So.... 3 hrs in a GT3
Discussion
A very good mate of mine could sell his GT3 should the right offer come his way - I've been looking at a Cayman S and he asked whether I'd like to have a look at his MY00 GT3.
Starts off with him piloting the car... just pottering around where he lives. I'm already in love with the engine noise and I drive a screamer. We then head out on to the Dubai-Abu Dhabi road. He takes it up to 280kms (175mph) and I comment that it's quite a rapid car...
He pulls over and I get in the hot seat.
I have to say that 360bhp was nice but the way it was delivered suited me to a T. I instantly felt able to deal with it. I drive an S2000 at the moment and I felt very at home. Now I'm sure some of you will scream blue murder at me for saying that but it's a very similar delivery, just more... Oh, btw, the Honda still has by far the better gearbox.
The noise that the P made was pretty much the bollox - rumbled away and then went silly - the change at 6k is soooooooo very mechanical.
Ok, next bit - the steering - first of all I realised very quickly that if I cough, I'm in the next lane. I've never driven a car that has steering that chats to you and I mean, never shuts up. I first thought that it was way too busy but after a while, I started to understand what was being said. It tells you every thing, absolutely everything. Quite amazing.
Brakes - a so called weakness on the Mk1s. Far less servoed than the Honda but extremely progressive and very stompable.
This car, hmmmm, I was cruising on the freeway back to my mates place at 125mph with the rpms at pretty much 12 o'clock, which I think was just under 6k and I know it could have done that all day long. The car is far to fast for the UK - it is suited to dealing with triple digits. Dubai? fine.
I was very cautious with the car - I was still travelling rapidly but I was extremely respectful. I found that when you punched out of 2nd gear corners, the front would push out quite a bit and i'd have to ease of a little - I think that I hadn't had enough time to get to grips with the physics of the rear engined aspect - saying that, I came into one corner very hot and thought that I'd have to deal with the back coming round (my mate started to grip the door - hahaha) but no drama. Mid corner the car can be perfectly balanced on the throttle and then you punch out - very nice indeed.
Quite intoxicating - I need one.
PS - I got back into the Honda straight afterwards and, bar the gearchange, felt very, very lightweight.
Starts off with him piloting the car... just pottering around where he lives. I'm already in love with the engine noise and I drive a screamer. We then head out on to the Dubai-Abu Dhabi road. He takes it up to 280kms (175mph) and I comment that it's quite a rapid car...
He pulls over and I get in the hot seat.
I have to say that 360bhp was nice but the way it was delivered suited me to a T. I instantly felt able to deal with it. I drive an S2000 at the moment and I felt very at home. Now I'm sure some of you will scream blue murder at me for saying that but it's a very similar delivery, just more... Oh, btw, the Honda still has by far the better gearbox.
The noise that the P made was pretty much the bollox - rumbled away and then went silly - the change at 6k is soooooooo very mechanical.
Ok, next bit - the steering - first of all I realised very quickly that if I cough, I'm in the next lane. I've never driven a car that has steering that chats to you and I mean, never shuts up. I first thought that it was way too busy but after a while, I started to understand what was being said. It tells you every thing, absolutely everything. Quite amazing.
Brakes - a so called weakness on the Mk1s. Far less servoed than the Honda but extremely progressive and very stompable.
This car, hmmmm, I was cruising on the freeway back to my mates place at 125mph with the rpms at pretty much 12 o'clock, which I think was just under 6k and I know it could have done that all day long. The car is far to fast for the UK - it is suited to dealing with triple digits. Dubai? fine.
I was very cautious with the car - I was still travelling rapidly but I was extremely respectful. I found that when you punched out of 2nd gear corners, the front would push out quite a bit and i'd have to ease of a little - I think that I hadn't had enough time to get to grips with the physics of the rear engined aspect - saying that, I came into one corner very hot and thought that I'd have to deal with the back coming round (my mate started to grip the door - hahaha) but no drama. Mid corner the car can be perfectly balanced on the throttle and then you punch out - very nice indeed.
