkit is available for S, 4S, Targa models, which increases engine power.

According to testing carried out by several American automotive publications, the Turbo model can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in about 3.4 seconds with an automatic transmission and 3.5 seconds with the manual transmission. The Carrera S model is capable of accelerating from 0-97 km/h in 4.7 seconds and can reach a top speed of 300 km/h, while the base Carrera model can accelerate from 0-97 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and can attain a top speed of 180 mph. The viscous clutch all wheel drive system sends between 5% and 40% of engine torque to the front wheels as per need.

The Porsche 997 GT3 RS and Porsche 997 Carrera 4S are tied for second fastest car in history, at 82 km/h, in the infamous moose test maneuver, beaten only by the Citroën Xantia Activa V6 record of 85 km/h. The test is conducted by the magazine Teknikens Värld's in Sweden, as a test of avoiding a moose in the road.

Second phase 997.2 (2009–2013)
The 997 received a mid-cycle refresh in 2008 for the 2009 model year. The updated model range was unveiled at the Paris Auto Show in September 2008. The updated Porsche 911 (called 997 Gen II internally at Porsche and 997.2 informally by enthusiasts) included the following changes:

 * New engine with direct fuel injection. The engine is mounted 0.4 in lower in the tail section
 * Revised suspension system
 * Revised front bumper with larger air intakes
 * Headlamps with LED daytime running lights and newly optional dual HID projectors
 * Revised rear bumper with a new LED tail light design; AWD models included a reflective stripe between the tail lights
 * Enlarged exterior mirrors
 * Redesigned Porsche Sports Exhaust (PSE)
 * Redesigned PCM system with touch-screen and optional hard-drive navigation and Bluetooth.
 * New Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission replacing the optional Tiptronic S.

Production of the 997 Gen II model began in late 2008. Initially available models included coupé and cabriolet versions of the Carrera, Carrera 4, Carrera S and Carrera 4S. Pricing was increased from the 997 Gen I; the base Carrera model was set to start at US$76,300 for North American buyers.

On 6 June 2008, these changes to the Porsche 911 were revealed on the Porsche website. The Turbo was not revealed until the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, thereafter the Turbo-based GT2 received the updated changes.

Models
Notes:
 * MSRP prices are set to the United States. In Europe, prices are considerably higher and in some countries can even be double the price quoted for North American markets, mainly due to higher local tax rates.
 * Integrated dry sump in all but GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 RS variants which have a dry sump with external oil reservoir and 7 pumps instead of only 3 in the less powerful versions.
 * Integrated dry sump is Porsche's name for a dry sump lubrication system integrated within the engine block, i.e. no separate oil reservoir.

Targa (2009–2012)
The updated Targa 4 and Targa 4S models were announced on 28 July 2008. The Targa now had a glass roof made of a special glass that repelled UV rays from entering the car. The engine in the Targa 4 was now uprated at 345 PS while for the Targa 4S, power was increased to 385 PS. The new Targa 4S has a top speed of 185 mph and can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds, while the Targa 4 has a lower top speed.

Turbo/Turbo Cabriolet (2010–2013)
The refreshed version of the 997 Turbo was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It received a completely new 6-cylinder, 3.8 litre boxer engine generating a maximum power output of 500 PS and 651 Nm of torque (700 Nm with overboost) using revised BorgWarner variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers. The new engine shared the construction of other 997 Gen II DFI engines. The 997 Gen I engine's Nikasil cylinder liners were replaced with an Alusil block that combined the cylinders and crankcase into an integrated casting for each bank, thus reducing weight (in contrast to a separate cylinder block and crankcase for each bank). The dry sump lubrication system in the Turbo is different from other 911 models in that it uses integrated oil reservoirs at the bottom of the engine, separate from the crank case and utilises six oil pumps. The engine is configured with direct fuel injection and a compression ratio of 9.8:1. The intake manifold is a slightly larger unit, adopted from the outgoing GT2 along with slightly larger intake valves, wheels for the Turbochargers, and intercoolers. The exhaust system is also more refined and aids in the power increase while improving fuel economy. The overall result is an engine that is 22 lb lighter than the previous engine and has a peak turbo-boost of 11.6 psi (a decrease from the outgoing model).

The suspension system was also revised and had new software to enhance handling. The BorgWarner all-wheel-drive system received new software for more linear delivery of power to the front wheels.

The Turbo was available with a manual transmission or the optional 7-speed PDK dual-clutch gearbox, which replaced the Tiptronic. With PDK and the optional sport-chrono package, which includes the availability of an electronically controlled launch control and an overboost-function for temporarily increasing the turbo-pressure, Porsche claimed the 911 turbo would accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and attain a top-speed of 194 mi/h. The model was also available with optional Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), which brakes the inner rear wheel to provide turning-torque through a curve reducing initial under steer. The look of the refreshed Gen II model was left mostly untouched from the 997 turbo Gen I. The taillights were updated to LED to match the 997 Gen II along with changes to the front lamps. The exhaust pipes were "fatter", and the standard 19 in wheels received a new design. Thanks to revised dynamics the facelifted 997 can handle 1.3 g forces on a skid-pad according to Porsche.

Models equipped with the PDK also include an optional 3-spoke steering wheel with gearshift paddles as an alternative to the standard steering wheel with shift buttons.

Production versions went on sale in Germany in November 2009. European models had an MSRP of €122,400 for the Coupé and €131,800 for the Cabriolet (before tax).

Turbo S (2010–2013)
A more powerful version of the Turbo called the Turbo S (S standing for Sport) was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010. European deliveries were scheduled for May 2010 with production ending in early 2013. Available only with the 7-speed PDK transmission, the engine in the Turbo S was tuned to generate an extra power output of 30 PS more than the standard Turbo, bringing the total to 530 PS at 6,000 rpm and 700 Nm of torque. The engine had revised intake valve timing and a new carbon fibre airbox installed to achieve this feat. The Turbo S also gained carbon-ceramic brakes and the Sport Chrono package as standard features. The Turbo S was Porsche's fastest production car to date at the time of its introduction alongside the GT2 RS, having a 0-100 kph acceleration time of 3.3 seconds and 0-200 kph acceleration time of 10.8 seconds while ultimately reaching a maximum speed of 196 mph. Maximum torque was available between 2,100 rpm and 4,250 rpm. The 911 Turbo S, by contrast to the regular Turbo, was configured to operate with a higher boost pressure level, which meant that maximum torque was available for an unlimited period.

