Does sports chrono add any performance benefits if not ordered with PDK?

 

No, it does not.

 

Sports chrono plus adds launch control which will absolutely make a performance improvement when accelerating from a stop.

The other nice feature included with SC is the ability to memorize mirror, seat, etc. positions to the drivers key so when your wife drops you and takes the Porsche she will be able to simply put her key in the ignition and the seat positions and else adjust to her liking.

In my opinion you will lose much more that the $1400 this option costs if you ever decide to re-sell your car. I can't imagine ever buying a PDK version without it.

 

He said NOT ordered with PDK. The answer is yes.

 

I'm confused, what is the answer?

 

With the exception of the Turbo Sport Chrono offer NO performance increases. Simply put the performance of your car will be the same i.e. power output. It does remap to make things happen quicker - take the gas pedal for instance... it gets remapped to be much like a quarter turn throttle on a drag-bike... you won't have to press it far to get to full throttle. It’s quicker but you only have 355HP (s) no matter what... It does give you other nice features and is well worth the money... IMHO

Matt

 

Yes it does offer performance benefit in the sense that it switches to an aggresive engine management map when ON.

 

It is a throttle remapping, does absolutely nothing to the engine or engine management, and has zero performance impact.

On PDK, Tip, or Turbo cars the answer is more complicated, but as asked the answer to the original poster's question is "no, there is no performance improvement from sport chrono." Sport mode on or off the car has the same horsepower, same torque, same grip, same brakes, and same driver.

 

Sorry, I will work on my reading skills.

It is still nice to have just for the memory feature even though the performance gain is merely perceived and not real.

 

So, in summary:

Normally Aspirated manual 997 with Sport Chrono:
- Remaps the throttle so that the 0-100% range occurs in a shorter distance/throw of the gas pedal (read: gas pedal is more sensitive)
- Horsepower remains the same
- Torque remains the same
- PSM set to lower threshold (read: PSM in Sport mode permits more oversteer before intervening)
- Provides some user-configuration settings, like climate control settings, day time running lights, 'Welcome Home' Settings, door lock settings

Normally Aspirated PDK 997 with Sport Chrono:
- Remaps the throttle so that the 0-100% range occurs in a shorter distance/throw of the gas pedal (read: gas pedal is more sensitive)
- Horsepower remains the same
- Torque remains the same
- PSM set to lower threshold (read: PSM in Sport mode permits more oversteer before intervening)
- Provides some user-configuration settings, like climate control settings, day time running lights, 'Welcome Home' Settings, door lock settings
- Permits 'Launch Control' which enables quicker standing starts by revving the engine to high RPM and releasing brake (arguable 'performance' improvement depending on how one defines performance improvement)

Turbocharged 997 with Sport Chrono:
- Remaps the throttle so that the 0-100% range occurs in a shorter distance/throw of the gas pedal (read: gas pedal is more sensitive)
- Horsepower remains the same
- Torque is increased about 30 ft/lb (up to about 508 ft/lbs) by the system permitting 10 seconds of 'overboost'
- PSM set to lower threshold (read: PSM in Sport mode permits more oversteer before intervening)
- Provides some user-configuration settings, like climate control settings, day time running lights, 'Welcome Home' Settings, door lock settings

See graph from Porsche on the throttle remapping:

 

Don't forget the elevated threshold that PSM intervenes at. Sport mode lets you have a little more fun and keep your electronic safety net.

 

Ah yes, I'll add that to the list.

 

This is the best part of Sport Chrono, IMHO.

 

It's funny how this one option has really raised the hair up on so many 997 owners. (I wonder if Porsche AG is listening?)

When I drive my Cabriolet I tend to leave it on probably about 95% of the time. I do it because I have PSE,--Porsche Sport Exhaust, and it turns it on. I happen to like the advanced throttle mapping. I'm now used to that sort of accelerator. A friend of mine with a coupe and no PSE RARELY uses it. He is used to driving the car without the advanced mapping.

It's funny how two guys have an entirely different perspective on that little button. Sure, I appreciate some of the tailoring that it permits, but I don't have to mess with that stuff very often. I think moreover, it's due to the exhaust sound. With a cabriolet (roof up or down) you can get a GREAT sound from PSE. Much of it is muffled to the driver on the coupes. For others downstream of your car THEY get to hear your car, but their level of appreciation may be entirely different!

 

I must be lost. If the throttle response & shifting is switched to an aggresive mode which makes the acceleration and deceleration quicker and which is also very usable at the track... wouldn't that be considered greater performance than in normal mode??