997 Turbo test experience

[yan]

I took the opportunity to get more acquainted with the new model in and around the Millbrook facilities recently - although it was a relatively short session to understand such a vehicle these are my immediate impressions of note - I'm a 996TT owner and don't have previous experience driving a 997 so apologies if certain comments are old-hat from earlier 997 models.

Comparing the 996 with the 997:
- Generally the car felt more precise: the steering is enhanced via the variable ratio gearing (manual device rather than electronics); the seating position is better suited to a sports car I think being a little lower and even the standard seats provide for good control through the bends.
- On road the "comfort" suspension option takes away some of the hardness of the 996 suspension - as well as handling humps more smoothly, a welcome relief I believe on crappy UK roads I'd have thought.
- If using a Tiptronic the gear changes are smoother, i.e. generally less perceptible.

Acceleration
- In a word phenominal: power perceptibly more readily available across the rev range - compared with the 996 the turbo lag is now quite minimal, i.e. you notice the difference.
- The amount of grip is incredible - even with the instructor driving I was would have expected more electronic intervention being used in high speed cornering manoeuvres.

Braking
- Brakes were standard (not ceramic) and perhaps impressed more than acceleration: braking hard from ~155mph (something I don't normally do) there was next to no veering at the wheel and this was further exemplified by braking with no hands on the steering wheel from 85mph.

Sport Chrono
- I think this option is useful although perhaps largely suited to track day use. You get a little more play before the safety electronics kick in and the braking pre-fill is disabled (there are other configurations which are re-mapped such as damping generally as well as under braking but I can't quite remember them all...). The over-boost function provides extra torque for a limited 10s - accelerating hard you could feel the difference particularly in the Tip version where you have don't have to worry about gear changes.

Tip vs Manual
- I rarely drive manuals but was able to quickly get the hang of the box which was very precise. One possible drawback over the Tip is that under hard accelaration both 1st and 2nd gears don't last long before the rev limiter kicks in - that said it was incredibly enjoyable and reminds me how much fun a manual can be, i.e. I wouldn't rule it out.
- In combination with Sport mode the Tip. holds gears longer under acceleration.
- Gear ratios aside the launch mode option with the Tip. must provide an edge on manual acceleration times. (Sport mode ON: left foot hard on brakes, floor accelerator, revs stabilise at ~2,500, turbos pressures build, release brakes). Even the build up is exilarating - roaring engine sound like aircraft building up revs before accelerating down the runway. If the rumoured DSG ever makes production it will be one awesome combination.

Summary
- Awesome.
- Developments over 996 are more perceptible than I imagined. The improvements to the handling combined with the improved power curve at the lower end enhance the car significantly for every day road use. At the sports end the adapted 3.6 is notably enhanced with VTG married as ever with exceptional brakes and safety features.
- still like the 996.

Would be interested in reading of further experiences etc. so far of the 997 Turbo.

If anyone thinks I have misrepresented a feature etc. pls correct also as there was quite a lot of new information to take in.

 

[Peter_Bull]

Janus
Thanks for the report - I really enjoyed reading it. Sounds like you had a great day out - lucky man!
How come it was at Millbrook though?
Cheers,

 

[Lancerlot]

Very interesting report, thank you. I'm at Millbrook for a 997 Turbo outing next month so I'll keep you posted.
My first impressions on road test recently were that the steering felt a little less precise than the 996tt at normal speeds, also that there was an increase in road-tyre noise that was really quite intrusive.
Did you get any sense of this?

 

[garyw]

I had a brief dealership test drive.. I found the 997tt to be much more planted at the front than the 996tt, steering felt more precise on the 997tt more than the 996tt.
I think Sport chrono is essential to hold any kind of reisidual on the car, I think it should be standard fitment also...[]

I didn't notice lots more road noise from the new one, but having read various reports stating that there is more road noise through the tyres...I can only assume I'm deaf[].
Not driven a tip version of the997tt, but my previous coupe was a tip and was a much as you describe []..

Now, just to blag myself a day out at Millbrook... [8D]

garyw

 

[yan]

"How come it was at Millbrook?"
- I took up the offer to test the vehicle in advance of specification - this is an excellent way to test drive the vehicle over-and-above the dealership outing (living in London the local experience can be extremely limited) - when I attended the launch event Porsche were encouraging taking such a test-drive in advance

"road-tyre noise really quite intrusive"
- I must say that like Gary I didn't notice this - unfortunately I didn't note the tyre make. The vehicle has an extra 40mm of tread on the ground than the 996.

"I found the 997tt to be much more planted at the front than the 996tt"
- I'd say this sums up the overall feel in a nutshell

 

[Lancerlot]

Maybe the road noise was due in part to the road surface I was on together with larger boots than on my current 996TT. However, both road noise and the lack of "feel" in the steering on initial turn-in have also been noticed in one or two recent road test reports - so I don't think I'm imagining it.
The high speed test session is booked for early next month so I'll keep you posted!

 

[andrew.cairns]

My father and I went for a test drive recently in a 997TT, he currently has a 996TT X50. I can only comment on what he said and I experienced, as I am only 20 and you have to be 21 to get covered under OPC insurance to drive the cars

.

The first thing you notice is the almost naturally aspirated feel of the car, there is not really any push like you feel in the 996 at around 2000 rpm but just seemless and endless acceleration all the way to the red line due to the new turbo technology being used. This is good, but my father found that he kept hitting the rev limiter when accelerating, which seemed to be fairly lax anyway, this was probably due to him not being familiar and used to driving the car, but his 996 does drop off just before the red line so that you don't over rev.

There is only one word for the brakes, phenominal. The test car was fitted with standard brakes, so god knows what ceramic would be like, although the salesman at the dealership said that once you have had them you won't go back to the standard, this could have just been him trying to make more in commision, but who knows until you try them. They are bigger than the 996 and this is noticible, especially under heavy braking where you feel your face being streched and pulled by the G's.

The front is steadier than the 996 and this is obvious. The suspension settings you get with the sport chrono pack are great with the standard setting being perfect for driving around town and long motorway trips being stable at high speeds and able to take agrresive driving on winding roads in its stride. Sport setting gives higher boost and stiffer suspension which can be selected individually or used in together. The sport suspension setting reverts it to how the 996TT feels in stiffness.

Inside I found the seats to be better than the 996 holding me better at the waist and sholders, but that could be because I am 6'3 and the designers have taken into account the taller driver/passenger. Interiour is the same as the 997 with only a few turbo scribes to show the model being different. For those of you who are not sure about the new style alloy wheel, the salesman told us that there is going to be a different style released soon to give you the option along with more general options.

It is a fantastic car and no doubt is a step up from the previous model, but with a hard act to follow is not really what you expect from the next generation,you really do expect more, as with the step from the 993 to the 996. More power of course would have been better and a higher top speed (although the speedo does go up to 225mph, could this be porsche understating what the car will actually do as they have previously?) My father was not tempted to place an order though, as he felt it was not worth the extra money, considering the 996 is superb car already and the step up is not huge when you can tune your 996 for less money, although he said he may be tempted when the DSG gearbox is released and the S version comes out.