Automobile Review
07-08-2013, 07:20 PM
#1
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Automobile Review
Didn't see this article on RL. Lifted from Rennteam. I'm sure the hardliners will now have even more validation that the GT3 sucks. Flame away. 
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http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...rsche_911_gt3/
From the September 2013 issue of Automobile Magazine -- Article by Georg Kacher
"The days are over when you would have to fight the Porsche’s front end in slow corners and its rear end in fast corners as a flame of anxiety burned inside you. Thanks to four-wheel steering, the latest 911 GT3 is more confidence inspiring by a factor of 20/10 on our personal blood-pressure scale."
" At all velocities, the 911’s handling is now less nervous, less twitchy, and less dependent on keeping up the torque flow to the rear wheels. Message to GT3 hard-liners: don’t worry -- all the entertainment values are still there, proud and tall."
"While the winged wonder from Weissach might have lost some of its rough edges, it has acquired important new qualities, such as a supreme sense of balance, a higher level of tactility, and creamier behavior at the limit of adhesion. It might be heresy to say this of a Porsche 911 GT3, but it is easier to drive -- and we welcome that."
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http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...rsche_911_gt3/
From the September 2013 issue of Automobile Magazine -- Article by Georg Kacher
"The days are over when you would have to fight the Porsche’s front end in slow corners and its rear end in fast corners as a flame of anxiety burned inside you. Thanks to four-wheel steering, the latest 911 GT3 is more confidence inspiring by a factor of 20/10 on our personal blood-pressure scale."
" At all velocities, the 911’s handling is now less nervous, less twitchy, and less dependent on keeping up the torque flow to the rear wheels. Message to GT3 hard-liners: don’t worry -- all the entertainment values are still there, proud and tall."
"While the winged wonder from Weissach might have lost some of its rough edges, it has acquired important new qualities, such as a supreme sense of balance, a higher level of tactility, and creamier behavior at the limit of adhesion. It might be heresy to say this of a Porsche 911 GT3, but it is easier to drive -- and we welcome that."
07-08-2013, 09:30 PM
#2
Race Director
Georg Kacher is a wuss. 
"Fact is, by the time our day with the GT3 is half over, we just let the adaptive automatic shift program do all the work, since it seems telepathic."
"Fact is, by the time our day with the GT3 is half over, we just let the adaptive automatic shift program do all the work, since it seems telepathic."
07-08-2013, 10:13 PM
#4
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Yup, this is the line that jumped out from everything else in the article. It's exactly where most will end up and where I've ended up with every dual-clutch automatic I've driven. Unfortunately, it's exactly what I don't want in a GT3.
07-08-2013, 10:43 PM
#5
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07-08-2013, 11:23 PM
#6
Race Director
I use my PDK in manual mode all the time on the street because I like to choose when it changes gears. If someone instead drives a DCT in auto mode it's their choice, but it's hardly the fault of the gearbox. It's kind of like saying that you hate having a radio in the car because if you turn it on it's distracting, and you don't like being distracted. Don't turn on the radio. Don't drive PDK-S in auto mode. Problem solved.
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07-09-2013, 12:37 AM
#8
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"The days are over when you would have to fight the Porsche’s front end in slow corners and its rear end in fast corners as a flame of anxiety burned inside you. Thanks to four-wheel steering, the latest 911 GT3 is more confidence inspiring by a factor of 20/10 on our personal blood-pressure scale."
" At all velocities, the 911’s handling is now less nervous, less twitchy, and less dependent on keeping up the torque flow to the rear wheels. Message to GT3 hard-liners: don’t worry -- all the entertainment values are still there, proud and tall."
"While the winged wonder from Weissach might have lost some of its rough edges, it has acquired important new qualities, such as a supreme sense of balance, a higher level of tactility, and creamier behavior at the limit of adhesion. It might be heresy to say this of a Porsche 911 GT3, but it is easier to drive -- and we welcome that."
" At all velocities, the 911’s handling is now less nervous, less twitchy, and less dependent on keeping up the torque flow to the rear wheels. Message to GT3 hard-liners: don’t worry -- all the entertainment values are still there, proud and tall."
"While the winged wonder from Weissach might have lost some of its rough edges, it has acquired important new qualities, such as a supreme sense of balance, a higher level of tactility, and creamier behavior at the limit of adhesion. It might be heresy to say this of a Porsche 911 GT3, but it is easier to drive -- and we welcome that."
Just hoping they put some hair back on the RS when it eventually hits.
