Cayman GTS

[nsm3]

Horses for courses and all that.

My 7.1 GT3 was a jiggling, skittish, nervous steer on a bumpy B road, but near perfect on a smooth A road at imprisonable speeds.

By comparison, the 981 steering eliminates a great deal of the unwanted "feedback" from the B roads, but is not nearly as informative on a track like surface.

I drive mostly on the pot holed crap that this Country laughingly calls a road network, so for me, as a day to day prospect, the 981 has the upper hand?

[av185]

nsm3 said:

Horses for courses and all that.

My 7.1 GT3 was a jiggling, skittish, nervous steer on a bumpy B road, but near perfect on a smooth A road at imprisonable speeds.

By comparison, the 981 steering eliminates a great deal of the unwanted "feedback" from the B roads, but is not nearly as informative on a track like surface.

I drive mostly on the pot holed crap that this Country laughingly calls a road network, so for me, as a day to day prospect, the 981 has the upper hand?

Yes....lifes a compromise for sure........its like the 'manuel' v PDK debate.....PDK is fantastic eg when you hit traffic and cant be arsed changing gear......equally sometimes you have to work a touch TOO hard punting the 997 re steering gearbox and clutch but I sure miss the 997 GTS hydraulic steering perfect neutrality compared to the Cayman S loaner steering which is generally shi in comparison with too little feedback altogether....

[Budweiser]

Several commentators have reported there is very little difference on the road? But fair play to you guys if that's how you see it.

For me, looking at the overall road package, she is a fantastic drive that's very difficult to fault.

Seems a little unfair to compare her to a GT3. I would say in her class, as things stand, she is pretty much unbeatable. IMO

[RBT0]

Sorry just to come back to the point of automatic upshift: does it occurs when the engine rev limiter is reached?

If only in this case, that's fine, PDK is so fast, it is a matter of fact. You'll be faster in a track with a pdk

[ORD]

RBT0 said:

Sorry just to come back to the point of automatic upshift: does it occurs when the engine rev limiter is reached?

If only in this case, that's fine, PDK is so fast, it is a matter of fact. You'll be faster in a track with a pdk

Yep (and only if the kickdown switch is hit, apparently, which is probably a safety feature).

I don't think anyone is saying PDK is not faster. But fast aint the aim of the game, otherwise we would all be buying a Golf R/335d and getting it remapped or even, dare I say it, a GTR.

[CJP80]

ORD said:

Yep (and only if the kickdown switch is hit, apparently, which is probably a safety feature).

I don't think anyone is saying PDK is not faster. But fast aint the aim of the game, otherwise we would all be buying a Golf R/335d and getting it remapped or even, dare I say it, a GTR.

You think a remapped 335d will do 100mph in under 10 seconds?

[ORD]

CJP80 said:

You think a remapped 335d will do 100mph in under 10 seconds?

Dunno. I couldn't care less, to be honest, as anything less than about 13 seconds is about as fast as can be used on the road. I do wonder where in England the difference between 10 seconds and 13 seconds pace can matter.

[pistolp]

Budweiser said:

Several commentators have reported there is very little difference on the road? But fair play to you guys if that's how you see it.

For me, looking at the overall road package, she is a fantastic drive that's very difficult to fault.

Seems a little unfair to compare her to a GT3. I would say in her class, as things stand, she is pretty much unbeatable. IMO

Very true. The comparison to a GT3 is very flattering but unfair, but it does go to show that it is now that good.....

[cardigankid]

m.barnes said:

PDK vs Manual is the decision i am finding the hardest i must admit!

+1

My biggest problem is that PDK is so good, that any normal human being will just leave it in Auto, and after a short while, think, fk, I should have bought a Morgan or a Caterham. My biggest fear is 200 miles down the road, I think, this is indistinguishable from a Panamera.

Edited by cardigankid on Tuesday 5th August 20:39

[cardigankid]

A 997 Gen 1 GT3, admittedly a 08 model, would cost 70k.

[cardigankid]

Big trouble is that way back I went to a huge amount of trouble to buy a manual LR Disco 3 with every option on the planet - when these were new - and discovered at leisure that I should have taken the advice of everybody around me in the LR and Dealer network, and the test drivers, which was the these things are designed to function as a unit, and by going manual you are only inserting a fairly duff Mk.1 human being into the drivetrain, and its a bit wk. These things are designed to work as one, and looked at from this perspective, the manual is a joke.

