affirmative

 

First off, incredible build. Very impressive. I just bought my first Porsche and it's a 2018 Targa 4 GTS (991.2). I have had an RS7 and an M8, both of which I dumped a bunch of money into for speed and sound, so I'm not new at the aftermarket game, but I am a newbie when it comes to Porsche. I'm hoping you can give me some guidance on this build.

The car is 100% stock right now and I'd like to add some better 0-60 and sound. I like the twisty roads and quick punches in and around town, but that's about it. From all my research on here, I've come up with a very similar list for what I want, but curious what your thoughts are based on what I'm trying to achieve. Also, I don't want any CEL to come on and I live in an area where I have to pass an emissions test.

This is what I'm thinking so far, but open to other suggestions, or if you think any of it's a waste of money.
- Vektor Headers (or Soul)
-Akrapovic Sports Cat (or Soul)
-AMS Alpha Performance Intercoolers (not sure if this is needed if I'm not tracking it)
-IPD Plenum
-Kline SS Exhaust (not sure I need this since I have the PSE and I definitely want to keep the OEM valve button working)
-BMC Filter
-Cobb ProTune
-Anything I'm missing that is a must do???

Thanks in advance for the time.

 

I have a '17 C2 manual with very similar mods that you're looking at.
I have the following:
Soul Headers
Soul Sport Cats
Soul Valved Exhaust System
Tial Intercoolers
Tial Turbo Inlet
Tial Throttle Body Intake
APR Tune
APR R1 Diverter Valve
BMC Filter

I also have Bilstein B16 coil-overs that are plug and play for the adjustable suspension. Lowered looks so much better!
Plus, AP BBK all the way around and custom forged magnesium LiteSpeed Racing Wheels.

With your car being a GTS and having the larger turbos than mine, I think you should be good-to-go based on what you're looking for. You'll be close to 600hp and quite a bit lighter than the two other cars you had in the past.
My car is around 500hp+ with the mods I have and it feels fantastic.

Soul is a great company to deal with. Really good quality. For a few years I had just the headers and sport cats with the stock PSE. The actually used my car to develop the valved and non-valved exhaust system (I live nearby). The exhaust made a huge difference in sound. The car sounds like an animal now, but it's not too loud. My wife and I just went for a ride over the weekend and she didn't say a word about the car being too loud. Open the valves and you can really hear it. Also, with the full exhaust, you can really hear the turbos whistle and with the diverter valves you get a muted, old-school "whoosh" sound when you get off the throttle.

LMK if you have any questions.

 

I have a 2019 T, so it has the smaller base turbos. I was heading down a similar mod path myself. I tossed a Softronic on the car and it made a wild difference. It woke the car up in so many ways. I modified the exhaust valves on PSE so they are open 100% of the time (with two small shaft collars). I am happy. Not planning anything else.

On a GTS you would be another 75hp and 75 ft-lbs or so over where I am.

Personally, I would tune the car and then decide whats next. I think Softronic has a better tune than APR but that is just preference.

Next on the list would be headers. Other exhaust work is mostly just about noise in my mind although there are some gains to be had.

Intercoolers: If not tracking I don't see the point.

Filter: Probably not a huge benefit.

Plenum: Probably not a huge benefit

If you are chasing lap times a lot of these things all help. Otherwise on the street, I think the tune and maybe headers are where meaningful power gains are.

Regardless, its a fun car. Nothing you mentioned will make the car "less fun" or harder to drive on the street in my mind.

 

I have a 2017 Targa 4S with the power kit which is the same turbos as a GTS. Manual. I went with Soul high flow cats along with Kline equal length headers. Then I added the Tial tubes. Stock muffler and stock intercoolers. I have a cobb custom tune by Mitch when they were still doing Cobb tunes, not sure if they still will. I've never had it dynod, but should be north of 550hp and 550ftlbs. It's quite fast, In fact I think my GT4 RS would have a hard time keeping up with it despite being the heavier Targa. I would not change anything for my current setup, for power. I also changed to Girodisc rotors. These hold up a lot better than the OEM rotors. I was going through OEM rotors about every two track days. I also went with ferodo 3.12 pads. I have 2500 pads as well but like the 3.12s better. It's a great everyday set up Plus you can take it to the track if you want to and you'll be getting all the point bys from GT4's and other track focused cars. You will surprise them for sure!


Edit...APR R1 Diverter Valves as well.


And definitely do the brakes along with high temperature brake fluid. You have a heavy car with a lot more horsepower and having brakes that will stop are important.

 

I forgot to mention that on a closed road, I had a couple of runs with a 992 GT3 (PDK).
Both times, I was pulling slightly. If I had GTS turbos, I'm sure I would have walked him pretty easily.

I went with APR tune as I have quite a bit of experience with them from my GTI and a friend who works in the industry knows them personally.
Never had any issues with anything they've done. Do they give up a little compared to other tunes? Probably. Are they safe(r)? Probably.