GT3 (2010–2012)
The updated Porsche 911 GT3 was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, and became available in Europe starting in May, and in the US starting in October. The car now featured vents between the tail lights, a larger rear wing with "3.8" lettering on either side of the wing to denote the increase in engine displacement, forged pistons, lightweight valves and hollow camshafts in order to make the engine light weight, a special 6-speed manual transmission was the only transmission option with shorter gear ratios in order to feed optimum power to the rear wheels. Total downforce was doubled, and for the first time stability control was offered to help less experienced drivers. The new 3.8-litre flat-6 engine was now rated at 435 PS at 7,600 rpm and 317 lbft at 6,250 rpm with a maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm. The sport mode when activated, delivers an additional 14.7 lbft of torque to the rear wheels.

Equipment
The GT3 and GT3 RS were developed by Porsche's Motorsport Division in Weissach. Sales began in September 2009 for all regions except China. Features included titanium double exhaust pipes, carbon fibre rear spoiler lip (Gurney flap) and rear lid ram air scoop, carbon fibre front above bumper air outlet and rear-view mirrors, aluminium 19in forged alloy wheels made specifically for the car with central locking nuts. The GT3 was available with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tyres having a size of 235/35-19 at the front and 305/30-19 at the rear. A roll cage and a fire extinguisher was optional in the UK.

GT3 RS (2010–2012)
The GT3 RS is a high performance version of the GT3 with a higher engine power output, lower weight and shorter transmission ratios, as well as having upgraded body and suspension components, designed for homologating the race version of the 911 GT3. The engine was rated at 450 PS at 7,900 rpm and 430 Nm at 6,750 rpm with a maximum engine speed of 8,500 rpm. The "RS" stands for "rennsport", the German word for "racing" (literally, "race sport").

The transmission has shorter ratios than found in the 911 GT3 for improved acceleration. Dynamic engine mounts are standard and serve to improve the car's handling to an even higher level. Other features include PASM suspension, titanium connecting rods, a wider front and rear track, a large fixed rear wing made from carbon fibre, a standard roll cage, and corresponding decals.

Optional equipment included a lithium-ion battery, which is 10 kg lighter than the stock lead-acid battery. The vehicle was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The US model was set to go on sale in early spring of 2010 with an MSRP of US$132,800.

GT3 Cup (2009)
Unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the GT3 Cup is a Porsche Carrera Cup race car based on the 911 GT3 RS. It includes a 44 mm wider rear body, 15 mm lower front spoiler, 1.70 m rear wing (from the 911 GT3 Cup S race car), LED taillights, a racing exhaust system with a fully controlled catalytic converter (from Porsche Mobil1 Supercup cars), Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. 9.5Jx18 front alloy wheels with 24/64-18 Michelin racing tyres and 12Jx18 alloy wheels with 27/68-18 tyres, additional Unibal joints on the track control arms and front and rear sword-shaped anti-roll bars with seven position settings each, an additional vent in the upper part of the front lid, steering wheel mounted Info Display with 6 switches.

Production model began delivery in 2009–2010. European model had a base MSRP of €149,850 (before tax).

911 Sport Classic (2010–2011)
Unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto show, the Sport Classic is a limited (250 units- all sold in under 48 hours) version of the 911 Carrera S coupé, inspired by the 1973 Carrera RS 2.7. The engine is rated at 408 PS and features a newly developed resonance intake manifold with 6 vacuum-controlled switching flaps. It includes a 6-speed manual transmission, double-dome roof (informally called double bubble roof), 44 mm wider rear fenders, SportDesign front apron with a front spoiler and a fixed 'duck tail' rear wing (similar to the one found on the Carrera RS 2.7), Porsche Ceramic Composite Braking system (PCCB), 20 mm lower PASM sports suspension, mechanical rear axle differential, 19-inch black Fuchs wheels, Porsche Exclusive woven leather seats and door panels, dashboard with Espresso Nature natural leather upholstery, and a specially developed Sport Classic Grey body colour.

Sales began in January 2010. European models had base MSRP of €169,300 (before tax).

911 GT2 RS (2010)
On 4 May 2010, the GT2 RS was publicly unveiled to the German Porsche dealers in Leipzig. The 3.6 litre twin-turbocharged Flat-6 engine in the GT2 RS develops 620 PS and 700 Nm of torque and weighs 70 kg less than the outgoing GT2. This allows it to be able to reach a top speed of 330 km/h and accelerate from 0–100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. It was the fastest and the most powerful 911 built of its generation.

According to Porsche Motorsports manager Andreas Preuninger, the RS was conceived around 2007 as a skunk-works effort. The 727 code number selected for the project corresponds to one of the Nissan GT-R's lap times around the Nürburgring's Nordschleife. When the dust settled, Porsche claimed that test driver Timo Kluck had supposedly eclipsed that target by nine seconds.

The GT2 has since then been an RS model only with no standard (non-RS) variant available.

911 Carrera GTS and Carrera 4 GTS (2010–2011)
In 2011, Porsche launched a new, mid-level 911 coming in above the Carrera and below the GT3. Ranging from $103,100 to US$112,900, the Carrera GTS was available as both a coupé and cabriolet, the car gets a wider body and track – the only Carrera variant with a wide track that is also rear wheel drive. The car also has an upgraded 3.8-litre engine generating a maximum power output of 408 PS. The Carrera 4 GTS equipped with all-wheel-drive was unveiled in May 2011. In addition to the AWD system, the Carrera 4 GTS can be identified by a distinct reflective stripe between the tail lights. All GTS vehicles came standard with center lock wheels, Alcantara interior and other optional extras such as Porsche Sports Exhaust and PASM.

911 Speedster (2011)
In 2011, Porsche introduced a new 911 Speedster variant having a production run of 356 units only, the production number coming from the iconic car of the 1950s. It was the third production 911 Speedster made, preceded by the 930 and 964 generations (the 993 generation didn't have a regular production speedster variant and the 996 generation didn't have a speedster variant at all). The Speedster was powered by the same engine as the Carrera GTS, which generated a maximum power output of 408 PS, and was only offered with PDK as opposed to the '89 Speedster and 964 Speedster. It can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds to a top speed of around 190 mi/h. Only two colours were offered, Pure Blue (which was developed specifically for the Speedster) and Carrara White. (Paint To Sample versions were produced in very limited numbers).

The Speedster featured a windscreen 70 mm shorter than the standard 997 cabriolet while maintaining the same rake angle along with a familiar hump on the rear section to store the soft top.

GT3 RS 4.0 (2011)
In April 2011 Porsche revealed the final evolution of the 997, the 911 GT3 RS 4.0. It featured a 4.0-litre engine utilizing the crankshaft from the GT3 RSR with increased stroke dimensions (from 76.4 mm to 80.4 mm). This increased the power to output to 500 PS at 8,250 rpm and 460 Nm of torque at 5,750 rpm. Chassis development was influenced by the GT2 RS and uses parts sourced from other RS 911 models. Front dive planes provided additional downforce up front. The car weighs in at 1370 kg, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 370 PS per ton. Production was limited to only 600 cars.

