Thoughts on Gen 2 C2S after 2 weeks.
Given that a couple of weeks have now past since I got my car I though I would share my thoughts... classified by my options...
My options were:
Gen 2 C2S Coupe
Great choice I think. I am glad that I didn't get tempted by the std Carrera as I would always feel that I could have had more. I use the car every day for commuting (life is too short afterall) and I have 2 young kids (under 7) so the rear seats are great. Maybe a turbo in the future (and I am hoping to get a GT3RS gen 2 next year as a track car) but for this car I really wanted the DFI and PDK technology so the C2S was perfect timing.
There is no shortage of power though, infact it is mindblowing; acceleration is as fast as I could imagine and I am yet to try the launch control. It really is impossible to see what the car can do as you just head towards the speed limit so quickly. Overtaking is effortless as you would expect when you are just so much quicker than 99% of other vehicles.
Coupe is right for me, I am not a convertible person and I live in the UK so hard to justify. I would always choose the rigidity of the Coupe anyway.....if I had a bottomless pitt of money maybe a targa for the summer months but the Coupe is perfect in the real world.
Ruby Red
My previous Porsche was meteor and although a lovely colour I wanted to be bolder this time around with out going to yellow etc. I would have gone for Carrera white if it wasn't such an in vogue colour at the moment. The red is stunning though, you will have seen that I have posted lots of pics. Opinion from people who have commented is that 80% love it and 20% hate it, there is little middle ground.
I guess most importantly I really like it, it stands out is a classy way, and then disappears into the distance.
I comment separately below but this colour works so well with the carrera sport wheels and the painted rear section of centre console - it all just pulls together.
19" Carrera Sport Wheels
As above they look great especially as they are painted GT silver, most discerning people really notice this difference. The best thing though is they are so much easier to clean than the sport designs I had before, I guess the fact that they are painted helps but the simple spoke design makes cleaning easy - although brake dust does stand out on the red calipers.
The brakes are exactly what you expect, very good pressure linearity and quick to stop you if required. I feel very confident driving the car.
Black leather
Personal choice but I like black interiors - the full leather is nice; looks very classy.
Sports Seats
Far more comfortable than the normal seats in my opinion and they really hug you in; I'll see how they perform on the track when I get there next. Of course if you have these seats you cannot have the seat ventilation - not a problem for me as an expensive option for someone living in the UK esp when they use the back seats and I believe the option takes up some space.
Guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve with your car, but I think given the aircon being very good you would need to live in a v hot climate to justify this option above the sport seat.
PDK
I guess this is the big one for most people, so my thoughts: This is an excellent gearbox. Considering the D mode you have to consider the 3 settings. In normal mode the box is a beautiful grand tourer, the shifts are quiet, no virtually silent ad you cannot feel them; if you do not look at the rev counter or ratio indicator you do not know where you are. In this mode the gear changes are set up to keep the car at 1500 rpm it seems - 7th is quickly achieved, but the car will happily drop as many gears as required if you 'kickdown' - it seems to anticipate the required power so quickly and there is zero lag in achieving the desired response. By controlling the accelerator you can pick between down to 2nd and go flat out or so drop to 5th or 4th for say motorway overtaking.
In sport mode the anti is upped considerably - the gearbox seems to switch between passively sport and animal depending on how you drive; rev matching is perfect and I mean perfect. Here the car seems to hold 5th gear more when cruising only reverting to 7th after some time. In this mode it feels like a very good track instructor is driving you in a manual.
In sport plus the car's personality is awesome, it is just focused on being very very quick - gear changes are at the redline and the push from the seat back is amazing. Here the car will hold 600rpm just waiting dor you to go again. Breathtaking!
I've spent about 80% of my time thud far in manual mode and found myself liking the sport mode here to reduce the throttle response. In manual it is like learning a new skill. I have been gear changing using the buttons and have quickly developed a style that works for me. I know there is a lot of debate but I don't see them being too different from paddles, maybe a problem if you have a Ferrari with a different set up - nice problem to have. I don't use the stick as I have a rally driving background and am used to a 'conventional sequential box in terms of up down direction - the one time I used it to show it to my wife I got it the wrong way round going from 3rd to second instead of to 4th!!
The style of manual driving really is the way forward, changes are quick and silent and effortless! One problem that I am learning to deal with though: When you drive a manual you cut power at the redline using the clutch and it is pretty instant - with the buttons there is a small delay between button press and change, tiny albeit and only really noticeable in normal mode but this means that if you change at redline you actually hit the limiter - you need to learn when to change a fraction before so that power is delivered to the red line just before the change. This is minor and I could only see it being a problem if you were 1. Driving very hard in normal mode and 2. Not really paying attention. Small point but worthy of note.
The pdk box also allows for plenty of left foot braking making trail braking easy and I guess will be off benefit at the track.
