Bill - Chicago

Might be to early to tell put how does the S w/x51 compare to GT3 powerwise?

996toomey

Ray G:

Beautiful. Can you post the option codes for the leather console and door handle area?

Thanks.

Ray G

It is a little early to tell. I plan to drive them back to back one day and report back. My initial feel is the pull is about the same, the 997 giving ground to the GT3 a little in having a lower redline. The GT3 has a wonderful engine sound above 7000 rpm.

Sure,

XMZ - Rear Center Console Leather $1260
XTV - Door Finishers in Leather $360
XPA - Thicker 3-spoke sport steering wheel in smooth leather $1050

crispenigl

Hi Ray,

I am in the final steps to ordering my own 997s with x51. I am still struggling on the sport chrono or not decision.

As you can see from my descision process that follows, I am still on the fence.


Outstanding information in your post. Extremely insightful and accurate. I am a huge F1 fan and have read many times that MS goes with the 'long pedal' so that he can better module speed in sweeper type of corners. I plan to track my car as much as I can and this is a good point to consider in NOT geting sport chrono (SC). At Willow Springs, this would be a great feature to have as there are several sweeping type corners.

Counterpoint:
I have driven a 997s [no x51] with SC and I was for sure going to get it because the car feels 'more alive' with it enabled, but you have made a good counter point.


So that leads me with one other point about the SC. I have read that it delays the onset of the PSM so that you can drive more agressively on the edge before it cuts in. For someone who plans to track his car, I think this will be the final criteria that drives me to go forward and get the SC. For those of you who have run at a track, you know how annoying PSM cut in can be, but I wouldnt turn it off either. [My only spin came with it on.]

I know people on this board do not like the 'wart' but from a tracking point of view in regards to the less agressive PSM, my feeling is that it would be good to get SC. So, after all that, I think I will be getting SC. I think SC should be included with X51

Thanks again for your post.

Greg

crispenigl

Hi Ray,

I am willing to bet the that x51 fuel cut doesnt happen at 7200 since the power graph indicates 381 happens around 7200. The online graph shows power through to about 7500 to 8000 and graph line is longer than the stock 997s motor graph line. [This is the sport coupe special page graph on the porsche site that I am talking about]

It wouldnt make ANY sense to not be able to go to at LEAST 7500 or 8000.
I think porsche cheaped out and didnt paint a new rpm tach. [For 17k, you think that they would do it.]

I know your still breaking the car in, but I would love to find out when fuel cut happens in 2nd and 3rd gears.
[I have never reached fuel cut in 4th and up on the track]

Greg

Ray G

If in doubt, get the Sport-Chrono. For the reasons you mentioned: it changes the thresholds for PSM and ABS (and I think it switches to a hard-rev limiter, instead of soft). Alternatively, you could skip the Sport-Chrono, keep PASM in "sport" mode, and just turn off PSM, and it's almost the same.

I went through a similar decision. I don't like the wart, but for the above reasons, and for resale, (and because I like gadgets) I got it. I do like to occasionally put it into Sport mode and switch the dampers back to "soft", just because the car feels livelier.

One other thing I noticed when I tracked my other 997S in Sport mode: the fast throttle didn't cause as much problem as I thought it might. So, combined with the other effects of Sport mode, it probably is useful for track driving.

Ray G

That's an interesting point. Maybe the redline is actually higher. The more I'm learning about the X51, the more I like it. My dealer is going to be installing a kit into a customer's car in a couple weeks, and I've been invited down to take a look at the parts. That should be educational.

1080iAddict

Ray,

That is quite the ride you put together. You are the first here to post on a ride with PCCB and X-51!! I have the Atlas with PCCB but at the time I ordered X-51 was not available (thankfully, for me, because that would have been quite the dilemma. As it was my MSRP was in the stratosphere before discount). I do wish, however, that I got the center console and door parts in leather. Nice touch.

Enjoy the ride - she's beautiful.

adam

996toomey

Ray G:

Interesting about the dealer installing a kit on a customers car. I didn't know they were selling the kits for retrofit yet like thay did for 996 cars. If you have the time when the kit arrives would be great if you could get pictures of the kit before installation. I almost bought the kit for my 996 and it included heads, cams, intake exhaust and ecu. I have not been able to verify through Porsche if it is the same parts for the 997. Heads and cams mainly, I know the 997 X51 is exhaust, intake and ecu but wondering about heads and cams.

Thanks.

JAMS

Beautiful, Ray! Is that interior color Black or Natural Grey?

Thanks.

PogueMoHone

Ray,

How about a few impressions on the X51 versus the GT3? I know going from the 996 X51 to the GT3 was like night and day.

Now, you're only missing a GT2 !

Ray G

Thanks! You can always order the leather center console and refit it to your car. It might be the same for the door finishers. Check with Brandywine Porsche or maybe Suncoast Porsche. I've gotten good prices from them before.

It is Black. I almost did Natural Grey because I had that on one of my cars, and it feels really nice.

Yes, they are indeed selling a retrofit kit. I know the 996 version involved a lot of parts. I'm pretty sure the 997 X51 is very similar. I found out the headers are different too. If I find out more, I'll post some more information on the retrofit kit.

Ray G

Colm, I have about 250 miles on the X51 so far, and I'm starting to think it pulls as strong as the 996 GT3, but it doesn't rev as high. I wound the X51 out in 2nd gear and the rev-limiter cut in at around 7200-7400 rpm. See the dyno chart below for X51 vs 997S.

But, it is kind of an apples vs oranges kind of thing. The GT3 is more edgy; you feel vibrations through the seat and steering wheel, and the GT3 requires more smoothness to drive fast. They are really 2 different animals.

Yeah, somehow I never ended up with a GT2! I should have, in hindsight.

DJ23

Ray fantastic car. It's pure perfection. I guess thats what put the "P" in PORSCHE.

Jay

AeroSmith

Guys,

I took my X51 to the rev limiter yesterday (deserted FL highway)in third and foruth.

The rev limiter kicks in at precisely 7,400 RPM.

Cheers.