Transmissions
All models include standard 6-speed manual transmission except for the Turbo S models and Speedster. The 7-speed PDK transmission was available in all but GT3, GT3 RS, GT3 Cup, GT3 RS 4.0, GT2, GT2 RS, and Sport Classic models. The PDK transmission features a Sport Plus setting that includes launch control and faster shifts.

Physical

 * PDK +30 kg, Cabriolet +85 kg, Lithium-ion battery -10 kg

Marketing
In June 2009, Porsche Cars North America partnered with five New York City street artists to unveil five graffiti-decorated Porsche 911 hoods in the Helenbeck Gallery. The hoods were sold to raise funds for CITYarts, a New York City-based organization whose mission is to bring children in contact with public artists.

Mechanical Issues
Porsche 997.1 and 997.2 models can suffer from cylinder bore scoring which occurs when there is a breakdown of the Al-Si Cylinder system. This results in wide areas of the cylinder walls having deep scratches or gouges with similar damage to the pistons. Engines with cylinder bore scoring will have poor piston ring seal and increased piston noise coupled with increased oil consumption. 997.1 models with the Lokasil engine block are more susceptible to this issue, however 997.2 models can also suffer from cylinder bore scoring, albeit at a much lower rate than its predecessor.

Although the 996 had issues with the intermediate shaft bearing and rear main seal, the 997.1 addressed these problem areas. IMS and RMS failures with the 997 are uncommon. Porsche used a larger, non-serviceable IMS bearing and these engines also received an updated PTFE rear main seal. To extend the life of the original IMS bearing, it is recommended to have the grease seal removed off the bearing to allow the engine oil to lubricate and cool the bearing.

title: Porsche 911 (997)


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Richard Graves

Richard Graves (4 May 1715 – 23 November 1804) was an English cleric, poet, and novelist. He is remembered especially for his picaresque novel The Spiritual Quixote (1773).

Early life
Graves was born at Mickleton Manor, Mickleton, Gloucestershire, to Richard Graves (1677–1729), an antiquary, and his Welsh wife Elizabeth, née Morgan. Morgan Graves (died 1770) of the Inner Temple, and the cleric Charles Caspar Graves, were his brothers.

Graves was educated first at a school run by William Smith, Curate at Mickleton from 1729, and then at John Roysse's Free School in Abingdon (now Abingdon School). Smith's well-read daughter Utrecia later formed part of his life, a relationship he broke off before her death in 1743.

Oxford don
Graves gained a scholarship at Pembroke College, Oxford, matriculating on 7 November 1732. George Whitefield was a servitor of Pembroke College, and they took their BA degree on the same day in July 1736. In the same year he was elected to a fellowship at All Souls College. Close for a time to Holy Club members, he retreated from the nascent Methodism of the group. He went to London to study medicine, attended the lectures of Dr Frank Nicholls on anatomy, but fell ill. His brother Charles Caspar Graves, on the other hand, was for a time close to the Wesleys.

Returning to Oxford, Graves took his master's degree in 1740, and was ordained. He was appointed to the curacy of Tissington in Derbyshire by William Fitzherbert of Tissington Hall, a colleague at the Inner Temple of his elder brother Morgan Graves. For three years Graves was the family chaplain at the Hall, where he rambled through the district later described in his major novel. After resigning this charge, he made a tour in the north, and at Scarborough met a distant relative, Samuel Knight, Archdeacon of Berkshire. Knight obtained for him the curacy of Aldworth, near Reading, Berkshire, where he was in residence in 1744. The parsonage was out of repair, so that he lived in the house of a gentleman farmer, Mr Bartholomew of Dunworth, whose daughter he married.

Graves's marriage meant that he automatically ceased to be a Fellow of All Souls in January 1749.

Later life
For a period, Graves was short of money. Through the interest of Sir Edward Harvey of Langley, near Uxbridge, he was presented in 1748 by William Skrine as rector of Claverton, near Bath, Somerset. He was inducted in July 1749, came into residence in 1750, and until his death never left the living for long.

Ralph Allen obtained for Graves in 1763 the adjoining vicarage of Kilmersdon, and also found him an appointment as chaplain to Mary Townshend, Countess Chatham. About 1793 he took the rectory of Croscombe, also in Somerset, but held it temporarily. He purchased the advowson of Claverton from Allen's representatives in 1767, but later resold it to them. The old rectory house had been built in part by Allen in 1760, but it was enlarged by Graves.

Graves for 30 years took pupils, whom he educated with his own children. Until his parsonage house was enlarged he rented from Mrs. Warburton for sixty pounds a year the large house at Claverton, and "the great gallery-library was turned into a dormitory". Through his preferments and teaching he gradually prospered, and among his purchases was the manor of Combe in Combe Monckton, Somerset. He reportedly, at nearly 90, walked almost daily to Bath. He was a Whig in politics, who mixed widely in society, was a frequent guest of Allen or the Warburtons at Prior Park, and "contributed to the vase", taking part in the literary circle at Anna, Lady Miller's house at Batheaston. Shenstone paid him repeated visits at Claverton, between 1744 and 1763.

Graves died on 23 November 1804, and was buried in the parish church on 1 December. A mural tablet was placed there to his memory.

Associations
Among Graves's college friends were William Blackstone, Richard Jago, William Hawkins: and William Shenstone, who became a close friend. Graves later wrote Recollections of Shenstone. The fourth elegy by Shenstone is ''Ophelia's Urn. To Mr. G—— (i.e. Graves), and the eighth elegy is also addressed To Mr. G——, 1745''. Letters from Shenstone to Graves are in vol. iii. of the former's Works; a letter addressed to Mr. —— on his marriage, written 21 August 1748, may refer to Graves. In the Works, ii. 322–3, are "To William Shenstone at the Leasowes by Mr. Graves",’ and "To Mr. R. D. on the death of Mr. Shenstone", signed "R. G."

At Tissington Hall, Graves made the acquaintance of Charles Pratt, Sir Edward Wilmot, Nicholas Hardinge, and other notable persons. He served as private tutor to Prince Hoare and Thomas Malthus. He was a close friend of Anthony Whistler, Ralph Allen, and William Warburton; Ralph Allen Warburton, the bishop's only son, and author Henry Skrine of Warleigh, were other pupils. Shenstone's letter to Graves on the death of Anthony Whistler was among the manuscripts of Alfred Morrison.

Works
Graves was a collector of poems, a translator, essayist and correspondent.

The Spiritual Quixote
Graves's major work is the picaresque novel, The Spiritual Quixote (1773). It a satire on John Wesley, George Whitefield, and Methodism in general, which he saw as a threat to his Anglican congregation.

