DMack

For the GTS 4.0 models, what is the purpose of the sport response button? I understand the button maximizes boost for cars with turbos. But these don't have turbos. Throttle response is adjusted but the drive mode does that too. So does the button do anything?

mjw930

My guess it it activates Sport Plus for 20 seconds which optimizes the fuel map and shift points. Maybe it unlocks the 20 HP lost to the GTS tune as well.

Greg_STL

It is supposed to unlock a different PDK map as well. But I agree - it made more sense on the turbo 4s than the naturally aspirated 6s.

AlexCeres

it basically puts the car into sport+ mode for 20s without having to change modes and then change back. It’s the passing button. Honestly I’ve never used it in the 911. It seems very gimmicky when you can swap normal -> individual drive modes just as easily.

AlexCeres

The normal PDK mode is for fuel efficiency. It’ll practically lug the engine if you let it. Sport mode ought to be the default. So yes switching to sport+ mode for 20s makes a big difference

Larry Cable

+1 what I hated most about the PDK in my 991.1 GTS ... and why I sold that for a 6MT Spyder!

TRZ06

The Spyder and 2021 GT4 have the PDK-S though don't they? So it shouldn't matter for them.

And even with your GTS, why didn't you just shift it manually? The PDK is after all an automated manual, not a true automatic. To me, it's the best of both worlds, you still get a manual (no torque converter), but you can operate it as an auto or as a clutch-less manual without needing to use a 3rd pedal.

Larry Cable

If I'm going to shift it myself I want a 3rd pedal and a great stick ymmv

mjw930

In the non GT cars the normal PDK tune is like every other automatic in the world, short shifts for max economy. There’s a simple fix, press the sport button. That was my routine for 5 years with the BGTS. I only switched it off on the highway and then only occasionally. There’s a box you can but to press it for you.

The GT4 and Spyder do not have the mythical “PDKS”, they get a GT group tuned PDK that I’m told will default to Sport and not have a “normal” mode and I assume it will have a sport plus mode as well but Porsche has not made that info public yet. I’m not sure I buy the belief that the PDKS is some magical box, it’s just a highly optimized PDK and I bet the difference in performance between that box and the GT4 PDK is negligible in real world use.

TRZ06

What does the Sport + mode button do? Does it just make the shifts higher up the range or does it not shift until redline?

mjw930

Think of it as track mode, most aggressive throttle map, most aggressive trans map. With the Porsche PDK the trans maps take data from multiple sources and make decisions hundreds of times a second. Though most will track the cars in manual mode the reality is that unless something is really strange about your situation the car will make better decisions on gear selection and shift points than the average driver. RPM is just one of multiple inputs the maps take into account when they command a shift. Sport Plus makes those decisions as if you were driving the car on a track looking to extract every last ounce of performance and do everything it can to keep the motor in the meat of the power band and anticipate what and when the next shift will be. It’s quite shocking how good the programming is.

Dyim

The shift themselves in the PDK when you go from normal to sport to sport plus also becomes less smooth, more abrupt, and more violent.

Think of it as:
Normal, granny mode.
Sport, how a 2 door Porsche should behave.
Sport plus, track mode.

Having said that, PDK also behaves differently depends on how you drive it. Even in normal mode, if it detects aggressive throttle or brake inputs, or high lateral Gs, it will hold the lower gear. At least this is what it did in my 991.

Another thing you can do to the PDK is if you are cruising along, you can induce downshifts (sometimes by a few gears) without accelerating by giving the throttle a quick jab.

PDKS in the manual mode also have the stick moving in the right direction.
Push forward for downshift and pull back for upshift.

TRZ06

If that is the case, then the GT4 has the PDK-S, because when you build it out on their website and look at the interior pic, it clearly shows the - in the forward (push forward) position and the + in the down (pull back) position.