In terms of the general performance of the box round town up hills etc - perfect - no detail just perfect.
Sport Chrono Plus icw PDK
As I said I haven't tried the launch control yet and the chrono is as before so no real comment.
PASM Sport with - 20mm and LSD
I've said before and will no doubt say it again - this is the best value option on the list. Ok in normal driving the diff is fairly redundant but it helps in extreme wet and on the tarck it will be great.
The -20mm bit makes the car sit down properly; from the back and side it just looks great; the wheels arches are full.
The SPASM for me works fine; in normal mode it is still adaptive and kepe you protected from all but the really bumpy stuff; even in sport or sport plus you can revert this back to normal and that is what I tend to do. When in sport mode it is not s much the firmness that you notice but the flat entry of the car, I think the car has the potential for some very fast cornering with this option. In conjunction with sport plus - you have a race car.
Again this one is all about what you want from the car and where you want to spend you option $, but look at it this way - Porsche make a great chassis - why not fully exploit it with the best suspension set up they have?
Heated Seats
Essential in the UK and not really a feature of the gen 2 - I like this option and will always have it
Heated steering wheel
Pretty much as above - it is activated by a button behind the wheel at the 6pm position - I read somewhere that is was automatic at <12 celcius, but this is not correct I have a button that quickly warms the wheels.
Floor mats
Can't believe we pay for these in the UK.
Rear section of centre console painted in ext colour
A really nice feature esp with the red, I really like this and it breaks up the black inside, I was nervous but it looks fab and adds to the sporty theme.
Door entry guards in Stainless Steel
Asthetic choice - I don't like thelit ones and think these offer a good balance - personal choice.
PCM extended Navigation
I really like this module, the PCM 3 is great and the touchscreen makes life easier. The handbook is only just shorter than war and peace but it is pretty intuitive in a Mac kinda way. The navigation is accurate and where I kinda resent paying the extra for this one the whole package is really very good.
Bluetooth telephone module
As above really this makes a big difference - pairing via Bluetooth took 20 secs and it downloaded my entire phonebook easily. An essential and very good option.
iPod adapter
Again as above, really easy to connect and a nice to have - OK it is a universal audio interface but I think I will only use the ipod bit....has all the ipod menues but a bit difficult to navigate when driving - suggest the use of playlists!
All in all this package makes for a very good PCM system.
In general terms, I am very pleased with the car. It is everything I wanted it to be and more. I feel I am developing a relationship with the handling and when I get it nailed; the car will be very very capable. Role on tomorrow morning when I can drive to work!!
My options were:
Gen 2 C2S Coupe
Great choice I think. I am glad that I didn't get tempted by the std Carrera as I would always feel that I could have had more. I use the car every day for commuting (life is too short afterall) and I have 2 young kids (under 7) so the rear seats are great. Maybe a turbo in the future (and I am hoping to get a GT3RS gen 2 next year as a track car) but for this car I really wanted the DFI and PDK technology so the C2S was perfect timing.
There is no shortage of power though, infact it is mindblowing; acceleration is as fast as I could imagine and I am yet to try the launch control. It really is impossible to see what the car can do as you just head towards the speed limit so quickly. Overtaking is effortless as you would expect when you are just so much quicker than 99% of other vehicles.
Coupe is right for me, I am not a convertible person and I live in the UK so hard to justify. I would always choose the rigidity of the Coupe anyway.....if I had a bottomless pitt of money maybe a targa for the summer months but the Coupe is perfect in the real world.
Ruby Red
My previous Porsche was meteor and although a lovely colour I wanted to be bolder this time around with out going to yellow etc. I would have gone for Carrera white if it wasn't such an in vogue colour at the moment. The red is stunning though, you will have seen that I have posted lots of pics. Opinion from people who have commented is that 80% love it and 20% hate it, there is little middle ground.
I guess most importantly I really like it, it stands out is a classy way, and then disappears into the distance.
I comment separately below but this colour works so well with the carrera sport wheels and the painted rear section of centre console - it all just pulls together.
19" Carrera Sport Wheels
As above they look great especially as they are painted GT silver, most discerning people really notice this difference. The best thing though is they are so much easier to clean than the sport designs I had before, I guess the fact that they are painted helps but the simple spoke design makes cleaning easy - although brake dust does stand out on the red calipers.
The brakes are exactly what you expect, very good pressure linearity and quick to stop you if required. I feel very confident driving the car.
Black leather
Personal choice but I like black interiors - the full leather is nice; looks very classy.
Sports Seats
Far more comfortable than the normal seats in my opinion and they really hug you in; I'll see how they perform on the track when I get there next. Of course if you have these seats you cannot have the seat ventilation - not a problem for me as an expensive option for someone living in the UK esp when they use the back seats and I believe the option takes up some space.
Guess it depends on what you are trying to achieve with your car, but I think given the aircon being very good you would need to live in a v hot climate to justify this option above the sport seat.
