GT4 RS/ Spyder RS Experiences, Driving and Technical
Discussion
TDT said:
A good read Tyrone, and thought provoking for someone on a slightly alternative take on the same GT4 RS quest like me... I'm sure I got the magazine at some point, but home life is unnecessarily complex just now, without asking if the Porsche comic turned up during my last 2-week foreign trip.With my usual hopeless optimism, I'd booked a PEC Precision day at Silverstone for March 6th, somehow thinking Spring will have sprung, my ST discs might be on the car, and I'd be going with my nice new mag. wheels and a Suspension Secrets check over. It has definitely settled on the springs a little bit and needs a tweak upwards in ride height.
This weekend's reality check is that the discs are close but not finished, and Suspension Secrets are in the middle of a premises move. And of course Spring doesn't yet seem all that close.
I'll try to get a set of PS4S fitted before I head down to Silverstone, as it's likely to be cold or wet, and just as likely both. That will give me a chance to check over the relatively recent Cup 2 set (one wet track day on the fronts; one dry, one wet on the rears? Can't remember!), before getting them fitted to the gorgeous mag wheels that have been getting bored out of their minds in my workshop since the middle of last summer.
Can't wait to get back out in the 4RS again, even though the latest set of mods is going to have to be happening in the background.
Liam
Silverstone International today for Porsche "Precision" experience, with the aforementioned PS4S's fitted to my GT4 RS. It wasn't wet, which I had expected, but it also wasn't warm.
PS4S was the perfect tyre for the conditions. I'd got them as road tyres so I could stick them on the original aluminium alloy wheels and put Cup 2s on the new set of mag wheels I bought last summer. But then realising my "low unsprung weight" conversion wasn't going to be ready in time, opted for PS4S on the ally wheels for the track day.
First of all, SO much less road noise. Not exactly relaxing, but a huge difference in general roar from the motorway on the 3 hour drive down.
Next, the PS4S's are REALLY forgiving on track, given the 7 degree temperature and need to get warmth into tyres. Once out on the track and tyres starting to warm up, the instructor said I'd reputedly be giving up 2 seconds a lap. Initially I said less than a second. But then once I'd bled the pressures down and got back onto my (slightly humble) pace, my opinion was that I'd be just as quick, maybe quicker, given the track is recovering from winter and it was still pretty cold. But I was still reluctant about firing up the Porsche Precision app, as I was probably only doing 1:18 ish laps, and my PB last year in the warm and dry on Cup 2s was 1:15.28.
Spent the second half of the morning tidying up braking points and getting the apex "attitude" and speed right for quick exits and straights, and over a ridiculously nice lunch, decided it was time to fire up the app and record a few lap times in the afternoon. Surprisingly, was in the low 1:16s pretty much straight off. With a little care and thought, got into the mid 15s by early afternoon, and recorded a new PB of 1:15.03 mid afternoon.
Could easily have spent a bit more time getting the car into the 1:14s, but the front left was taking quite a hammering, and they are supposed to be my road tyres for the year in that car. I was running 5 laps at a time maximum in the afternoon. Could have let more air out and stayed out longer, but definitely into diminishing returns, and the left rear had already been bled down by about 9 PSI.
Short summary is that as a road car, the GT4 RS seems an awful lot better on PS4S than Cup 2. As a track car, PS4S are fine when it's cold, but I think tyre temp/pressure management might be an issue once we get to proper spring and summer track temperatures.
I am still totally sold on the Suspension Secrets full kinematics package. Sitting a little too low as I haven't got around to getting ride height raised, but unless I'm on hige dips in country roads, no issues. The car is just ridiculously easy to drive on the limit, and so much more forgiving of my type errors than the standard setup.
As for carbon brakes, and shares in carbon brake manufacturing... Trying not to think about it! Next month's Oulton Park outing will likely be on mag wheels, Cup 2 tyres, and iron brake rotors.
