Quote:
Originally Posted by BlueWhelan
Maybe you should re-do the experiment with a 981 and report back.  |
Yeah, about the 981...
I was annoyed with how much the 981 added so much visual bulk over the 987. And with the 1" bigger diameter wheels and tires (same widths), apparently to compensate for the added bulk. The 987 looks sooo much more sculpted and svelte and *smaller*. Which I love. Also, 981 is more $$$ so wasn't on my radar anyway.
But as it turns out, I drove a student's modded 981 Cayman S w/PDK at Watkins Glen and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last year, and DAMN that car is sweet to drive, and FAST.
Side note: I *never* drive my student's cars, I prefer to take them out in my car during the instructor run groups to ensure they get maximum track time behind the wheel in the student run group. But he insisted despite my protests...
His mods were: headers, GT3 plenum and throttle body, Ohlins coilovers, GT3 control arms for camber, maybe a few other things. Very much still a STREET car, but these mods must have been *extremely* effective at the track!
Back to back vs. my 987.2 base, this car was SICK fast! Like 150mph at WGI vs. 130mph in my 2.9. Jeezis!
The PDK worked amazingly well. You can shift *anywhere*. Midcorner upshifts going up the esses were nothing at all. In my car I'd shortshift before entering to avoid upsetting the car. No heel/toe downshifting allows more consistent threshold braking. Upshifts are super-quick, manual upshifting at the track feels so SLOOOOWWW now...
The 981's electric steering is IMO quite a bit BETTER than the 987's hydraulic steering. It's a little quicker ratio, and honestly I liked the feel better! Partly may be down to the optional smaller-diameter steering wheel.
The 981 *looks* bigger and heavier, but if anything it feels smaller and lighter at the track. Go figure...
The only weird part was some "hunting around" at the limit under braking. I don't think I had the PSM (Porsche Stability Management?) all the way off and it was doing some brake distribution stuff I didn't like. It also limited braking force going into turn 3 at NHMS once and I had to take the escape route wormhole to the exit of 10...
I *think* that can be turned all the way off, or turned down more than we had it?
Anyway, in ~3 laps I did a 2:09.x at the Glen (vs. 2:14s in my 987), and a 1:13.x at NHMS chicane/chicane (vs. 1:15s in 987).
I would have won his time trial in the T70 class (COMSCC) by more than 2 seconds vs. very well-modded and *very* well-driven E36 M3 that won that competitive class last year.
Long/short: 981 Cayman S PDK is fricking sweet. I talked it up so much a friend and fellow COMSCC time trialist wound up selling his M3 and getting one!
I'd like to think a 987 Cayman S PDK would be a similarly good experience, but I'd worry a little more about older-gen PDK. If/when go Porsche again, it'll be a 981 I think...