The book's full title was The Spiritual Quixote, or the Summer's Ramble of Mr. Geoffry Wildgoose, a Comic Romance (anon.), 1773, 1774 (two editions), 1783, and 1792. It was in Anna Barbauld's collection British Novelists, and in Walker's British Classics. It ridiculed the intrusion of the laity into spiritual functions and the enthusiasm of the Methodists.

The hero has been identified with Sir Harry Trelawny, 5th Baronet (unlikely by chronology), Joseph Townsend and his own brother Charles Caspar Graves. The novel is said to have arisen out of the arrival in the parish of Claverton of a shoemaker from Bradford-on-Avon, who held a meeting in the village. The rambles in the novel brought Wildgoose to Bath, Bristol, the Leasowes of Shenstone, and the Peak District. A key to several of the personages was supplied by Alleyne Fitzherbert to John Wilson Croker. Graves's own love life was portrayed in vol. ii.

Other works
Graves from early life wrote verses for magazines, and some of his poems appeared in the collections of Robert Dodsley (iv. 330–7) and George Pearch (iii. 133–8). He also wrote several plays, while his prose works were popular in his day. He published:
 * The Festoon; a Collection of Epigrams (anon.), 1766 and 1767
 * Galateo, or a Treatise on Politeness, translated from Il Galateo overo de’ costumi of Giovanni della Casa, 1774
 * The Love of Order; a Poetical Essay, in three cantos (anon.), 1773. Dedicated to William James of Denford, Berkshire
 * Euphrosyne; or Amusements on the Road of Life, 1776; 3rd edition vol. i. 1783; 2nd edition vol. ii. 1783, with appendix of pieces written for the Poetical Society at Batheaston
 * Columella; or the Distressed Anchoret, a Colloquial Tale, 1779. In praise of an active life as superior to that of a small country gentleman, and possibly suggested by the career of Shenstone
 * Eugenius; or Anecdotes of the Golden Vale (anon.), 1785, 2 vols. A tale of life in a Welsh valley
 * Lucubrations, consisting of Essays, Reveries, &c., by the late Peter of Pontefract, 1786
 * Recollections of some particulars in the Life of the late William Shenstone, in a Series of Letters from an intimate Friend of his [i.e. Graves] to … esq., F.R.S. [William Seward], 1788
 * The Rout; or a Sketch of Modern Life, from an Academic in the Metropolis to his Friend in the Country, 1789
 * Plexippus; or the Aspiring Plebeian (anon.), 1790, 2 vols.
 * Fleurettes; a translation of Fénelon's "Ode on Solitude".
 * Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, a new translation from the Greek original, with a Life, Notes, &c., by R. Graves, 1792; new edition, Halifax, 1826; from the Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
 * Hiero on the Condition of Royalty, a Conversation from the Greek of Xenophon, by the Translator of Antoninus, 1793
 * The Heir-Apparent, or the Life of Commodus, from the Greek of Herodian, with a preface adapted to the present time, 1789
 * The Reveries of Solitude, consisting of Essays in Prose, a new translation of the "Muscipula", and Original Pieces in Verse, 1793
 * The Coalition; or the Opera Rehearsed, a Comedy in three acts, 1794. This work included Echo and Narcissus, a dramatic pastoral which originally appeared in Euphrosyne, vol. ii
 * The Farmer's Son; a Moral Tale, by the Rev. P. P., M.A., 1795
 * Sermons, with A Letter from a Father to his Son at the University, Bath, 1799
 * Senilities, or Solitary Amusements in Prose and Verse, with a Cursory Disquisition on the Future Condition of the Sexes, by the Editor of the "Reveries of Solitude", 1801
 * The Invalid, with the Obvious Means of Enjoying Health and Long Life, by a Nonagenarian, editor of the "Spiritual Quixote," 1804; dedicated to Prince Hoare
 * The Triflers, consisting of Trifling Essays, Trifling Anecdotes, and a few Poetical Trifles, to which are added "The Rout" and "The Farmer's Son." By the late Rev. R. Graves, 1805

Graves wrote the 30th number, on "grumbling", in Thomas Monro's Olla Podrida In the Gentleman's Magazine, 1815, pt. ii. p. 3, are some Lines written by him under an hour-glass in the grotto at Claverton.

Family
Graves married Lucy Bartholomew (died 1777), a farmer's daughter from Aldworth, after eloping to London with her around the end of 1746. In August 1747 they had a son, Richard. She had been baptised in 1730, and was uneducated; he had sent her to a private school in London before the marriage. His friends did not immediately accept his marriage, but came round to it.

The couple had four sons, including Richard, Morgan and Danvers, and a daughter. Their grandson Richard Charles Head Graves was vicar of Great Malvern.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Richard Graves


text:
Juan Montalvo

Juan María Montalvo Fiallos (13 April 1832 - 17 January 1889) was an Ecuadorian essayist and novelist. His writing was strongly marked by anti-clericalism and opposition to presidents Gabriel García Moreno and Ignacio de Veintemilla. He was the publisher of the magazine El Cosmopolita. One of his best-known books is Las Catilinarias, published in 1880. His essays include Siete tratados (1882) and Geometría Moral (posthumous, 1902). He also wrote a sequel to Don Quixote de la Mancha, called Capítulos que se le olvidaron a Cervantes. He was admired by writers, essayists, intellectuals such as Jorge Luis Borges and Miguel de Unamuno. He died in Paris in 1889. His body was embalmed and is exhibited in a mausoleum in his hometown of Ambato.

Biography
His grandfather, José Santos Montalvo, born in Andalucía, migrated to América and after some years working as a cinchona bark gatherer across Panamá, Venezuela and Colombia, he arrived at Ecuador where he worked as a seller of fabrics. In Guano, Ecuador, he meets Jacinta Oviedo, whom he married and had many children, one of them was Marcos, father of Juan Montalvo, who worked also as a traveller fabrics seller.

In one of Marcos' business trips, he arrives at Quinchicoto, a small town near Ambato, where he meets María José Fiallos and with whom he marries in the church "La Matriz" in Ambato, January 1, 1811.

Born in Ambato to José Marcos Montalvo and Josefa Fiallos, he studied philosophy and law in Quito before returning to his hometown in 1854. He held diplomatic posts in Italy and France from 1857 to 1859. A political liberal, Montalvo's beliefs were marked by anti-clericalism and a keen hatred for the two caudillos that ruled Ecuador during his life: Gabriel García Moreno and Ignacio de Veintemilla. After an issue of El Cosmopolita viciously attacked Moreno, Montalvo was exiled to Colombia for seven years. Moreno's assassination was attributed to Montalvo's writings. He was a dedicated champion of democracy and an enemy of the writer Juan León Mera.