Liam
PS4S was the perfect tyre for the conditions. I'd got them as road tyres so I could stick them on the original aluminium alloy wheels and put Cup 2s on the new set of mag wheels I bought last summer. But then realising my "low unsprung weight" conversion wasn't going to be ready in time, opted for PS4S on the ally wheels for the track day.
First of all, SO much less road noise. Not exactly relaxing, but a huge difference in general roar from the motorway on the 3 hour drive down.
Next, the PS4S's are REALLY forgiving on track, given the 7 degree temperature and need to get warmth into tyres. Once out on the track and tyres starting to warm up, the instructor said I'd reputedly be giving up 2 seconds a lap. Initially I said less than a second. But then once I'd bled the pressures down and got back onto my (slightly humble) pace, my opinion was that I'd be just as quick, maybe quicker, given the track is recovering from winter and it was still pretty cold. But I was still reluctant about firing up the Porsche Precision app, as I was probably only doing 1:18 ish laps, and my PB last year in the warm and dry on Cup 2s was 1:15.28.
Spent the second half of the morning tidying up braking points and getting the apex "attitude" and speed right for quick exits and straights, and over a ridiculously nice lunch, decided it was time to fire up the app and record a few lap times in the afternoon. Surprisingly, was in the low 1:16s pretty much straight off. With a little care and thought, got into the mid 15s by early afternoon, and recorded a new PB of 1:15.03 mid afternoon.
Could easily have spent a bit more time getting the car into the 1:14s, but the front left was taking quite a hammering, and they are supposed to be my road tyres for the year in that car. I was running 5 laps at a time maximum in the afternoon. Could have let more air out and stayed out longer, but definitely into diminishing returns, and the left rear had already been bled down by about 9 PSI.
Short summary is that as a road car, the GT4 RS seems an awful lot better on PS4S than Cup 2. As a track car, PS4S are fine when it's cold, but I think tyre temp/pressure management might be an issue once we get to proper spring and summer track temperatures.
I am still totally sold on the Suspension Secrets full kinematics package. Sitting a little too low as I haven't got around to getting ride height raised, but unless I'm on hige dips in country roads, no issues. The car is just ridiculously easy to drive on the limit, and so much more forgiving of my type errors than the standard setup.
As for carbon brakes, and shares in carbon brake manufacturing... Trying not to think about it! Next month's Oulton Park outing will likely be on mag wheels, Cup 2 tyres, and iron brake rotors.
Liam
Excellent video - and I directly recognise everything he says.
I found the car be much better to my taste being flatter also, taking some of the rake out of the car.
And then on the aero…. I did Oulton park at the back end of last year with aero in MdF in the AM and then HdF in the PM and PM the car was much more confident.
Just got back in from RS day at Oulton Park today, where the conditions came good in the afternoon. Car was set to MdF and it definitely was more flighty vs HdF on the previous event… because time was limited I didnt bother changing. But video comments confirm that there is quite an effective little package on the car already, and it can even be levelled up with few bits - if someone wants to go that way
LiamH66 said:
Silverstone International today for Porsche "Precision" experience, with the aforementioned PS4S's fitted to my GT4 RS. It wasn't wet, which I had expected, but it also wasn't warm.
PS4S was the perfect tyre for the conditions. I'd got them as road tyres so I could stick them on the original aluminium alloy wheels and put Cup 2s on the new set of mag wheels I bought last summer. But then realising my "low unsprung weight" conversion wasn't going to be ready in time, opted for PS4S on the ally wheels for the track day.
First of all, SO much less road noise. Not exactly relaxing, but a huge difference in general roar from the motorway on the 3 hour drive down.
Next, the PS4S's are REALLY forgiving on track, given the 7 degree temperature and need to get warmth into tyres. Once out on the track and tyres starting to warm up, the instructor said I'd reputedly be giving up 2 seconds a lap. Initially I said less than a second. But then once I'd bled the pressures down and got back onto my (slightly humble) pace, my opinion was that I'd be just as quick, maybe quicker, given the track is recovering from winter and it was still pretty cold. But I was still reluctant about firing up the Porsche Precision app, as I was probably only doing 1:18 ish laps, and my PB last year in the warm and dry on Cup 2s was 1:15.28.
