DasSilberWedge

Maybe boring compared to your car

Worth noting he did say he wanted to keep the car stock too.

plumbum

I have had both..turbo was fun and fast but I was always scared to break something.

I enjoy the S2 and although not as fast it is still fun..both handle great and power delivery is more linear (making me more confident to get on the gas after the apex)

If the cars are treated properly you can't go wrong with either

bonus12

You get that feeling because the turbo system turns the 944 into a beast. It's on another level, if you ask me.

plumbum

Haha defiantly

333pg333

fify

V2Rocket

getting 400hp out of an S2 is easy...
it's just all the other details about the LS 6.0 that make it expensive

333pg333

Even well before my car was what it is today I would still feel the same way.

If you want to exhibit a car in shows then keep it stock. All else should be modified to some extent. The stock suspension a case in point. As for the respective motors, if you spent say $1000 on both you would see a decent gain on the turbo. On the S2, basically nothing. Spend $3k-$5k and it's not even a contest. Plenty of tq in the turbo to match the S2 for driveability. Not that the S2 is a bad car but they just don't float my boat nearly as much.

DasSilberWedge

Honestly the best way to make up your mind is to drive both! I desperately, desperately wanted a Turbo when I first started looking & nearly got my perfect one. When it didn't work out I went into looking for S2's almost bummed out. Drove my current car and am thrilled with it despite going into it unnecessarily disappointed. The Turbo's big rush and whooshing sensation obviously can't be replaced or replicated & is highly addictive but the S2 gets the upper hand in throttle response which is imho, equally entertaining. Depends if you like older turbocharged cars or not. Both huge fun.

jhowell371

I've owned a turbo car and worked on turbo charged aircraft so I'm familiar with forced induction. I prefer NA engineering finesse to an after thought low tech solution like turbo charging for more horsepower, after all they slap turbos on everything from lawn tractors on up. Turbos crank out a lot of cheaper power but not at low RPM. Until the turbo spools up it's a heavier car with an even lower compression 2.5 NA engine pulling a 3:36 final drive, not exactly a stump pulling set up The attendant heat associated with the turbo and plumbing clutter help cook everything under the hood. If I was going to Bonnevile I'd pick a turbo to help at the 4000 ft. elevation, same if I lived in the Rockies but at close to sea level pressure my S2 breathes very well. For everyday use the S2's extra 500cc, higher compression and 3:89 final drive make pleasant driving, I like my Harley for the same reason as my S2, power now from idle up

Cole

Sounds like someone that doesn't understand the advantages of a turbo on efficiency or altitude....dispite working in aircraft.

Turbos are far from an "after-thought".

They are the ultimate way to create a variable displacement engine.

A 2.5l NA motor can only hold 2.5l of combustible air ever. No way to change that.

A turbo can force in 3....4...5...6L or more of combustible air on demand. Effectively creating a much larger displacement engine on demand. All while getting the efficiency of only 2.5l when desired.

Add to this the altitude effects on the amount of combustible air. Turbos can compensate for altitude and keep HP levels high while NA cars just lose power across the board.

Those people that say the S2 is almost the same power as a Turbo must live at sea level. Because as elevation increases the gap between the cars can change dramatically.

bonus12

You always hear about the turbo taking a while to provide power, and yes turbo lag is real. But if you want, you can just drive in the upper RPMs.

333pg333

The 944 turbo really livens up if you swap the stock Ring & Pinion out to that from the S2. This shortens the final drive ratio and gives the car a whole new lease on life. A great modification for all but those that spend hours cruising on the Hwy. Then you will want another gear, but in general terms around town or on the track the S2 R&P is one of the best bang for buck mods you can do to the turbo.

jhowell371

I'll never argue horsepower or altitude performance with a Turbo engine. I said I worked on aircraft, I didn't mention off I flew them too I've pushed the throttle of a Rolls Royce V12 Merlin in a P51 Mustang to 55 inches of mercury on takeoff so I appreciate forced induction, a 2 speed supercharger in this case. P-38s were Turbo charged. Turbo wins in top horsepower production hands down. Not all driving situations require or can use full benefit of Turboing. Here the torquey S2 shines. We get lots of days where we get 29.92 inches of Mercury, standard sea level pressure at 59 degrees The S2 loves those days.

Humboldtgrin

With all due respect the S2 pinion gear set are weaker and break. The pinion is not as strong as the turbo pinion. Here is a picture of my 951 when I got it. It had an AOR with the "S2" pinion swap. That cost me $3332 to have sent off and rebiult. I also found a welded input shaft but that's a different story.

Cole

This makes me think it's not so much the S2 engine that makes the S2 lively off stop lights, but rather it's gearing.


Also makes me wonder what kind of traffic people drive I that makes them like the S2. Other than the first 12' off the stop light I'd much rather have the Turbo car.