In the late seventies Juan Montalvo was twice exiled to France, remaining there from 1879, as punishment for Las catilinarias (1880), the work that made him famous throughout intellectual circles in the United States, Europe and the rest of Latin America. Alongside full-length books, Montalvo was an accomplished essayist, and his Siete Tratados (1882) and Geometría Moral (published in 1902, after his death) were popular in Ecuador and were banned by Veintemilla.

He also wrote a sequel to Miguel de Cervantes's Don Quixote, called Capítulos que se le Olvidaron a Cervantes ("Chapters Cervantes Forgot"), published posthumously in 1895. He died of tuberculosis in Paris. His mummified body now rests in a mausoleum in his birthplace of Ambato.

Family
Juan Montalvo's father was Marco Montalvo Oviedo of Guano, and his mother was María Josefa Fiallos y Villacreces of Ambato. Montalvo was the youngest of 7 siblings: Francisco, Francisco Javier, Mariano, Alegría, Rosa, Juana and Isabel. Montalvo married María Guzmán Suárez in Ambato on 17 October 1868 and had two children with her. In 1882 he met Augustine Contoux with whom he had one child.

Legacy
Montalvo's likeness appears on the Ecuadorian five-centavo coin.

Works

 * Las catilinarias (1880)
 * Capítulos que se le olvidaron a Cervantes (1868) - Montalvo's only novel
 * Libro de las pasiones (published posthumously in 1935) contains the dramas La Leprosa, Jara, Granja, El Descomulgado and El Dictador
 * Siete Tratados (1882)
 * Geometría Moral (published posthumously in 1902)
 * Judas (1872)

Literary and political magazines founded by Montalvo

 * La Razón (1848)
 * El Veterano (1849)
 * La Moral evangélica (1854)
 * El Espectador (1855)
 * El Cosmopolita (1865)
 * El Regenerador (1872)

title: Juan Montalvo


text:
Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Automobiles/Proposed naming convention

This convention is largely the way I have named the few model pages I've started so far and the way in which I think most people seem to name es. However, it should be useful to have this to refer to when people aren't sure exactly what to do. I can't think of any improvements that need to be made, it all seems comprehensive and clearly written as it is. Good work. 999 08:50, 25 May 2004 (UTC)

Disambiguating by year series
When disambiguating by year series, is it possible to separate years by en-dashes, rather than by hyphens? —Vespristiano 02:21, 2004 May 26 (UTC)

 * I'd rather not do it in page titles; I'm not sure that en-dashes are even supported characters in them (anyone?) and I suspect that they'd be less obvious for users. However, I would support the use of them in the article text. —Morven 05:30, 26 May 2004 (UTC)

 * I checked, and en-dashes are not supported in page titles. —Morven 08:56, 26 May 2004 (UTC)

Name of the main article
A discussion over at talk:Mazda Mazda6 leads me to propose another convention - Name articles for the most important and unambiguous version of the automobile or series. By "important", I mean use the least ambiguous, most constant name. Then create redirects from all other name variations.

For example, most world-car articles should be named for their home-market version, and multi-marque models for their most stable/best-selling/most important marque and model name.
 * For example, the early Mazda Familia had many names all over the world (Mazda 1000, Mazda 818, Mazda GLC, Mazda 323, etc), but the main article is Familia. I have created redirects to the Familia article from all these other names.  In this case, "Familia" is the most stable name, as well as the home-market one.
 * Another example is the Dodge Caravan. It has been sold as the Chrysler Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, Chrysler Voyager, and Chrysler Town and Country.  But the Dodge is the main version - that name lasted the longest and sells the best.

I'm also putting bold versions of the other names into the article body. So, for example, the Ford Five Hundred article notes that there is a twin, the Mercury Montego.

Comments?--SFoskett 01:08, Aug 23, 2004 (UTC)

 * Hi SFoskett: I support this totally. I also support the way you've noted the twins down, using bolds—it's what I have been doing, too (great minds think alike).
 * Using home-market names gets around some other problems. The one I raised on the Mazda 6 talk page was the Chrysler Alpine. The only reason that probably got in there as the lead name was that a Briton wrote it, but Europeans would argue that the Simca 1307 was more widespread and more important (as well as being the last Simca). But it was designed by a Brit in the UK. So the car that got there first would solve this conundrum.
 * I agree with you on the Dodge Caravan scenario: no other name has been as consistent and many export Chrysler Voyagers (while Plymouth was still around) were rebadged Dodge Caravans with the cross grille.
 * Finally, I notice the guys at Autoindex tend to go with the original names for the sake of their global database.
 * Your suggestion sounds like a very workable one. Stombs 00:15, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)
 * One of the nice things about the AutoIndex is that they list a vehicles name for major markets. Perhapse we should create a template for vehicle articles with a place in the sidebar for global market names. -- stewacide 03:01, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)

 * I would agree in the general case, with the proviso that if there is enough to say under the other name, then having two articles, properly cross-linked, does not hurt. I'm thinking particularly of cases where the cosmetic differences are quite significant and we have pictures of both, or when there is important history separate for both, or indeed the same name was used for several different vehicles over time.

 * For example, I'd generally want to have articles on any Mercury automobile we might have a photo of, simply because the trim is often so different.

 * One should always bold every significant name variant, especially if someone might have followed a redirect for that name.

 * In many cases, this would call for a short stub rather than a redirect, IMO. That short stub would be along the lines of

 * The Simca 1307, sold in Europe between 19xx and 19xx, was a rebadged Chrysler Alpine; for more details, see that article.

 * I think this generally works much better than simply redirecting. The redirect might leave someone confused as to why they'd arrived at a page about something quite different.  A short stub can quickly explain the differences from the parent vehicle and then send the reader elsewhere for the detailed matter. —Morven 05:33, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)

 * I like that, Morven. A stub would be necessary in the cases you suggest. Also I agree that Mercurys deserve their own entries—particularly, too, since the "bloodline" does not always parallel Ford (e.g. the Mercury Cougar)—another case that you've covered. The same argument could be made for numerous GM and Chrysler products. Stombs 14:35, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)

 * Generally, though, between those of us on this page, we tend to do a good job—it's just those situations where there are global issues. The Simca is one; just thought of the Holden Astra as another (it wasn't always an Opel clone; it was once a Nissan Pulsar clone). In such cases, the short stub works perfectly. Stombs 15:31, Aug 24, 2004 (UTC)

GM
I noticed there are entries for General Motors Astra and General Motors Vectra. GM is not a marque unless you count the EV-1. I know by having GM entries, we overcome arguments between Opel, Vauxhall, Chevrolet and Holden. But since these cars are developed by Opel and usually have a pan-European launch where all cars are badged Opels, then can the entries not be for Opel? Stombs 00:09, Aug 27, 2004 (UTC)

