.2 manual T review after 70 miles
03-05-2018, 01:25 AM
#16
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Sorry, but I can't help but provide a racer's perspective to the old GT3 where popular opinion holds the clutch and shifter in such high regard. I fall on the opposite side of that popular opinion.
A heavy clutch is not equal to high performance. I hated the stiff clutch in my old 997.2 GT3- TEHO, but I think a stiff clutch is a poor design: as long as the take up is as fast as you can lift your leg, why make it overly stiff? I've not tried this generation, but most feel its a good improvement. The clutch on both new and old GT3's are hydraulic assisted, just the 997 GT3 it is way too stiff, again IMHO.
Shift mechanism is a POS on the 997.2 GT3 so if you think it's worse than that, I for sure will be disappointed. When I say POS, I mean at 10/10ths your chance of a miss-shift are high due to the flexing of the engine, transmission relative to the shifter when cornering. Yes, if you never pushed it, it felt really precise, but that hides a terrible imprecision at full speed on the track. So if you are seeing imprecision at normal speeds, that doesn't bode well for high speed driving.
A heavy clutch is not equal to high performance. I hated the stiff clutch in my old 997.2 GT3- TEHO, but I think a stiff clutch is a poor design: as long as the take up is as fast as you can lift your leg, why make it overly stiff? I've not tried this generation, but most feel its a good improvement. The clutch on both new and old GT3's are hydraulic assisted, just the 997 GT3 it is way too stiff, again IMHO.
Shift mechanism is a POS on the 997.2 GT3 so if you think it's worse than that, I for sure will be disappointed. When I say POS, I mean at 10/10ths your chance of a miss-shift are high due to the flexing of the engine, transmission relative to the shifter when cornering. Yes, if you never pushed it, it felt really precise, but that hides a terrible imprecision at full speed on the track. So if you are seeing imprecision at normal speeds, that doesn't bode well for high speed driving.
I'm certainly not a pro driver, and I would say on my best days, I push a GT3 maybe 70-80%. I would be curious to hear your feedback on one of these after some seat time.
03-05-2018, 01:26 AM
#17
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
03-05-2018, 01:32 AM
#18
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Added more miles today - here's few more thoughts.
1- The torque - it's so good - I mentioned it before, but it's really good.
2 - I miss some of the mechanical noises from previous cars. This is very refined.
3 - I love to blip the throttle and heel toe when driving manual- -and I'm still getting used to this car. One thing that is really amazing is the auto blip feature when sport button is activated. It's flawless. Really fun to use, and witness the computer get it exactly right every time.
4- The exhaust button doesn't make a large enough difference when activated.
5 - Pavement is still cold around here, and I haven't pushed it hard in turns yet. Handling feels good so far.
1- The torque - it's so good - I mentioned it before, but it's really good.
2 - I miss some of the mechanical noises from previous cars. This is very refined.
3 - I love to blip the throttle and heel toe when driving manual- -and I'm still getting used to this car. One thing that is really amazing is the auto blip feature when sport button is activated. It's flawless. Really fun to use, and witness the computer get it exactly right every time.
4- The exhaust button doesn't make a large enough difference when activated.
5 - Pavement is still cold around here, and I haven't pushed it hard in turns yet. Handling feels good so far.
03-05-2018, 01:58 AM
#19
Rennlist Member
03-05-2018, 02:26 AM
#20
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, are you on Dunlops or Cup 2s? How are you liking the tires with the 45 degree weather? Maybe a moot point and too hard to tell since you are so early in the ownership doing break-in...
03-05-2018, 04:37 AM
#21
Race Director
I've driven the new touring car approx 70 miles so far - planning on another 100 or so today.
A couple things concern me -
1. - The clutch is very light. I'm used to 2010/2011 GT cars - which felt solid, and exact. The feels more like a boxster clutch - very light, very unsure. I would expect this feel from a honda, or some 4 cyl car. Give it some time. At first I felt the same way coming for the GT4. I actually love the Clutch now. I think it works perfect with the engine. And, it is very sure. I find this to be one of the best manuals I have driven. Very hard to miss a gear
2. - The shifter has lost a lot of the "notchy / exact " feel that I love so much.. It feels loose, and almost a touch sloppy. Definitely not what I expected. Twice already on the 4-5 shift, I've come close to going into 3rd on accident. I caught it - but still - totally different feel than older Mezger cars.
I do not feel what you stated here. I find it very exact and clean. Has that slight metallic sound when banging the gears
3 - Engine feels great- tons of torque, very responsive, just wants to go. Love it!
Agree- the torque has to be underrated
4 - Sound - needs some work here. Will probably call Alex up and get the SW, but wanted to try stock for a few miles just for curiosity.
Agree- I put on a GRP and plugged the vacuum lines so valves always open. Best mod so far
5- fit / finish - as always very impressed. Only one minor thing I can say - is I'm getting a bit of rattling / buzzing noise from something in the interior. It's not a big deal, and I've had that on many previous cars as well. Overall pretty impressed.
Agree
Headed out for some driving today - beautiful 45 degrees and sunny.
A couple things concern me -
1. - The clutch is very light. I'm used to 2010/2011 GT cars - which felt solid, and exact. The feels more like a boxster clutch - very light, very unsure. I would expect this feel from a honda, or some 4 cyl car. Give it some time. At first I felt the same way coming for the GT4. I actually love the Clutch now. I think it works perfect with the engine. And, it is very sure. I find this to be one of the best manuals I have driven. Very hard to miss a gear
2. - The shifter has lost a lot of the "notchy / exact " feel that I love so much.. It feels loose, and almost a touch sloppy. Definitely not what I expected. Twice already on the 4-5 shift, I've come close to going into 3rd on accident. I caught it - but still - totally different feel than older Mezger cars.
I do not feel what you stated here. I find it very exact and clean. Has that slight metallic sound when banging the gears
3 - Engine feels great- tons of torque, very responsive, just wants to go. Love it!
Agree- the torque has to be underrated
4 - Sound - needs some work here. Will probably call Alex up and get the SW, but wanted to try stock for a few miles just for curiosity.
Agree- I put on a GRP and plugged the vacuum lines so valves always open. Best mod so far
5- fit / finish - as always very impressed. Only one minor thing I can say - is I'm getting a bit of rattling / buzzing noise from something in the interior. It's not a big deal, and I've had that on many previous cars as well. Overall pretty impressed.
Agree
Headed out for some driving today - beautiful 45 degrees and sunny.
03-05-2018, 06:48 AM
#23
Anyone else other than jimmy had a gt4 and now a manual 991.2? Curious about what to expect in terms of clutch weight and shift feel.
03-05-2018, 07:01 AM
#24
Don't feel much different in shift feel, both feel great and precise to me.
