My first week in a new 991 cabriolet (Warning: self indulgent long post!!)
07-30-2012, 01:56 PM
#1
My first week in a new 991 cabriolet (Warning: self indulgent long post!!)
This is a compendium of a series of posts I made last week on another website. I hope it is of interest to anyone looking forward to their own new arrival, or thinking about a 991. Here goes:
This month I've been sat on the horns of a dilemma: taking pleasure in a long-arranged family holiday, but the enjoyment mitigated by the knowledge that my new 991 is waiting for collection at the dealer. Anyway, the holiday turned out to be the best way possible to delay this kid's christmas and my new baby is at last here.
I thought I might try to produce a running review of my first week with the 991 in cab form. And perhaps I, a die-hard coupe fan, should start by explaining why I went for a cab. I've never previously even considered the 911 as a drop-top. The roofline on all previous iterations is not to my liking and I don't enjoy the compromises that traditionally go with cab ownership.
On the other hand I live in the Yorkshire Dales and spend a lot of time in the highlands of Scotland, where enjoyment of the beautiful scenery is greatly enhanced by the open top experience. I'm also at an age where, a couple of years from now, I can see the teenagers disappearing off to university, leaving Mrs BnB and I to enjoy regular breaks away in a sporty AND comfortable car. I'm conveniently ignoring the fact here that I'll have swapped this car for another by the time the kids have actually departed, but I thought you might as well hear the "logic" anyway.
I hadn't been convinced by the 991 redesign. If anything, I thought it was too evolutionary, particularly from the headlamps back to the rear, which itself is challenged. One day, however, I was in the local dealer, and saw the 991 cab and it just captured my attention in a way the coupe had not and still does not. Why?
This isn't easy to describe but I'll do my best. Firstly, the new roofline, in aping the coupe's (what a technological tour de force!), preserves the classic coupe shape, yet gives it a new colour-contrasting twist that, in certain colour combinations, is particularly effective. Red and black best of all (for me). Secondly, the bigger wheel arches, a feature not universally appreciated in the coupe, reduce the bulk of the bum to give the car a better balance longitudinally. The look is a little more Speedster and a little less chop top.
Thirdly, sticking with the challenging redesign of the rear, the differentiation of the roof colour alters your perception of the view. The appearance is less 911, and so the swage line and "Aston" rear lights impinge less on your expectations of what a 911 rear should look like. I still don't like those new features, but, in the cab, they are more acceptable to me. In the same way, and moving back to the front, the (to the eye less striking) black of the roof lends emphasis to the curves of the bonnet, the grille cutting into the LEDs, and the bulging headlamps. The "happy frog" look as I’ve heard it succinctly described.
The car I swapped for the 991 was a Guards GTS PDK. An absolutely superb car in many ways. But I had grown tired of its low-rent interior, and I have hearing damage which makes me sensitive to droning road noise and tyre roar, a problem with all 997s and before. I also didn't think much of its steering feel compared to the Cayman S, 997.1s, 996s and 993s I have owned or driven. This is the elephant in the room as far as I am concerned with the shift to electromechanical from hydraulic steering. I honestly think the 997.2 steering feel falls away from the 997.1 further than the 991 does from its predecessor.
Moving into a cab was a further step away from the GTS than changing into a another very similar-looking coupe and therefore an easier sell to myself when justifying the extra expense (even if the price goes even higher with the cab roof). Also easier to justify with Mrs BnB, who is never outwardly judgemental of my purchases, but the girls have their little ways of letting you know whether they're happy, don't they?
Suffice to say that the journey home from the dealer was more stressful than I expected. It must be my age but I like things just so, and I'm willing to spend good money to achieve that. The downside is that I can't enjoy my purchases until I get close. I should take a chill pill, but that's just how I am. Normally on buying a new car I sit with the manual in the dealer's car park until I've mastered the in-car electronics. On this occasion, I had my daughter with me and we were keen to get home to the rest of the family. All the way home I found myself fussing with the buttons and trying to program the settings on the OBC instead of just driving the thing. I won't say it wasn't fun, but my enjoyment was compromised by my impatience. And by the over-inflated tyres...
At home, an hour with the manual fixed that and soon the tyres and electronics were set up to my liking, allowing me to properly enjoy the 2 hour blast I took last night. I hesitate to make snap judgements but this car, proper 911 or not, is damn good. How good will reveal itself over time.
Putting a lid on my opening day thoughts, suffice to say that I've been hugely impressed by the sound insulation of the roof, the volume and range of noises from the (sports) exhaust and inlet, the electronics, the ride, the handling (with PDCC, of which more later when I've properly considered its effects). But above all, the uprated PDK, which is quite simply epic!
I'll also give some thought to the car's apparent weaknesses: the steering, the progressive evolution into a GT that the 911 has been undergoing for 50 years, the size, the new interior, etc.
Update Day 2:
I've been thinking over a few aspects of the car. Characteristics that others have picked up on such as NVH, sight lines, damping, the sound symposer, PDCC, weight, tyres, wheel sizes, the threshold at which the car transforms from GT to out and out sports car, the amazing roof mechanism, rear space, low end torque...
But mostly I want to hear what it sounds like at 8,000 revs and I've planned a couple of long trips to get her run-in, starting on Wednesday with a three hundred mile round trip to Silverstone for some fun at the Porsche Experience Centre and moving on in mid-August to the Scottish Highlands where we'll pass the first couple of thousand miles and she'll be let loose at full chat on my favourite and very familiar roads.