Spent the second half of the morning tidying up braking points and getting the apex "attitude" and speed right for quick exits and straights, and over a ridiculously nice lunch, decided it was time to fire up the app and record a few lap times in the afternoon. Surprisingly, was in the low 1:16s pretty much straight off. With a little care and thought, got into the mid 15s by early afternoon, and recorded a new PB of 1:15.03 mid afternoon.
Could easily have spent a bit more time getting the car into the 1:14s, but the front left was taking quite a hammering, and they are supposed to be my road tyres for the year in that car. I was running 5 laps at a time maximum in the afternoon. Could have let more air out and stayed out longer, but definitely into diminishing returns, and the left rear had already been bled down by about 9 PSI.
Short summary is that as a road car, the GT4 RS seems an awful lot better on PS4S than Cup 2. As a track car, PS4S are fine when it's cold, but I think tyre temp/pressure management might be an issue once we get to proper spring and summer track temperatures.
I am still totally sold on the Suspension Secrets full kinematics package. Sitting a little too low as I haven't got around to getting ride height raised, but unless I'm on hige dips in country roads, no issues. The car is just ridiculously easy to drive on the limit, and so much more forgiving of my type errors than the standard setup.
As for carbon brakes, and shares in carbon brake manufacturing... Trying not to think about it! Next month's Oulton Park outing will likely be on mag wheels, Cup 2 tyres, and iron brake rotors.
Liam
Sounds like you had great fun! PS4S was the perfect tyre for the conditions. I'd got them as road tyres so I could stick them on the original aluminium alloy wheels and put Cup 2s on the new set of mag wheels I bought last summer. But then realising my "low unsprung weight" conversion wasn't going to be ready in time, opted for PS4S on the ally wheels for the track day.
First of all, SO much less road noise. Not exactly relaxing, but a huge difference in general roar from the motorway on the 3 hour drive down.
Next, the PS4S's are REALLY forgiving on track, given the 7 degree temperature and need to get warmth into tyres. Once out on the track and tyres starting to warm up, the instructor said I'd reputedly be giving up 2 seconds a lap. Initially I said less than a second. But then once I'd bled the pressures down and got back onto my (slightly humble) pace, my opinion was that I'd be just as quick, maybe quicker, given the track is recovering from winter and it was still pretty cold. But I was still reluctant about firing up the Porsche Precision app, as I was probably only doing 1:18 ish laps, and my PB last year in the warm and dry on Cup 2s was 1:15.28.
Spent the second half of the morning tidying up braking points and getting the apex "attitude" and speed right for quick exits and straights, and over a ridiculously nice lunch, decided it was time to fire up the app and record a few lap times in the afternoon. Surprisingly, was in the low 1:16s pretty much straight off. With a little care and thought, got into the mid 15s by early afternoon, and recorded a new PB of 1:15.03 mid afternoon.
Could easily have spent a bit more time getting the car into the 1:14s, but the front left was taking quite a hammering, and they are supposed to be my road tyres for the year in that car. I was running 5 laps at a time maximum in the afternoon. Could have let more air out and stayed out longer, but definitely into diminishing returns, and the left rear had already been bled down by about 9 PSI.
Short summary is that as a road car, the GT4 RS seems an awful lot better on PS4S than Cup 2. As a track car, PS4S are fine when it's cold, but I think tyre temp/pressure management might be an issue once we get to proper spring and summer track temperatures.
I am still totally sold on the Suspension Secrets full kinematics package. Sitting a little too low as I haven't got around to getting ride height raised, but unless I'm on hige dips in country roads, no issues. The car is just ridiculously easy to drive on the limit, and so much more forgiving of my type errors than the standard setup.
As for carbon brakes, and shares in carbon brake manufacturing... Trying not to think about it! Next month's Oulton Park outing will likely be on mag wheels, Cup 2 tyres, and iron brake rotors.
Liam
PS4S were definitely the right tyre for the AM at Oulton today.