Pursuing that, I could go and buy an MX-5 2.0 Sport Tech manual for a lot less money, accept that it is a joke, with a roof you just pull the latch at speeds up to 110 mph and it drops in 0.5 of a second, and just enjoy it. Hi-tech eh?

Therefore I am scared to go one way, and scared to go the other.

HEEEELP!!!!

[m.barnes]

cardigankid said:

+1

My biggest problem is that PDK is so good, that any normal human being will just leave it in Auto, and after a short while, think, fk, I should have bought a Morgan or a Caterham. My biggest fear is 200 miles down the road, I think, this is indistinguishable from a Panamera.

Edited by cardigankid on Tuesday 5th August 20:39

thats how i feel about my m235i. bought something thinking it would be fun and special and exciting and its not.

[m999psw]

For me I wouldn't buy a car without a PDK (or the like) gearbox. Before the Cayman my first double clutch was a BMW Z4 35is which I bought by choice after reading so much about the gearbox. I did like it 90% of the time but in manual it took over on too many occasions, so when I looked for a new car I bought a Cayman S and again wanted the double clutch gearbox. The Porsche PDK is in a different league to the Z4's and in manual, works as a manual. I am not sure if the 981 is any different but on a track day at Goodwood in manual I got stuck on the rev limiter because 'I' didn't change up.

I like the relaxed and ultra smooth driving in auto and flappy paddles that do what I want when I have the urge for some fun. So for me choosing a manual would be a step back.

Its still ages away but getting closer to my GTS in the empty garage.

Paul

[RBT0]

To whoever has got a doubt, my suggestion is to try both manual and pdk.

My choice is pdk: I've managed to have a demonstrator for 4 hours.
OMG, pdk is incredibly fast, unbelievable for me before testing it, was really impressed. Manual mode all life long, really no point in using auto mode for me: when reaching stand still it automatically downshift to 1st gear to prevent engine underrev, 1 st gear is tall enough to stay into the traffic without playing too much with paddles. Then is pure excitement, changing gears it is just a matter of cents and you can focus the attention on road and use of proper gear without removing the hands from the steering wheel.

I cannot imagine the gearshift in Sport+, supposed to be even quicker.

[ORD]

I would make one short point: speed gets old very quickly; involvement and engagement in the process of going (slightly less) fast does not.

Most of drive PDK in manual mode to get closer to the feeling of involvement with the drive train. But it's nothing like having a manual clutch, etc.

[RBT0]

My point: faster automatic gearboxes actuated by paddles represent the future for sports car.
991 GT3 is a great example.
Ferrari, Lambo....all car manufactures are moving the game to a higher level: enjoy the engine and the car with instantaneous gear shifts.

And I'm really pleased 981 PDK feels fast enough to let the driver play the game like its big sisters (GT3)

[ORD]

RBT0 said:

My point: faster automatic gearboxes actuated by paddles represent the future for sports car.
991 GT3 is a great example.
Ferrari, Lambo....all car manufactures are moving the game to a higher level: enjoy the engine and the car with instantaneous gear shifts.

And I'm really pleased 981 PDK feels fast enough to let the driver play the game like its big sisters (GT3)

True, but we don't have to like the direction of travel.

In the same way, manufacturers are turning to smaller engines with synthetic engine notes and dull power delivery. It may be technological advancement but it isn't good news for anyone who likes driving a sports car.

Tell me you'd rather drive a 4 cyl turbo hatch with a dual clutch box over a manual 993. If not, why not? It would be much faster.

[m999psw]

But that is not the same thing, smaller engines with turbo's etc are being forced on manufactures as a way to meet the more and more stringent emission regulations. The PDK helps fuel economy also but for me does and gives allot more, smooth auto /fast manual.

All personal choice which hopefully will stay that way.

Paul

[chriswren]

m999psw said:

But that is not the same thing, smaller engines with turbo's etc are being forced on manufactures as a way to meet the more and more stringent emission regulations. The PDK helps fuel economy also but for me does and gives allot more, smooth auto /fast manual.

All personal choice which hopefully will stay that way.

Paul

and PDK is forced on them by race teams to go faster around the track to win and not for enjoyment of it

also PDK will be forced due to emissions on MPG improvements.

Perhaps I should have got an MX5, starting to look like it will be my next car

Edited by chriswren on Wednesday 6th August 07:53

[SHIFTY]

I want to drive my cars not let the electronics decide when to change gear, decide how the suspension should be set up or to shut the engine off at lights etc, so averaging 15MPG at the moment and enjoying every moment (manual X73)