Originally Posted by ClassJ

Did we honestly think the same Porsche engineers that used the GPS to quiet exhaust notes in residential neighborhoods would not take things one step further.

New cars are fine and dandy but it is amazing how in totality all of these little things add up to change the driving experience.

I had the 944 out last week for the first time this spring. It was nice for a change to:

1) Have a hand brake
2) Not have to press the stop start button
3) Not have to put the car in sport/suspension/exhaust mode
4) Not have a screen in front of me
5) Rev match myself
6) Set my phone down and not take any calls for a bit (no bluetooth)

Originally Posted by fast1

I live in a rural part of MD with lots of beautiful winding roads, which are ideal for sports car driving. The only reason that I don't own a Miata is because of the driver inattentiveness that you referenced. A Porsche sports car is about as small a car as I'm willing to drive. Unfortunately the idyllic roads in my area are rife with 5K+lb SUVs driven by inattentive drivers, the vast majority drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding a cell phone. BTW it's illegal to use hand held cell phones while driving in MD, but drivers in my area either don't know the law or don't care. So for self preservation, I immediately select the PSE button as soon as I start my car, and make certain that my engine speed never falls below 3K RPM. My hope is that if they don't see me, they should at least hear me.

Originally Posted by stout

Only thing we give away is the autobahn, which to be honest, doesn't do a lot for me after getting over the initial novelty.

Originally Posted by Jim991

Don't underestimate the ingenuity of aftermarket companies to come up with ways to defeat speed monitoring devices and other over reaching private and government systems.

Originally Posted by fast1

So how hard would it be to reset that limit to a 70 MPH limit?

Originally Posted by jfischet

impossible in an old air-cooled 911 with webers and a cable connecting your foot to the throttle.

queue up: rush, red barichetta

Originally Posted by stout

Really resonate with the above.

Had the same feeling when taking my 914 out last weekend, ostensibly to the hardware store (by way of a decent back road). It was just so refreshing to simply get in and drive. No modes, no screens, no power anything except the engine itself. It was dreamy, and a real escape to this overcorrected world.

Originally Posted by fast1

I referenced new model Audis, not air-cooled 911s. To the best of my knowledge, I don't believe Porsche has speed limiters on any of its models.

Originally Posted by bkrantz

Some day, what we know as the personal, driver-operated vehicle, gas or electric, will be a museum oddity. This might be in 30 years, or maybe 100 years, but the push from population density, market preferences, and government control will be irresistible. Some of us will have fun cars we drive on private road preserves, and maybe some rural public roads might accommodate cars, but the majority of people will get around in other ways--and not care much about it.

About 100 years ago, cars replaced horses and horse-drawn vehicles as the dominant personal transport technology. Back then many people claimed it would never happen, either for the country or for them. Horses now are mostly toys.

Originally Posted by stout

As for the speed limiters, that last line is critical—as is the idea that they can be overridden. Perspective from Europe is critical, too. Last time I was in Stuttgart for a week, I was surprised at how un-fun it is to drive around its sprawling streets and thoroughfares. Speed limits vary widely, and there are 5-10 types of speed cameras all over the place waiting to nab you, even for small overages. 30, 50, 30, 50, 70, 30, 50, 30, etc. I found myself driving for cameras, and looking for them, rather than driving for safety—it was so awful I found myself understanding why Porsche execs in Stuttgart think PDK is totally superior period, and also thinking that I'd happily accept a bug red button I could hit that would limit my speed in various parts of town to whatever the posted limit is. It really was that tedious–and that's saying something. We don't know how good we have it. Go down to LA and the flow is well past the limit, enforcement is pretty chill so far as I can see (except certain spots, usually for good reason), and our speed limits (or at least, actual speeds) are often quite a bit higher than in Germany.

I remember when a German engineer asked where I was from, then said, "The U.S.? Pity, as you have no good roads to enjoy our cars on." I chuckled, as...autobahn aside, I think we have better roads for pleasure driving. Wider, typically, with shoulders that allow for a chosen line without going into the other lane. Typically reasonable dirt shoulders instead of white plastic pegs right next to the road. A lot of land, even (or especially?) in CA with a LOT of roads vs a much smaller country with fewer ways to cross a given stretch. More great roads to nowhere. A lot more. Only thing we give away is the autobahn, which to be honest, doesn't do a lot for me after getting over the initial novelty. Do wish we could run at 100-140 mph on long trips when safe, but we've still got it pretty good—and I see less threatening what we have here in the U.S. than I see threatening what they have in Europe. France, for instance, has really changed. Some other EU countries, as well, I'm told.

Originally Posted by MidEngineRules

Well I haven't spent a whole week in Stuttgart but did live in Germany (Kaiserslautern) for 5 years and drove all over Germany and Europe. With that, I wholeheartedly agree with the German engineer. When in Rome do as the Romans do. Germans don't speed in towns and cities. They are far more respectful of laws and customs and each other. Therefore a good driver over there need not worry about speed cameras. If you want to go fast, there's better places to do it outside the cities, especially where I lived. After 5 years in Germany I'm still convinced Americans think they are far better and safer drivers than reality. Americans drove me nuts on speed limited roads. They have a set speed they like to drive, no matter the speed limit. Coming from work to home I would travel down a several kilometer stretch that went from (kph) 30 to 50 to 70 to 100 to 70 to 50 to 30 before coming up to a roundabout. Everyday Americans in front of me would drive down that whole stretch at around 50 mph. They gap you at first then about half way though the 100 kph section you're on their bumper pissed off they are holding you up. Germans would complain too as they don't like driving under the speed limit but are happy to not exceed it. Same on the autobahns. Americans would go set speeds no matter the speed limits. Guaranteed when you reached unlimited sections that's the last you saw of them as you disappeared in the distance.