But conditions came good in the afternoon and its was about ok enough to get heat into Cup2 and have them build and maintain stable pressure and performance, although my set are a little old from summer last year - but fine enough for season opener.
Couple of basic questions if ok ......
How do people tend to find the standard set-up for road use given our atrocious roads ?
Can't decide on the GT4 RS or the Spyder.
Whilst I like open top motoring the roof concerns me plus seems far more Spyders for sale VS GT4's.
Did many of you try both cars before you came to a decision?
Spyder possibility better for road use if I can get over the roof ?
TIA
How do people tend to find the standard set-up for road use given our atrocious roads ?
Can't decide on the GT4 RS or the Spyder.
Whilst I like open top motoring the roof concerns me plus seems far more Spyders for sale VS GT4's.
Did many of you try both cars before you came to a decision?
Spyder possibility better for road use if I can get over the roof ?
TIA
Spyder is better for road use as it has the suspension from the regular GT4 which is absolutely spot on. The Coupe is very much stiffer fundamentally a bit s
t from the factory really as you can see by most of us either doing the suspension secrets stuff or getting the DCS controller.
I really like coupe cars generally (even though I make a living selling convertible Lotus cars!) but I generally personally prefer a tin top but I can't help thinking that the Spyder might have been a better option for me although once I start getting out on track a bit more I think it will be a perfect fit. The coupe is still good on the road but you do IMHO need to do "something" with the suspension for road use to optimise the brilliant chassis.
t from the factory really as you can see by most of us either doing the suspension secrets stuff or getting the DCS controller. I really like coupe cars generally (even though I make a living selling convertible Lotus cars!) but I generally personally prefer a tin top but I can't help thinking that the Spyder might have been a better option for me although once I start getting out on track a bit more I think it will be a perfect fit. The coupe is still good on the road but you do IMHO need to do "something" with the suspension for road use to optimise the brilliant chassis.
fridaypassion said:
Spyder is better for road use as it has the suspension from the regular GT4 which is absolutely spot on. The Coupe is very much stiffer fundamentally a bit st from the factory really as you can see by most of us either doing the suspension secrets stuff or getting the DCS controller.
I really like coupe cars generally (even though I make a living selling convertible Lotus cars!) but I generally personally prefer a tin top but I can't help thinking that the Spyder might have been a better option for me although once I start getting out on track a bit more I think it will be a perfect fit. The coupe is still good on the road but you do IMHO need to do "something" with the suspension for road use to optimise the brilliant chassis.
Many thanks. t from the factory really as you can see by most of us either doing the suspension secrets stuff or getting the DCS controller. I really like coupe cars generally (even though I make a living selling convertible Lotus cars!) but I generally personally prefer a tin top but I can't help thinking that the Spyder might have been a better option for me although once I start getting out on track a bit more I think it will be a perfect fit. The coupe is still good on the road but you do IMHO need to do "something" with the suspension for road use to optimise the brilliant chassis.
Didn't get to see a Spyder today only the Coupe & got to jump in and out of the GT4 ( slightly worried about getting in and out at 49 with bad knees but thankfully no issues with the GT4) so would like to see both back to back .
Looks like the roof line on the GT4 is curved whereas the Spyder when the roof on is flatter so getting in and out might be easier.
Seating position was bang on in the 4RS after some fettling with seat hight and steering angle , so all good there.
I'm no tech geek so playing with suspension settings on a GT4 unlikely an option so I'd take the car to the likes of JZM if too much maybe.
Is the noise of the intakes slightly less in the GT4 over the Spyder ? From watching some reviews the intake noise in the GT4 seems to have a more 'basey' note not the shriek at the top end.
One review of the Spyder I've watched the driver is wearing ear plugs !
If using the car in the winter months, has anyone switched from the cup 2's to the Michelins pilot sports ?
In years past I've had some relatively hard cars such as a 996RS and a couple of 997 GT4's. I'd say the set-up on the 996 made it a far worse road car VS the 997's.
Thanks once again
Edited by Esquire on Monday 9th March 06:09
Edited by Esquire on Monday 9th March 07:12
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