rijowysock

I know they have made several changes to the PDK trans but without using "launch control" does anyone else feel that the car is lacking on the low end power? (both Base and S models)...

0-20mph even under "kick down" on both models seems very sluggish to me, more sluggish than the outgoing 997.2.....

that being said 20-160 is out of this world for the power the vehicle puts out (the improved chassis makes higher speeds feel slow, but looking down at the gauges you can actually see how quick it is) that being said, i have never had 160 feel so slow in any vehicle I have ever owned... the car has definitely been "refined" and "toned down" which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing... Hopefully new Coilovers and Exhaust will help remove some of that "Lexus" feeling...


Lets keep our fingers crossed the GT lineup is as Raw and Un-refined as the outgoing models....

packwest

I wasn't that impressed with the PDK, and a large part of that was due to the lack of responsiveness at lower gears. There is a slight delay in throttle response when you floor it attributable to automatics.

IndyRob

You are right, I noticed the same thing in my new 991S vs Targa 4S, but the new 991 had a ferver of build up that made me too scared to even wonder what the upcoming Twin Turbo will do.

As you know the PDK has two position kickdown switch. The passing one, and the eat my dust one. The second one, both respond instant in the gearing, but it is like they give you a chance to reconsider because of what you just summoned.

Galion

Same impression here, the initial pull from a stop light feels weak compared to few other fast cars I've owned in the past, mostly turbos, but above 30Km/h and once it builds up some revs, the power is endless.
Even though I really like this car, I am not sure if I can live with it for the next year or so, it needs to be driven agressively and I am getting tired of doing so.

ScorpionT

I felt the same way with the S PDK that I drove, off the line power was lacking. Launching the car would certainly fix this, but I just wasnt interested in doing that. An ECU reflash may help by changing the throttle response, but its difficult to say unless someone were to try it out.

97c2s993

This subject relates well to another thread with the survey asking the frequency with which 991 owners are driving their cars in 'comfort', 'sport', or 'sport +' mode (I expect mainly for PDK owners). I for one find myself using the 'comfort' mode less and less, and usually only in traffic jams when I can't do anything else, or on a long highway journey.
Otherwise, I find myself putting the car into 'Sport' mode to eliminate this 'lag' in getting off the start, from a red light for example in city driving, or just to have more spirited reaction from the car.
On the one hand I like to at least have the option to choose whichever way I want the car to react so I am fine with it, on the other hand using 'Sport' mode more often eliminates the economies that this car can now achieve, not that this is what most 991 owners are in it for!

jcf7

I noticed the lag yesterday. As it was the first time I "floored" it from a dead stop, I found it weird. So I tried it again and yep, it hesitates.
The comment above that the car needs to be driven aggressively is well understood. I’m always in sport mode and on the manual side of the stick shift.
The survey mentioned shows that close to 80% of owners are mostly or always in sport mode.

GSIRM3

Is it possible that the PDK, especially in the "comfort" mode, starts out in 2nd gear? I know BMW had a regular torque converter automatic that used to start out in second gear to improve fuel economy, unless in was in sport mode.

I don't know because my car is a 6 speed, but just thinking that might be the reason for the sluggishness form a dead start.

rijowysock

It starts in 1st. It's a hesitation as if the intake box is too large. Or exhaust is lacking back pressure. That's the feeling I get. The engine is there just can't get air in fast enough.

GSIRM3

Do you know if the hesitation is present in the 7 sp. manual, or does it seem to be related to the PDK. Your description sounds like the hesitation is engine related, not transmission related.

rodsky

Is the hesitation in all PDK modes? Normal, sport, sport plus. I don't have the same thing in the 997.2?

KINGSRULE

I felt the PDK S I drove in normal started off in 2nd gear. I was so convinced of it that I really didn't check.
It was way too dramatic to focus on the airbox. It must be 2nd gear or faulty software..........

kcarrigan

My experience in my Base PDK with SC is that the comfort mode is just plain lethargic. In manual mode or sport, it feel just as spry as my previous M3 or Boxster Spyder. The car does start in 1st, but shifts to 2nd so quickly that it might as well start there. Perhaps Porsche went a touch too far in trying to program the car for efficiency in the default modes.

ScorpionT

After reading the comments, Im 99% sure its the software. If switching to sport mode sharpens the response and makes a fairly dramatic difference, its almost certainly the electronic throttle (AKA drive-by-wire) that make the difference. Many other cars use similar systems and modifying the DBW will change how the car response. With the 991 an ECU tune would likely be the solution.

rijowysock

Yes,... my 997.2 did not have the same hesitation which leads me to believe as said above maybe it's an airbox thing, the airboxes being so large it could cause a throttle input delay... (smaller airboxes tend to have better throttle response)

starts in 1st always, ****fts to 2nd very quickly.. 997.2 u could start in 2nd if you pushed the shifter, 991 you cannot from standstill.

I feel even if it's hardware related it could be fixed/resolved with ECU upgrade....Porsche surely needs to address this as the vehicle again feels lethargic down low even compared to the outgoing model.