997 GT3 RS On Track - long!
04-30-2007, 12:27 AM
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997 GT3 RS On Track - long!
Some Observations On the 997 GT3 RS
I had my first chance to try the car on track. I needed a tech inspection so let’s start there.
With the car on the lift a number of changes from he 996GT3 were evident.
The front brakes have a lot more cooling. Massive ducts and clever deflectors above and below the rotor will send copius amounts of air to the rotors. I hope this will prolong rotor life compared to the MK II GT3. The lower ducts are a bit smaller than the previous generation which will help ground clearance.
The front spoiler lip is in two parts and the lower portion is vulnerable to curbs – nothing new there but I hope that replacements are cheap.
Moving back, various NACA ducts under the car feed cool air to the transmission, differential and rear rotors. Nice! On the 996 I found that changing the transmission oil frequently prevented some balky shifts. When flushed the oil was very dark, giving me the impression that things got mighty hot back there. Ducted cool air will help.
Removing the wheels allowed a closer look at the suspension. You can clearly see the knock out to allow the front struts to be rotated to give additional negative camber without increasing caster. In the rear there are two eccentrics, one for toe and the other for camber.
Rotors are 350 mm front and rear, up from 330 in back. The brake pads are yellow and appear to be very similar to Pagid RS-19. One thing is weird though. In the rears changing pads requires removing the caliper. I have no idea why. The top of the caliper is bridged together with two hefty beams. The pads themselves are very different from what we had on the 996GT3, they have holes for two locating pins in the each of the lower corners. So, the front pads are the same but the rears are a radical departure from the previous generation.
Inside the car – anyone who has been in a 987, Cayman or 997 will recognize the decor. The steering wheel is tilt telescope – a nice but not really needed addition. I ordered the thicker, smooth wheel because Alcantara wheels get dirty fast. The extra thickness is barely noticeable compared to the old car. The leather doesn’t feel as good either. I can’t describe it better than to say the surface feels dusty to the touch. The 996GT3 wins that one hands down.
There’s cruise control, another nice thing which we really don’t need. The turn signal has a lane change feature. Flick the lever momentarily and it blinks 3 times. Nice.
The digital speedo is now in the tach, where it once was, and always belonged. The cener console is button central with the radio, HVAC, Sport, Traction Control and PASM buttons. This may be a nuisance for long legged folk who took the “Console Delete” option on the 996 version. Try one on before you buy.
The cup holders (there are 2) hide behind a panel over the glove box. Nicely hidden so we can pretend that they aren’t there. The glove box itself is larger than before and you can store the manuals there for a change and still have room for sun glasses etc.
The seats are a huge improvement over the standard “Sports (yeah sure) Seats” in the MK II GT3 as sent to North America. In the 996, the standard seats were not only not very supportive, they acted like a trampoline and were out of synch with the suspension. As you know if you bought a 996 GT3, you ran to install the one piece Euro seats. In the 997 even on track, they worked well and did not demand immediate replacement.
Driving to the track: The car is far more civilized than its predecessor. There is sound deadening in the roof and I suspect in the doors as well. You don’t hear the front springs turning in their perches and the limited slip doesn’t groan on tight turns. The 997 GT3 does not whisper “race-car” like the previous model. That’s not to say it'is quiet inside, it isn’t. Forget using a hands free cell phone. In fact, the overall noise level is very similar to the 996 but without the metal to metal sounds I got used to.
The clutch, which was unassisted on the 6GT3 still takes a good push, it takes even more effort. I can’t say whether this is due to the car being new or, a beefier clutch to handle the extra power. The gas and brake pedals are perfectly organized for heel and toe on the track.
The gear box feels like the short shift kit on the 996. It is notchy and demands more effort. I like the 996GT3 better in this regard.
The ride is definitely more comfortable. I think that this is due on part to better sound dampening. I’ve always observed that cars that do not squeak or rattle always have a more comfortable ride than otherwise identical cars which transmit more untoward noise. Fact is, this car could be used as a daily driver as long as you don’t feel the need for a cushy ride.
The variable ratio steering works flawlessly and required no adaptation. Steering effort is higher than in my “6” but that could be the alignment. The 7GT3 is still stock. In “normal”, i.e., softer mode, the RS handles mid corner bumps brilliantly. This is an absolute improvement, on and off the track.
