The new 718 Gt4/Spyder are here!
Discussion
I love Porsche, I love my new Spyder. But I do think they could have done better with the sound. The 911 Spyder came out with all the same GPF etc - and it sounds great. They should have done better.
For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
It’s an amazing car, beautiful to look at, I’ve never had so many people ask what it is, and want to talk etc - probably lockdown fever
But, I do miss the sound of the old one. It was a noisy angry little thing, and it added to the character of the car.
Its odd but to me the new one sounds better inside with the roof up. Maybe that’s why it seems more people are happy with the GT4.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I started to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
My assumption is the whole hierachy within the line up etc but hey who knows.
But we are all different - some will care, some won’t - I think as long as you get out with a big ole smile then it’s a good’un !
For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
It’s an amazing car, beautiful to look at, I’ve never had so many people ask what it is, and want to talk etc - probably lockdown fever
But, I do miss the sound of the old one. It was a noisy angry little thing, and it added to the character of the car.
Its odd but to me the new one sounds better inside with the roof up. Maybe that’s why it seems more people are happy with the GT4.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I started to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
My assumption is the whole hierachy within the line up etc but hey who knows.
But we are all different - some will care, some won’t - I think as long as you get out with a big ole smile then it’s a good’un !
Edited by Kam 1 on Friday 15th May 16:57
Kam 1 said:
But I do think they could have done better with the sound. The 911 Spyder came out with all the same GPF etc - and it sounds great. They should have done better.
For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I find myself starting to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
The 911 Speedster only had to match the noise regs at the time, it was a short run model, so there was scope to have it as loud as possible under the current dB regs. For the new 4.0, Porsche are in it for the long haul so they've aimed for a target that's further away. It makes a lot of sense to me, but it does unfortunately mean that the 718 has to have a quieter exhaust.For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I find myself starting to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
Twinfan said:
Kam 1 said:
But I do think they could have done better with the sound. The 911 Spyder came out with all the same GPF etc - and it sounds great. They should have done better.
For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I find myself starting to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
The 911 Speedster only had to match the noise regs at the time, it was a short run model, so there was scope to have it as loud as possible under the current dB regs. For the new 4.0, Porsche are in it for the long haul so they've aimed for a target that's further away. It makes a lot of sense to me, but it does unfortunately mean that the 718 has to have a quieter exhaust.For me personally a big part of the problem is the flaps closing and making it very quiet lower down.
I know little about exhausts and won’t pretend too, but looking at RSVP911’s pictures - the big box that’s come off, compared to the sleek jcr exhaust that’s gone on, it could have been done better (and lighter) at the factory.
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I find myself starting to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
bloody dB regs!!
Kam 1 said:
But, I do miss the sound of the old one. It was a noisy angry little thing, and it added to the character of the car.
YepKam 1 said:
Its odd but to me the new one sounds better inside with the roof up. Maybe that’s why it seems more people are happy with the GT4.
Dan Prosser said exactly the same thing in his reviewKam 1 said:
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I started to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
Because you'd need to probably need to add another £5K to the base price for the titanium back box... so starting price is now £80K before options. They have to draw the line at some point.Edited by TDT on Friday 15th May 17:45
Kam 1 said:
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I started to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
Because you'd need to probably need to add another £5K to the base price for the titanium back box... so starting price is now £80K before options. They have to draw the line at some point.Edited by TDT on Friday 15th May 17:45
But... like we said earlier, they didn’t do it, it is what it is. I still love the car, I still love driving it. And i’m still very grateful to be lucky enough to own it. I just might add something
Everyones different - some owners will love it and be blown away with the sound. For any new owners waiting for your car - don’t worry about this - it’s still a HELL of a car. The chassis and handling is sublime!
It’s still very, very special...
Just make sure they show you the roof working properly when you pick it up !!
Twinfan said:
EU noise regs are why it's so quiet. The car is compatible with all current and future regs, and the allowable dB level has been dropping over the years. I suspect the next round of regs has another volume drop, hence Porsche are ahead of the curve with the new 4.0.
I read somewhere that the next update will lower it to 75db which is about the noise of a flushed toilet!TX.
Kam 1 said:
I also think if the jcr exhaust is the back part only, even if it is very good - why couldn’t Porsche do this themselves. If there was a box for a louder, better sports exhaust I would have ticked it. Instead I started to look at options too - and thinking why didn’t my £94k car come with it...
Not allowed to afaik as the car must meet Noise Regs as built. Lost opportunity across the board though imho for warranty friendly upgrades when new cars hit the dealership and can be freely modded.Edited by Kam 1 on Friday 15th May 16:57
TX.
