Jack's dad

Former 993 and 987.1 owner looking to return to the fold and hoping someone can shed light on the difference between these two options. Does PASM Sport simply ride a bit lower or is the ride stiffer as well? Anyone gotten one and wish they had gotten the other...? Found a local car with PASM Sport and trying to assess whether to grab it. I will not be tracking the car - looking for a comfortable, high performance GT...Thanks!

John's 991

Hi Jack's Dad, I have SPASM because I like to track my car. It does lower the car, making it more prone to scrape the spoiler, and it is a little stiffer. I would drive the car and see what you think.

LexVan

Lower and stiffer. Base 991 991S is 10mm lower 991s with SPASM is another 10mm lower (20 mm total vs base)

And you get the more pronounced black front spoiler lip.

Tapeworm

It's a cheap option, if you don't have it, it can affect resale. I expect the ride difference between the two is minimal, but the SPASM will corner slightly better and be slightly more glued to the road at higher speeds.

SPASM is just a 10mm height drop, which makes the car look a little better. It also includes a front lip and the rear spoiler raises to a different angle.

I worried about grounding my SPASM car, but I only have to be careful on steep driveways, even if you do scrape the plastic spoiler occasionally, it's cheap to replace.

Cheekymonkeyman

PASM comes as std on the Carrera S and permanently lowers the car 10mm and stiffens the [shorter] springs. It also offers variable damping which increases the damping at the harder end but this can be switched on/off. I never switch this on for long journeys so the ride stays very comfortable even though it is lowered... Much better than my AMG. Ive not had any ground clearance issues even with sport design front apron so i think this is a good choice of comfort vs lower stance with the option to invoke PASM damping for the occasional burst of fun.

SPASM permanently lowers the car and stiffens the springs even more (another 10mm lower = 20mm lower than non-PASM). People report that the ride is still good but ground clearance can become an issue

So IMO, for the purpose you state, PASM is a good balance of stance v comfort and practicality... And just to add spice Some people report PDCC offers an improvement to ride quality (i don't have it so cant comment but you will find a recent thread on it)

chuckbdc

The 991 suspension/longer wheelbase is so much more supple than the 997 that you won't much notice the increased stiffness. The front lip requires a bit more care than the non lower cars, but its not a big deal once you get used to it. The improvement to handling -and overall feel - from shorter stiffer springs and heavier sway bars- and the stance are major plusses IMHO. Replace the P0s w Michelin Supersports, run at "comfort" tire pressures (~32-35 cold), and you have your GT ride quality and sport car sharpness too.

bigdogtex

I'll offer a slightly different opinion on this one. I had SPASM on my first (2012) 991S. Since I drove it quite frequently to work (70 miles round trip) I found it to be quite a bit bumpier than the other 991S I have owned since then. The 991 without it will still corner wonderfully. I'm sure I'd feel differently if I were planning to track, but I'm not. So in summary, if you will use the car frequently for commuting, be prepared to expect a stiff, bumpy ride.

Also, on the comment that it will affect resale, at least in my market (Dallas area), this is an option that does not come on most of the stocked cars at the local dealers. So I take that to mean it isn't highly demanded, at least in my area.

Jack's dad

Thanks to everyone who weighed in - this is exactly the insight I was looking for. The search continues...

FORENN

As I have said elsewhere on RL, SPASM is a no-brainer option -- and one of the few that is actually a good value.

petee1997

SPASM is not available on the 991S Cab for some reason. Very few cars have it on the stock units at my dealer. It does not appear to be a high demand option.

I, like many here, do not track my car therefore it is of no value to me. Also keep in mind these cars handle extremely well with just the PASM. After all, it's a Porsche and is considered the world's best driver's car.

Bacura

The cab has significantly less torsional rigidity than the coupe. I suspect the very stiff suspension was problematic when combined with the cab. I thought I read about this elsewhere. Doesn't the cab have 50% less rigidity?

FORENN

I do not track my car and SPASM is of great value to me.

petee1997

So, you are the exception. I can't fault you for that. To each his own.

Jack's dad

All these responses are greatly appreciated. Sportscentury, given that you do not track your car, what is the benefit - sounds like you are really sold on the option. Thanks...

gota911

From the Porsche web site:

PASM sports suspension

"The PASM sports suspension is available as an option for the 911 Carrera Coupe models in conjunction with 20-inch wheels and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) or Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus).

The ride height is 0.79 of an inch (20 mm) lower than with the standard 911 Carrera suspension, and 0.39 of an inch (10 mm) lower than the PASM suspension. The springs are harder and shorter, and the anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles are stiffer. The front spoiler lip has a more sporty geometry, the rear spoiler extends even further. These not only further reduce lift at the front axle, but also provide downforce at the rear axle for improved aerodynamics and even better performance."