Visibility via the rear view mirror is awful. With the wing set to 8 degrees you have two gun slits and worse, the headrests obscure the critical corners of the rear window. Be careful changing lanes, an SUV can hide behind you quite easily.
On Track: Not the ideal day, we had light rain and the surface was wet. My car came with Pirelli Corsa tires. Similar to the original ones but two radial grooves are added for water evacuation. They are still “R" compounds with a 60 yes, (sixty) tread-wear rating.
Since my break-in is not complete, I had to restrain myself. I never got to see the yellow up-shift light. That will come soon enough. The car had amazing grip, the Corsa’s handled the slippery conditions with aplomb. I left the suspension in “soft” mode and was pleased to see that the bump at the apex of the Carousel did not disturb the car even while accelerating (ahem) briskly.
Turn-in exhibited a bit more understeer than the 996. It was interesting to feel the intervention of PASM. Initial turn-in was a little reluctant but a split second later the car tracked into the apex brilliantly. Fast transitions were effortless (the bus stop) with no evidence of lethargic weight transfer. I was very impressed.
Contray to what some have said, the car felt light and tossable. Equally as good as the 996 GT3. On acceleration the rear end is better planted than the old car. Whether this is the wider tires or the trick suspension bits coupled with a wider track I cannot say. It just is, and bumps are taken in stride. This is an improvement.
The gear box is not quite as satisfying. I have written about the balky nature of the 996 GT3 when shifting from 2nd to 3rd under high loads. Well, the Aisin gear box is no better. Exiting the hairpin onto the front straight I could not shift from 2 to 3 unless I paused for a second or two before engaging third gear. This is worse than on the 996 GT3.
The light flywheel makes it presence known by a vague chatter at idle and low RPMs. This is about the only indication that the car is related to the racer (ricer stripes and wing aside). I was hoping for the no mass “whuuupa, whuuupa” of a race car. Sorry, not to be had. If you blip it from idle, you might not know you had the LWFW, aside from the chatter. It is noticeable when you shift though. Revs drop more rapidly that before and some adaptation is required. Accelerating, whether because of the extra power or the flywheel you notice that the car is more lively and I would wager it will win the drag race to the first corner when matched against its older sibling.
Sound: The RS has vacuum operated flaps which direct some of he exhaust around the mufflers at 4,000 RPM and above when in Sport mode. I was concerned about this and asked our track chair – who happens to be a sound engineer, to help me run some tests.
He brought along a fancy professional sound level meter. At 5 meters (15 feet) behind the car with the engine at 6200 RPM, he measured 87 dB on the A scale. The flaps were not open, the car has to be moving it seems. At 50 feet (15 meters) withe the car accelerating on track he got 90 dB, safely under the typical 92 dB limit. The only measurement which was disturbing was one taken about 4 feet from the car as I blipped to make the 3 – 2 downshift for the bus-stop. That one hit 104 dB! Since the car was only a foot from a concrete wall, we suspect that reflection of sound was the reason the reading was so high.
As to the sound itself, call it music. My Ferrari 430 also has bypass valves and makes an awesome sound. It is a toss-up as to which sounds better. The RS has a much lower pitch in spite of having the same red-line. Call it more mellow, more mature. I can best describe it as being more like a low pitched organ pipe as compared to a calliope. On sum I prefer the RS, although the Ferrari fans will hate me for saying this.
The brakes were flawless. The track I used is short and rather violent. It is known to be harsh on brakes. It was raining mind you, but they performed perfectly. Modulation was easy and I was able to avoid getting into the ABS without extra effort.
Given the wet track, I left Traction Control on. As I got used to the car and pushed harder it intervened a couple of times as I blasted up the chute to Carousel. It feels like you went over a bump – only there was no bump. I am not really sure whether I caught the tail wag or TC did. It works as designed and I will probably not turn it off except to do victory donuts on worn out tires.
In sum – I love the car. Compared to the 996 GT3, the RS is easier to live with on the street and fully capable on the track. It lacks the race-car ambience of the 996 – which is a little sad, but gives back in performance.
Best,
I had my first chance to try the car on track. I needed a tech inspection so let’s start there.
With the car on the lift a number of changes from he 996GT3 were evident.