I'm going to take my time reporting on the performance aspects of the car because I simply don't think you can conclusively judge the handling after a couple of trips (or four earlier test drives). Or rate the acceleration restraining the revs to below 4200 (I'm a stickler for the rules on this).
On the other hand, certain features are immediately apparent. Fuel economy is instantly better than in the lighter and similarly powered GTS. A good 10%-20% better than I recall the early commutes had been in the GTS. And on this theme, today I found myself exploring the commuter friendly features of the car on journeys to and from work.
The (optional - it can be disabled) auto start stop feature brings a pleasing calm to proceedings at traffic lights, and provides additional respite in that you don't need (as owners of earlier cars do) to put the car into neutral to avoid feeling the clutch slip against the footbrake. What small reserves of mechanical sympathy I embody find this oddly gratifying. So too the ability, for those who drive in manual mode all the time, to slip the car into neutral with the paddles. A quick tug on both levers has you pulling up to the lights in neutral without having to take a hand off the wheel. It always frustrated me in the GTS that this possibility had been neglected. One of the little improvements to PDK in the 991 which make it so satisfying.
Another improvement is the coasting function. I'm not convinced they've got this quite right. The idea is that on a gentle incline the car will disengage the engine and let gravity do the work. You can also engage coasting mode by putting the car into "8th" gear, tugging the right paddle until the engine decouples. When the slope is at a good angle to maintain a constant speed this works very well, and provides a brief extra nuance to the experience and a glow of doing good for the planet. The problem is that the mode is exited as soon as you make any inputs, like braking to avoid that speed camera on the bypass. So, unless the road is at a good angle, the benefits are short-lived.
I should caution that I've had a couple of months without Porsche ownership since handing over the GTS. I've been tooling around in my mum's Astra, bless her. And that absence probably makes me less critical of certain aspects of the 991. I can certainly confirm that the steering is better than in Mum's Astra. And that, since taking ownership of the car, I haven't really been encouraged to think much about the steering at all.
It is very competent but not a highlight. A little weightier and less delicate than the 997.2, which makes the 991 seem heavier. Definitely not deliciously grainy like the 997.1 and 1st gen Cayman. I need to push the car harder to see how it communicates when I'm on it.
In fact, I'm comparing other aspects of the 991 as much to my mum's Astra, my wife's Subaru, the Hyundai I was saddled with last week in France, my old M3 convertible, as I am to the GTS, 997 and Cayman. I remember being horrified by the GT-style interior of the 991 when it was first launched. I love the blend of retro and modern in the 997, my favourite car interior of any I've owned. But a little time away sees me now far from repelled by the 991.
The quality of the materials and the fit and finish are unarguably superior. And I only notice the central console for the fact that the important buttons, PASM, PSE, Sports+ etc, are much closer to hand. It is certainly very different in certain respects to the 997, but it is an extremely satisfying place to sit. And sit very low down you can, with the console adding to the sense of enclosure.
The electronics are a decent step forward. With the 997 you have to choose between PDK paddles (let's leave manual out of this for now, I like PDK) and multifunction steering wheel control. Now you can have both the paddles AND multifuntionality from the steering wheel, thanks to the extra lever below the right paddle which controls the new PCM screen integrated into the traditional five dials, here showing the TPMS but able to display Phone, Trip Computer, Navigation instructions and map, Audio information as well as boy-toy stuff like G-Force metering.
The beauty is that not only can you view your choice of information in the dash screen, leaving the main PCM display screen to display a detailed map (or anything else), but also you can control most of the PCM functions and your interaction with it through the lever instead of having to take your eyes off the road. Add to this the fact that you can customise the number of screens and their display settings to your hearts content, and you have a very satisfying interface.
Display of speed limit in the dial next to the speed indicator? You got it.
Excessively busy though the overall design of the doors may be, the door handles are a thing of beauty. And the pull-out pockets make for much easier access to the contents. Most impressive of all however is the trick that Porsche have pulled in making the (now aluminium) doors lighter yet having them "thunk" home in a far more satisfying way than any 997.
I can sense a theme developing. That the everyday sportscar, the pinnacle of successful compromise, continues to evolve as the ultimate daily driver. Yes, the car is more luxurious and bends further to the will of environmentalists. But the added economy of PDK goes hand in hand with brutal acceleration and lightning shifts. The fussy door is as much an integral part of a weight-saving program. The onboard electronics entertain, but also help you focus on the drive. The PDCC, of which, more later, adds comfort, but improves cornering speeds.
I'm driving down to Silverstone tonight for a morning at the Porsche Experience Centre. It will be a true test of the car's all-round competence to interpose three hours blasting around a racetrack into a 300 mile round trip on the M1. I'm looking forward to it.
Update Day 3 (On the track and highway):
Taking the motorway cruise first, the sound-deadening in the new cabriolet is utterly amazing. How so thin a membrane can provide such effective noise insulation is beyond me, but it just works. There is almost no wind noise.
Certainly no more than the coupe. In fact the best way to describe the cabin with the roof up is to say that the cab is exactly like the coupe in every respect but with poorer visibility. The C pillars are much thicker in the cab and you really struggle to see over your shoulder when reversing. I think Jeremy Clarkson mentioned this problem and I do agree with him. A rare event indeed.
