several auto magazines have reported this behaviour which had been tamed in the 996 tt.

is this true?

 

This was the killer feature of the old 930 the servere oversteer in a corner after lifting. I had a 993 TT
and that wasnt a big issue with AWD and certainly refined in the 996TT I would expect in the 997 even more so. In a GT3 its bitten me in a series of corners but its 2wd not AWD and even then
it took 2 corners for me to spin (2 in a row 90 right then immediate 90left) and a place my 993 TT negotiated many times with no spins (at Buttonwillow-Cotton corners) I would expect the 997TT to be well planted in those cases. what magazines? maybe someone who has never driven a 911 before? Now my 997GT3 seems even less likely to do what my 996GT3 did its more planted and not as nervous.

 

In a word, no.

 

here are a couple of links--many other similiar comments have been published. some quotes from the articles follow the links--

http://www.roadandtrack.com/article....rticle_id=3778

" It also showed more lift-throttle oversteer than any other 911 in recent memory, a trait that worsened considerably as the tires wore."

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparis...911-turbo.html

"cornering was another story. When we hustled the car around the fast Willow Springs track, we found ourselves countersteering a lot more than anyone found comfortable. And this with the new Porsche Stability Management engaged."

“Spring-loaded for oversteer,” read a logbook notation. Not a plus in slow corners; paranoia territory in fast ones, and Willow Springs has some very fast ones. So we were cautious during timed lapping, with a predictable consequence. The Porsche was blazingly fast on Willow’s straights, but we posted quicker lap times with the Audi. As well as quicker lane-change speeds. "


"We left Willow Springs with respect for the Porsche’s power and relentless braking, tempered by wariness concerning what it might do if a driver were a little injudicious with the throttle."

"Lows: Spooky at the limits of adhesion"

 

Almost sounds like a GT2 story that was a trait of the 2WD 996GT2.

Oh and Willow Springs Wouldnt be my first choice to test that car
thats a Horsepower High speed High cojones track for men.
I havent achived that level.(to drive it well)
I think they could have used the Streets of willow to better assess its handling.
Or Button Willow

 

This will never happen on the street with PSM on. I have experienced a couple of lift off oversteers on a tight track with PSM off and with overheated tires towards the end of the practice day.
Braking in corners will not cause skidding, lift off might do it but PSM will correct it. I think the magazine guys might have been driving with PSM off to experience so much oversteer on the track. On a tight track and on stock tires, leaving PSM on will make the TT understeer like a civic with very little to no oversteer, at least that's my own experience with my car.

 

I think the magazine guys didn't know WTF they were doing.

 

these reports have persisted in many publications over several years since the 997 tt was introduced. i don't see how all of them don't know wtf they're doing. these same publications described the 996 tt in a very different way i.e. "on rails". i personally am concerned and pleased to have a 996 tt with a 100k mi extended warranty. beware if i wanted a gt2, i would have bought one. imo, the tt should be different.

p.s. read the articles--they specifically mention that psm was on. 911 type porsches have been plagued with off throttle understeer from the beginning because of the rear engine configuration. i just hope the current generation of porsche engineers haven't forgotten that.

 

ignacio, I too, have read a few comments here and at rennteam, several new TT owners have written this kind of behaviour, one said he did not like the way Porsche had set up the AWD compared to the 996TT which he had before, none of the owners were new to Porsche or had disengaged PSM. I am very concerned since I was about to take the plunge on a new 997 TT. I'm now thinking I should try to move into a low mile 996 instead. This news is very dissappointing for me, and I can't imagine what it would be to now own a new 997 to find out it has an achilles heel that could bite you in the butt! Outch!

 

I'll give you a black run group report from watkins glen shortly, don't worry the TT is solid. It handles better that my c4s with x73, cups and aerokit already, and I had that bitch around the track a time or two!
The thing is, it's more shifted towards a rwd type format most of the time, so it handles a bit differently that a 996tt/c4s platform.

 

It will never bite you on the street and not until you get past 8 or 9/10th on the track. I strongly recommend you drive one and you will not be disappointed.
On the other hand, If you want to track it without appropriate tires, be prepared. the car is much torquier than the 996TT and that alone makes it more difficult to handle on the track especially by journalists who have never driven it until the day of the test.
Just my .2 cents.

 

^ agree 100%, I think they all changed their diapers after the event.

 

Chris, I'm coming from a 996 C4S, same as you, and what I love about my C4S, is the incredible sured grip I get. I'm not a RWD Porsche driver. I can't believe these reports could destroy my next dream. Any more information would be helpful. Another poster said he's owned both 997 GT3 and now has a 997 TT and found his GT3 had more grip, hard to believe that.

 

I read a while ago that Porsche tried to make the 997TT livelier with less understeer than the 996TT. Maybe that is what is going on - the car is a little more neutral now.

I wouldn't take reviewers comments too seriously. Most of them are not used to a 911 anyway. My 997TT is awesome, and a BIG improvement over the 996TT.

And what the heck are they doing lifting in fast a corner?

 

Well the Gt3 will have more 'grip' in certain situations on the track, but put (real) cups on the TT and look out. This is bc the out of the box suspension/ride ht/COG on the GT3 is better track suited right off the bat. But I can tell you that my TT in sport mode is very similar to my C4S with X73, just at a higher ride ht(30mm higher).
Don't worry about the amatuer hour reports about how crappy the 997tt suspension is, the 996tt/c4s suspension is a joke in stock form, almost dangerous on the track at 9/10, the x73 transforms it completely. The sport mode is very close to the x73. Make up your own mind, Porsche did change the characteristics of the awd on purpose to make it more rwd biased, on the track that's a good thing. Just takes a bit of getting used to, that's all. Walter Rohrl thinks it's the best handling TT ever made, I think he knows what he's talkin about!