The front brakes have a lot more cooling. Massive ducts and clever deflectors above and below the rotor will send copius amounts of air to the rotors. I hope this will prolong rotor life compared to the MK II GT3. The lower ducts are a bit smaller than the previous generation which will help ground clearance.
The front spoiler lip is in two parts and the lower portion is vulnerable to curbs – nothing new there but I hope that replacements are cheap.
Moving back, various NACA ducts under the car feed cool air to the transmission, differential and rear rotors. Nice! On the 996 I found that changing the transmission oil frequently prevented some balky shifts. When flushed the oil was very dark, giving me the impression that things got mighty hot back there. Ducted cool air will help.
Removing the wheels allowed a closer look at the suspension. You can clearly see the knock out to allow the front struts to be rotated to give additional negative camber without increasing caster. In the rear there are two eccentrics, one for toe and the other for camber.
Rotors are 350 mm front and rear, up from 330 in back. The brake pads are yellow and appear to be very similar to Pagid RS-19. One thing is weird though. In the rears changing pads requires removing the caliper. I have no idea why. The top of the caliper is bridged together with two hefty beams. The pads themselves are very different from what we had on the 996GT3, they have holes for two locating pins in the each of the lower corners. So, the front pads are the same but the rears are a radical departure from the previous generation.
Inside the car – anyone who has been in a 987, Cayman or 997 will recognize the decor. The steering wheel is tilt telescope – a nice but not really needed addition. I ordered the thicker, smooth wheel because Alcantara wheels get dirty fast. The extra thickness is barely noticeable compared to the old car. The leather doesn’t feel as good either. I can’t describe it better than to say the surface feels dusty to the touch. The 996GT3 wins that one hands down.
There’s cruise control, another nice thing which we really don’t need. The turn signal has a lane change feature. Flick the lever momentarily and it blinks 3 times. Nice.
The digital speedo is now in the tach, where it once was, and always belonged. The cener console is button central with the radio, HVAC, Sport, Traction Control and PASM buttons. This may be a nuisance for long legged folk who took the “Console Delete” option on the 996 version. Try one on before you buy.
The cup holders (there are 2) hide behind a panel over the glove box. Nicely hidden so we can pretend that they aren’t there. The glove box itself is larger than before and you can store the manuals there for a change and still have room for sun glasses etc.
The seats are a huge improvement over the standard “Sports (yeah sure) Seats” in the MK II GT3 as sent to North America. In the 996, the standard seats were not only not very supportive, they acted like a trampoline and were out of synch with the suspension. As you know if you bought a 996 GT3, you ran to install the one piece Euro seats. In the 997 even on track, they worked well and did not demand immediate replacement.
Driving to the track: The car is far more civilized than its predecessor. There is sound deadening in the roof and I suspect in the doors as well. You don’t hear the front springs turning in their perches and the limited slip doesn’t groan on tight turns. The 997 GT3 does not whisper “race-car” like the previous model. That’s not to say it'is quiet inside, it isn’t. Forget using a hands free cell phone. In fact, the overall noise level is very similar to the 996 but without the metal to metal sounds I got used to.
The clutch, which was unassisted on the 6GT3 still takes a good push, it takes even more effort. I can’t say whether this is due to the car being new or, a beefier clutch to handle the extra power. The gas and brake pedals are perfectly organized for heel and toe on the track.
The gear box feels like the short shift kit on the 996. It is notchy and demands more effort. I like the 996GT3 better in this regard.
The ride is definitely more comfortable. I think that this is due on part to better sound dampening. I’ve always observed that cars that do not squeak or rattle always have a more comfortable ride than otherwise identical cars which transmit more untoward noise. Fact is, this car could be used as a daily driver as long as you don’t feel the need for a cushy ride.
The variable ratio steering works flawlessly and required no adaptation. Steering effort is higher than in my “6” but that could be the alignment. The 7GT3 is still stock. In “normal”, i.e., softer mode, the RS handles mid corner bumps brilliantly. This is an absolute improvement, on and off the track.
Visibility via the rear view mirror is awful. With the wing set to 8 degrees you have two gun slits and worse, the headrests obscure the critical corners of the rear window. Be careful changing lanes, an SUV can hide behind you quite easily.
On Track: Not the ideal day, we had light rain and the surface was wet. My car came with Pirelli Corsa tires. Similar to the original ones but two radial grooves are added for water evacuation. They are still “R" compounds with a 60 yes, (sixty) tread-wear rating.
