911R Driving Impressions
#92
Nordschleife Master
Imho, it is better not to worry why one's better is no better than my better. Regardless if the R is better (than whatever) or not, it is nice that the OP and others share their impressions of a car that most of us will not be able to get. Birkin bags may not be better than other bags, but the mere fact that one lady can have it, and most cannot, makes it better to some. I haven't visited a ladies bag forum, but I suspect I could find the same type of discussion there.
Between the R and RS I think Mooty put it best, again. Do you like blondes or brunettes? I'm fortunate to have a number of high performance 3 peddle blondes already. Wanted a hot two peddle brunette so got one. Well she is closer to a red head actually.
#93
Instructor
Thread Starter
Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and I will ignore the one individual. Like a lot of car enthusiasts, I enjoy reading car magazines and online forums to learn about my favorite cars. I am fortunate to have the R, and the time and health to enjoy the car. And for once, I am in a position to contribute to fellow car enthusiasts, so a few more words on the R…
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
#94
So your a psychologist and an automotive expert and you know what ive driven?
So enlighten me how the R is objectively "better". I'm not talking about a specific driving or performance characteristic or better to you or the "owners who tout it as such... I'm talking about "better" period across the board to all for all which is how it was meant. Better means, well..better.
I like the R, neat piece. But when owners start saying it's "better" as objective fact thats the problem as "better" is a relative term. You don't necessarily need a drive in both depending on your parameters, do you?
You and the other politically correct followers and owners will just have to accept reality. The R isn't "better" to everyone.
So enlighten me how the R is objectively "better". I'm not talking about a specific driving or performance characteristic or better to you or the "owners who tout it as such... I'm talking about "better" period across the board to all for all which is how it was meant. Better means, well..better.
I like the R, neat piece. But when owners start saying it's "better" as objective fact thats the problem as "better" is a relative term. You don't necessarily need a drive in both depending on your parameters, do you?
You and the other politically correct followers and owners will just have to accept reality. The R isn't "better" to everyone.
J
#95
Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and I will ignore the one individual. Like a lot of car enthusiasts, I enjoy reading car magazines and online forums to learn about my favorite cars. I am fortunate to have the R, and the time and health to enjoy the car. And for once, I am in a position to contribute to fellow car enthusiasts, so a few more words on the R…
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
J
#96
Can someone enlighten me on this? Haven't driven a GT4, but what's different on that tranny than on a GTS? The cable-linkage on S/GTS feels rubbery, and not mechanically pleasing to shift (I'm far from the only one thinking that), although definitely accurate. And same thing with the previous 997 3.8L 6-sp tranny probably on the GT4. The gearing wasn't the best either, although on a GT4, the short 6th might be justified (I like a somewhat relaxed top gear for cruising). But just curious what's different on the GT4 tranny (from the 997, correct?), which is supposed to be the same as 981s. Maybe I'm wrong (hope so). That was the main reason I opted for a fully-optioned GTS PDK instead of a GT4. I remember asking what was the speed at 3K rpm in 6th gear on a GT4, and the reply was the same 74 indicated mph as on a S/GTS. Thx.
#97
Rennlist Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Wishing I Was At The Track
Posts: 13,664
Received 1,890 Likes
on
974 Posts
Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and I will ignore the one individual. Like a lot of car enthusiasts, I enjoy reading car magazines and online forums to learn about my favorite cars. I am fortunate to have the R, and the time and health to enjoy the car. And for once, I am in a position to contribute to fellow car enthusiasts, so a few more words on the R…
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
#99
Nordschleife Master
Thank you everyone for the positive feedback and I will ignore the one individual. Like a lot of car enthusiasts, I enjoy reading car magazines and online forums to learn about my favorite cars. I am fortunate to have the R, and the time and health to enjoy the car. And for once, I am in a position to contribute to fellow car enthusiasts, so a few more words on the R…
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
Looks. When I first laid eyes on my 911R from across the delivery hall, it looked ordinary and just like any other 911. A little underwhelming for sure, even though a simple appearance is part of the ethos of the car. But now that I had some time with the car, I would not change anything about its appearance – you drink in its appearance as you absorb the details of the car, and its low-key appearance let you enjoy the car fully without the unwanted attention of being noticed and bothered everywhere. Moreover, anybody who notices this car or realizes what it is – is truly an enthusiast and their attention is welcome. The looks serve as a "truth serum."
Gearbox. The 5th/6th gear plane is a little further away from 3rd/4th plane than expected – perhaps a result of reengineering the gearbox from 7 to 6 gears. But the unlike the GT4 which is taller geared in 2nd and 3rd than a 600+ hp Carrera GT, the R’s gearing is spot on. The car’s manic engine and well matched gearing allow one to extend it properly in 2nd and 3rd on a back road. Also the shift action is a little bit lighter than in the GT4. And as I stated before, the clutch rattle at idle and the startup bark sounds like a Ducati racing superbike – absolutely excellent!
RWS & LSD. The R has a mechanical LSD instead of the RS’ E-Diff and that is one reason Porsche had to recalibrate the steering and RWS. A cool side effect of the mechanical LSD is the chuntering and scrabbling in a 180 degree 1st gear hairpin followed by a proper set of 11s laid on the tarmac as the car powers out of the turn. On one occasion, when I had an unexpectedly short merge on to the autobahn, the 911R lit up the rears on power alone in 2nd gear. The RS will not do that. Rear wheel steering is a game changer in how it allows a sweet and stable easy handling car to still have super sharp turn-in - this car turns in phenomenally well and the turn-in and "pointiness" is way better in the R than the GT4 or really any modern road car without RWS. Not a surprise that Ferrari is also incorporating RWS in their sportiest cars – e.g. the TDF. I am convinced that every high end sports car will have RWS in the years to come - absolutely a game changer.
#101
The Rs at these lofty price levels is. I doubt any would have sold if the list was even twice/three times as much.
A good 911, a very good 911. Not a modern supercar.
#104
Platinum Dealership
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
Rennlist
Site Sponsor
BusDriver thank you for your impressions. I have Euro delivery scheduled soon for mine, super excited. I am slightly frustrated to have had to prematurely cut my schedule short however due to some commitments stateside...
#105
Nordschleife Master