Roof off, and with the electrically operated deflector in place (a matter of 13 seconds in total, achievable on the move) you fly in the eye of the storm. Motorway cruising is finally possible with the roof down, though it's not my cup of tea.
Road noise with the Pirellis is a little lower than it was in my old 997 with (supposedly quieter) Michelins. Either Pirelli have improved the tyre or Porsche has stuffed a little more cotton wool in the wheel arches. The ride, with PDCC muting the ARBs on the dead ahead, is exemplary. You can feel the variable and modulating effect of PDCC when you pass over a road surface defect on a curving trajectory, and then repeat the exercise on the dead ahead, in a corner the ARBs are locked tight and you feel the defects far more.
I'm so OCD I kept varying the revs to observe the running-in recommendations, chiefly by switching from 7th to 6th on each gentle up-incline and reversing on the down. Hint: this will be a good car to buy in a couple of years. Proper cared for
The car barely seems to be waking up at a steady 70, only when you "momentarily" move into higher speeds does it seem anything more than docile. Perhaps that is a product of the traffic also proceeding at relative pace. Perhaps also there is some validity to the criticism that the car is TOO competent, if such an observation can be countenanced.
And here lies the question that is nagging at me. If the car is such a good compromise between sports and daily driver, where is the threshold at which it flips from one to t'other. Or to put it another way: after the car is run in, and when I get "on it" on the public highway, will it only be at speeds and in situations hazardous to me and to others?
The answer is a couple of weeks away. Unless I crack and change the running-in program. Fortunately however, I've been on track this morning at the PEC in a PDCC-equipped C2S, so I've had a proper preview of the car's talents when truly pushed, including several PAX laps.
During my session, we spent similar amounts of time on the low friction surface and handling (country road) circuit. Apart from concluding that 2 visits to the PEC is probably enough before you start wondering if there's anything more to try, what did I learn?
Well, anyone who says the 991 doesn't drive like a 911 needs to take one on track right now. It drives just like a 997 in the sense that you need to transfer weight to the front to dial out understeer. The back still steps out if you lift off. But you can enter corners considerably faster. Where a goodly dab on the brakes was once required to set the front wheels, now grip is ample after a moderate smear. Mid corner the levels of grip are phenomenal. Where, in a moderately overcooked 997, you'd be thinking about the merest lift to just bring the back into line, in the 991 you are just catapulted round on the proverbial rails. The brakes, when you really need them, are amazing.
“PDCC, by robbing you of the sensation of roll, prevents you from feeling when the car is at the limit of grip. It is dangerous and denies the driver essential input.” This is what the technophobes are saying.
Nonsense.
The car still rolls to a small degree, and perhaps this helps. More tellingly however, a relative novice like me could consistently feel the messages the tyres were sending. There wasn't a single occasion when the car prepared to move itself out from under me (to the extent that the instructor advised me we had gone in too fast, turned too quick, lifted off mid-corner) that I wasn't aware of the sensation through my fingers, my eyes, my backside. I'm not saying a bit of roll wouldn't confirm the suspicions, but I never once got ragged for lack of feedback.
Only lack of skill.
That is not to say the steering is a paragon of communication. I think it is seriously lacking in the grainy textures and delicious morsels offered up by Porsche steering pre-997 gen2. Tooling around the high street is a diminished pleasure for the loss. But on track it was utterly competent.
We were struggling with too much grip on the low friction surface. It was 30 degrees and the tyres were at full temp and lifting rubber marks back off the track. Nevertheless, neither this obstacle nor the greater handicap of my ineptness at car control prevented me stringing together a few (half) power slides. Despite the grip levels, I found the 991 MUCH easier to slide in a controlled fashion than the 997 I had driven a couple of years back. I really hadn't expected this.
The instructor achieved a very impressive slide the full length of the skid plate facility. I failed miserably to repeat his feat, managing only half the length. Too clumsy with the throttle, he said, but I could feel myself getting the hang. Where exactly on a public road it will be helpful to slide a car sideways for 100 yards defeats me, but it was fun.
Update after one week:
I remain hugely impressed by the car. The steering seems to be loosening up a little (or I'm getting used to it) and I'm picking up a little more feedback than before. Or, perhaps again, this is simply part of the familiarisation process. Comfort levels are superb. I know this isn't important to everyone. Sometimes one even feels it's regarded as a drawback on car forums. But comfort matters to this driver anyway.
There are plenty of complaints on forums and in the press about a lack of low-end torque, mostly aimed at the plain C2 model. I had a test in one of those and I have to agree it felt anaemic at low revs. But the S doesn’t lack torque one bit. It’s at least as good as my old GTS in this respect. Vroom.
Now for the exhaust and sound symposer. Switched off, the sound is (almost) as good as PSE "on" in the 997.2. "On", the 991 sports exhaust is nothing short of epic. It pops and burbles and growls like an animal. And this just up to 4,000 revs so far. Heaven knows what it's going to sound like at full chat. I'm in a big hurry to find out.
But I do think the activated sports exhaust has a droning quality at motorway speeds which becomes wearing over any distance. And if you want to tone things down yet still experience a livelier engine note here's where the sound symposer comes in. Put the car in sport mode (and disable PSE), then hear the engine intake noise piped into the cabin via an amplifying membrane in the firewall. Wonderful...
