991 GT3 at 800 miles - observations
02-07-2014, 08:47 PM
#48
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: NEW YORK
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BINGO!!!!! You sir have great taste. 
Thank you for sharing the pictures, it does look like a shark. Black lights makes a huge difference and I'm glad I got it.
Congrats to you.
Thank you for sharing the pictures, it does look like a shark. Black lights makes a huge difference and I'm glad I got it.
Congrats to you.
02-19-2014, 09:59 PM
#53
Three Wheelin'
Ok I have a first drive impression to add. I just got back from the Porsche Experience Centre UK where I thrashed their brand new GR GT3 (with the pretty stitching 
)for just over two hours. We spent some time on various low friction surfaces and the majority on the 'handling circuit' that replicates a British B road.
Compared to my reference point of 997.2 C2S with MT: it feels much more keyed into the road. More grip, sure, but that's not the full picture. There's a lot more grip at the front, which makes the car much better balanced and therefore more adjustable and enjoyable. For example, you get a neutral cornering balance most of the time rather than an understeer-led one. You can still get on the gas early after the apex but you then transition from neutral to oversteer, which is way easier to handle than from understeer, which would give more of a snap. Please note that I'm not an expert Porsche driver compared to others on here, but I'm happy to put the effort that I would have spent driving around the traditional 911 limitations to better use. So traction and (straight-line) braking benefits from the rear-biased weight but no understeer: it really is the best of both worlds!
The engine is mega. Stick it in Sport and it goes almost to the red line before an instant shift back into the meat of the power band giving you a hefty jolt in the back. It will sometimes change down mid corner but it wasn't enough to unsettle the chassis at my pace. I didn't feel ready to go to manual but can't wait to try that when I get my car.
As others have said, the car just feels special, even at low speeds, or simply sitting in it. It just feels so tight, so responsive, so communicative and so fast.
The PCCBs are unbelievable. I hope I haven't done the wrong thing ordering the steels. Finally, I asked my instructor to do a couple of flying laps at the end to show me what the car could do and drifting round every corner was awesome. Turns out I hadn't been thrashing it after all.
)for just over two hours. We spent some time on various low friction surfaces and the majority on the 'handling circuit' that replicates a British B road. Compared to my reference point of 997.2 C2S with MT: it feels much more keyed into the road. More grip, sure, but that's not the full picture. There's a lot more grip at the front, which makes the car much better balanced and therefore more adjustable and enjoyable. For example, you get a neutral cornering balance most of the time rather than an understeer-led one. You can still get on the gas early after the apex but you then transition from neutral to oversteer, which is way easier to handle than from understeer, which would give more of a snap. Please note that I'm not an expert Porsche driver compared to others on here, but I'm happy to put the effort that I would have spent driving around the traditional 911 limitations to better use. So traction and (straight-line) braking benefits from the rear-biased weight but no understeer: it really is the best of both worlds!
The engine is mega. Stick it in Sport and it goes almost to the red line before an instant shift back into the meat of the power band giving you a hefty jolt in the back. It will sometimes change down mid corner but it wasn't enough to unsettle the chassis at my pace. I didn't feel ready to go to manual but can't wait to try that when I get my car.
As others have said, the car just feels special, even at low speeds, or simply sitting in it. It just feels so tight, so responsive, so communicative and so fast.
The PCCBs are unbelievable. I hope I haven't done the wrong thing ordering the steels. Finally, I asked my instructor to do a couple of flying laps at the end to show me what the car could do and drifting round every corner was awesome. Turns out I hadn't been thrashing it after all.
02-19-2014, 10:59 PM
#57
Rennlist Member
Dude,
Photos of my Agate car with black headlights , leather interior and anthricite trim. Attachment 804149
Attachment 804150
Attachment 804151
Attachment 804152
Photos of my Agate car with black headlights , leather interior and anthricite trim. Attachment 804149
Attachment 804150
Attachment 804151
Attachment 804152
02-20-2014, 03:00 AM
#58
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Just crossed 1000 miles and getting more comfortable with the car.
New observation is the PDK sport mode. Sport mode makes awesome sounds, really awesome. And if you are just accelerating in a straight line, it's great.
But downshifts just do too much engine braking. It's abrupt.
This is obvious on a long sweeper at speed; think on ramp / off ramp at 8/10s or better. Once you have your speed, you are feathering to throttle steer - not really in it, just keeping balanced. Sport mode PDK decides to upshift or downshift. The transitions are abrupt, unsettling the car and making it want to step out.
Sport PDK is fine if you are just driving around and want to "feel" sporty. Or just accelerating straight line. Sounds cool, feels cool. But if you are driving the car anywhere near the limit in turns (bends for you UK guys), forget it.
Manual mode is the only way to go.
New observation is the PDK sport mode. Sport mode makes awesome sounds, really awesome. And if you are just accelerating in a straight line, it's great.
But downshifts just do too much engine braking. It's abrupt.
This is obvious on a long sweeper at speed; think on ramp / off ramp at 8/10s or better. Once you have your speed, you are feathering to throttle steer - not really in it, just keeping balanced. Sport mode PDK decides to upshift or downshift. The transitions are abrupt, unsettling the car and making it want to step out.
Sport PDK is fine if you are just driving around and want to "feel" sporty. Or just accelerating straight line. Sounds cool, feels cool. But if you are driving the car anywhere near the limit in turns (bends for you UK guys), forget it.
Manual mode is the only way to go.
02-20-2014, 03:10 AM
#59
Rennlist Member
Chuck. Your views mimic the ones I posted mid December. However I would go one step further and say I suspect that Sport Mode is perfect for the track and the only time I would use it would be at the track (as I love manual for most road driving too). The system learns and will not once you get it on the track (so I am told) change down on you mid corner until redline once it understands your inputs., The button was originally called "Track Mode" and printed as such on early prototype cars so gives you a clue. I agree with you that on the road, especially in the wet with cold tyres it can destabilise the car on kickdown if not used with some experience.
02-20-2014, 03:22 AM
#60
Former Vendor
Thread Starter
Interesting. Have you used it on track and observed this learning? That would be really cool. But I'm not sure how the car knows I'm cornering on track vs fast on-ramp.
In fairness, I've only tried this a few times. Perhaps not enough times to for the computer to learn my driving pattern.
In fairness, I've only tried this a few times. Perhaps not enough times to for the computer to learn my driving pattern.