PEC - Atlanta
03-13-2017, 11:54 AM
#1
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PEC - Atlanta
I went to the Porsche Experience Center (PEC) in Atlanta to drive the base Cayman 718. I am in the process of ordering the vehicle and was looking for an extended test drive. I don’t have any experience on a track. My passion for most of my life has been aircraft and flying. It hasn’t been until recently that I gained interest in cars.
I enjoyed what I’ll call the vehicle dynamics portion of the experience. Those are the dynamic area, low friction handling, kick plate and low friction circle. I found the handling circuit to be too short. The handling circuit is not meant to be a race track but it feels like one, and the proximity of the guard rail is a constant reminder to keep things tidy and under control.
I was not ready for how much grip the car has at speed. I had to build upon the speed of the vehicle, and my confidence, with each turn around the handling circuit. The instructor was gently coaxing me to proceed with more speed, as well as heavier and later braking. The confidence building was progressive with each lap. My natural instinct questioned the ability of the car to have grip in corners at speeds that I initially thought were excessive. This hesitation comes from the sketchy feeling most other cars exhibit when pushed hard into a corner. Not with the Cayman. The car turns without hesitation and then holds the turn when speeds are excessive. Going at a turn quickly required that I brace myself, and as a result I was working harder than the car. Said another way, the Cayman’s response to steering input in a corner is to react without requiring more steering input, due to a lack of response or hesitation, and/or braking because the car is not turning. When the instructor took over at the end of the session I was astonished by the speed in corners and the composure of the vehicle.
It was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone buying a Porsche. The car control skills gained in the vehicle dynamics sections is a valuable safety lesson.
I enjoyed what I’ll call the vehicle dynamics portion of the experience. Those are the dynamic area, low friction handling, kick plate and low friction circle. I found the handling circuit to be too short. The handling circuit is not meant to be a race track but it feels like one, and the proximity of the guard rail is a constant reminder to keep things tidy and under control.
I was not ready for how much grip the car has at speed. I had to build upon the speed of the vehicle, and my confidence, with each turn around the handling circuit. The instructor was gently coaxing me to proceed with more speed, as well as heavier and later braking. The confidence building was progressive with each lap. My natural instinct questioned the ability of the car to have grip in corners at speeds that I initially thought were excessive. This hesitation comes from the sketchy feeling most other cars exhibit when pushed hard into a corner. Not with the Cayman. The car turns without hesitation and then holds the turn when speeds are excessive. Going at a turn quickly required that I brace myself, and as a result I was working harder than the car. Said another way, the Cayman’s response to steering input in a corner is to react without requiring more steering input, due to a lack of response or hesitation, and/or braking because the car is not turning. When the instructor took over at the end of the session I was astonished by the speed in corners and the composure of the vehicle.
It was a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone buying a Porsche. The car control skills gained in the vehicle dynamics sections is a valuable safety lesson.
03-22-2017, 01:13 PM
#2
Great idea using the PEC for a test drive. I would recommend that to anyone considering spending Porsche money.
I did something similar before buying my Fiesta ST: I rented one on the Nurburgring for a full track day. No better test drive in my mind.
I did something similar before buying my Fiesta ST: I rented one on the Nurburgring for a full track day. No better test drive in my mind.