naparsei

I'm 6'4" and I usually drive with my right knee resting against the center console or at least turned toward the middle of the car. I drove a 997 turbo last week and found that, vs. prior 911 models, the center console is further forward and "sharper." I am curious if other people have experienced this, or if this is just an artifact of my seating position. I am 1st on the list @ my local dealership for an RS, but given this issue, I doubt I could drive the car for more than an hour. Due to the construction and the electronics, it also seems unlikely that a center console delete will be available.

Can anyone offer a suggestion or correct a mistaken assumption (center console delete, difficulty in making an interior mod, etc.) that will help me out?

Thanks.

Blacksport350

Is it the center console the drops down from the dash that bothers you or the console over the tunnel(between the seats and around the shifter)? If it is the former, you could probably delete it to get the room you need.

Nordschleife

look at the size of Walter Röhrl - he has very long legs - must be something about your position

db_gt3

Yes, big problems with leg positioning and the center console. Best modification I made was to delete the center console. Especially at the track. Allow me to explain.

I am 6'4" as well. I like to sit as close to the wheel as possible. With the wheel fully extended, my knee about 1cm from the dash, arms are at a little more than 90deg. Lots of leverage, good for easy control of the wheel. With the center console, however, my right knee was forced very close to the wheel; so close in fact that my right hand could not get past it in a right turn at the track. Thats a big problem. I had to shuffle my hands in order to drive this way. Sitting further back only caused more wheel control problems. Once I deleted the center console, all my problems were a thing of the past. Now I can lay my right leg over and away from the wheel, my hands stay in one position on the wheel, and there is no need to shuffle them prior to a right turn. Since about 80% of the corners at my local tracks are rights, this is obviously a huge improvement for me.

I also had my car ordered with lower seat tracks (10mm), and once I installed GT3 seats I lowered the drivers seat by another inch for more headroom at the track. This proved to be another fantastic modification, as the closer you are to the floorpan the more "connected" you feel to the chassis and it's feedback.

Now as for the 997 GT3 and RS, it is my understanding that removing the center console is not an option because of all those electronic goodies they have packed in there. At least this is what my master Porsche tech has told me. That coupled with a sunroof and all that comes with it (1-2 inches less headroom) and it looks like an ergonomics nightmare from my perspective. These are the reasons why I will not be getting one. All the money, time and energy it took to dial in my 996 GT3 for track work, why try to go and do it all again? Especially when its looking like the options for getting a comfortable driving position simply do not exist with the new model.

Current Setup:
MPSC
Schatz Alignment
Cup Brake Ducts
Brembo Floating Rotors (front)
RS Flywheel/Clutch
Tequipment Roll Bar
GT3 Cloth Seats
Sabelt Harnesses
Center Console Delete

naparsei

db_gt3 - I understand all you are saying - my track car has the seat bolted to the floor as well - but you must have a 996 - where the center console delete is possible. Looking at what Porsche has built into the center console on the 997 makes me doubt a delete will be available though.

BS350 - I am talking about the console that extends down from the dash. It was possible, with a kit, to delete this on 996s and 986s.

I tested another 997 yesterday, and figure it is really more of a hassle than a deal-killer for me. However, if there was something to fix it/change it - I'd be all over it.

Nord - It's pretty much all where the left edge of the console hits my shin - an inch either way would make a difference.

Nordschleife

When I was testing the 997 Turbo, with European seats, I did feel that everything would be too tight for people from North America - both John and I are built along the lines of race drivers rather than linebackers and have no spare flesh and we felt the fit was tight. It would be interesting to compare the interiors of European and US cars, see if much changes apart from the seats.

Incidentally I also like a 'sit up and beg' driving position like a rally driver, it was quite comfortable in the 997 Turbo, but not nearly as much fun to drive as the new Gallardo with 520 hp

R+C

DanH

R+C

Have you bought a gallardo then? I seem to recall you saying you had a very heavily specced 997TT on order?

Nordschleife

Dan
I am a complete Gallardo convert - apart from the luggage issue - I priced out a heavily specced 997Turbo but I wouldnt have one based on my test drive, its a big girl's blouse. Nevertheless Ruf tempts me, normally aspirated however. I am experimenting with become FedEx's most frequent customer to see if I can manage sending my luggage ahead of me (two sets so I send the bags to alternate destinations), but it doesn't leave much scope for errors. I suppose the slightly whiffy crumpled black teashirt could become fashionable, but I'm not betting the farm on it, and 'er indoors isn't that keen on the baggage restrictions!

R+C

Throttlesteerer

Hi Naparsei,

almost good to hear I'm not the only one struggeling with this issue. I am 6'6" and out of that nature hating centerconsoles to the bone.
There is nothing I hate more than the pressurepointfeeling in my right shin. Therefore I am nerveous as well as I also expect my 997RS in jan07.
Actually the 997 has a lot better sitting position than 996, as the cage gives a bit more room to the seat.
Inquiring about special built options, like getting rid of the radio and putting the AC in that position instead and therefore create a horizontal bottomline of the dashboard (like you have it with the 996 console delete option), did not give me the answers I wanted.
Moving up the AC seems to be a problem as the cables are not long enough. I was told that the electronic sytem in the car is so nervous about minimal changes that you get serious trouble with the electronics just by extending or changing cables.

If anybody knows better, than please let the two poor tall guys know.

Sloth

6'4" here and I had to do the console delete in my 996 to make it comfortable for longer rides. It doesn't look like the delete option is going to be possible in the 997 cars since it contains some of the electronics and their switches. Don't the 997 Cups have a center console too??

MJones

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (997)

naparsei

It's a bit strange - Porsche must have some sense for how many center console deletes they sold for 996s and 986s. I think most taller drivers are used to reclined seat backs and near straight arm driving positions (I am assuming the "sit up and beg" means vertical posture and having the steering wheel relatively close to the chest) - but it's really the knee/shin that's the issue here. In many cars, the steering wheel can be an issue, since it inhibits getting to the brake pedal (if you legs are below the steering wheel then you aren't familiar with this problem).

This isn't a deal killer for me, but it remains an issue. Like you, throttlesteerer, I am on the list for a GT3RS, but would like a comfort level that I will be able to enjoy the car fully.

DanH

lol. How about a roof box

gtdrei

I'm not 6'4", more like 5'11, with long legs. I like a close to the wheel driving position, and after a few days of autocross, decided to delete the console in my 996 GT3. Significant improvement. I can't imagine how cramped the 997 GT3 is going to be for taller drivers.

Robin

teamb2

We have both 997 and 996- I deleted the console in the 996 and it is much better. 6'2".