Err, not quite: the problem is, this noise is somewhat intrusive and out of balance with the standard exhaust sound.
A helpful Rennlister has already explained how to modify the sound symposer in the coupe. The sound inlet is mounted differently in the cab. In the drop-top, you just need to raise the tonneau cover (hold "roof open" button for 4 secs) to reveal the space behind the seats into which the roof folds. Pull off the seal at the back (forward of the engine cover) to release its grip on the plastic mat (forward of the seal). Lift the mat from the nearside rear quarter and find the sound inlet just right of centre. A little heat- and fire-proof insulation, laid over the inlet would presumably achieve the same end.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not an automotive or sound engineer and I haven't tested this method (yet). For all I know it may result in your 991 flying backwards, upside down and on fire into a ditch. So don't try it.
Is the 991 as much fun or as pure as my old GTS. No, I'd honestly state on the basis of one week’s driving under 4200 revs, we aren’t there (yet). This is meant to be an objective appraisal after all. So GTS owners happy with their cars shouldn't rush to change for a 991. Would they fix that by reinstalling the old hydraulic steering? Yes, I truly think steering is the only single criterion by which the 991 scores lower. Faster, louder, better damped, better handling, better PDK, better-looking (from the front anyway), greener, amazing cab roof, superior cabin materials, more advanced in-car electronics. The list goes on. And that's quite an achievement. But the steering still matters.
I will revisit the question of pure driving pleasure when the car is run in. But the cab is heavier than the GTS and there's no disguising that disadvantage, nor did I expect otherwise. I also don’t want this thread to be one continuous hymn of praise to my new car, nor embody repeated criticism of the old. My findings are based on the moderate engine speeds I have so far had the opportunity to exploit. And in that range, though not faster, nor with a transmission as well resolved, nor a suspension so well sorted, the GTS feels a tad nimbler, steers with more feel, and communicates more directly. How's that?
I've also deliberately avoided discussing PDCC apart from its influence on comfort, because I‘ve yet to make a full appraisal. Though I do have some very positive initial thoughts.
We're planning a trip to Scotland and taking both family cars, the 991 and a Subaru Legacy Spec B Sports Tourer. Anyone who knows the Spec B will acknowledge it is an awesome Q car with prodigious handling capabilities. On a short journey home from a family meal we were discussing who would ride in the 991 on the haul north and the subject of potential travel sickness induced by my enthusiastic driving arose. My daughter chirped up that she found the 991 incredibly flat-cornering (that's my girl!) and thereby not prone to induce nausea. I thought I'd experiment and swung the wheel of the Legacy left and right three or four times. In my mind the Spec B corners on rails. I expected it to stand up well to the 991. Yet I was amazed how much the car lurched increasingly drunkenly from side to side. I can only assume my senses have already recalibrated themselves to the firm hand of the PDCC.
Now, to ask a different question, is the 991 a better gentleman's express?
Oh yes. And by a country mile.
I thought I'd hate the interior. Especially after Porsche decided beige was the best choice for pictures of new cabins all over their webpage and brochure. But in black, with a little personalisation, yet without plastering it in leather, I am absolutely loving it.
The 997 suddenly feels badly compromised in the attainment of what has been the 911's greatest strength over 50 years of evolution:
Compromise. If that makes any sense. The everyday sportscar.
By modern standards we have different expectations of what makes a perfect daily driver. Expectations driven by worsening road surfaces, ever more crowded highways, green taxes, and an ageing and diversifying customer base. The 991, for me, is better all-round by a big margin. And I'm not looking backwards.
I'm itching to nail the car in a thousand miles time. Which is only a week or two away. I commented earlier in the thread that I expect the car to amaze. But I also wondered whether it will do so safely and legally.
Not long until I find out. Thanks for reading.
This month I've been sat on the horns of a dilemma: taking pleasure in a long-arranged family holiday, but the enjoyment mitigated by the knowledge that my new 991 is waiting for collection at the dealer. Anyway, the holiday turned out to be the best way possible to delay this kid's christmas and my new baby is at last here.
I thought I might try to produce a running review of my first week with the 991 in cab form. And perhaps I, a die-hard coupe fan, should start by explaining why I went for a cab. I've never previously even considered the 911 as a drop-top. The roofline on all previous iterations is not to my liking and I don't enjoy the compromises that traditionally go with cab ownership.
On the other hand I live in the Yorkshire Dales and spend a lot of time in the highlands of Scotland, where enjoyment of the beautiful scenery is greatly enhanced by the open top experience. I'm also at an age where, a couple of years from now, I can see the teenagers disappearing off to university, leaving Mrs BnB and I to enjoy regular breaks away in a sporty AND comfortable car. I'm conveniently ignoring the fact here that I'll have swapped this car for another by the time the kids have actually departed, but I thought you might as well hear the "logic" anyway.
I hadn't been convinced by the 991 redesign. If anything, I thought it was too evolutionary, particularly from the headlamps back to the rear, which itself is challenged. One day, however, I was in the local dealer, and saw the 991 cab and it just captured my attention in a way the coupe had not and still does not. Why?
This isn't easy to describe but I'll do my best. Firstly, the new roofline, in aping the coupe's (what a technological tour de force!), preserves the classic coupe shape, yet gives it a new colour-contrasting twist that, in certain colour combinations, is particularly effective. Red and black best of all (for me). Secondly, the bigger wheel arches, a feature not universally appreciated in the coupe, reduce the bulk of the bum to give the car a better balance longitudinally. The look is a little more Speedster and a little less chop top.