 * Agree, that makes no sense. However this gets kinda' trickey whe you remember the Astra was a Vauxhall model before it was an Opel... It'd be nice if Wikipedia let one article have multiple names, not just redirects. -- stewacide

 * You're totally right, Stewacide: I forgot about the 1980 Vauxhall Astra. Maybe the Vauxhall Astra page could have an entry for the Mk I, then a link to the Opel Kadett E/Vauxhall Astra Mk II on the Opel page? We do run into a similar problem with the Holden Astra, which was originally a Nissan Pulsar clone before it became the Opel Astra A/Vauxhall Astra Mk III, so there we could put in a brief entry for the days when it was a Pulsar, and then reference Opel afterwards. (It does get confusing, especially now the Australians are saying they'll have 'Astra Classic' and 'Astra' lines after the model changeover. And the Brazilian Chevrolet Astra, too, which got facelifted last year rather than becoming an all-new model as it did in Europe.) I reckon we change the GM pages back to make and model, based on Opel, and make these additional pages for the anomalies in each marque. Stombs 00:25, Aug 28, 2004 (UTC)

 * Not necessarily that complicated. We simply use a redirect (with a category!) where there are no substantial changes between marques (as in Plymouth Neon and Dodge Neon) and use the most "popular" model as the main page.  In other cases (like the Nissan 200SX), we use a disambig page if the same name was used on different models.  In still other cases (Think Vauxhall Cavalier), we build whole pages for the model and simply point to the other content as needed.  It'll all work out.

 * BTW, here are the offending pages:

 * General Motors Agila
 * General Motors Astra
 * General Motors Corsa
 * General Motors Omega
 * General Motors Vectra
 * General Motors Zafira

 * --SFoskett 19:04, Oct 4, 2004 (UTC)

 * This works for me, SFoskett. If I understand correctly, we make the above Opel pages, but we have unique ones for the Vauxhall Astra, Cavalier and Carlton (where the model series do not parallel Opel) and the Holden Astra (which was a Nissan Pulsar once), where we point back to the Opel one? Stombs 11:18, Oct 26, 2004 (UTC)

I recently took care of the Corsa and Zafira (making Opel Corsa/Opel Zafira the main articles) so I believe all six are proper now. I also recently moved General Motors van to Chevrolet Van, with the former and others (GMC Vandura, Chevrolet Express) redirecting to the latter. --Vossanova o< 15:05, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

Restarting this
To steal some text from Naming conventions (aircraft):

 * For article titles, use the most common unambiguous name. A central tenet of wikipedia naming conventions is to give articles names that will be have the greatest chance of being directly linked to within an edit window of another article. Alternative names should be listed in bold type on or near the first line of the article as well as in the "aka" field of the infobox if it is used. See also Google test.

 * Create redirects from all the more common alternative names. For example, the main article for the Dodge Caravan should be at Dodge Caravan; redirects to it at Dodge Grand Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and Chrysler Town and Country.

 * Never use a generic name like "Chrysler minivans" or a hybrid name like "Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager" since these violate the Wikipedia policy of using common and familiar names. See also Naming conventions.

We need to get this policy up on Naming conventions. It's been discussed recently at Lincoln MKZ and Chevrolet Silverado, among others... --SFoskett 14:43, 9 February 2006 (UTC)
 * I started a discussion about this topic at Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Automobiles in an attempt to reach a uniform decision and standard format for all relevant articles. After all, isn't that what the project aims to do after all? Airline 23:10, 13 February 2006 (UTC)

Military vehicles
I've just drawn up an initial proposal at Naming conventions (military vehicles), based on discussion at the Military History wikiproject's Weaponry Task Force. It refers editors to this policy regarding automobiles & trucks. Please have a look and comment. —Michael Z. 2006-08-15 20:37 Z

Home market name or most common name?
Some people have asserted that we should always use the home market name for a car known by various names. I agree that this may be a good general rule in cases that are otherwise tricky, but I don't agree that it should always be done. If for example a car has a name used widely throughout the world, I disagree with using the home market name, if it's different. When in doubt, we should use the most common name, shouldn't we? Friday (talk) 18:56, 15 September 2007 (UTC)
 * It is hard to establish what is "the most common name". Can you say that with authority, and can you point to objective criteria stating what is "the most common name"? Finally, can you draw an easily identifiable OBJECTIVE and undisputable criterion for identifying cases when the "most common name" should be used?
 * Also, standards that are applied at will aren't really standards. We create them to determine solutions for ALL cases to be able to refer to them rather than discuss each one independently. This would work totally against this principle. PrinceGloria 16:09, 20 September 2007 (UTC)
 * PS. This convention is in part depreciated (talking about what's on the other side).

 * I'm asking for a bit of common sense, that's all. If a car is known by a single name in every country but one, generally I'd suggest that the worldwide name is the "most common" one.  Standards on Wikipedia are guidelines- they're very rarely expected to apply to every single case.  That's why individual articles have individual talk pages.  Friday (talk) 16:13, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

 * A standard is a guideline applied in EVERY case to avoid discussing individual cases in talk pages. You can discuss whether a standard is applicable, but the one discussed refers to ALL automobile models, and hence it applies to Mazda Axela without question. As concerns common sense - it's nice to have it, but it's hard to define it. Which is why we have to go by standards rather than each one's individual perception of common sense. PrinceGloria 16:32, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

 * I'm all in favor of working out standards. What I don't like to see is insistence that decisions cannot be made in individual cases.  The individual articles need to be able to move forward, whether or not a standard emerges.  Friday (talk) 16:41, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

 * You are wasting your precious time and effort in trying to duplicate a discussion that took place a thousand times before in Wikipedia and was CLOSED a long time before. Standards are standards and one of their features is that they do now bow down to pressure in individual cases. As I said above, it is open to discussion whether a standard APPLIES in a given case, but when it does, there is no discussion as to whether to apply it or not.
 * I believe that, with your passion for the Mazda3, you could improve the article using the time you could spare not going into those futile discussions. The article needs help quite desperately! PrinceGloria 16:48, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

 * Maybe it's not your intent, but you're coming off sounding to me like you're just stonewalling now. You act like this standard really exists, yet I've asked for it many times and you've never pointed me to where I can read the alleged standard.  So I have no reason to believe a standard actually exists.  One standard that does exist is that we try to call things by their most common name.  So, absent any reason to do otherwise, that's what I'm going to do. Friday (talk) 16:59, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

I admit that although we all agree upon it, bring it up in discussions and regularly use it within the WikiProject, I cannot recall where we put it down. It should have been here, but it apparently isn't. I will try to have it put down in WP:NAME ASAP. I really don't see why you really have to go against an entire WikiProject. Why not join us and focus on what's really important, i.e. actually improving articles? PrinceGloria 17:55, 20 September 2007 (UTC)