Since my break-in is not complete, I had to restrain myself. I never got to see the yellow up-shift light. That will come soon enough. The car had amazing grip, the Corsa’s handled the slippery conditions with aplomb. I left the suspension in “soft” mode and was pleased to see that the bump at the apex of the Carousel did not disturb the car even while accelerating (ahem) briskly.
Turn-in exhibited a bit more understeer than the 996. It was interesting to feel the intervention of PASM. Initial turn-in was a little reluctant but a split second later the car tracked into the apex brilliantly. Fast transitions were effortless (the bus stop) with no evidence of lethargic weight transfer. I was very impressed.
Contray to what some have said, the car felt light and tossable. Equally as good as the 996 GT3. On acceleration the rear end is better planted than the old car. Whether this is the wider tires or the trick suspension bits coupled with a wider track I cannot say. It just is, and bumps are taken in stride. This is an improvement.
The gear box is not quite as satisfying. I have written about the balky nature of the 996 GT3 when shifting from 2nd to 3rd under high loads. Well, the Aisin gear box is no better. Exiting the hairpin onto the front straight I could not shift from 2 to 3 unless I paused for a second or two before engaging third gear. This is worse than on the 996 GT3.
The light flywheel makes it presence known by a vague chatter at idle and low RPMs. This is about the only indication that the car is related to the racer (ricer stripes and wing aside). I was hoping for the no mass “whuuupa, whuuupa” of a race car. Sorry, not to be had. If you blip it from idle, you might not know you had the LWFW, aside from the chatter. It is noticeable when you shift though. Revs drop more rapidly that before and some adaptation is required. Accelerating, whether because of the extra power or the flywheel you notice that the car is more lively and I would wager it will win the drag race to the first corner when matched against its older sibling.
Sound: The RS has vacuum operated flaps which direct some of he exhaust around the mufflers at 4,000 RPM and above when in Sport mode. I was concerned about this and asked our track chair – who happens to be a sound engineer, to help me run some tests.
He brought along a fancy professional sound level meter. At 5 meters (15 feet) behind the car with the engine at 6200 RPM, he measured 87 dB on the A scale. The flaps were not open, the car has to be moving it seems. At 50 feet (15 meters) withe the car accelerating on track he got 90 dB, safely under the typical 92 dB limit. The only measurement which was disturbing was one taken about 4 feet from the car as I blipped to make the 3 – 2 downshift for the bus-stop. That one hit 104 dB! Since the car was only a foot from a concrete wall, we suspect that reflection of sound was the reason the reading was so high.
As to the sound itself, call it music. My Ferrari 430 also has bypass valves and makes an awesome sound. It is a toss-up as to which sounds better. The RS has a much lower pitch in spite of having the same red-line. Call it more mellow, more mature. I can best describe it as being more like a low pitched organ pipe as compared to a calliope. On sum I prefer the RS, although the Ferrari fans will hate me for saying this.
The brakes were flawless. The track I used is short and rather violent. It is known to be harsh on brakes. It was raining mind you, but they performed perfectly. Modulation was easy and I was able to avoid getting into the ABS without extra effort.
Given the wet track, I left Traction Control on. As I got used to the car and pushed harder it intervened a couple of times as I blasted up the chute to Carousel. It feels like you went over a bump – only there was no bump. I am not really sure whether I caught the tail wag or TC did. It works as designed and I will probably not turn it off except to do victory donuts on worn out tires.
In sum – I love the car. Compared to the 996 GT3, the RS is easier to live with on the street and fully capable on the track. It lacks the race-car ambience of the 996 – which is a little sad, but gives back in performance.
Best,
04-30-2007, 01:10 AM
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Bob,
Insightful and thorough analysis.
On the gear box I came to a different conclusion, both on the regular 997 and 9997 GT3 versus the 996 and 996 GT3 ( I know they are different in each). I felt the the 997 gear changing to be much more precise and solid. I really disliked the shift in regular 996 but the 997 GT3 supeceded both the 996 GT2 and GT3. When I try the RS later in the week I will let you know.
Maybe yours is very stiff because it is new, maybe it needs adjustment; or maybe I don't know what I am talking about.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out with the various cars.
The important piece you left out is how it compares to the "other" car!
Again, thanks for a great write up.
Insightful and thorough analysis.