Thirdly, sticking with the challenging redesign of the rear, the differentiation of the roof colour alters your perception of the view. The appearance is less 911, and so the swage line and "Aston" rear lights impinge less on your expectations of what a 911 rear should look like. I still don't like those new features, but, in the cab, they are more acceptable to me. In the same way, and moving back to the front, the (to the eye less striking) black of the roof lends emphasis to the curves of the bonnet, the grille cutting into the LEDs, and the bulging headlamps. The "happy frog" look as I’ve heard it succinctly described.
The car I swapped for the 991 was a Guards GTS PDK. An absolutely superb car in many ways. But I had grown tired of its low-rent interior, and I have hearing damage which makes me sensitive to droning road noise and tyre roar, a problem with all 997s and before. I also didn't think much of its steering feel compared to the Cayman S, 997.1s, 996s and 993s I have owned or driven. This is the elephant in the room as far as I am concerned with the shift to electromechanical from hydraulic steering. I honestly think the 997.2 steering feel falls away from the 997.1 further than the 991 does from its predecessor.
Moving into a cab was a further step away from the GTS than changing into a another very similar-looking coupe and therefore an easier sell to myself when justifying the extra expense (even if the price goes even higher with the cab roof). Also easier to justify with Mrs BnB, who is never outwardly judgemental of my purchases, but the girls have their little ways of letting you know whether they're happy, don't they?
Suffice to say that the journey home from the dealer was more stressful than I expected. It must be my age but I like things just so, and I'm willing to spend good money to achieve that. The downside is that I can't enjoy my purchases until I get close. I should take a chill pill, but that's just how I am. Normally on buying a new car I sit with the manual in the dealer's car park until I've mastered the in-car electronics. On this occasion, I had my daughter with me and we were keen to get home to the rest of the family. All the way home I found myself fussing with the buttons and trying to program the settings on the OBC instead of just driving the thing. I won't say it wasn't fun, but my enjoyment was compromised by my impatience. And by the over-inflated tyres...
At home, an hour with the manual fixed that and soon the tyres and electronics were set up to my liking, allowing me to properly enjoy the 2 hour blast I took last night. I hesitate to make snap judgements but this car, proper 911 or not, is damn good. How good will reveal itself over time.
Putting a lid on my opening day thoughts, suffice to say that I've been hugely impressed by the sound insulation of the roof, the volume and range of noises from the (sports) exhaust and inlet, the electronics, the ride, the handling (with PDCC, of which more later when I've properly considered its effects). But above all, the uprated PDK, which is quite simply epic!
I'll also give some thought to the car's apparent weaknesses: the steering, the progressive evolution into a GT that the 911 has been undergoing for 50 years, the size, the new interior, etc.
Update Day 2:
I've been thinking over a few aspects of the car. Characteristics that others have picked up on such as NVH, sight lines, damping, the sound symposer, PDCC, weight, tyres, wheel sizes, the threshold at which the car transforms from GT to out and out sports car, the amazing roof mechanism, rear space, low end torque...
But mostly I want to hear what it sounds like at 8,000 revs and I've planned a couple of long trips to get her run-in, starting on Wednesday with a three hundred mile round trip to Silverstone for some fun at the Porsche Experience Centre and moving on in mid-August to the Scottish Highlands where we'll pass the first couple of thousand miles and she'll be let loose at full chat on my favourite and very familiar roads.
I'm going to take my time reporting on the performance aspects of the car because I simply don't think you can conclusively judge the handling after a couple of trips (or four earlier test drives). Or rate the acceleration restraining the revs to below 4200 (I'm a stickler for the rules on this).
On the other hand, certain features are immediately apparent. Fuel economy is instantly better than in the lighter and similarly powered GTS. A good 10%-20% better than I recall the early commutes had been in the GTS. And on this theme, today I found myself exploring the commuter friendly features of the car on journeys to and from work.
The (optional - it can be disabled) auto start stop feature brings a pleasing calm to proceedings at traffic lights, and provides additional respite in that you don't need (as owners of earlier cars do) to put the car into neutral to avoid feeling the clutch slip against the footbrake. What small reserves of mechanical sympathy I embody find this oddly gratifying. So too the ability, for those who drive in manual mode all the time, to slip the car into neutral with the paddles. A quick tug on both levers has you pulling up to the lights in neutral without having to take a hand off the wheel. It always frustrated me in the GTS that this possibility had been neglected. One of the little improvements to PDK in the 991 which make it so satisfying.
Another improvement is the coasting function. I'm not convinced they've got this quite right. The idea is that on a gentle incline the car will disengage the engine and let gravity do the work. You can also engage coasting mode by putting the car into "8th" gear, tugging the right paddle until the engine decouples. When the slope is at a good angle to maintain a constant speed this works very well, and provides a brief extra nuance to the experience and a glow of doing good for the planet. The problem is that the mode is exited as soon as you make any inputs, like braking to avoid that speed camera on the bypass. So, unless the road is at a good angle, the benefits are short-lived.
I should caution that I've had a couple of months without Porsche ownership since handing over the GTS. I've been tooling around in my mum's Astra, bless her. And that absence probably makes me less critical of certain aspects of the 991. I can certainly confirm that the steering is better than in Mum's Astra. And that, since taking ownership of the car, I haven't really been encouraged to think much about the steering at all.