Below is my full setup (headers, sport cats and muffler)

 

@Ksdaoski I recently upgraded my brakes w GiroDisc rotors and DS2500 pads and noticed an improvement in braking doing a few test runs on a remote road with a few hard braking sessions for typical road speeds of 60-80 mph. I'll be taking them on the track this weekend for the first time too and also upgraded to SS brake lines and Castrol SRF. Looking forward to the improvements over my previous set up which was OEM everything.

I know the 3.12 are definitely better for the track. I'm curious if you've used them for any considerable duration on the street and what you may have noticed in terms of noise or rotor & pad wear. My intention is to use the DS2500 for daily and swap in either the 1.11 or the 3.12 for track days. I've heard/read that the 1.11s have better "manners" and might be reasonably suitable for daily use, or maybe just more reasonably suitable for daily use than the 3.12. I think that keeping the 1.11 or 3.12 on full time is probably not ideal for extended DD use since they would tend to wear out (pads and rotors) quicker under cooler temps. I'm really just learning about brakes and beginning to experiment. For this next track day though, I'm going to give the 2500s a go and see how they perform. Since I bought them from FCP, I have built-in lifetime replacement on them. I guess I'm more concerned about premature rotor wear than pad wear.

 

👍👍

 

thank you for all the guidance and advice, I truly appreciate it. Very helpful! Do you feel the intercoolers are worth the money and/or needed if it’s never being tracked?

 

@Tier1Terrier 2500 compound is a street pad that is capable of light track day use. Perfect for a beginner like yourself. Once experience and skill set on the brakes improve, you will exceed the usable operating temperature of the 2500 and graduate to a proper race pad. the 1.11 and the 3.12 are proper race pads, the primary difference between the two being the torque (stopping ability at the beginning of the braking) and the modulation (release at end of braking) qualities.

I feel like I am on a mission to destroy the internet myth that high torque pads are always the best. I feel like everyone wants to use them because it feels like bragging rights that they use the highest torque pad. Truth is, the 3.12 will make most drivers slower than using the 1.11. Instead of expressing my opinion, here are FACTS:

1) Braking is a system. Your tires, aero, ABS system and brake compound must work together. If I take it further, the racing surface must also be considered. Having one component over power another is counter productive.
2) 200 TW tires and street based ABS systems become the weeks points in a system that upgrades other components.
3) More lap time is gained during the release phase of braking as opposed to the beginning of braking. What does this mean? Being a late braking might be fun bragging rights, but the guy with better brake release will have better lap times than you.
4) Higher torque pads are more aggressive on rotors
5) Pads that are designed to operate at higher temperatures may be prone to noise when used below their designed temperature range

Now my opinion. Experienced drivers with GT cars and/or cars with tires below 200TW and aero are better suited for the 3.12. All others will be better suited on the 1.11.

 

OS Giken 1.5 Mechanical Diff
120 N/mm front Spring rate
GT3 Front bumper
GT3-RS Side skirts
911-R adjustable underbody aero
255/315 Cuo2-R
DSC
9.5/12 wheels
Wider track
Anti-dive, anti-squat bars.


What am I talking about? BRAKES. All of the above contribute to better brakes.
Bitey pads with stock springs, slamming the nose into the bitumen and having the rear dance around is not ideal.
The stability under braking due to the mechanical diff is next level.

You can also add race seat and harness for improved braking.

I haven’t even mentioned 380/380 Hi thermal Brembo GT-R BBK with vented pistons or pad compound.

The more stable you make the car, the harder you can brake, and the better feedback for modulation and releasing the brake. As Jake alluded to, the fastest guys aren’t always the latest brakers, but they are the ones who can clear the brakes.

 

So well said!! At the end of the day, driving a car on track is about weight management, keeping the car balanced. A well thought out SYSTEM of changes, like @4 Point 0 has done, is what we are all chasing.

 

@4 Point 0 & @jakermc - Your combined experience & wisdom are such a valuable asset to this community. Your contributions are priceless. Thank you!

 

how are the soul exhausts? big difference in sound?

 

Spring Frequencies

I had some suspension engineers calculate spring rate frequencies for my car.

With half a tank of fuel, and me in the car, I have 300kg over each front wheel and 500kg over each rear.

So 40/60 Front/rear weight.

I’m currently 120/170 MR Spec rates.

I have ordered 160 rear with 15 helpers. ( Had 170 with 30 tenders).

This will bring me to 120/160, after I complete tests with this, I may bring the front up. Now I’m going to tease @IRunalot a bit here.

110/160 is MR .7
120/160 is .75 (my new rates)
130/160 is .81. (GT .83)
135/160 is .85. (Very old method)

When car suspension was in early development, they created a rule of 15%. That the rear of the car needed to be 15% stiffer than the front, because the rear wheels hit the bump after, but they want the rear to stop oscillating at the same time as the front to stabilise the car faster.

Most drivers don’t like the rates so close together but I do.
A lot think the car feels numb if the nose doesn’t dive. They need to feel that. Cup cars are 1:1. You need to stay on the brakes and trail brake for them to turn properly.
But they have big Aero and slicks, we don’t. So we don’t want to over do it.

140/160 would be R7’s or slicks. I want to run CR-S and Cup2-R. So I won’t go that high in the front.