bkknight369

I'm nearing the culmination of a life-long dream: owning a Porsche super car. Having read every review and watched every video, I was certain what I wanted: C2S with an MT. Everyone says its the best. C4S is disconnected from the road, PDK loses 'connection' to the road.

Then I spent about an hour behind the wheel this weekend of a C4S.

Oh my ****, what a ride. The car takes corners (in wet conditions) way way faster than I ever had. The sound is intoxicating. I felt so secure and confident, but also fairly scared at how damn fast it is. The PDK is the most amazing thing ever. Very active downshifts, instant response all the time. Plus the supernatural shifts from normal to sport (even the engine shut down) was very clever. I loved the small details -- the heated seats and steering wheel were very comfortable, not too hot, just warm enough. Even the glass sunroof was amazing.

Now I'm a bit confused -- I was getting mentally prepared to wait 4-6 months for a custom C2S with 7MT. However teh PDK and C4S was so good, I think I could quickly get one off the lot somewhere in the country and have an awesome roadtrip to boot.

Not sure if I have a question here -- its impossible to find a 7mt to test drive, so I don't know how much of a step change it is compared to the PDK (and to be honest, i would NEVER, EVER be able to match the performance of a PDK anyway, and with a PDK I'd feel more comfortable going to a track day). Am crazy to not wait? Anyone move from a PDK to MT because they were suddenly out of love with the car? What would I lose if I move from C2S to C4S?

P.S. it took me about 30 min for my heart to calm down after the test drive. I think I'm addicted.

ipse dixit

Both the C4S and C2S are fantastic cars in their own right. Neither is better than the other. Just different.

Putting inclement weather issues aside, the C4S drives more like the car is being "pulled" whereas the C2S behaves more like the car is being "pushed." Again, not saying one drying dynamic is better than the other, just that each is different, and enjoyable and exhilarating in their own right.

There is also nothing disconnected about the C4S or C2s, and the PDK in the 992 is truly magical and (not to be trite) but as telepathic an "auto" transmission can be given today's technological limitations.

The 7MT is also great and if you are truly a die-hard manual guy, I would suggest you wait. Because the last thing you want to do is have buyer's remorse when plunking down around 150K on what is essentially a non-essential luxury item.

Tupper

The magic doesn't stop. Every time I take mine for a joyride and bring it home, an hour later I'm already ready to do it again. C2S PDK owner here.

I literally take it to the next town and back, all while my wife is taking a nap. She doesn't even know that I was out there driving 90 mph on winding roads

bkknight369

Forgot to mention power boost or nitro mode or whatever it is called -- ridiculous, but so amazing. My SA used it on an on ramp -- hit 100mph in an instant.

SBAD

The key is not to be sucked into the "performance on paper" and all the reviews (which I find to be extremely biased one way or the other and written by nobodies - Chris Harris excepted).

I was in the same boat and decided the EXPERIENCE was more important than the 0-60 times. Engagement with driving is key for me. I drove manual cars all my life and then had automatics for the last 10 years. Paddle shifters are nice, clairvoyant downshifts and upshifts are nice, but after a month I was getting bored. I missed a well executed double-clutch downshift, I missed the connection between engine and drivetrain without elasticity. I missed thinking about what gear to engage next. Weight is also important to me. I hate inertia and the difference between a C2S manual and a C4S PDK is almost 200lbs. Try to visualize beyond the initial impressions of your test-drive. Some analogies to dating women come to mind, but that is not PC so I will spare you my thoughts.

Good luck either way. I resisted the immediate gratification and am patiently waiting for a C2S MT to be delivered in July (a 10 month wait and another story in itself).

SBAD

I spent 10 years living in Chicago. Are you telling me there are winding roads there?!

clutchplate

Those who bought a manual will tell you it's the one to get, ditto with PDK owners. I'm old school and all but two of my sports cars have been manual but damn the current generation of PDK's are good. All the expert reviews I watched added up to zero compared to my test drives and it sounds like you had a similar experience. If you loved it, get it.

detansinn

With the 992, the PDK incorporates the GPS and the ACC sensor, if equipped. There are reasons why it always seems to have the right gear for the road and traffic conditions. It’s a very sophisticated system. We’ve come a long way from Tiptronic and the old Sportomatic transmissions.

And yes, the C4S is brilliant. There’s a lot of bellyaching on RennList about RWD vs AWD and a ton of misinformation that gets peddled. AWD does not make for lesser 911 at any level. Under most circumstances, it drives like a RWD car, calling upon the fronts to get the power to the ground only when necessary. This can be helpful in both the wet and dry.

Contrary to what many would lead you to believe, you can totally slide around a C4S — it just has higher limits than the RWD car as a function of the AWD.

Tupper

^ Believe it or not, there are some if you go way out to the countryside.

Is it the same as driving through Spain or something? No, but it's not bad.

Bluehighways

Up until my current C2S every Porsche and Corvette I've owned has had a manual transmission. But this PDK is impressive. Although the Zen of a manual transmission is ever present, the operation of this PDK is intoxicating and quite addictive.

403portside

Well stated!

I’m trying to figure out whether the C2S and C4S PDKs that I found a little boring will be more fun in the transmission I want to order, a manual. Gonna have to take a leap of faith I guess.

JCH997

The AWD in the 992 is not the same system as the 991's. Different animal.

Maitre_Absolut

Reading between the lines here, this is likely your first sports car, so you are overwhelmed by the car's performance to start with. In this case PDK would be a good choice.

For those that have become more numb to the speed over the years, MT is a great way to feel connected again.

chicco 992

my2cents
​​​​​those who say that the manual gearbox on a 992 is the best choice has never tried how infinitely more efficient the pdk is. those who say that a RWD is more fun does not know that a Porsche AWD is a rear-wheel drive car that IF YOU WANT can become integral.

try a c4s with pdk, rear steering axle and pdcc and then tell me if it is not the closest thing to a razor

chicco 992

it's like analogic and digital photography.... for many years the analogic said ...there will never be a digital photo that equals an analog photo.


they were wrong ...