Reason found why Carrera S feels less powerful?
For some time now, I'm trying to find a logical explenation why the two 997 Carrera (one manual and one with Tiptronic) felt more powerful than my current 997 Carrera S.
Today I had a 997 Carrera S manual with PASM and standard brake instead and this time I was able to compare it much better to my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension/LSD and PCCB brake option. I was pretty surprised to learn that even with chrono sport activated, the 997 Carrera S feels different regarding throttle response and power feel compared to my 997 Carrera S.
I also tried to compare the PASM setup much better and of course handling, steering, etc.
Here are my findings, they might be still subjective but here we go:
1. forget everything you read about my 997 Carrera S in the Rennteam.com testdrive review if you are interested in a 997 Carrera S with PASM
2. the PASM equipped car feels a bit stiffer on very bumpy roads but it also is less forgiving on such roads, reminding the driver of a compromise, a good one but still a compromise. With changing damper settings, you can't get the perfect comfort setup in the stiffest setting and my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension is definetely slightly more comfortable when the road is very bumpy. Again: only if the PASM sport setting is active!
3. Surprise, surprise: not only does the suspension feel different, the steering feels different too. The steering of the PASM equipped car is less "sensitive", it is much easier to control at higher speeds, especially in high speed curves. Which leads me to the suspicion that the 20 mm chassis equipped car not only just has different dampers and springs but some other suspension mods too. Of course the swaybar makes a difference too and the lower ride but there seems to be more to it.
4. the 20 mm chassis equipped car feels lighter and more dynamic in curves, maybe because the steering seems to feel lighter and more sensitive too. I can't explain it but this is what I feel. Also steering in is much easier, more precise and handling is different more dynamic. It is hard to explain, you have to experience it. My guess is that not only the 20 mm suspension has a pretty dynamic setup but also the limited slip differential seems to have a great influence upon handling performance and drive feel.
5. the biggest surprise is actually the chrono sport package: with activated chrono sport, the PASM equipped car and my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension/LSD seem to have different chrono sport setups. With chrono sport "sport" function active, the PASM equipped of course feels different regarding throttle response compared to the "sport" function off setting BUT it feels less responsive than the chrono sport setup on my Carrera S with 20 mm chassis option.
6. the difference in braking feel and reaction is almost "dramatic" compared to the PCCB brake. I experienced it with the 997 Carrera Tiptronic too but actually thought it had to do with the standard brake and didn't mention it.
I hate to make this experience because it seems that I won't order a Porsche without PCCB anymore. If you have the chance to testdrive a car equipped with PCCB and a car equipped with the "standard" 997 S brake, DO IT. You'll have an experience you won't forget too fast.
Again: all above points may be subjective and not really correct but this is my experience with both cars.
Another possibility would be the fact that my car is one of a series of 200 first cars and the PASM equipped car has a much later production date.
So maybe this is also the reason why my test review shows a somehow different experience than the one people had, who testdrove a PASM equipped car.
I try to get a bit more information about the COMPLETE difference between PASM and 20 mm chassis option equipped cars because the experience from today really was a huge surprise for me.
And another good advice: DO NOT order light interior colours on your 997. The PASM equipped 997 Carrera S I testdrove today has a very light leather colour and it disturbed my view and distracted attention all the time. It might be me who isn't used to such a light colour but to be honest, I would surely hate it. It really "takes" a bit of the attention regarding details surrounding you, making it somehow "dangerous". A black interior is much safer in my opinion, I actually never drove a light interior to experience what I experienced today. Shocking, honestly.
Today I had a 997 Carrera S manual with PASM and standard brake instead and this time I was able to compare it much better to my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension/LSD and PCCB brake option. I was pretty surprised to learn that even with chrono sport activated, the 997 Carrera S feels different regarding throttle response and power feel compared to my 997 Carrera S.
I also tried to compare the PASM setup much better and of course handling, steering, etc.
Here are my findings, they might be still subjective but here we go:
1. forget everything you read about my 997 Carrera S in the Rennteam.com testdrive review if you are interested in a 997 Carrera S with PASM
2. the PASM equipped car feels a bit stiffer on very bumpy roads but it also is less forgiving on such roads, reminding the driver of a compromise, a good one but still a compromise. With changing damper settings, you can't get the perfect comfort setup in the stiffest setting and my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension is definetely slightly more comfortable when the road is very bumpy. Again: only if the PASM sport setting is active!
3. Surprise, surprise: not only does the suspension feel different, the steering feels different too. The steering of the PASM equipped car is less "sensitive", it is much easier to control at higher speeds, especially in high speed curves. Which leads me to the suspicion that the 20 mm chassis equipped car not only just has different dampers and springs but some other suspension mods too. Of course the swaybar makes a difference too and the lower ride but there seems to be more to it.
4. the 20 mm chassis equipped car feels lighter and more dynamic in curves, maybe because the steering seems to feel lighter and more sensitive too. I can't explain it but this is what I feel. Also steering in is much easier, more precise and handling is different more dynamic. It is hard to explain, you have to experience it. My guess is that not only the 20 mm suspension has a pretty dynamic setup but also the limited slip differential seems to have a great influence upon handling performance and drive feel.
5. the biggest surprise is actually the chrono sport package: with activated chrono sport, the PASM equipped car and my 997 Carrera S with 20 mm suspension/LSD seem to have different chrono sport setups. With chrono sport "sport" function active, the PASM equipped of course feels different regarding throttle response compared to the "sport" function off setting BUT it feels less responsive than the chrono sport setup on my Carrera S with 20 mm chassis option.
6. the difference in braking feel and reaction is almost "dramatic" compared to the PCCB brake. I experienced it with the 997 Carrera Tiptronic too but actually thought it had to do with the standard brake and didn't mention it.
I hate to make this experience because it seems that I won't order a Porsche without PCCB anymore. If you have the chance to testdrive a car equipped with PCCB and a car equipped with the "standard" 997 S brake, DO IT. You'll have an experience you won't forget too fast.
Again: all above points may be subjective and not really correct but this is my experience with both cars.
Another possibility would be the fact that my car is one of a series of 200 first cars and the PASM equipped car has a much later production date.
So maybe this is also the reason why my test review shows a somehow different experience than the one people had, who testdrove a PASM equipped car.
I try to get a bit more information about the COMPLETE difference between PASM and 20 mm chassis option equipped cars because the experience from today really was a huge surprise for me.
And another good advice: DO NOT order light interior colours on your 997. The PASM equipped 997 Carrera S I testdrove today has a very light leather colour and it disturbed my view and distracted attention all the time. It might be me who isn't used to such a light colour but to be honest, I would surely hate it. It really "takes" a bit of the attention regarding details surrounding you, making it somehow "dangerous". A black interior is much safer in my opinion, I actually never drove a light interior to experience what I experienced today. Shocking, honestly.
....as Turbo's steel brake system is tough benchmark to beat....
