Monday 21st November 2011

Time for tea? Porsche 911 in action

Bored of new 911 content yet? Bad luck because now you can hear it as well as read about it

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If Porsches aren't your thing then don't worry, we're nearly over our initial rush of excitement over our drive in the new 991. Nearly but not quite.

Here then is a video from the handling track Porsche built for the launch event in Santa Barbara. Yes, the tarmac was laid over the top of an old runway specifically for a bit of hoonage, which given that the local Highway Patrol were fully up to speed with the launch timetable and test route was probably a good thing. They must have had a cracking couple of weeks knowing that at a given time each day a fresh batch of over-exciteable hacks in brand-new 911s was headed their way. No, we didn't get done but we saw a couple of people who did and one Chinese journalist may apprently have a fairly exciting time if they ever try and re-enter the United States after being caught at a fairly robust speed a few days ahead of our visit.

Anyway, the video gives you a sense of what the new car can do, plus exactly why you should be spending your options budget on £1,772 worth of sportlich auspuff and the £890 Porsche Torque Vectoring limited slip diff package rather than £2,986 worth of Burmester 'high end surround sound system'. We're here to help.

And, no, we can't take credit for the driving unfortunately. But we gave it a pretty good shot.

 

[Oddball RS]

Aint driving easy when you don't have to do anything with your gearlever......... boooooooooooooooooooo!

[davidcharles]

i'm sure its great but i just can't get excited by 911's....and i wanted to be the first person to mention "GTR" in a 911 thread...

[arkenphel]

Oddball RS said:

Aint driving easy when you don't have to do anything with your gearlever......... boooooooooooooooooooo!

+1.

I wanted to see the 7 speed manual in action, granted that you can't actually engage 7th without engagin 6th, which I doubt you will on a track.

[Ayahuasca]

Mmmm, not as good as the real thing - the proper Yellow Bird at the 'Ring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIibbiDJMpo

[Dan Trent]

As I said in the main drive story, you rarely need go anywhere near 7th in 'proper' driving with 3rd and 4th more than adequate for most situations, 5th and 2nd at a push. Again, as I said, I reckon it would make sense for the Sport Plus button to lock 7th out like it does on PDK.

It's purely a motorway gear really.

[Dagnut]

Dan Trent said:

As I said in the main drive story, you rarely need go anywhere near 7th in 'proper' driving with 3rd and 4th more than adequate for most situations, 5th and 2nd at a push. Again, as I said, I reckon it would make sense for the Sport Plus button to lock 7th out like it does on PDK.

It's purely a motorway gear really.

Why can't all the articles be laid out with this template? much much easier to read...the small side pictures just narrow the paragraphs and reduce the text size

[Dan Trent]

Interesting point and duly noted - we're going to have a chat about story formatting in due course and there are a few things to address since the site redesign. Thanks!

[Ex Boy Racer]

Hmmmmm.... the noise.... Sounds incredibly artificial to me. Nice, but nothing like a real engine. More like someone is playing a synthesiser with 'engine noise' selected.
Or maybe it's just me

[Ljm5]

Wow! Plenty quick enough for me and call me lazy but I wouldn't opt for the manual version - I think changing gear with buttons/paddles is cool.

[Dagnut]

Dan Trent said:

Interesting point and duly noted - we're going to have a chat about story formatting in due course and there are a few things to address since the site redesign. Thanks!

Sorry to bh mate ...the content in the stories is improving but the general layout/structure is off putting

[Dan Trent]

Not at all and thanks! Always good to hear what people like and don't like. Like I say, consider it added to the agenda!

[vrooom]

Is it just me or the wheel look too big on that porsche ?

[boxsey]

Dan, when testing, did you give it as much welly as Mr Harris

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8xWxoxsJHY

[Matt UK]

Ayahuasca said:

Mmmm, not as good as the real thing - the proper Yellow Bird at the 'Ring.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIibbiDJMpo

Top man - the minute I watch this I thought of hunting for my Yellow Brid link

[drpep]

Hmmm... sounds nice but honestly? quite honestly? I was bored.

Ooodles of ground clearance which makes it look kinda wierd for a performance sports car.

This is what modern, fast porkers should look like... Yum!

[OlberJ]

I hate to moan but do you know what i don't like? That PDK upshifting. It's too quick and seems to put the engine in the wrong rev range aurally.

There's none of that "RRRRRrrrrannnnggg..chrrp" as you change gear.

Me no likey.

Otherwise i like the way it sounds outside under load

[JohnGoodridge]

Dan Trent said:

It's purely a motorway gear really.

A EU combined cycle/Co2 emission reducing device?

[HAB]

drpep said:

Bye Bye SWB 911

[Mr_Dave]

Well that all looked pretty boring an uneventful.....

Shove your foot to the floor, it sets off fast for you.
Stamp on the brake, it stops fast for you.
Pull a lever, it changes gear for you.

Might as well park itself too, like that boring new focus does!

[mnk303]

PDK like driving cvt no passion