On the gear box I came to a different conclusion, both on the regular 997 and 9997 GT3 versus the 996 and 996 GT3 ( I know they are different in each). I felt the the 997 gear changing to be much more precise and solid. I really disliked the shift in regular 996 but the 997 GT3 supeceded both the 996 GT2 and GT3. When I try the RS later in the week I will let you know.
Maybe yours is very stiff because it is new, maybe it needs adjustment; or maybe I don't know what I am talking about.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out with the various cars.
The important piece you left out is how it compares to the "other" car!
Again, thanks for a great write up.
04-30-2007, 01:20 AM
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Driving to the track: The car is far more civilized than its predecessor.
_________
that's how i felt when i posted my initial impression.
The gear box feels like the short shift kit on the 996. It is notchy and demands more effort. I like the 996GT3 better in this regard.
__________
again, i am not alone here.
to shift quickly from 2nd to 3rd was very difficult.
my car felt stable, more so than moton'd 996gt3, but it was not as light or tossable as the old three.
_________
that's how i felt when i posted my initial impression.
The gear box feels like the short shift kit on the 996. It is notchy and demands more effort. I like the 996GT3 better in this regard.
__________
again, i am not alone here.
to shift quickly from 2nd to 3rd was very difficult.
my car felt stable, more so than moton'd 996gt3, but it was not as light or tossable as the old three.
04-30-2007, 01:47 AM
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thanks for sharing bob
as far as shifter i think repeated shifting whenever at a stop light helps..i feel a big difference in smoothness between the lower gears and the ones i haven't excercised as much
there is a "right" angle for shifting from 2nd to 3rd if you keep trying at a stop but it doesn't come naturally
as far as shifter i think repeated shifting whenever at a stop light helps..i feel a big difference in smoothness between the lower gears and the ones i haven't excercised as much
there is a "right" angle for shifting from 2nd to 3rd if you keep trying at a stop but it doesn't come naturally
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04-30-2007, 04:04 AM
#10
The shifter in my GT3 is still pretty notchy after about 1400 miles, although it loosened up a little. The 2-3 shift is the worst. I do have to slowly shift into 3rd.
I could be wrong, but I don't think the GT3 has the Aisin transmission. Isn't it a development of the 996 GT3 trans, with switchable gear sets?
I could be wrong, but I don't think the GT3 has the Aisin transmission. Isn't it a development of the 996 GT3 trans, with switchable gear sets?
04-30-2007, 07:22 AM
#11
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Ray - good point. It may not be the Aisin. Once I alk the dealer into giving me the Teknik book, I'll know for sure.
04-30-2007, 09:08 AM
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Excellent write-up Bob.
I was also impressed with the RS steels. No fade on a track known to eat brakes for breakfast. No fade and excellent feel and modulation.
I love how the clutch feels. It's perfect, probably one of the better clutches that I've pressed.
I have the Aisin Gearbox on my 997 S with a short shifter, definitly a pretty different feel from it entirely.
I was also impressed with the RS steels. No fade on a track known to eat brakes for breakfast. No fade and excellent feel and modulation.
I love how the clutch feels. It's perfect, probably one of the better clutches that I've pressed.
I have the Aisin Gearbox on my 997 S with a short shifter, definitly a pretty different feel from it entirely.
04-30-2007, 09:24 AM
#13
Well written post, thank you.
How's the blip-ability of the GT3/RS vs. the 430. I know the revs leap very quickly when blipping the 430's throttle (sounds/feels awesome). I assume the RS with its LWF is quicker than the GT3, but how do they compare to the 430. TIA
How's the blip-ability of the GT3/RS vs. the 430. I know the revs leap very quickly when blipping the 430's throttle (sounds/feels awesome). I assume the RS with its LWF is quicker than the GT3, but how do they compare to the 430. TIA
04-30-2007, 09:44 AM
#15
Bob,
thanks for the post. Very imformative. I do have to agree with Colm, I much more prefer the RS's shifting vs my 996GT3's. The RS's feels much more direct - to me. Mind you I only ran my car on the autobahn in Germany and not on a track yet.
thanks for the post. Very imformative. I do have to agree with Colm, I much more prefer the RS's shifting vs my 996GT3's. The RS's feels much more direct - to me. Mind you I only ran my car on the autobahn in Germany and not on a track yet.