tifosiman

Right on, good article. Not exactly what I would call good data, but I can see where you would feel that the cab is better than the coupe. I would like to see a test done in identically equipped cars, with the same driver, on the same day. That would be interesting.

ian

The tests have to be taken with a grain of salt because there are too many factors:

Tires (were the tires the same on the two cars?)
Road Surface
Temps, both ambient and surface
Humidity
Driver

I do like the 944 Cab, in fact its my favorite cab to ever come from the Porsche factory, but still I would have to vote agaist one for track use.

Edit: Tifo you beat me to the point, but i'll leave the post anyway

Fishey

I agree that a back to back on identical cars (coupe vs cab of course) would be good to see as I find it interesting.

M758

Guys...
Lets get back on topic.

Well the biggest difference between a 944S2, 968 and 951 is the turbo. You can mod the turbo and make big hp. No so with a S2 or 968. Not sure how a modded car fits with you license proceedures.

If you really want to get into 944 challenge racing. I'd start with 944 2.5l and track that. Then when the time is right upgrade to a 944 challnge car and get another one for daily driver. I race 944-spec and it is very similar to 944 challenge. Us 944-spec drivers would love your car counts.

Anyway. If you have your heart set on more power get the S2. I will be great car and nice to learn on the track. It will also leave you some spare cash to use for other things. (like more track events!)

968's are nice and have abit more power. Personal preference is the biggest difference.

Really what you should get is the best mechanical car you can find. Get a clunker and you will spend alot of farting around.

Fishey

You can moddify the 944S2 and 968 to make alot of HP with the use of turbo/Supercharger/N20 ... It just cost alot of $$$.

streckfu's

Personally, I vote fot the 968 first andthen the S2. The poster is talking about getting his license so he's learning to drive. For that reason, I would stay away from the big HP cability of the 951 and not get into it's capabilities with mods.

The 968 is the newer and better but will cost more than the S2. If you spend less on the S2, you will have more money available for driver events and track tires. I don't think the power difference is significant enough between the S2 and 968 to choose the 968 just for the extra 20HP. If you drive them back to back, the difference will be obvious, but the S2 will save you a little $$.

Your choice, spend more on the newer, better, and more expensive car, or save a little on the slightly older car, and have more left over for the track. Besides, both are better daily drivers than the 951.

Macfreak007

I personally like the added low end grunt of the s2 and the 968, but that is just a personal taste. I cannot say how either would do on the track compared to a 951, but i know that for autox I would much much much prefer a 968, or an s2. I think if it were between those two cars I would have to go for the 968. The extra power, and the styling of the 968 are amazing. It would be nice to make a 968 factory clubsport conversion. The six speed would also be nice for cuising on the interstate, which might make it more desireable. Something is just extremly tempting about a 968CS conversion though!

Cyrus951

Gimme some info on the power restriction, do they dyno your car at registration or something?

rpm's S2

I'm going to assume that clean, low-mileage versions of either of the three choices will be somewhat hard to find in a closed market like Oz. For that reason I recommend that you find the best car in the best condition with the lowest miles in your price range - regardless of whether it is an S2/951/968. You might also look for one of any of the three with the M030 option.

Any of the three would be suitable for a young driver learning both road and track. I would push the 968 only because it would be at least six years younger than a 2.5l 951 and easily the better of the S2 (except in terms of price). Certainly down the road you might want more power. If that is the case, you probably would want the car dedicated to track events - particularly competetive events. At that point find yourself a 951 to mod as ultimately it will be the cheapest go-fast solution.

Of course creating a 968 Turbo S would trump any of these, but the costs are not small.

Luis de Prat

951 hands down. Boost now, or boost later, but BOOST.

Yeah, but girls like cabs. And I like girls...

Seriously now. I voted 951 Coupé - you'll have a lot of fun tuning it for the track.

jsonnen

You know people are always going on about the 951 having less low end grunt than a 944s or 968 and that is just not the case. Here are some stats......86 944- 144 lb-ft at 3000 rpm
87 951- 243 lb-ft at 3500 rpm
92 968- 225 lb-ft at 4100 rpm

Now where is this added torque everyone keeps on talking about? A stock 951 has 20 more lb-ft torque at 600 rpm less than a 3.0 ltr 968.....Now add a chip , mbc and you can add about 50-60 lb-ft to a 951..sorry guys but the old 944s-968 has more torque or low end grunt than a 951 is BS.

boffam

^You have to look at the torque curves, not just the rpm at which the torque peaks. My guess is that the 951 has much less torque than the 968 below 3000 rpm. And you have to be at 3000 rpm sometimes, at least on the street.

Perhaps someone has pics of the torque curves of these cars, just in case I am blowing it out my tailpipe??

streckfu's

Those are just the peak numbers. The 951 does make more peak TQ because of the turbo (especiall at 3500+ because it is spooled). What's they mean by low end is 1500-2500 rpms. Compare the two cars in that RPM and the 968 and S2 will have better numbers. With the larger displacement and higher compression, they have to.

jsonnen

That is obviously the case but when are you ever at 1500-2500 rpm on the street? And for how long? Besides leaving the line , or racing in a parking lot (auto x) I never find myself below 1500 rpm, thats called lugging the engine and its not particularily good for it.

macnewma

Just go drive all 3. The primary difference, in my opinion, is that the turbo has a much higher HP potential. If you want that, then the turbo is the one. Otherwise, they will all handle basically the same which is the most important consideration on the track.

Max