RE: Porsche 911 GT3 vs The Track

[monthefish]

Dan Trent said:

monthefish said:

But only below 31mph.

Above this the rears wheels go the same way as the fronts, which will effectively lengthen the wheelbase making it less pointy and aggresive.

Given conditions I was below 31mph quite a lot of the time, Vale complex a case in point! Though you're right to point this out. Bottom line is it's a trick in the technological toolbox the car has - where and when it happens is ultimately something the chassis team can fine tune but compared with 997 GT3s I've driven that initial understeer phase (assuming you're not in a puddle, obviously) is notable by its absence and whether that's due to the four-wheel steering or what is something for further exploration. And that lack of understeer is one of the reasons it feels pointier I'd venture.

And as for the question about steering feel that's something I'd feel happier commenting on if I'd driven it in the dry. Certainly you could feel the front tyres letting go through the wheel when they hit water but it was so binary there was no 'feel' as such - there was either grip or there wasn't. Quite often the latter!

There's more to come on this tomorrow too, in the unlikely case you're feeling short changed!

Cheers,

Dan

Thanks for the response.


Good to hear the GT3 is safe, and not just "a trim level" as some daft bloke Dan once claimed, this dafty also said and "the new GT3 offers eye-boggling gadgetry and pace, democratised and accessible to all up to a point. Where previous GT3s demanded a base level of competence anyone will be able to drive this one fast and feel like a hero,"

[Dan Trent]

monthefish said:

Thanks for the response.


Good to hear the GT3 is safe, and not just "a trim level" as some daft bloke Dan once claimed, this dafty also said and "the new GT3 offers eye-boggling gadgetry and pace, democratised and accessible to all up to a point. Where previous GT3s demanded a base level of competence anyone will be able to drive this one fast and feel like a hero,"

Indeed! Nice to be proved wrong, though if you'd asked me on the day at Silverstone I might have given a different answer.

And as for the wet line, well, it was a case of steering round the puddles rather than any particular deliberate choice! Though the 'dry' bits were sometimes even worse and it changed each lap anyway.

Dan

[The Bandit]

GordonF430 said:

It was my GT3 at Oulton. That was the first time on track in it. Went out taking it easy at first (it was late Oct so slippy and damp and the car was brand new!)and it still drove past everything else (not bragging, my Atom would have simply spent the entire time trying to kill me (which is 1/2 the fun)- this thing as long as you listened, just gripped and went).

I had a 997 Gt3 before it and didn't initially order the new one due to flappy padals.

Then I drove one - jesus - the shift is insane. I love heel and toe, loved the gear change in the 997, the motorsport clutch and gearbox took some work and coordination, but the new PDK is simply epic. he shift is instant. Want to up or down shift mid corner, go for it, not change of balance, superb. Turn in is better, traction is better, pace is fantastic. Trying to not accrue points every time you drive it is a bit harder though.

I drove mine across the moors on snow and ice in the Scottish Borders this weekend. Steering feedback is good, weighting illustrates the changing surface also, and compared to the steering weight in the dry there is a fair difference.

In a straight line you need to watch the revs, as it will break traction once you get past 5/6k rpm in the wet - the engine really starts to wake up at this point and by 7k its readying itself for the final 8-9k which is simply superb. Race-car-esk howl, and major acceleration.

The car is more twitchy at the limit, partly I suspect as the tyres/geo/track give it far higher cornering ability (you need to really have a go to upset it) and with some tyres you get a real snap back as it catches again. I used to notice a difference in this between A048s and R888 on my Loti. This is the case with the new GT3. My old Gt3 was far far easier to drift, but wouldn't see which way the new one had gone.

Nice things about the lack of traction at this time of year is that the slides are more progressive, and easier to start (without brute force)and it doesn't get so snappy coming out of them.

If you don't like flappy padals, I understand, but everyone that has been in my GT3 has been won over, genuinely - even the most stuborn manual fans (like myself!). Experiencing the change at 9k rpm full throttle is hilarious. Only slight issue from doing this was at Oulton I had the fuel warning light on (less than 50 mile range) with 3/4 of a tank left...what a bloody great day that was!

Wishing I'd brought it to work now

Edited by GordonF430 on Tuesday 27th January 10:35

First time on track in it! Fark! Well peddled that man
So late on the brakes into Old Hall it was almost comical to watch...and the noise of it exiting Cascades...
Great to see a car like that used in a style in should be - did I mention I'd quite like one?

[Charge99]

FER4L said:

Nah, got to be something wrong with that new-fangled autobox thing - the old one went OK in the wet!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detai...

:-)

Epic! I can't see how having such close gears can be efficient?! Sometimes the Rev counter barely moves between shifts

[Kawasicki]

great article...good job!