p-cardriver

I'm thinking of buying a 997 without the S or sport-chrono, and I got thinking that the sport-chrono engine mapping (with the sport button) ought to be available in a software or chip replacement since there is no hardware to that part of the package. What do you all think about either an S or a non-S, without sport-chrono? Is there an option to tweak the throttle mapping?

Thanks,

p-cardriver

Nugget

Given that the throttle remapping doesn't yield any performance increase there's hardly any incentive to add it to a car. Skip it and you'll never miss it. IMHO, Sport Chrono is a useless gimmick and you shouldn't spend a moment's worry over buying a car without it.

Edit: unless you're buying a tiptronic, in which case the sport chrono does have a useful impact.

808c2s

I concur with Nugget. The accelerative performance of your car should correspond to the movement of your right foot without having an exaggerated affect on throttle repsonse :-).

On another note, if you can get the Carrera S, do it. The extra TQ is useful around town, IMO.

Pugnacious

I agree 100%! Perfectly stated.

Rolf Stumberger

I agree with the above comments.

So, unless you like the retro look alarm clock on your dash ( which is TOTALLY useless, Lol ) , the Sport Chrono is about the most useless , least used option there is ( in my opinion )
But then again it's so cheap, it's hardly worth to discuss .

On the other hand, if you can swing it , the " S " was always "special " in Porsche history .

Considering all you get with it , ( bigger engine, self adjusting clutch , PASM , Xenon head lights, bigger wheels and brakes, etc. etc.) it's arguably the most bang- for- the- buck cost effective option there is .

p-cardriver

Thanks - I was already there on the "retro-clock" and other aspects of Sport-Chrono, just wanted to be sure about the throttle map.

I'd love to find an S for the right price (ie., cheap), but since it is a daily driver at 20k per year, I'm willing to forgoe the S-goodies for a run-of-the-mill, base 911. Oh, the sacrifices!

p-cardriver

PAULSPEED

Hi,
I bought a 997S and my brother bought a 997 4S. I talked
him into the sprot-chrono package. He told me one day
that it was the best option he bought. The throttle
mapping alone is a kick in the butt.
Paul

Coochas

I have to say that once and a while I like to turn the Sport ON PASM Normal just to enjoy the increased throttle response...it really does make the car feel faster even though it doesn't!

It would be nice if Porsche made the Sport button an option without the wart for the 997S.

The only time that I think it gives an advantage over normal throttle response is for matching revs on down-shifting when I feel that you really have to mash the throttle in 'normal' mode - which is fine if you are also mashing the brake for a heel-toe.

911Dave

I ordered my S without sport chrono. Stupid gimmick in my opinion. Very un-Porsche.

p-cardriver

So, back to the original question - can the throttle be re-mapped to get the same response on a car without sport-chrono as you would get with the sport button pressed on a car with S-C? Even if the S-C package is a gimmick, why not increase the throttle response if it can be done easily?

p-cardriver

Pugnacious

I would think most anything is possible if you want to throw enough money at it but then again it may be a simple and relatively inexpensive modification. If you are really interested in the advanced throttle mapping I would call your local Porsche dealers service department on Monday and ask them if it can be done and how much.

I have had cars with “sport” buttons that changed the throttle mapping and personally found it to be a cheap gimmick to give the impression of better performance where there was actually none. I agree with a previous poster, I find SC to be a gimmick and very un-Porsche like. I also think having two different throttle maps is a sure fire way to confuse muscle memory when it comes time to heel/toe downshifts. Just my unsolicited opinion.

RonCT

SC is a waste of money and does nothing for the performance of the car. All it does is trick the less informed to thinking the car is faster. Impress your friends -- Let them drive and then tell them "Now watch what happens when I press this button!" Whoosh! All it did was give you a tiny more gas for the same foot position on the pedal. The few people I know that purchased SC regret it and complain about how when they've used it on the street, they then have to press PASM sport to off -- because SC changes the suspension setting. So, they tried it at first and never bothered to press the button again.

So the question is why would you want this gimmick? I know you don't want any other features, just the throttle map. All you have to do to have the same sporty feel is press the pedal 1mm more.

On the other hand if you are seeking something "more", then look at some of the tuners software like Revo, Giac, etc. Me, I wouldn't do anything that requires physical change to the car or taking out the car's computer and shipping it somewhere. I spend about 50% of my time on the track with my 997S, so performance based software made sense for me. I went with Revo and have been very happy. Yes, it did change the map of the throttle, but it also smoothed some things out, improved the response of the engine, etc.

So, if you are looking for different software, you can get it aftermarket. Otherwise, I have never heard of Porsche SC map being available in a software form...

ChipAZ

I've educated my Tip since I purchased the car by driving aggressively on the advice of the dealer. It shifts when I want it to every time. Without Sports Chrono. The dash is also easier to clean.

p-cardriver

Thanks for the comments. The reason to want it (or possibly maybe someday want it) is timing - we have two cars with this (BMW and Cayman S) and I shift both smoother with sport mode on. My wife shifts both smoother with it off. Go figure. I recognize that there is no performance gain, no faster acceleration, no higher top speed, hell, it doesn't even improve the braking. Just timing on the throttle, and as several pointed out, that should be learnable!

The cars I'm looking at do not have S-C, and I'm strictly a manual kind of guy (and married to a manual kind of gal). So now I'm down to the question of S versus non-S, which is easy until the price delta enters the equation. We'll see...

Thanks for all your inputs!

p-cardriver

Coochas

If you have any more Qs about the SC, this is a great article from Total 911: