918 - 3,500 mile report

[Podie]

Interesting read - please keep the thread updated!

[stefan1]

Murcielago_Boy said:

Ok Stefan - I'll take the bait (and I'm not meaning to troll you) but... do you prefer the Carrera GT?

(If I had to bet, I'd bet yes).

Thoughts?

Good question.

Despite the prima facie fundamentally similar design briefs (to be the best supercar of their generation), the two cars are quite radically different. There are similarities of course - both have race derived engines; both have CFRP monocoques; both are over-engineered.

But they drive quite differently. The CGT is dominated by two things - its extraordinary drivetrain and its steering. The engine, gearbox linkage and unique clutch define the car. The engine has gear driven camshafts. A geeky thing, but pure race car. The gearbox is the slickest manual shift I have experienced - just watch Marc Bessing driving the car around the 'Ring*. Those gearshifts are a thing of beauty, and it is a joy to try to replicate the skill that Marc displays. And the clutch, described entirely wrongly by Clarkson as "brutal", allows for an amazingly low centre of gravity - and is incredibly user friendly. When I first drove a friend's CGT (before I bought mine), I could not believe the immediacy of the steering and the quality of the feel. Today it is enhanced by the fitment of the Super Sport tyres (over the PS2 original fitment tyres).

You hopefully get the drift. This is a pure driver's car and indeed it does remain my favourite car to drive. It's a cliché, but it challenges and rewards like the finest thoroughbred.

The 918 is different. It is massively quicker than the CGT - with a maximum torque figure of c. 1,200 NM versus 590 in the CGT. Its damping control, four wheel drive and four wheel steering give huge confidence in the car's stability and grip. The PDK box is gear-change perfection, but asks nothing of the drive beyond a finger twitch.

And the 918 is also refined; whereas the CGT - cliché alert again! - is properly a race car with number plates.

All that said, I love the feel of the 918. It still has that uniquely Porsche quality of high quality engineering; beautifully weighted controls and despite the electric steering, a lovely sense of what is going on at the tyre surface.

So, after all that long-winded stuff - my view is this. The 918 is the best car - by some margin, with a much broader range of abilities. The CGT remains my favourite car.

[stefan1]

sidicks said:

Stefan

Has your car recently been detailed by a specialist in the South East?

Yes, Richard, at Refined Detail.

It has then had a full clear paint film protection added by Paintshield.

Both did a lovely job.

[stefan1]

IcedKiwi said:

SFO said:

is it like changing down 1 or 2 gears, merely lifting off?

I think he means when you push the brake pedal, the first 0.5gs are done with the electric motor and then the brakes come in. Not 0.5g regen braking when you lift off.
A lot of manufacturers struggle to control the blend between the two to give you consistent pedal feel at the change over point

That's right. Lifting off gives a normal level of deceleration. It is when you push the brake pedal that e-motors switch from being a driving force to being a generator.

[stefan1]

RSVP911 said:

Hi Stefan , great report thanks .

2 questions if I may ?

1. What colour is it ?

2. How does it compare to the 991 RS

Cheers

Thanks.

It is Liquid Metal. I was originally going to go for GT Silver (the launch colour of the CGT, and the colour of my own CGT). But the Liquid Metal paint in the flesh (when I saw it at the factory) is fantastic, with depth that was worth the nutty price.

How does it compare with the 991 RS? Well, I drove my RS shortly after coming back from the 'Ring in the CGT. The first thing that stuck me was just how light and dainty the RS felt! The 918 hides its mass supremely well, but to quote Jethro (EVO), it is a "chunky thing"! The RS feels nimble, pointy, darty by comparison.

The PDK in the RS is just as good as the 918 - supremely fast and smooth.

The pace is of course very different - if you'll forgive the Star Trek analogy, one has impulse drive, the other warp drive.

But the RS just feels more biddable, more playful. The 918 is a serious thing, and I am conscious that my skills are well below its potential. I feel like my limited talents are better to suited to the RS (I've had every generation of GT3, so feel very comfortable in them) - and so I cannot wait to take it on track. I think the RS is going to be thrilling.

Cheers

[braddo]

Great reading.

[c4sman]

QGreat reading. Definitely what PH should be about. Many thanks for posting your write up and answering dove very good questions!

[SFO]

lovely informative thread for mere mortals

do you think the 918 will ever grow in your affection as much as the CGT?

[mollytherocker]

Some really informative detail for us amateurs!

I love your CGT/918 comparison, it makes sense!

[isaldiri]

Great to read that, tks for taking the time and even better to see the car (and your CGT!) used as intended!

[RSVP911]

stefan1 said:

Thanks.

It is Liquid Metal. I was originally going to go for GT Silver (the launch colour of the CGT, and the colour of my own CGT). But the Liquid Metal paint in the flesh (when I saw it at the factory) is fantastic, with depth that was worth the nutty price.

How does it compare with the 991 RS? Well, I drove my RS shortly after coming back from the 'Ring in the CGT. The first thing that stuck me was just how light and dainty the RS felt! The 918 hides its mass supremely well, but to quote Jethro (EVO), it is a "chunky thing"! The RS feels nimble, pointy, darty by comparison.

The PDK in the RS is just as good as the 918 - supremely fast and smooth.

The pace is of course very different - if you'll forgive the Star Trek analogy, one has impulse drive, the other warp drive.

But the RS just feels more biddable, more playful. The 918 is a serious thing, and I am conscious that my skills are well below its potential. I feel like my limited talents are better to suited to the RS (I've had every generation of GT3, so feel very comfortable in them) - and so I cannot wait to take it on track. I think the RS is going to be thrilling.
R
Cheers

Cheers thanks , interesting stuff , I've not seen the Liquid Metal in the flesh , I bet it's amazing . Really looking forward to my RS now , not too long (I hope)

[sidicks]

stefan1 said:

Yes, Richard, at Refined Detail.

It has then had a full clear paint film protection added by Paintshield.

Both did a lovely job.

Ah, in that case not the one I saw at SL Restoration in Crawley last week then?!

Looked to be a similar colour and was having the full G-techniq detail.

[Mark A S]

Great stuff, fantastic collection of "Toys" you have

[mackay45]

Spotted you on the way back from LM on the Monday and it was definitely a highlight of the trip!

Saw a 918 out of the corner of my eye as we were driving from the queue section for the train round to the train itself in Calais. We were on the same train as you but in the car section, so I tried to see if I could walk down to the coach section to have a nose, but found out you can't walk between the two.

Arriving back in the UK my mate and I decided we must have been in front of you getting off the train, so drove very slowly with the hope you'd catch us up/overtake us which you duly did. Was great seeing a 918 in motion!