 * I'm here on the talk page, giving my opinions. What more would you have me do?  I'll admit I sometimes question the value of projects, as I feel they encourage inappropriate feelings of ownership of articles.. which is exactly what I believe I'm seeing here.  And it's getting in the way of editing, to be frank.  Friday (talk) 18:10, 20 September 2007 (UTC)


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Talk:Tōdai-ji

Name
Name is redundant (Temple = ji). Anyone care to move to Todaiji? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.236.167.243 (talk) 08:45, 2004 May 25 (UTC) Story I heard about hair is that it's snails, which crawled onto the historical Buddha's head to keep him cool while he meditated in the heat. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 202.236.167.243 (talk) 09:25, 2004 May 25 (UTC)

Reputedly
Reputedly the largest wooden building in the world... That honor, I'm afraid, actually goes to a dirigible hanger in Tillamook, Oregon. --Calton 15:44, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * Well, the Guinness Book of Records gives Woolloomooloo Bay Wharf, Sydney, Australia the honour . As usual, it's probably a case of how your define "largest" for buildings.--Malcohol 10:33, 5 May 2005 (UTC)

Yeah, I think we should move it.
I agree. 'ji' means temple, so it's redundant. And I just think "The Todaiji" sounds better, and more accurate. Also, is anybody interested in adding to the history of this structure? I know it was destroyed in the Genpei Wars, as was the Daibutsu inside. The article seems to indicate as though it has never been destroyed nor rebuilt... If no one else wants to, I suppose I could add things, but... — Preceding unsigned comment added by LordAmeth (talk • contribs) 01:00, 2004 December 8 (UTC)
 * I'll see if I've any details on it at home (I picked up a handful of stuff at the tourist office in Nara, so there's got to be something in there). But if you want to add details to the history of the temple, by all means do so. If you're unsure whether people will believe you, cite your sources. Oh yes, and I agree with the move proposal. Average Earthman 11:26, 8 Dec 2004 (UTC)

 * Oppose. The meaning of a Japanese suffix is not particularly relevant.  What we need to look at is how it would be best understood in English, and "Tojaiji temple" is often used in English.  Literature handed out on-site isn't particularly relevant to answering that question; if you are there, you will know from various other ways that what you are looking at is a religious ediface, without having to have it spelled out in the name.  It's different here.  Gene Nygaard 20:43, 1 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * Below are some Google tests I just performed. (I've used Nara, Todaiji's location, to exclude random occurences). There are certainly plenty of references to Todaiji which don't use the term temple, and plenty (although not as many) which do. I'm suprised to see so many occurences of Todai-ji. I do see your point about what a Wikipedia user would expect. --Malcohol 09:32, 2 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * 23,600 for Todai-ji Nara
 * 16,800 for Todai-ji Temple Nara
 * 16,700 for Todaiji Nara
 * 11,800 for Todaiji Temple Nara
 * 7,940 for "Todaiji Temple" Nara
 * 6,120 for Todai Temple Nara
 * 830 for "Todai-ji Temple" Nara
 * 276 for "Todai Temple" Nara

 * Not that it's a terribly big deal now, but it's only natural that when you add a term to a google search that you will recieve fewer hits. It would be impossible for "Todai-ji Temple Nara" to have more hits than "Todai-ji Nara".  Seems like a bit of a rigged test to me.  In any case, "Todai-ji" is still the proper name for the article, if for no other reason than it follows the standard set for such articles as Kiyomizu-dera and Hōryū-ji. -- Exitmoose 01:09, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

This article has been renamed as the result of a move request. violet/riga (t) 23:18, 4 Jun 2005 (UTC)

The usage "Todai-ji" is now the accepted format among writers and translators dealing with Japan, and although I am not fond of it, it is perhaps best to accept the convention. Iwanafish, Nara. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Iwanafish (talk • contribs) 05:01, 2007 May 28 (UTC)

Mysteries
Rename it the "mystery temple" and let us try to solve the mystery of why the normal rules of mathematics are suspended there. How, if the Buddha contains 440 kg of gold and 499 "tons" (whatever they are) of copper, does the total weight get to be "250 tons"?

>> The metal is used for coating, not for the actual buddha. Duh.

What are " balls whose diameter are 18 cm and whose height are 30 cm each"? To me, balls are round objects. Spheres. Same height as diameter. Gene Nygaard 20:32, 1 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Shinto Buddhism?
Changed "Shinto Buddism(sic)" to Shinto. Shinto and Buddhism have been linked from time to time in history, (see Shinbutsu Shugo) but Shinto is definitely not a form of Buddhism. Tallasse 02:41, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

Deer not afraid of humans
Is it relevant that the deer are not afraid? It somehow gives the wrong impression, they can be quite intimidating demanding food and snapping ladies handbags. Grmf 12:48, 25 August 2006 (UTC)

Pillar photo in the gallery
For some odd reason, the photo in the gallery of someone crawling through the pillar doesn't display properly. I've removed it until someone can find the reason and fix the problem. -- Exitmoose 01:10, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

 * I've tried it in Firefox and Internet Explorer and it works in both. Maybe it was a temporary glitch, or maybe the problem has been solved? I've put the photo back. Let us know if it doesn't work for your browser. Fg2 07:03, 22 January 2007 (UTC)

Intro and History
Some notes and thoughts:

Intro: re: Sika Deer Not to say there is anything wrong with this statement itself at all, it may find a better place to fit itself in than here. eg. Nara Park, Kasuga Shrine. Left for the moment, but with a small question mark to see it especially in the top intro of a Buddhist temple article.

History: re: Emperor Shomu's "law" Can "ordinance" instead of "law" sound better for this context?

History: re: Number of people involved - 2.6 Million? It's not in legend, it is documented. Some redundancy around the mention of this figure is removed. The estimate of total population of that time needs some citation, which was not provided, therefore removed; besides, judging whether the number is exaggerated or not should be left open to the readers or historians, unless another citation on such comment is available.

History: Kuninaka-no-muraji Kimimaro He may merit his own article page, as being a prominent sculptor of this period, than only occupying a full line or two inside the body text of this article. --OhMyDeer 19:02, 11 March 2007 (UTC)

Another couple of points: It claims to be largest wooden structure in the world but no dimensions are given. We need a WxLxH and area. also if there is debate about if it is the biggest: some background.