Questions about production numbers of Porsche GT4/Spyder. On this side of the pond, there seems to be, anecdotally anyway based on Rennlist posting, cancellations of GT4/Spyders. And new cars listed for sale on Autotrader by dealers and the dropping of ADM for cars - dealers now offering them at MRSP. What does the market seem to be doing over there? I wonder if Porsche will cut production (dealer lot cars) or extend production out further into 2022 in hopes of a recovery that point.
Terminator X said:
I read somewhere that the next update will lower it to 75db which is about the noise of a flushed toilet!
TX.
The 718 is set to 68db which covers a Porsche to circa 2025TX.
They skipped the current level which I believe is 75db
All I can tell you is the last decent volume and soundtrack goes to the 2015/16 95db+++ 981 versions
gpgts said:
Questions about production numbers of Porsche GT4/Spyder. On this side of the pond, there seems to be, anecdotally anyway based on Rennlist posting, cancellations of GT4/Spyders. And new cars listed for sale on Autotrader by dealers and the dropping of ADM for cars - dealers now offering them at MRSP. What does the market seem to be doing over there? I wonder if Porsche will cut production (dealer lot cars) or extend production out further into 2022 in hopes of a recovery that point.
I'm not seeing MSRP yet, the lowest is the poverty spec one at AutoLogix which is still over list for a secondhand car that the next buyer didn't spec. That's no bargain in my book.I'm happy that I have my car whatever the resale value. I didn't buy the car to flip.
Twinfan said:
We're planning a trip up the coast tomorrow for a fish 'n chip lunch "to visit a public open space for the purposes of open-air recreation to promote our physical or mental health or emotional wellbeing", as now allowed under the Coronavirus Statutory Instrument 
Well we had a good run out today, including the first decent length motorway run in the GT4. Observations...1. Long journeys will be no problem at all. The chassis is comfortable and not in the least bit harsh and trashy. There's a fair bit of noise but it's not unbearable and it's not as loud as I was expecting.
2. I'm glad I didn't pay extra for Bose! Tyre, wind and engine noise is intrusive enough to make any attempt at getting a high quality sound completely pointless. Which is what I suspected when speccing the car.
3. At 75mph-ish on the motorway the car feels like is travelling much slower. It certainly hides its speed! Cruise control was very welcome.
4. I'm liking the growl of this new 4.0 engine more and more. It sounds different to other Porsche flat sixes and it's all the better for it IMHO. It gives it a unique character.
All in all it's a superb car - I'm looking forward to getting it run in, having the oil changed and ensuring the geo is up to scratch once everything's bedded in
Twinfan said:
Well we had a good run out today, including the first decent length motorway run in the GT4. Observations...
1. Long journeys will be no problem at all. The chassis is comfortable and not in the least bit harsh and trashy. There's a fair bit of noise but it's not unbearable and it's not as loud as I was expecting.
2. I'm glad I didn't pay extra for Bose! Tyre, wind and engine noise is intrusive enough to make any attempt at getting a high quality sound completely pointless. Which is what I suspected when speccing the car.
3. At 75mph-ish on the motorway the car feels like is travelling much slower. It certainly hides its speed! Cruise control was very welcome.
4. I'm liking the growl of this new 4.0 engine more and more. It sounds different to other Porsche flat sixes and it's all the better for it IMHO. It gives it a unique character.
All in all it's a superb car - I'm looking forward to getting it run in, having the oil changed and ensuring the geo is up to scratch once everything's bedded in
Mine gets to have a decent run out tomorrow 1. Long journeys will be no problem at all. The chassis is comfortable and not in the least bit harsh and trashy. There's a fair bit of noise but it's not unbearable and it's not as loud as I was expecting.
2. I'm glad I didn't pay extra for Bose! Tyre, wind and engine noise is intrusive enough to make any attempt at getting a high quality sound completely pointless. Which is what I suspected when speccing the car.
3. At 75mph-ish on the motorway the car feels like is travelling much slower. It certainly hides its speed! Cruise control was very welcome.
4. I'm liking the growl of this new 4.0 engine more and more. It sounds different to other Porsche flat sixes and it's all the better for it IMHO. It gives it a unique character.
All in all it's a superb car - I'm looking forward to getting it run in, having the oil changed and ensuring the geo is up to scratch once everything's bedded in
NickUSA said:
gpgts said:
Questions about production numbers of Porsche GT4/Spyder. On this side of the pond, there seems to be, anecdotally anyway based on Rennlist posting, cancellations of GT4/Spyders. And new cars listed for sale on Autotrader by dealers and the dropping of ADM for cars - dealers now offering them at MRSP. What does the market seem to be doing over there? I wonder if Porsche will cut production (dealer lot cars) or extend production out further into 2022 in hopes of a recovery that point.