PDK
I guess this is the big one for most people, so my thoughts: This is an excellent gearbox. Considering the D mode you have to consider the 3 settings. In normal mode the box is a beautiful grand tourer, the shifts are quiet, no virtually silent ad you cannot feel them; if you do not look at the rev counter or ratio indicator you do not know where you are. In this mode the gear changes are set up to keep the car at 1500 rpm it seems - 7th is quickly achieved, but the car will happily drop as many gears as required if you 'kickdown' - it seems to anticipate the required power so quickly and there is zero lag in achieving the desired response. By controlling the accelerator you can pick between down to 2nd and go flat out or so drop to 5th or 4th for say motorway overtaking.
In sport mode the anti is upped considerably - the gearbox seems to switch between passively sport and animal depending on how you drive; rev matching is perfect and I mean perfect. Here the car seems to hold 5th gear more when cruising only reverting to 7th after some time. In this mode it feels like a very good track instructor is driving you in a manual.
In sport plus the car's personality is awesome, it is just focused on being very very quick - gear changes are at the redline and the push from the seat back is amazing. Here the car will hold 600rpm just waiting dor you to go again. Breathtaking!
I've spent about 80% of my time thud far in manual mode and found myself liking the sport mode here to reduce the throttle response. In manual it is like learning a new skill. I have been gear changing using the buttons and have quickly developed a style that works for me. I know there is a lot of debate but I don't see them being too different from paddles, maybe a problem if you have a Ferrari with a different set up - nice problem to have. I don't use the stick as I have a rally driving background and am used to a 'conventional sequential box in terms of up down direction - the one time I used it to show it to my wife I got it the wrong way round going from 3rd to second instead of to 4th!!
The style of manual driving really is the way forward, changes are quick and silent and effortless! One problem that I am learning to deal with though: When you drive a manual you cut power at the redline using the clutch and it is pretty instant - with the buttons there is a small delay between button press and change, tiny albeit and only really noticeable in normal mode but this means that if you change at redline you actually hit the limiter - you need to learn when to change a fraction before so that power is delivered to the red line just before the change. This is minor and I could only see it being a problem if you were 1. Driving very hard in normal mode and 2. Not really paying attention. Small point but worthy of note.
The pdk box also allows for plenty of left foot braking making trail braking easy and I guess will be off benefit at the track.
In terms of the general performance of the box round town up hills etc - perfect - no detail just perfect.
Sport Chrono Plus icw PDK
As I said I haven't tried the launch control yet and the chrono is as before so no real comment.
PASM Sport with - 20mm and LSD
I've said before and will no doubt say it again - this is the best value option on the list. Ok in normal driving the diff is fairly redundant but it helps in extreme wet and on the tarck it will be great.
The -20mm bit makes the car sit down properly; from the back and side it just looks great; the wheels arches are full.
The SPASM for me works fine; in normal mode it is still adaptive and kepe you protected from all but the really bumpy stuff; even in sport or sport plus you can revert this back to normal and that is what I tend to do. When in sport mode it is not s much the firmness that you notice but the flat entry of the car, I think the car has the potential for some very fast cornering with this option. In conjunction with sport plus - you have a race car.
Again this one is all about what you want from the car and where you want to spend you option $, but look at it this way - Porsche make a great chassis - why not fully exploit it with the best suspension set up they have?
Heated Seats
Essential in the UK and not really a feature of the gen 2 - I like this option and will always have it
Heated steering wheel
Pretty much as above - it is activated by a button behind the wheel at the 6pm position - I read somewhere that is was automatic at <12 celcius, but this is not correct I have a button that quickly warms the wheels.
Floor mats
Can't believe we pay for these in the UK.
Rear section of centre console painted in ext colour
A really nice feature esp with the red, I really like this and it breaks up the black inside, I was nervous but it looks fab and adds to the sporty theme.
Door entry guards in Stainless Steel
Asthetic choice - I don't like thelit ones and think these offer a good balance - personal choice.
PCM extended Navigation
I really like this module, the PCM 3 is great and the touchscreen makes life easier. The handbook is only just shorter than war and peace but it is pretty intuitive in a Mac kinda way. The navigation is accurate and where I kinda resent paying the extra for this one the whole package is really very good.
Bluetooth telephone module
As above really this makes a big difference - pairing via Bluetooth took 20 secs and it downloaded my entire phonebook easily. An essential and very good option.
iPod adapter
Again as above, really easy to connect and a nice to have - OK it is a universal audio interface but I think I will only use the ipod bit....has all the ipod menues but a bit difficult to navigate when driving - suggest the use of playlists!
All in all this package makes for a very good PCM system.
In general terms, I am very pleased with the car. It is everything I wanted it to be and more. I feel I am developing a relationship with the handling and when I get it nailed; the car will be very very capable. Role on tomorrow morning when I can drive to work!!