The stuff about the daibutsu dominates n article which is supposed to be about the architecture. This could do with a separate wiki article? In that also the Japanese "daibutsu" should have a literal English translation to make its significance clear i.e. big buddha — Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.227.0.250 (talk • contribs) 01:46, 2007 April 19 (UTC)

I added the photo of the South Gate as part of a traditional garden to underscore the point that the temple is part of a greater community visually. Iwanafish,Nara. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Iwanafish (talk • contribs) 05:01, 2007 May 28 (UTC)

History: I'm not sure I fully understand the phrase "later when the capital of Japan moved to Kamakura", as I don't believe Kamakura ever became an actual "capital", as that was always considered Kyoto. I know that the shogunate of Minamoto was established in Kamakura, but was that really considered the "capital"? Please inform... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Stagewalker3 (talk • contribs) 14:13, 11 March 2009 (UTC)

Daibutsu (big buddha) weight is weigh off!
The weight appears to be wrong and an arbitrary estimate by the author. This source put it at 25 tonnes

http://www.pref.nara.jp/nara_e/area01/index.html

Nobody knows I suspect so I suggest it is not included as the Todai-ji home page doesn't seem to have it either (because of course nobody knows, although I'm sure a team from Kyoto University will spend billions of yen and waste ten years to find out the truth). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 210.20.89.143 (talk) 16:29, August 30, 2007 (UTC)

Worth, appearance
I removed the sentence "Regardless, the effort was worthwhile - the Buddha stands today as it did more than 1300 years ago." First, Wikipedia should not judge whether something is worthwhile. Second, the appearance has changed during the intervening years, especially during the Siege of Nara. Fg2 (talk) 08:44, 6 July 2008 (UTC)
 * Agreed, such statements detract from Wikipedia's neutral point of view. We're here just to present the facts.  Thanks for catching that.  :)  --Ph0kin (talk) 11:40, 24 November 2008 (UTC)

Too many pics
I like all the pictures people have submitted for Todaiji, but I feel the article is getting pretty crowded and hard to edit reliably. Can we somehow move most of the pictures, save for a couple good ones, to the gallery at the bottom? --Ph0kin (talk) 12:01, 24 November 2008 (UTC)

 * In my view, the approach is not to pick the best pictures, but to decide what to illustrate, and then pick photos that illustrate it most clearly. Your opinion might be different. Either way, this is a good time for rearranging them between the main text and the gallery (or making multiple galleries). I support it.

 * A couple of further thoughts:

 * For a temple with as many National Treasures as this, and as thoroughly photographed, it would even be feasible to concentrate on illustrating National Treasures. But of course there are other good approaches.

 * Many galleries in various articles can be moved entirely to Commons. Fg2 (talk) 12:53, 24 November 2008 (UTC)

"the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana"
I don't think this is correct. The Echizen Daibutsu at the Seidai-ji in Katsuyama, Fukui prefecture, is 2 meters higher (see here: http://www.geocities.jp/etizen_daibutu/birusyanabutu.htm ). There is not much English information about it, I could scan the pamphlet if this helps... The Showa Daibutsu near Aomori is even higher, although not placed within a buidling. Both are made from bronze. 180.188.217.44 (talk) 17:25, 12 April 2011 (UTC)

Aiming for B class
So we need to get more refs and make the page more accessible. Well what statements need refs and accessible in what way? I will be at Todai-ji on Saturday (I go a lot, there is a really nice shop on the street leading up to it where you can buy extra large sized Japanese slippers and mine are wearing out). so if there is anything that I could get while I'm there that would help I'm up for it. I can pick up some of the little reference books they sell in the souvenir shops but they will be in Japanese so my refs will not be check-able by anyone who does not read Kanji. Colincbn (talk) 01:59, 19 May 2011 (UTC)
 * Hi, I did the assessment. Project members have been discussing this article at the project's main discussion page. Here are my recommendations ofr improving this article:
 * References: There are a number of claims sprinkled throughout the article that need references. The first paragraph of the "Roots" section, last line of "Role in early Japanese Buddhism", the entire "Decline" section. I think someone mentioned in an earlier comment here that there was a descrepency in the weight of the Daibutsu. Several paragraphs have only one reference each, which usually isn't considered acceptable. Other sections have no references, such as the "Temple Precincts and Gardens" (which should be re-written anyway) and the "Cultural References" section.
 * As for the references themselves, reading kanji isn't too much problem, but as for reliability and verifiability, I would avoid using any tourist pamphlets. They're not considered good sources on Wikipedia, because of their lack of availability, and I know from experience that pamphlets from tourist sites aren't always factually correct.
 * Accessibility: There are some terms which need brief explanation, like the Shuni-e festival, Vinaya, and Kukai. They're linked, but a reader shouldn't have to follow 2 or 3 links in a short paragraph. A short gloss should satisfy most of these.
 * Coverage: It seems like there's a gap in history between the 9th and 20th centuries.
 * Good luck! Boneyard90 (talk) 12:05, 19 May 2011 (UTC)

Photos and the Cultural Properties Database
Am extremely envious! At the moment there's a list of buildings that are National Treasures but there are also a lot of Important Cultural Properties. Maybe it would be good to have a table of all these buildings running something like this (I've populated it from the database, with search for 東大寺). I guess the more complete and the higher-quality the images the better - should give you plenty to look out for! Happy hunting! Also, do we need some kind of plan to make overall sense of the complex?

Plus apparently the precinct and south precinct are Historic Sites. The Shōsōin photo is a little dark; there are lots of statues without good images (don't know if you will be able to do much about that though) - the possibilities are nigh endless... Have fun, Maculosae tegmine lyncis (talk) 16:45, 19 May 2011 (UTC)

Plan of Todaiji
 * Wow! This is Exactly what I needed! I wont be able to get every shot on this trip but I will make a start at it. I will be going back several times through out the summer so I hope to fill in the list. I will look at the other lists of Treasures and do my best on them as well. The only ones that may prove difficult are ones in museums with "no Photo" policies. But If I ask politely to be allowed to take one shot each visit I may get permission for all of them eventually heh. Thanks! Colincbn (talk) 01:57, 20 May 2011 (UTC)

 * Yes, no photo policies are the main reason why we don't have many pictures of museum objects or sculptures. Probably you know it already, but since it took me some time to realize, I want to mention it anyway... No photo policies have nothing to do with licensing of the images you take. Any old stuff is public domain, so you are free to take pictures of it and upload to commons. No photo rules are basically house rules. If you took a picture of a no-photo-object and uploaded it to commons, you'd violate these house rules but not copyright/licensing. Not sure what could happen if you violate house rules. They could probably refuse you entry next time you visit, so better ask whether it is allowed to take pictures. bamse (talk) 07:45, 20 May 2011 (UTC)

Remains
Just for curiosity, what is left of old temple structures indicated in this map as dotted lines, e.g. East/West pagodas, Saidaimon,... bamse (talk) 20:58, 20 May 2011 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the. —Community Tech bot (talk) 01:47, 4 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Todaiji model pagoda (retouched).jpg

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 16 January 2019 and 1 May 2019. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Ggodbold. Peer reviewers: Kiddga0.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 11:53, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

title: Talk:Tōdai-ji