Wow - high altitude warning!
09-25-2004, 02:44 PM
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Wow - high altitude warning!
I live in thin air of Denver and I do most of my Porsche driving in the mountains (6,000 to 14,000ft). At the lowest elevation (5,280 ft in Denver), my 993 loses about 25% of its power depending on atmospheric conditions:
http://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_da_rh.htm
If I drive into the mountains, power falls off even more. Anyways, to make a long story shorter,Turbocharged motors can resist this effect if the systems are well designed. So, a Turbo motor makes about 100% of its rated power in Denver while my 993 might be making 75% * 282hp = 211HP.
Yesterday, I drove a 996 TT in town (420HP) - All I can say is, you can definitely notice the nearly "double" power and torque. Certainly caught me off guard. I've owned two 951S's here prior, but they were very laggy. This thing was immediate. My father used to own a 996TT in California and I'd driven that a bit, but the difference is so much more stark at altitude! I imagine that a 993TT would be similar.
My C2 felt like quite a dog on the ride home
I went for a mountain drive this morning though and the handling brought me back into the fold. Sometimes, I think I'd like to own a 993TT, but I really enjoy the lighter weight, RWD, and more immediate throttle response of the C2. But boy, be prepared for a rocket ship ride if any of you hi-altitude folks test a Turbo in the thin air!
http://wahiduddin.net/calc/calc_da_rh.htm
If I drive into the mountains, power falls off even more. Anyways, to make a long story shorter,Turbocharged motors can resist this effect if the systems are well designed. So, a Turbo motor makes about 100% of its rated power in Denver while my 993 might be making 75% * 282hp = 211HP.
Yesterday, I drove a 996 TT in town (420HP) - All I can say is, you can definitely notice the nearly "double" power and torque. Certainly caught me off guard. I've owned two 951S's here prior, but they were very laggy. This thing was immediate. My father used to own a 996TT in California and I'd driven that a bit, but the difference is so much more stark at altitude! I imagine that a 993TT would be similar.
My C2 felt like quite a dog on the ride home
I went for a mountain drive this morning though and the handling brought me back into the fold. Sometimes, I think I'd like to own a 993TT, but I really enjoy the lighter weight, RWD, and more immediate throttle response of the C2. But boy, be prepared for a rocket ship ride if any of you hi-altitude folks test a Turbo in the thin air!
09-25-2004, 04:47 PM
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Originally Posted by GrantG
But boy, be prepared for a rocket ship ride if any of you hi-altitude folks test a Turbo in the thin air!
09-25-2004, 04:50 PM
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Originally Posted by adsc4s
Grant, it's a rocket ship ride at any altitude!
09-26-2004, 05:57 AM
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This might be sort of OT, but once I travelled to Colorado Springs and drove Pikes Peak in one of those sad Ford-economy-rental cars with 3-speed auto. Coming closer to the top I had to keep it in 1st gear. I was quite astonished how severly power failed.
I also visited the small museum there, exhibiting Pikes Peak race cars. Retrospectively I remember race cars without turbo or superchargers. How could these ever stand a chance?
Felix
I also visited the small museum there, exhibiting Pikes Peak race cars. Retrospectively I remember race cars without turbo or superchargers. How could these ever stand a chance?
Felix
09-26-2004, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Feehliks
Retrospectively I remember race cars without turbo or superchargers. How could these ever stand a chance?
Felix
Felix