07-09-2013, 02:57 AM
#9
Rennlist Member
I use my PDK in manual mode all the time on the street because I like to choose when it changes gears. If someone instead drives a DCT in auto mode it's their choice, but it's hardly the fault of the gearbox. It's kind of like saying that you hate having a radio in the car because if you turn it on it's distracting, and you don't like being distracted. Don't turn on the radio. Don't drive PDK-S in auto mode. Problem solved.
07-09-2013, 03:18 AM
#11
I use my PDK in manual mode all the time on the street because I like to choose when it changes gears. If someone instead drives a DCT in auto mode it's their choice, but it's hardly the fault of the gearbox. It's kind of like saying that you hate having a radio in the car because if you turn it on it's distracting, and you don't like being distracted. Don't turn on the radio. Don't drive PDK-S in auto mode. Problem solved.
It is crystal clear people will always read and interpret a review in the way they want to and here that shows that they are not only blaming the PDK-S for not being a manual, but being too good at being an automatic too, since it can be left at its own devices and not **** you off in the process.
I recall the SMG gearbox in my E60 M5 vividly, which was so terrible in automatic mode that I was always flappy pedaling myself, even if I sometimes didn't want to for a short moment (phone (conference) call, conversation with passengers). But the fact that this PDK-S seems to be "pure magic" and therefore could comfortably be used in automatic mode if one would want to from time to time is hardly bad news, isn't it?
The problem is that it's a double-edged sword and a battle that simply cannot be won (for some). According to all the reviews so far the PDK-S rocks in 'manual' mode, so that's a tick in the box. However:
- If the PDK-S would suck in auto-mode, it would be a crap gearbox nonetheless and the voices shouting for a MT would soar even stronger!
- If the PDK-S would be great in auto-mode, it might actually compel drivers into using it that way from time to time, if they wish... which is very wrong for a GT3 and thus the voices shouting for a MT... and so on.
Let me repeat my earlier statement somewhere on this forum to avoid be chastised instantly: I would have ordered my 991 GT3 in MT if I could. But, having owned various flappy pedaled cars, I always decided to drive them as a MT, either because I was indirectly 'forced' to (that M5 again) or just because it was so much more fun (GT-R) than leaving it in automatic mode.
If owning a PDK-S GT3 pushes me into the "less skilled driver" owners group now as compared to 5 years ago when I had my .1 RS, so be it. Since I'm not making my money with driving, quite the contrary actually, I couldn't care less!
Last edited by TomTom77; 07-09-2013 at 08:18 AM.
07-09-2013, 06:42 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
Unfortunately you are also sweet out of luck if you believe the RS is going MT...
The game moves on as it always does and Porsche knows its customers. Porsche knows you wont sell your late model Cup car and GT3 and buy a 964RS or a 70s ST to put hair on your chest. I knows you want the latest, greatest and fastest. You might not know it but Porsche does. If we could fast forward 3-4 years and see what people are driving on the GT3 board I suspect it would be an upset. My guess is many of those that have issue with the 991 GT3 like yourself, Trackcar, GTcarrera etc will be driving the paddle shift GT3/RS. Just a hunch but never say never....
07-09-2013, 08:36 AM
#13
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I sympathize with the complaint that the 991 GT3 may be 'too easy' to drive. But OTOH, driving it truly near the limit, close to 10/10ths, will still require all the skill an expert driver can muster, regardless of which mode PDK is in, and the men will still be separated from the boys. The gap between the men and boys may not be as big as it used to be, but it will still be there and will still be substantial. The car isn't anywhere near the point where it'll be driving itself.
The steady stream of glowing reviews is increasing my confidence that this car is a winner, though I still have issues with being forced to use the CL wheels and bucket seats not yet confirmed for the US.
The steady stream of glowing reviews is increasing my confidence that this car is a winner, though I still have issues with being forced to use the CL wheels and bucket seats not yet confirmed for the US.
07-09-2013, 10:59 AM
#14
Race Director
Valid point, Mike. But please don't bother defending it, it's a waste of time and effort.
It is crystal clear people will always read and interpret a review in the way they want to and here that shows that they are not only blaming the PDK-S for not being a manual, but being too good at being an automatic too, since it can be left at its own devices and not **** you off in the process.
It is crystal clear people will always read and interpret a review in the way they want to and here that shows that they are not only blaming the PDK-S for not being a manual, but being too good at being an automatic too, since it can be left at its own devices and not **** you off in the process.
I sympathize with the complaint that the 991 GT3 may be 'too easy' to drive. But OTOH, driving it truly near the limit, close to 10/10ths, will still require all the skill an expert driver can muster, regardless of which mode PDK is in, and the men will still be separated from the boys. The gap between the men and boys may not be as big as it used to be, but it will still be there and will still be substantial. The car isn't anywhere near the point where it'll be driving itself.
07-09-2013, 11:17 AM
#15