Quite intoxicating - I need one.
PS - I got back into the Honda straight afterwards and, bar the gearchange, felt very, very lightweight.
Good aren't they ?
The first car I test drove had a very imprecise and baulky gearshift action, the car I bought was totally different, smooth, accurate, never baulks and light too. Get it checked out, it's quality shouldn't be causing you to pass comment.
Getting on the power too early can have the understeer effect you describe (as can trying to carry way too much speed into the corner in the first place !) as you say you either need to give the front tyres time to bite before getting back on the power, or it may be worth getting the geometry checked, as my car was improved considerably in this respect once the geometry was set to a more road biased set up.
The first car I test drove had a very imprecise and baulky gearshift action, the car I bought was totally different, smooth, accurate, never baulks and light too. Get it checked out, it's quality shouldn't be causing you to pass comment.
Getting on the power too early can have the understeer effect you describe (as can trying to carry way too much speed into the corner in the first place !) as you say you either need to give the front tyres time to bite before getting back on the power, or it may be worth getting the geometry checked, as my car was improved considerably in this respect once the geometry was set to a more road biased set up.
Slippy - yeah, very nice car. 6 years old, not a squeek from the interior - bullet proof. God, what an engine. Like I said, intoxicating. I did have a few times where I set the car up correctly and had the fronts biting and it just pulled the car round but I was still respectful that a heavy right foot could land me in trouble.
Tbh, I now can't see me getting anything else - the Cayman S is a very accomplished car but I got to grips with it very quickly (and was happy to push it around) - the GT3 will take far longer. My friend said that he still treats it with kid gloves on the road (to an extent) because he knows that if he gets it a bit wrong it could be very painfull - on the track, he canes it and he's only exceeded the laws of physics twice.
Great thing was, is that my mate is an instructor at the Dubai Autodrome and for the most part was prattling on about rubbish, weather, kids etc... so I knew that he was happy with me giving it some.
Bizarrely, I loved the clicking noise the diff made when I had to make a tight turn when we stopped at a garage - made me feel that I was experiencing the mechanicalness of the car. Sorry, just how I am.
But yes - what a superb peice of kit. The next step up for me performance wise.
Edit: regarding the gearbox - it wasn't bad but the Honda has one of the best shifts in the business.
Tbh, I now can't see me getting anything else - the Cayman S is a very accomplished car but I got to grips with it very quickly (and was happy to push it around) - the GT3 will take far longer. My friend said that he still treats it with kid gloves on the road (to an extent) because he knows that if he gets it a bit wrong it could be very painfull - on the track, he canes it and he's only exceeded the laws of physics twice.
Great thing was, is that my mate is an instructor at the Dubai Autodrome and for the most part was prattling on about rubbish, weather, kids etc... so I knew that he was happy with me giving it some.
Bizarrely, I loved the clicking noise the diff made when I had to make a tight turn when we stopped at a garage - made me feel that I was experiencing the mechanicalness of the car. Sorry, just how I am.
But yes - what a superb peice of kit. The next step up for me performance wise.
Edit: regarding the gearbox - it wasn't bad but the Honda has one of the best shifts in the business.
Edited by asterix on Saturday 5th August 00:06
Asterix, the GT3 is not an understeerer at higher corener entry speeds and less throttle through the corner.
The weight transfer then remains more on the front into the corner improving turn-in, and then gradually planting the right foot transfers weight to the back minimising oversteer, but it's there if you want it.
Too slow in and heavy on the throttle through the bend is not the best game plan.
I often turn in just a little early and wait for the front end to really cobnnect before I open it up.
GT3 MkII with ceramics, buckets and for road, roll bars on their softest settings. Though I do sometimes get a little tyre rub --- maybe I need to roll the arches ?
The weight transfer then remains more on the front into the corner improving turn-in, and then gradually planting the right foot transfers weight to the back minimising oversteer, but it's there if you want it.
Too slow in and heavy on the throttle through the bend is not the best game plan.
