718 review - test drove today

[DJMC]

bcr5784 said:

While I think that electric cars are the future, I'm not sure ones with batteries are. Fuel cells don't have anything like the weight penalty - and we're not going to run out of Hydrogen any time soon.

Yes, the sooner the investment into this rather than hopeless electric cars the better.

Porsche are working on the "Hindenburg GT5" as we speak.

As for autonomous tech - that too will never ever work. After a 100,000% increase in road deaths as they become more common, they will be withdrawn from use.

...no other rants... just these two...

[PhantomPH]

Not to derail the thread, but I thought the process of getting hydrogen in the correct form and stored was incredibly inefficient and ‘expensive’ (in energy terms)? I don’t really know as obviously the world moves fast these days!

[Tim bo]

PhantomPH said:

Not to derail the thread, but I thought the process of getting hydrogen in the correct form and stored was incredibly inefficient and ‘expensive’ (in energy terms)? I don’t really know as obviously the world moves fast these days!

Yes, that is indeed the hindrance. It either needs to be stored in gaseous form at high pressure but normal temperatue, or liquid form at normal pressure but at freezing temperatures. Either form makes both transportation and storage expensive by today's standards.

However, as with all new tech, as supply ramps up economies of scale kick in, more efficient transportation/storage methods are developed and it gets cheaper and cheaper to do. Idea is that current petrol stations will be converted. There already are supply stations popping up across Europe. Busses in London and elsewhere run on hydrogen today.

[tracydeedance]

bcr5784 said:

tracydeedance said:

Dilemma is if you want or need to change and stick with the brand looks like it's the future.

Edited by tracydeedance on Saturday 8th July 19:37

But why would you want to stick with the brand? Unless it's better of course. I simply don't understand brand loyalty for it's own sake.
[/quot

Always had Porsches nothing else does it for me sorry and yes have had other marques.

[tracydeedance]

DJMC said:

How will we cope when Porsche exhaust sounds are fully manufactured in 10-20 years time when all vehicles are electric and our old GT4s/GT3s etc have been compulsorily purchased by the govt. to be scrapped, or can't be run as all the petrol stations have disappeared?

Not that there will be enough sustainable electricity in the world to power them all of course, but nobody seems to have realised that yet.

...a little rant there...

Will be the end of car hobby for many of us.

[Bennachie]

Not that there will be enough sustainable electricity in the world to power them all of course, but nobody seems to have realised that yet.



This (above). UK is marginal on electricty in autumn and winter despite recent 'warm' winters. Where is all the extra automotive electricity coming from?
Wind? er no, can't cope with winter storms so they are feathered. I have yet to see a wind array with all props turning - at any time of the year. Coldest conditions in the UK are cyclonic - winter high pressure with intense cold and - you guessed it - no or little wind. Solar is mightily degraded in winter not just by greater cloud cover but by reduced angle of incidence of the sun's rays due to degraded aspect because of the earth's tilt.

Seems none in power (see what I did there?) has had any joined up thinking about this. Our once world leading nuclear generation network has been allowed to decline and essentially wither, leaving 'foreign', inferior pressurised water systems to be built, thus reducing efficiency and arguably safety due to their design.


The horse is a fun thing to play with at the week end (apparently) I hope that the ICE powered 'horse' will be of the same ilk in 20 years' time.

Rant over.

[PhantomPH]

Recent article regarding the provision of electricity from 'renewables'. The side effect of this is that with 'renewables' you can scale up. There is only a certain about of fossil fuel available to us, but renewable has (in theory) infinite scalability: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40198567

As I said above, you can make changes to your own home to such an extent that you could (almost - depending on commitment) remove your dependance on the national grid. Housing estates are now being built where all new homes have solar panels.

I think the future is far from Mad Max time ad very much about consumers being increasingly responsible for their own generation, storage and usage.

For me, I intend to go solar and mount a couple of Tesla Powerwalls inside my garage when available. After that point it becomes all about scale.

Plus if I do that, then I will be able to drive an 8mpg car guilt free.

[DJMC]

PhantomPH said:

For me, I intend to go solar and mount a couple of Tesla Powerwalls inside my garage when available. After that point it becomes all about scale.

What will power your Powerwall?

[Mario149]

tracydeedance said:

DJMC said:

How will we cope when Porsche exhaust sounds are fully manufactured in 10-20 years time when all vehicles are electric and our old GT4s/GT3s etc have been compulsorily purchased by the govt. to be scrapped, or can't be run as all the petrol stations have disappeared?

Not that there will be enough sustainable electricity in the world to power them all of course, but nobody seems to have realised that yet.

...a little rant there...

Will be the end of car hobby for many of us.

We'll be alright, cars that require a human to drive will go the way of horses: only enthusiasts will have them. Personally I'm looking forward to it all. Yes fuel/insurance etc will be more expensive, but the roads will be clearer and have less muppets on for when you do want to enjoy a drive. And when it's a mundane journey, I'll be quite happy dialling up a driverless uber bubble car or whatever to take me from home in the sticks to work in London in a car share.

[bcr5784]

tracydeedance said:

But why would you want to stick with the brand? Unless it's better of course. I simply don't understand brand loyalty for it's own sake.
[/quot

Always had Porsches nothing else does it for me sorry and yes have had other marques.

What does that mean? Is it an image thing or something substantial?

[PhantomPH]

DJMC said:

PhantomPH said:

For me, I intend to go solar and mount a couple of Tesla Powerwalls inside my garage when available. After that point it becomes all about scale.

What will power your Powerwall?

I have highlighted the part of my quote you missed.

The Powerwall is just a storage unit for the electricity you generate. So instead of pushing back to the Grid, I will store as much as poss.