I'm not seeing MSRP yet, the lowest is the poverty spec one at AutoLogix which is still over list for a secondhand car that the next buyer didn't spec. That's no bargain in my book.I'm happy that I have my car whatever the resale value. I didn't buy the car to flip.
I mentioned before that I was going to take the GT4 for a run-out today so I thought I'd copy over what I posted into another forum. I was driving for about 6.5 hours today - some of it motorway driving and the rest on passes or valley routes - and I find her perfectly comfortable (918 seats).
Daz
Now that I have run in the 718 GT4 I wanted to take her to an epic Alpine pass for her first proper 8k revs run. Even though it doesn't open fully until later in the year, I decide to take her to the Susten Pass - which I think is the greatest road in Switzerland (third best road I have driven after the Transalpina and Transfagarasan Highway). Even though we have not been restricted with driving here during the "lock down", Covid plus the pass not being fully open meant that traffic was very sparse on the pass and made for a great drive!
The middle (top) of the Susten Pass is closed but both ends are open, so I decided to take her up the Innertkirchen end to Gadmen, where the road was closed. This bit has some open sections but also has some lovely switchbacks; but not so many that it becomes tedious. The Wassen end is lovely and open but I wasn't sure how far I could get that end so I will save that for another day - that section is awesome in the GT-R ...
After I had driven that section both ways, I decided to head over to the Klausen Pass and drive that. Unfortunately, the clouds had started to roll in and I was soon driving through said cloud with very little visability, in pissing rain, on a near single-track road with standing water and on Cup 2s, so I ended up stopping and coming back. TBH, I did the best bit of road already today so I wasn't too bothered (and got back in time for an online quiz with friends)!
Here are some (phone) pictures of some of the trip today:
To the Susten Pass:
[Also on the way to the Grimsel & Furka Passes]
The Susten Pass:
[This part was closed today, but you get the idea ...]
Glacial lake above Gadmen:
Klausen Pass:
I definitely recommend driving the Susten Pass if you're ever in Switzerland. It really is a great piece of road, with many great features (closed & open-sided tunnels in the rock face, switchbacks and open sections, reasonably steep climb / descent, great views - there's even a cable car & hike up to the Trift Bridge, which is a pedestrian suspension bridge over the valley ...).
Daz
Now that I have run in the 718 GT4 I wanted to take her to an epic Alpine pass for her first proper 8k revs run. Even though it doesn't open fully until later in the year, I decide to take her to the Susten Pass - which I think is the greatest road in Switzerland (third best road I have driven after the Transalpina and Transfagarasan Highway). Even though we have not been restricted with driving here during the "lock down", Covid plus the pass not being fully open meant that traffic was very sparse on the pass and made for a great drive!
The middle (top) of the Susten Pass is closed but both ends are open, so I decided to take her up the Innertkirchen end to Gadmen, where the road was closed. This bit has some open sections but also has some lovely switchbacks; but not so many that it becomes tedious. The Wassen end is lovely and open but I wasn't sure how far I could get that end so I will save that for another day - that section is awesome in the GT-R ...
After I had driven that section both ways, I decided to head over to the Klausen Pass and drive that. Unfortunately, the clouds had started to roll in and I was soon driving through said cloud with very little visability, in pissing rain, on a near single-track road with standing water and on Cup 2s, so I ended up stopping and coming back. TBH, I did the best bit of road already today so I wasn't too bothered (and got back in time for an online quiz with friends)!
Here are some (phone) pictures of some of the trip today:
To the Susten Pass:
[Also on the way to the Grimsel & Furka Passes]
The Susten Pass:
[This part was closed today, but you get the idea ...]
Glacial lake above Gadmen:
Klausen Pass:
I definitely recommend driving the Susten Pass if you're ever in Switzerland. It really is a great piece of road, with many great features (closed & open-sided tunnels in the rock face, switchbacks and open sections, reasonably steep climb / descent, great views - there's even a cable car & hike up to the Trift Bridge, which is a pedestrian suspension bridge over the valley ...).
Pjburley said:
I was supposed to be doing a Euro trip in 4 weeks but it's unlikely now. I'm thinking about arranging it for the first 2 weeks of September and hope current travel restrictions are lifted by then. Will the Swiss mountain passes (Susten, Grimsel and Furka) be open then?
Yes, scheduled to open in June (10th for Grimsel & Furka; 26th for the Susten). Generally close in October, depending on exceptionally good or bad weather conditions.Evo9lution said:
RSVP911 said:
Thanks Evo9lution, lovely post - stunning scenery and a not too shabby looking GT4
Thanks fella! 
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