I often turn in just a little early and wait for the front end to really cobnnect before I open it up.
GT3 MkII with ceramics, buckets and for road, roll bars on their softest settings. Though I do sometimes get a little tyre rub --- maybe I need to roll the arches ?
Sounds good Chris - I guess it will take a while to get used to the slightly different dynamics. I need to get ne, then straight away get her on a track so I can push hard without fear of hurting the car or anyone else. It's the only way.
I have to say that I've never been quite so touched by a car
Awesome experience. From the rumble on start up to the howl at redline, absolutely superb - now I understand the mafia
- it's a privelege.
I have to say that I've never been quite so touched by a car
Awesome experience. From the rumble on start up to the howl at redline, absolutely superb - now I understand the mafia
- it's a privelege.Hi James.
I think you and I have met a few times at Autocross. Be warned that the GT3 makes a terrible Autocross car, but once you get out on the Autodrome, nothing except a Radical or a high-powered Caterham will be quicker...
For a good description of how to exploit the balance, do a search on all posts by Steve Rance (try the keyword "trailbraking" ) .
Harris
I think you and I have met a few times at Autocross. Be warned that the GT3 makes a terrible Autocross car, but once you get out on the Autodrome, nothing except a Radical or a high-powered Caterham will be quicker...
For a good description of how to exploit the balance, do a search on all posts by Steve Rance (try the keyword "trailbraking" ) .
Harris
Edited by Harris_I on Sunday 6th August 07:35
Hi Harris,
How you doing mate? I remember seeing your fine vehicle.
I understand that it's not a good car for AutoXing, I guess I'll have to give that up and just concentrate on track days and the UAE Porsche club stuff they organise (this is of course if I get my hands on one - I bloody hope I do.)
Is yours a Mk2?
How you doing mate? I remember seeing your fine vehicle.
I understand that it's not a good car for AutoXing, I guess I'll have to give that up and just concentrate on track days and the UAE Porsche club stuff they organise (this is of course if I get my hands on one - I bloody hope I do.)
Is yours a Mk2?
Doing very well, James. Yep, it's a Mk2, and I'm guessing it was Martin's Mk1 that you drove?
Naturally you will want a car in good condition, which as we know is not the easiest thing in the GCC. Personally I wouldn't be too concerned Mk1 vs Mk2 as both score points over each other in certain areas. Again, there are a lot of threads on this subject. (Worth bearing in mind that many of the Mk2 drivers get caned by Mk1s on the Autodrome, especially when driven by the likes of Martin or Bassam.)
If you're interested, there's Aslam's silver Mk2 in the OPC on Sheikh Zayed Road - it's had an accident (which I witnessed at Autocross!) but I've been assured by the OPC that everything is good as new. It's been there for a loooong time, so worth making them an offer well below asking, especially during this slow summer season...
Let me know how it goes.
Naturally you will want a car in good condition, which as we know is not the easiest thing in the GCC. Personally I wouldn't be too concerned Mk1 vs Mk2 as both score points over each other in certain areas. Again, there are a lot of threads on this subject. (Worth bearing in mind that many of the Mk2 drivers get caned by Mk1s on the Autodrome, especially when driven by the likes of Martin or Bassam.)
If you're interested, there's Aslam's silver Mk2 in the OPC on Sheikh Zayed Road - it's had an accident (which I witnessed at Autocross!) but I've been assured by the OPC that everything is good as new. It's been there for a loooong time, so worth making them an offer well below asking, especially during this slow summer season...
Let me know how it goes.
I had a look at the Silver Mk2 in the OPC - it was a bit tatty inside for what they were asking and as I'd need it for the daily drive, I would imagine having the full cage would start to get on my nerves as I kept catching my foot trying to get out - a small detail but it still irked me a bit.
Yeah -it was Martin's I had a pop in. I know that he's driven it hard, but I also know that he respects the car and has ensured it's been looked after.
Yeah -it was Martin's I had a pop in. I know that he's driven it hard, but I also know that he respects the car and has ensured it's been looked after.
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