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^^^Great article. (I put a link in the first post above.) This quote spoke to me (as someone who bailed on an Audi TT RS 400hp order).... "At 365 brake horsepower an Audi RS3 and Mercedes-AMG A45 will have the T licked on power and 0-62 times. If you care about that, move your mouse to the top right corner of your screen and close this story now."
For me... 700+ miles in, I am dabbling with 5k revs (once warmed up, of course) and really enjoying the T.
On the variable country and highway roads around here, I am finding negligible difference between Normal/Sport/Sport+ (except the exhaust overruns in Sport).
I need to figure out how to configure the "I"ndividual mode. Is there a good link for that?
Even under 4k revs, there is a lot of pull (can't wait to open up more).
Lots of useable space behind the LWBS! But, tricky to get back there.
Keep an eye on that front spoiler.
Can you give us more info (and pics) of how you can access the space behind the seats! I heard that it was extremely hard to put a large bag back there since the seat backs would not fold.
In my mind, the "Individual" mode is not really individual. It doesn't provide the granularity of settings for you to config. It's really just mix and matching the "options"
For example, I would like my suspension to be in sports but everything else in Sports Plus, and somehow turn off the auto rev match. But I don't think this is do-able.
I turned over 1000 miles on my drive today - some long-er term thoughts...
(1) While it's not a Merc, this thing is a great highway cruiser (on good pavement). The 4 ways seats are all-day comfortable, and the sport-tex seats are a great material regardless of the cabin temp. And man does this thing have range. After a fill-up today, cruising at 75mph in 7th, I had 550mi of range on the dash. That's just nuts for a car this capable.
(2) 100% happy with the materials and fit & finish on the cabin - there's a small manufacturing flaw in the gauge cluster that I've previously posted about and the dealer is taking care of, but all else is spectacular.
(3) Carving twisties, this car feels incredibly tossable. It really feels like a much smaller car. The steering isn't as alive as my 993, but I actually prefer it as it's not so fatiguing to drive fast, and the communication is still there. I can put the car on any line I want - but the RAS did take some time adapting to. As a driver, you have to be smooth to get the most out of it, I feel like its actually a bit harder to drive well near the limit because the RAS response isn't as linear as the fixed rear axel. I feel like I really need to get some open track time before I'll feel confident at 9/10ths and above.
(4) The torque on the 3.0 engine is really addictive...and the broad curve is very much appreciated during breakin. On paper, it looks like this car is geared too tall, but in practice it's just spot on. Put the car in Sport and just explore 2nd, 3rd, and 4th throughout the rev range and just prepare for a smile. My favorite is 3rd->2nd at about 30mph just ahead of a hairpin, easy in - then just blast out. Again, with RAS, I feel like I can get on throttle a good bit earlier than in my 993 - which has taken some learning (and bravery) to explore. The car really hooks up though and goes!
(5) At first, I couldn't tell much difference in Normal/Sport/Sport+ - now I can. Here's how I break it down:
- Normal - great all around - most manual control, throttle response isn't as crisp, but closest to my 993
- Sport - really sharp throttle response, and dampers firm up ever so slightly. This mode feels like a scalpel on curvy roads, but it is harder to get the weight transfer to be smooth than Normal or Sport+ -- hence this is the place to go to get your oversteer slide on (in a safe place)
- Sport+ - I can now really tell that this is a track mode...throttle response is less sharp than Sport, but very linear and predictable. Dampers are a bit stiff for typical US roads, but by no means bad.
My current individual setting is Sport+, with Sport dampers off - which is a great compromise for me until I learn to better manage the weight transfer with RAS.
(6) Unexpected benefit of the lightweight glass...it's actually very clear. It may be placebo, but I feel like rear visibility is so much better than in any other car I've had because there are no distracting heater element lines.
(7) Love the in-cluster map while navigating...so much easier than looking down at the main PCM screen.
(8) Clutch is FANTASTIC. The first 500 miles were good...the second are nirvana. Best clutch I've ever driven bar-none. Light enough that there's no fatigue, and very communicative friction point. Just a masterpiece.
(9) Shifter is GREAT. Again, took a few hundred miles to smooth out, but is now just exquisite. Porsche really got the manual right on this car...I just hope it lasts forever. If so, It'll be a legend in 20 years as one of, if not the best, manual transmission ever made.
What am I less thrilled about?
(a) I did get the brakes smelly in the hills yesterday - no fade or loss of confidence, but I now know what Pete was talking about. Not sure I could justify the 9K PCCBs, but I'd definitely like slightly better bakes. Will be investigating improved pads.
(b) PCM is way too complex. I find that I need to get everything setup and running before I pull away lest I risk crashing. Not as easy as I'd like to jump to and tune Sat Radio. How do I reset trip computers...why is one on the dash and one in the PCM? Why doesn't the ETA show up in the in-cluster map.
(c) Man this car is sensitive to tire pressures. We've had weather from 40s - 90s here in Tx in March/April. Before every drive I've been trying a new set of cold pressures to try and get a variety of experience with hot-pressures. I've settled on 35/38 F/R hot, which is about 32/35 F/R cold. The ride and behavior under load are really different with wider spreads as recommended by Porsche. Maybe nitpicky - but I don't feel like older 911s being this tricky to dial-in tire pressures.
(d) With my normal seating position, the seatback hits the roof of the car when I fold it forward to access the rear seats...what?
Thats all for the 1st 1000mi. Overall, best car I've ever owned. Totally in love.
Just what I needed to hear to make me even more anxious about getting my T very soon!
From all the reviews of actual owners, it looks like the T is indeed much better than what you would expect to get from the simple sum of its parts.
Although you mentioned that you are still getting used to RAS, would you say it was a good option to get?
Also, compared with your average Porsche leather seats, how would you rate the Sport Tex interior? I don't think I would have opted for Sport Tex (as I did) if I could have had deviated stitching with the regular leather seats, but the T interior with dev stitching was just too good to pass compared with the plain leather seats.
Regarding the sport damper setting and individual mode, if you want the dampers to stay in sport mode, simply depress the button on the center tunnel. The car retains this setting each time you start (unlike the auto start/stop, which must be disengaged each time.)
Just what I needed to hear to make me even more anxious about getting my T very soon!
From all the reviews of actual owners, it looks like the T is indeed much better than what you would expect to get from the simple sum of its parts.
Although you mentioned that you are still getting used to RAS, would you say it was a good option to get?
Also, compared with your average Porsche leather seats, how would you rate the Sport Tex interior? I don't think I would have opted for Sport Tex (as I did) if I could have had deviated stitching with the regular leather seats, but the T interior with dev stitching was just too good to pass compared with the plain leather seats.
I really like RAS - I think it's a game changing option and would go for it everytime. It's just that coming from a lifetime of 911s, it takes some getting used to in certain situations. It makes the car do things 911s aren't really supposed to be able to do :-)
Likewise the SportTex interior. I think it's great - I think it's best with the pinstripes though - cosmetically. If I were going plain, I'd opt for leather.
Tell your passengers that the ‘STRAP’ on the door is:
a) not to be used to close the door ('coz it won't close)... and,
b) not to be used as a handle when driving at speed.
(Pro-pro-tip: make sure central locking locks doors when driving.)
:-)
Last edited by BlackOptic; 04-19-2018 at 04:20 PM.
Seems when configuring Individual your Rev Matching is extricably linked to Sport and Sport+. And, pops and gurgles are only in Sport, no matter what fiddling you do with the Exhaust Option in this menu.
04-18-2018, 04:03 PM
