Boulder GT3

[QUOTE=pcar964] The people who enjoy the new cars more are either bad drivers, or good drivers who are old and lazy now, and I can't relate to either.

QUOTE]

Really? I know some very damn good drivers young and old alike that like the technology. If you've driven a Ferrari FI on the track they are a blast and very effective vs. heel/toe. Young good drivers like it because it works on the track. Me, I'm retro and my cars are manuals and most don't have PSM type stuff. I don't begrudge those that like the toys though. It brings more people into the game which is a good thing.

Nordschleife

of course some people can't remember which paddle to activate and get confused by left foot braking, many of them are vocally critical of e-gear / cambiocorsa / F1 / SMG whatever its called. Nobody in this college of experts would do that however.

icon

left foot braking? when you have paddle shifters you are encouraged to use your left foot for braking for efficiency reasons?
do all the dif types (f1, e-gear, smg . . ) up and down shift on the same side of the wheel?
do you prefer manual shift robin?
do you think manual shift will be going away any time soon?

Bob Rouleau

PCAR964 - has anyone mentioned that you have rather strong opinions? I have a GT3 which I track extensively and enjoy it. I also have a 430 with the F1 paddleshift. I like it too.

Ferrari has done a nice job of integrating Formula One technology into a road going car. The paddle shift is brilliant. So is the E diff (now banned in F1). The manetino on the wheel also looks a lot like the one on their race car. Ilike being able to change throttle response, suspension setting and shifting quality to suit different conditions like the F1 car by the way. Best of all is the setting which turns it all off. Once off, it stays off.

It's silly to ignore the progress of technology. PCAR, I bet you have a color screen on your computer and a big hard drive. Why didn't you stick with a PC-AT with a pair of floppies and a 20 Meg hard drive?

I think the difference between Ferrari and Porsche is that Ferrari provides high technology to improve performance. Porsche PSM is designed to prevent bad drivers from hurting themselves, something probably dictated by the sad situation of tort claims in this country.

DanH

Not sure how what Ferarri do is any different although their marketing is clearly cleverer?

Anyway, so long as there is still a choice who cares. I like manuals but can see the argument for SMG etc. Was tempted by an M3 CSL as a much cheaper option to the RS, but the box put me off.

Bob Rouleau

DanH - I may have made the point badly, but the F1 tranny and E diff make the car faster. PSM makes a car safer but does not improve performance. The F1 is a neat toy but I agree it is not as involving as a manual. If I get another one it will have the 6 spd manual. In the meantime it is a novelty and on the track makes the car quicker.

Best,

pcar964

Strong opinions? First time anyone's told me that

I don't use my old 386 computer because I'm more productive with my 1 year old laptop. You use a computer to be more productive. New technology makes computers MORE functional in their purpose.

Sportscars are just toys that people enjoy using because they're rewarding when driven well. But it's only truly rewarding if YOUR inputs make the car do what you want. New technology takes the driver OUT of the equation in many ways, and therefore makes the sportscar LESS functioninal in its purpose. Lapping a track a few seconds faster because of a bunch of microchips doesn't make it a better sportscar.

And as mentioned above, the Ferrari marketing guys are obviously more effecive Formula 1 technology is impressive in its own right, but it also tilts the scales towards the cars more than the drivers. The "Forumla" in F1 is supposed to be 50/50, but I believe it's probably closer to 80/20 in favor of the car, these days. So just because your Ferrari has F1 derived technology, doesn't make it a better sportscar.

btw Bob, you're right at least Ferrari uses the technology to make the cars faster, as opposed to just dumbing them down for the lowest common denominator.

cosmos

I am looking foward to the technology on the 997 GT3. I am an enthusist (if you guys have not figured that out already).

The one thing that I think we all keep forgetting is that this is NOT Cup car. Porsche needs to design the car to get people from point A to point B, PLAIN and SIMPLE. If you guys want a race car, then go get yourself a Cup car.

I want the best of both worlds. I did it with my GT3 and will do it with this 997 GT3. I will just replace what don't like and keep what I do. I am looking forward to the new diff, I am looking foward to the new PASM. I do not want a roof, or leather, but I do want Xenon lights and AC.

The car will be a club racer and street driver. The GT3 is the ONLY car that I know of where you can have both.

However for the people that just want a fast very responsive street car and want to have fun driving thru the canyons or forest, the GT3 is the car for them.

GT3 Nut

cosmos,
I agree 100%

bora

Why would you omit the limited slip?

Too bad Lotus can't put a decent motor in the Elise/Exige pair

cosmos

Not me.

chris walrod

How about one of these for the steering wheel?

Nordschleife

Jeff

I don't know about encouraged to use your left foot, but almost everybody does. In F1 only a very few people don't LFB, David C doesn't from memory, i think he uses his chin.

I LFB in any 2 pedal car, and in the bad old days of turbo lag, it did make life easier. Many people are not used to using their left foot for much more than lining up their golf swing, so it takes a little practice.

Fortunately, the flippers are marked + and - and are in the same position. To begin with a surprising number of people have brain fade, so they slow down a bit and flip a paddle to see which way it goes. If you want a real laugh, listen to Nick Mason talking about being scatter-brained when driving a car with a pre-selector gearbox.

I have driven the same car with both manual and e-gear. In a modern sports car, I prefer the flappy paddles as it feels more race-like. Its a contextual matter, however, I really do not like the double clutch gearbox system cars that I have driven, they are very automatic transmission in feel.

The writing is on the wall for manual transmissions, nearly all the future development projects are oriented around some form of automatic transmission, the modern ones are fuel efficient too.

R+C

Flying Finn

Yep, DC and I'd say also Schumi can brake with their chin!

I think only Barichello nowadays used his right foor to brake in F1.

I also use left foot braking quite often.

Obviously in 2 pedal cars but also in track on some turns where I don't need to shift, I brake with left foor or in some turns I keep the throttle in and brake slightly with left foot and when driving in snow, ice or gravel, especially if it's 4-wheel or front wheel drive car, you need to brake with left feet (while accelerating with right).

MickOpalak

Lotus says that they designed the Elise/Exige from the start with an open differential and that it's actually slower around their test track with a LSD.

Now don't start any more silly pissing contests. The Yamaha 1.8 liter four rated at 190 hp is a great motor. I love it.

I'm glad I'm in a good mood today. I was preparing a much nastier response.