It is very competent but not a highlight. A little weightier and less delicate than the 997.2, which makes the 991 seem heavier. Definitely not deliciously grainy like the 997.1 and 1st gen Cayman. I need to push the car harder to see how it communicates when I'm on it.
In fact, I'm comparing other aspects of the 991 as much to my mum's Astra, my wife's Subaru, the Hyundai I was saddled with last week in France, my old M3 convertible, as I am to the GTS, 997 and Cayman. I remember being horrified by the GT-style interior of the 991 when it was first launched. I love the blend of retro and modern in the 997, my favourite car interior of any I've owned. But a little time away sees me now far from repelled by the 991.
The quality of the materials and the fit and finish are unarguably superior. And I only notice the central console for the fact that the important buttons, PASM, PSE, Sports+ etc, are much closer to hand. It is certainly very different in certain respects to the 997, but it is an extremely satisfying place to sit. And sit very low down you can, with the console adding to the sense of enclosure.
The electronics are a decent step forward. With the 997 you have to choose between PDK paddles (let's leave manual out of this for now, I like PDK) and multifunction steering wheel control. Now you can have both the paddles AND multifuntionality from the steering wheel, thanks to the extra lever below the right paddle which controls the new PCM screen integrated into the traditional five dials, here showing the TPMS but able to display Phone, Trip Computer, Navigation instructions and map, Audio information as well as boy-toy stuff like G-Force metering.
The beauty is that not only can you view your choice of information in the dash screen, leaving the main PCM display screen to display a detailed map (or anything else), but also you can control most of the PCM functions and your interaction with it through the lever instead of having to take your eyes off the road. Add to this the fact that you can customise the number of screens and their display settings to your hearts content, and you have a very satisfying interface.
Display of speed limit in the dial next to the speed indicator? You got it.
Excessively busy though the overall design of the doors may be, the door handles are a thing of beauty. And the pull-out pockets make for much easier access to the contents. Most impressive of all however is the trick that Porsche have pulled in making the (now aluminium) doors lighter yet having them "thunk" home in a far more satisfying way than any 997.
I can sense a theme developing. That the everyday sportscar, the pinnacle of successful compromise, continues to evolve as the ultimate daily driver. Yes, the car is more luxurious and bends further to the will of environmentalists. But the added economy of PDK goes hand in hand with brutal acceleration and lightning shifts. The fussy door is as much an integral part of a weight-saving program. The onboard electronics entertain, but also help you focus on the drive. The PDCC, of which, more later, adds comfort, but improves cornering speeds.
I'm driving down to Silverstone tonight for a morning at the Porsche Experience Centre. It will be a true test of the car's all-round competence to interpose three hours blasting around a racetrack into a 300 mile round trip on the M1. I'm looking forward to it.
Update Day 3 (On the track and highway):
Taking the motorway cruise first, the sound-deadening in the new cabriolet is utterly amazing. How so thin a membrane can provide such effective noise insulation is beyond me, but it just works. There is almost no wind noise.
Certainly no more than the coupe. In fact the best way to describe the cabin with the roof up is to say that the cab is exactly like the coupe in every respect but with poorer visibility. The C pillars are much thicker in the cab and you really struggle to see over your shoulder when reversing. I think Jeremy Clarkson mentioned this problem and I do agree with him. A rare event indeed.
Roof off, and with the electrically operated deflector in place (a matter of 13 seconds in total, achievable on the move) you fly in the eye of the storm. Motorway cruising is finally possible with the roof down, though it's not my cup of tea.
Road noise with the Pirellis is a little lower than it was in my old 997 with (supposedly quieter) Michelins. Either Pirelli have improved the tyre or Porsche has stuffed a little more cotton wool in the wheel arches. The ride, with PDCC muting the ARBs on the dead ahead, is exemplary. You can feel the variable and modulating effect of PDCC when you pass over a road surface defect on a curving trajectory, and then repeat the exercise on the dead ahead, in a corner the ARBs are locked tight and you feel the defects far more.
I'm so OCD I kept varying the revs to observe the running-in recommendations, chiefly by switching from 7th to 6th on each gentle up-incline and reversing on the down. Hint: this will be a good car to buy in a couple of years. Proper cared for
The car barely seems to be waking up at a steady 70, only when you "momentarily" move into higher speeds does it seem anything more than docile. Perhaps that is a product of the traffic also proceeding at relative pace. Perhaps also there is some validity to the criticism that the car is TOO competent, if such an observation can be countenanced.
And here lies the question that is nagging at me. If the car is such a good compromise between sports and daily driver, where is the threshold at which it flips from one to t'other. Or to put it another way: after the car is run in, and when I get "on it" on the public highway, will it only be at speeds and in situations hazardous to me and to others?
The answer is a couple of weeks away. Unless I crack and change the running-in program. Fortunately however, I've been on track this morning at the PEC in a PDCC-equipped C2S, so I've had a proper preview of the car's talents when truly pushed, including several PAX laps.
During my session, we spent similar amounts of time on the low friction surface and handling (country road) circuit. Apart from concluding that 2 visits to the PEC is probably enough before you start wondering if there's anything more to try, what did I learn?
