brh986

I don't understand how it can be when it has that damn padel shifter. What is it that makes that car so great if not the price or the performance?

wch

"Both cars are great -- I'd go for one of each."

Me, too. Cheers, Will

Jack

That's just it -- you'll need to drive one to understand. There are some things in life you just have to experience to appreciate.

Trust me, you can make the price/value argument, bring up the cost of maintenance, and talk about tenths of a second (or even seconds) here and there when comparing the two cars. However, in the last analysis, I'd rather be DRIVING the Ferrari than the Porsche for the sheer "fun/excitement" of it, without regard to all the rationalizations. Just my 2 cents and based upon my personal preference. Please understand, I love Porsches, have had one in the garage since 1978, and currently have the privilege of driving a GT2 and GT3 whenever I wish -- so my comment is not intended as a Porsche-bashing response.

wch

Another personal preference matter, to be sure, but IMO that damn paddle shifter is far more like a racing sequential gearbox than is the standard shifter. The Stradale shifter is very quick, particularly in race mode.

brh986

True but it depends on what kind of racing you're talking about. Isn't F1 the only series where such shifters are standard practice or are there otheres?

wch

"Isn't F1 the only series where such shifters are standard practice or are there otheres?"

An increasing number of race cars, even at the amateur levels, incorporate sequential gearboxes - not exactly the same thing as the F1 box, but the idea is similar to the paddles: one lever for up and down shifts, no gear skipping, no clutch use except to get started.

Cars that use sequential gearboxes are found in, among other places, the Skip Barber race series, FF2000, the new spec formula FSCCA car, the new formula mazda car, etc. I have an SCCA CSR car that has a Hewland 6 speed sequential. If they make them for a car I can drive, they must be generally available to backmarkers everywhere ....

Sorry to be OT.

brh986

That's true about the sequential. I drove several of those cars, I don't really like not having the ability to skip across gears. Seems like every track out there has a long 4th 5th or 6th gear straight followed by a 2nd gear turn. The skip barbers cars certainly needed the clutch and double clutching even. What is the advantage of the sequential box?

Kaz

I had the privilage of riding along in a Ferrari Challenge race car for 5 laps at Willow Springs two years ago. Three of them were hard laps and I don't think the paddle shift took any pleasure away from the driver.

I've never been in a Stradale but most 360 owners who have say it's a night and day experience between the two.

wch

Kaz: Having owned both, IMO the paddle shifter on my Stradale is smoother and faster than the same shifter on my '00 360 Challenge car. I never found I could click off shifts, F1 style, in the 360C; to the contrary, I had to downshift in the braking zones about where I would have downshifted with a standard box. I assume the Stradale also will not permit rapid downshifts, but I have not yet taken it to a track.

brh: I've felt that Skippy encourages use of the clutch on its cars to save wear; it is possible to smoothly upshift and downshift those cars without the clutch. In a flat shift sequential like that on the new FM, the upshifts are even more fun, and sound incredible.

One problem with standard shifters is improper gear selection; I have personally tested this vulnerability, upshifting from 4th to 3rd (!) in an RS America with dramatic results. Also, sequential shifts certainly feel incredibly fast. FWIW, I personally prefer a sequential on the track for their precision and speed.

To tell you the truth, in amateur and semi-pro level race cars, I think sequentials have a "sex" appeal that makes them a desirable option for marketing purposes.

Carlos from Spain

Very true Bob, and Ferrai also does the same thing with the weght too, while Porsche is not undestated but its at least more accurate. Also I heard a rumor when the GT3RS was introduced that Porsche was fitting to the RS versions the GT3 motors that proved more powerful before alocating them in the GT3 and GT3RS.

But as to the tires, I thought the GT3RS came with Corsa's as well, and only the normal GT3 came with the Pilot Sport PS2's

Carlos from Spain

100% true.

brh986

Any ideas as to why the mainstream media never mentions it?

Carlos from Spain

sorry, never mentions what?

brh986

What has come to be the obvious fact that Porsche significantly understates while Ferrari overstates...

Carlos from Spain

Its hard to prove it enough to say it outloud like that I guess, but F360 owners notoriously complain about the lower than official HP numbers they get when they happen to put them in the dyno, and OTOH I hear GT3 (MkII) owners say the opposite when they put theirs in the dyno and get higher than what Porsche states. Though I wouldn' translate that to ALL porsche models, but another one I think is understated is the 997S, IMO I find it difficult to believe that the 1420kg 997S can lap the ring in 7:59 (with the standard -20mm sport suspension option) with only "355HP".