ETA: You guys know that self-sustaining houses have been around for years, don't you?

Edited by PhantomPH on Tuesday 11th July 11:43

[PhantomPH]

Just to be that guy, I thought I would share this as well: https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/solarroof

I don't believe for one second that the future does not feature similar tech available on all homes/buildings reducing the Grid demand in line with increased requirements.

These things are expensive now, but...etc.

[Pinball]

This is another interesting development in solar power.

http://www.wired.co.uk/article/polysolar-startup-s...

[Jefferson Steelflex]

I had a brief test drive last week before placing my order for a 718 CS. Thought it sounded ok, i'm coming from a Golf R so probably not the best comparison, nor have I have I ever ridden in a 981 so I cannot make complete comparison. It sounded sporty enough to me, and most importantly it steered, handled and stopped better than any car I've ever driven. The manual box was superb. Truly excellent all round, plus it pulled like a train for good measure.

I don't get these comments about engine noise. To me they are just not important day-to-day to influence whether I buy the car or not, and I suspect that it is really the same for most people. All this talk of the sound ruining the car is just bks, and is more likely just a self-fulfilling prophecy from people who want to dislike the car for the one thing that every 'expert' tells them is the issue. I'll accept less characterful, I think that's probably fair, but ruinous is a bit much.

True story this - a good friend of mine has a particularly attractive wife, stunning body and she (allegedly) is happy to please in the bedroom. She has a very strange lisp with a speech impediment so speaks from the side of her mouth. She is also nags a lot. When I first met her I was amazed at the contradiction. A bit like the new 718, the most important bits are so good that you could live with the rest.

[ORD]

You've gone from a nasty characterless 4-pot to a slightly less nasty 4-pot and think it's great. No surprises there.

Drive a 997 GT3 and come back to us on how we are wrong to like NA 6 cylinder engines.

[Twinfan]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I don't get these comments about engine noise. To me they are just not important day-to-day to influence whether I buy the car or not, and I suspect that it is really the same for most people. All this talk of the sound ruining the car is just bks, and is more likely just a self-fulfilling prophecy from people who want to dislike the car for the one thing that every 'expert' tells them is the issue. I'll accept less characterful, I think that's probably fair, but ruinous is a bit much.

Key part highlighted, and yes it is important to others and it does influence them but obviously not yourself.

Sound and more importantly throttle response completely ruin the car for me and Mrs Twinfan, and it's not bks. We hated it.

Edited by Twinfan on Wednesday 12th July 14:03

[Mario149]

ORD said:

You've gone from a nasty characterless 4-pot to a slightly less nasty 4-pot and think it's great. No surprises there.

Drive a 997 GT3 and come back to us on how we are wrong to like NA 6 cylinder engines.

Brutal, but prob true TBH

[PhantomPH]

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I don't get these comments about engine noise. To me they are just not important day-to-day to influence whether I buy the car or not, and I suspect that it is really the same for most people. All this talk of the sound ruining the car is just bks, and is more likely just a self-fulfilling prophecy from people who want to dislike the car for the one thing that every 'expert' tells them is the issue. I'll accept less characterful, I think that's probably fair, but ruinous is a bit much.

True story this - a good friend of mine has a particularly attractive wife, stunning body and she (allegedly) is happy to please in the bedroom. She has a very strange lisp with a speech impediment so speaks from the side of her mouth. She is also nags a lot. When I first met her I was amazed at the contradiction. A bit like the new 718, the most important bits are so good that you could live with the rest.

I think others have said, but I will try it a little more politely - there is nothing 'wrong' with the engine (and associated sound) unless you are used to something better. I went from S3 to CGTS so same engine as you have in the R. The NA6 in my new car is so much more orgasmicly wonderful it should probably be on Pornhub somewhere.

Whilst jumping out of the CGTS and into a different vehicle will be fine, the 718 is the evolution of the 981...so you will be in a very familiar environment where the biggest thing you notice is the change in engine. A bit like when you sleep in a hotel - yes it's like your bedroom at home, but it's just not the same. Familiar and can even be nice, but most people love getting back into their own bed.

As for your mate's wife - fk that noise. I would be completely consumed by the lisp which would reduce my attraction and ultimately make me hugely disappointed and not want her anymore.

It's like when I discover a hot girl cannot dance. Nothing puts me off quicker than a no-rhythm-having tart who looks like an airport windsock on the dancefloor.

[bcr5784]

Twinfan said:

Sound and more importantly throttle response completely ruin the car for me and Mrs Twinfan, and it's not bks. We hated it.

Edited by Twinfan on Wednesday 12th July 14:03

Sort of agree. Once the turbo is spooled up throttle response is fine - but it's the lag that was a killer for me. The noise I could live with - but it would be far better if it didn't make so much of it.

I would add there are those on here who "knew" that a 4 cylinder turbo was going to be truly awful, and would never be convinced it could be any good - I reserved judgement until I tried it.

Edited by bcr5784 on Wednesday 12th July 16:18

[dreamcar]

Twinfan said:

Jefferson Steelflex said:

I don't get these comments about engine noise. To me they are just not important day-to-day to influence whether I buy the car or not, and I suspect that it is really the same for most people. All this talk of the sound ruining the car is just bks, and is more likely just a self-fulfilling prophecy from people who want to dislike the car for the one thing that every 'expert' tells them is the issue. I'll accept less characterful, I think that's probably fair, but ruinous is a bit much.

Key part highlighted, and yes it is important to others and it does influence them but obviously not yourself.

Sound and more importantly throttle response completely ruin the car for me and Mrs Twinfan, and it's not bks. We hated it.

Edited by Twinfan on Wednesday 12th July 14:03

+2 (SWMBO and myself)