Well, anyone who says the 991 doesn't drive like a 911 needs to take one on track right now. It drives just like a 997 in the sense that you need to transfer weight to the front to dial out understeer. The back still steps out if you lift off. But you can enter corners considerably faster. Where a goodly dab on the brakes was once required to set the front wheels, now grip is ample after a moderate smear. Mid corner the levels of grip are phenomenal. Where, in a moderately overcooked 997, you'd be thinking about the merest lift to just bring the back into line, in the 991 you are just catapulted round on the proverbial rails. The brakes, when you really need them, are amazing.
“PDCC, by robbing you of the sensation of roll, prevents you from feeling when the car is at the limit of grip. It is dangerous and denies the driver essential input.” This is what the technophobes are saying.
Nonsense.
The car still rolls to a small degree, and perhaps this helps. More tellingly however, a relative novice like me could consistently feel the messages the tyres were sending. There wasn't a single occasion when the car prepared to move itself out from under me (to the extent that the instructor advised me we had gone in too fast, turned too quick, lifted off mid-corner) that I wasn't aware of the sensation through my fingers, my eyes, my backside. I'm not saying a bit of roll wouldn't confirm the suspicions, but I never once got ragged for lack of feedback.
Only lack of skill.
That is not to say the steering is a paragon of communication. I think it is seriously lacking in the grainy textures and delicious morsels offered up by Porsche steering pre-997 gen2. Tooling around the high street is a diminished pleasure for the loss. But on track it was utterly competent.
We were struggling with too much grip on the low friction surface. It was 30 degrees and the tyres were at full temp and lifting rubber marks back off the track. Nevertheless, neither this obstacle nor the greater handicap of my ineptness at car control prevented me stringing together a few (half) power slides. Despite the grip levels, I found the 991 MUCH easier to slide in a controlled fashion than the 997 I had driven a couple of years back. I really hadn't expected this.
The instructor achieved a very impressive slide the full length of the skid plate facility. I failed miserably to repeat his feat, managing only half the length. Too clumsy with the throttle, he said, but I could feel myself getting the hang. Where exactly on a public road it will be helpful to slide a car sideways for 100 yards defeats me, but it was fun.
Update after one week:
I remain hugely impressed by the car. The steering seems to be loosening up a little (or I'm getting used to it) and I'm picking up a little more feedback than before. Or, perhaps again, this is simply part of the familiarisation process. Comfort levels are superb. I know this isn't important to everyone. Sometimes one even feels it's regarded as a drawback on car forums. But comfort matters to this driver anyway.
There are plenty of complaints on forums and in the press about a lack of low-end torque, mostly aimed at the plain C2 model. I had a test in one of those and I have to agree it felt anaemic at low revs. But the S doesn’t lack torque one bit. It’s at least as good as my old GTS in this respect. Vroom.
Now for the exhaust and sound symposer. Switched off, the sound is (almost) as good as PSE "on" in the 997.2. "On", the 991 sports exhaust is nothing short of epic. It pops and burbles and growls like an animal. And this just up to 4,000 revs so far. Heaven knows what it's going to sound like at full chat. I'm in a big hurry to find out.
But I do think the activated sports exhaust has a droning quality at motorway speeds which becomes wearing over any distance. And if you want to tone things down yet still experience a livelier engine note here's where the sound symposer comes in. Put the car in sport mode (and disable PSE), then hear the engine intake noise piped into the cabin via an amplifying membrane in the firewall. Wonderful...
Err, not quite: the problem is, this noise is somewhat intrusive and out of balance with the standard exhaust sound.
A helpful Rennlister has already explained how to modify the sound symposer in the coupe. The sound inlet is mounted differently in the cab. In the drop-top, you just need to raise the tonneau cover (hold "roof open" button for 4 secs) to reveal the space behind the seats into which the roof folds. Pull off the seal at the back (forward of the engine cover) to release its grip on the plastic mat (forward of the seal). Lift the mat from the nearside rear quarter and find the sound inlet just right of centre. A little heat- and fire-proof insulation, laid over the inlet would presumably achieve the same end.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not an automotive or sound engineer and I haven't tested this method (yet). For all I know it may result in your 991 flying backwards, upside down and on fire into a ditch. So don't try it.
Is the 991 as much fun or as pure as my old GTS. No, I'd honestly state on the basis of one week’s driving under 4200 revs, we aren’t there (yet). This is meant to be an objective appraisal after all. So GTS owners happy with their cars shouldn't rush to change for a 991. Would they fix that by reinstalling the old hydraulic steering? Yes, I truly think steering is the only single criterion by which the 991 scores lower. Faster, louder, better damped, better handling, better PDK, better-looking (from the front anyway), greener, amazing cab roof, superior cabin materials, more advanced in-car electronics. The list goes on. And that's quite an achievement. But the steering still matters.
I will revisit the question of pure driving pleasure when the car is run in. But the cab is heavier than the GTS and there's no disguising that disadvantage, nor did I expect otherwise. I also don’t want this thread to be one continuous hymn of praise to my new car, nor embody repeated criticism of the old. My findings are based on the moderate engine speeds I have so far had the opportunity to exploit. And in that range, though not faster, nor with a transmission as well resolved, nor a suspension so well sorted, the GTS feels a tad nimbler, steers with more feel, and communicates more directly. How's that?
I've also deliberately avoided discussing PDCC apart from its influence on comfort, because I‘ve yet to make a full appraisal. Though I do have some very positive initial thoughts.
