DiabloBlanco

Cool. keep me posted. August is a crazy month with weddings and other activities but let's see if I can make it work!

spyderphile

Funny you ask! I actually do! Here is the first four gearing of S2000:
1st: 38 mph
2nd: 56
3rd: 78
4th: 100

I almost always shift at/near redline "most" of the times! Granted, S2000 lacks torque. Power peaks near redline. So, you got to rev it. For the street, at legal speeds, and if you like shifting a lot, S2000 trumps Spyder. No, I am not downplaying Spyder. I love it; will never sell it. And, the S2000 will stay with me for good as well!

digitalrurouni

I already tracked my Spyder at Road Atlanta in 100 degree fahrenheit temps and my car had 1500 miles. Car is a beast. Could it use more power? SURE! haha but that's what aftermarket mods are for. But let me tell you I was showing an indicated 140 mph in the back straight. A Z06 with a Z07 package was doing 150 mph in the hands of a race driver. Sure it was in max attack aero and all that but also I was short shifting as the conditions were so hot. Shifted at 5-6k when there was more left and also I was braking much earlier to be easy on the brakes and the car. Phenomenal machine. I drove an R8 V10 Spyder and it was nowhere near as much fun as the Porsche Spyder.

CAlexio

from a handling perspective, aside from needing more steering feel, it is practically perfect. From an engine perspective, the top end needs to breath better.. which is achieved fantastically with the plenum and tb and headers.

Look, everyone thinks their car is "special".. we get super subjective about our own, so here I go saying something I'll get skewered for. Having driven a few $1M+ hyper cars even on track (Road Atlanta and AMP).. I can honestly say, that I would take this over a 918 Spyder.. maybe not the p1.. but from a fun perspective, 981 plays 918 for me. This car plays way way out of it's league.. probably same way the gt4 does.. but without a roof and with that gorgeous profile, your driving enjoyment is through the roof (no pun)

Suicide Jockey

I can vouch for the roads Afshin speaks of -- just fantastic twisties with variable elevation changes, switchbacks, decreasing radius turns, and off-camber stuff thrown in for good measure. Great stuff! Looking forward to this meet-up, something So Cal Spyder owners shouldn't miss.

Archimedes

But that's because you have to do that in an S2000 to get any speed. You don't have to do that in the Spyder.

Phil G.

I might be in love with your car (and color)!!

DiabloBlanco

Took a ride through Santiago Canyon this morning. Got stuck behind some slow cars but managed to throttle it a little.

I was bummed because there were so many cyclists on this route. I have to say that many of these cyclists don't consider their safety. I am a cyclist myself and it bothers me that these cyclist think they own the road......riding the line instead of inside of the line or the packs of cyclist thinking it's the Tour De France.

Anyhow, I took the opportunity to send the Spyder in a downshift and quick growl past those that were less courteous.....at least one way I was able to enjoy the driving experience more.

spyderphile

Yes, you are right. It is frantic in an S2000 to make any meaningful pace. And, that pace comes at a glacial rate, as compared to Spyder! I think guys like me would be a lot happier if the first three gears were closer. But, we will never get it, for a # of reasons! Well, you can't have it all!

Underblu

I think it all depends on what you are coming from.

Get out of a 991 GT3 and the 981 Spyder from an accleration point feels underwhelming especially below 5000 RPMS. But it still feels connected and handles exceptionally Even in comparison to the brilliant GT3

Get out of a 991S MT Carrera Cab and you realize that the Spyder is pretty fast too in addition to being supremely nimble and connected to the road.

Don't get me wrong the Carrera Cab is a wonderful car but I was never so happy to get back in my Spyder. The GT3 on the other hand, boy that accleration is intoxicating.

I still find this "religiously adhered to break-in period" mind boggling.

I don't see how a one line "suggestion" in the US owners manual that most people will never read compels anyone to squander the first 2000 miles spent in their car. Not to mention the automotive physics that somehow affects us here in North America but is absent in the ROW.

The raison d'etre of an NA car like the Spyder is to be revved. if you don't like the car after keeping RPMs above 5k on some mountain twisties then as Alex said, the car isn't for you.

Underblu

The ratios are long and not optimal from a performance stand point afaic. You'd probably shave 4/10ths in 0-60 accleration with better optimized ratios. And that's not all, shorter gearing is helpful in keeping the car in the optimal rev range. For me there is a feeling of less slack with shorter gears. But that's really the only downside I see with this car.

Suitcase

Porsche 981 Spyder Independence Pass Colorado July 31, 2016

This car is everything a Porsche should be. It was so much fun I had to make a "U" turn at the bottom and go up again.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IL2B...ature=youtu.be

CAlexio

Great sound capture, was that with top down and windows up?

Suitcase

Top up. Windows down. Sport On. Never Sport+

I just love this car. For mountain pass driving the long second gear works quite well. It could use a bit more steering feedback which I notice primarily at low speeds. This car is well (and properly) broken in with 3500 miles in Europe and now 1000 in Colorado.