We're planning a trip to Scotland and taking both family cars, the 991 and a Subaru Legacy Spec B Sports Tourer. Anyone who knows the Spec B will acknowledge it is an awesome Q car with prodigious handling capabilities. On a short journey home from a family meal we were discussing who would ride in the 991 on the haul north and the subject of potential travel sickness induced by my enthusiastic driving arose. My daughter chirped up that she found the 991 incredibly flat-cornering (that's my girl!) and thereby not prone to induce nausea. I thought I'd experiment and swung the wheel of the Legacy left and right three or four times. In my mind the Spec B corners on rails. I expected it to stand up well to the 991. Yet I was amazed how much the car lurched increasingly drunkenly from side to side. I can only assume my senses have already recalibrated themselves to the firm hand of the PDCC.
Now, to ask a different question, is the 991 a better gentleman's express?
Oh yes. And by a country mile.
I thought I'd hate the interior. Especially after Porsche decided beige was the best choice for pictures of new cabins all over their webpage and brochure. But in black, with a little personalisation, yet without plastering it in leather, I am absolutely loving it.
The 997 suddenly feels badly compromised in the attainment of what has been the 911's greatest strength over 50 years of evolution:
Compromise. If that makes any sense. The everyday sportscar.
By modern standards we have different expectations of what makes a perfect daily driver. Expectations driven by worsening road surfaces, ever more crowded highways, green taxes, and an ageing and diversifying customer base. The 991, for me, is better all-round by a big margin. And I'm not looking backwards.
I'm itching to nail the car in a thousand miles time. Which is only a week or two away. I commented earlier in the thread that I expect the car to amaze. But I also wondered whether it will do so safely and legally.
Not long until I find out. Thanks for reading.
07-30-2012, 05:10 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Fabulous post! I'm at 2,200 miles on my 991 S Cab and say I must agree with every single point you've made. I'm conflicted about the sound composer and 7th gear. I would like to decide when to have the extra sound regardless of what program I have chosen. Failing that, I will disable mine. I believe that 7th gear is such an overdrive one should have to select it...like my old Austin Healy.
I particularly liked your observations concerning road conditions, congestion etc. The 991 is a wonderful daily driver on the roads and conditions we have to live with today. The line between sports car and GT or gentleman's express has become blurred. Sports cars used to be lightweight, harsh riding 2 seaters with very little in the way of creature comforts, but they handled way better than the average sedan. Now we can have it all, along with limits only dreamed of not that long ago. I consider my 991 a GT, or as you say, gentleman's express. I have decided to keep my 993tt. It is to me the epitome of the air-cooled cars and much more of a sports car, although with all of it's creature comforts, many would consider it a GT. In the right conditions it is much more fun to drive than the 991. It asks more of you, and the steering is light years more pleasurable IMO. But I have to say that for most of the driving I do, the 991 is the better car. So the 993 is likely to stay a low mileage semi garage queen. Thanks again for the wonderful post....You should write for one of the car magazines. Cheers......Chris
I particularly liked your observations concerning road conditions, congestion etc. The 991 is a wonderful daily driver on the roads and conditions we have to live with today. The line between sports car and GT or gentleman's express has become blurred. Sports cars used to be lightweight, harsh riding 2 seaters with very little in the way of creature comforts, but they handled way better than the average sedan. Now we can have it all, along with limits only dreamed of not that long ago. I consider my 991 a GT, or as you say, gentleman's express. I have decided to keep my 993tt. It is to me the epitome of the air-cooled cars and much more of a sports car, although with all of it's creature comforts, many would consider it a GT. In the right conditions it is much more fun to drive than the 991. It asks more of you, and the steering is light years more pleasurable IMO. But I have to say that for most of the driving I do, the 991 is the better car. So the 993 is likely to stay a low mileage semi garage queen. Thanks again for the wonderful post....You should write for one of the car magazines. Cheers......Chris
07-30-2012, 07:30 PM
#4
Race Car
Great review. That is one seriously great looking car- perfect interior set off with the red stitching.
You are going to be amazed once you really start getting your foot into it. But forget about doing that and staying legal.
You are going to be amazed once you really start getting your foot into it. But forget about doing that and staying legal.
Last edited by chuckbdc; 07-31-2012 at 09:17 AM.
07-30-2012, 08:36 PM
#6
Race Director
BnB, a terrific post! Very insightful and an entertaining read. Plus, your car is gorgeous. Red/black with the red deviating stitching; I think it's exactly what I would choose for my next Porsche. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Trending Topics
07-30-2012, 10:53 PM
#8
Nordschleife Master
Great review Bnb!
I really enjoyed reading your post!
I believe that this kind of extensive review from an actual 991 owner provides a more valuable insight than auto magazine journalists.
I'm looking forward to your future updates once the break in period is over!
I really enjoyed reading your post!
I believe that this kind of extensive review from an actual 991 owner provides a more valuable insight than auto magazine journalists.
I'm looking forward to your future updates once the break in period is over!
08-01-2012, 04:00 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
08-03-2012, 02:49 AM
#14
3rd Gear
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I thought I'd hate the interior. Especially after Porsche decided beige was the best choice for pictures of new cabins all over their webpage and brochure. But in black, with a little personalisation, yet without plastering it in leather, I am absolutely loving it.
