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    Top cruising speed for a 997S

    This past week I was visiting Europe on business. Over the week I had the pleasure of driving through Switzerland, Italy, Germanay and Austria. The rental car was not a porche, but an Opel diesel. Nevertheless, I found myself cruising along at speeds that would get you arrested in Canada. As various high end cars passed me by (including 997's), I got to thinking about how fast a Porsche Carrera could cruise safely along the autobahn.

    So, for those of you that drive in Germanay and the rest of Europe, how fast can you drive a 997S along the autobahn and still feel that the car is safely planted on the road. In other words, given a lightly travelled autobahn, what is the ideal cruising speed for these cars?

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    It depends to the quality of autobahn and to the trafic, if there is a lot of traffic on the autobahn it is to risky to pass on the left lane the slower cars faster then 220 km/h, because the trucks are driving 80 km/h, so sometimes you have to break very hardly. the best time for driving > 260 km/h is in the nighttime and the autobahn is in good condition. not all autobahn's a good to drive, sometimes a lot of bumpers. so if you want to drive max. speed it is better to know the road and the risky places. there are some
    autobahn which are very good the driving max. speed (close to 300 km/h), but we have to take care about the slower once, and a lot of "slower" drivers do not look to the back mirrow and suddenly they move to the left lane....

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    I believe Carlos got his 997S up to 191MPH and he thought the car was planted.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then



    Your car isnt even getting started until after 130mph and even a diesel Passat feels ok at 120mph.

    You and your car need a vacation.


    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    I went to germany in september and till 260km/h the car is a block on the road.
    To get to the 295 km/h i did with it you need an almost empty autobahn, since you can't expect other drivers to "read" your speed in their mirrors...
    In the 1100 km i did, it was only possible (safe) once.
    I have to say that the car did not give a crimp.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    During the past summer I drove 1000 KM through France, and "cruising" speed of 220 km/h on the curvy highways of France was great.
    If it's safe, that's another story...
    But the 997 was very steady. Even with peaks to 250 km/h it's incredible steady.
    Difference between the 997 and a 993 or even a 996 is day and night...

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    /edit post not really relevant since I don't own/drive a 997.. got carried away by the Autobahn cruising speed topic, sowwy

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    U Boat Commander said:
    I believe Carlos got his 997S up to 191MPH and he thought the car was planted.



    Correct. Car was planted at top speed, I was even actually driving with only one hand...

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Carlos from Spain said:
    Quote:
    U Boat Commander said:
    I believe Carlos got his 997S up to 191MPH and he thought the car was planted.



    Correct. Car was planted at top speed, I was even actually driving with only one hand...



    As I recall Carlos, the other hand was holding your camera to prove to us the veracity of your report.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    JimFlat6 said:
    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then



    Your car isnt even getting started until after 130mph and even a diesel Passat feels ok at 120mph.

    You and your car need a vacation.





    Absolutely. Last summer, I took 996TSCab topdown out on the highway away from the city with almost no traffic, up to about 125mph, the car was glued to the road, and my hair was barely even moving around, and I didn't have the rear wind screen set up. The engine was barely working, 6th gear at no more than 2,500rpm. Boy, I wish we had a special highway in the US with speed delimited sections.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Al Pettee said:
    As I recall Carlos, the other hand was holding your camera to prove to us the veracity of your report.



    Indeed

    I was hoping to include the scene in a video of the 997S but I haven't had time to continue the project so I only have that part done. I could maybe uploaded it for you guys since it may be a while to finish the video...

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Carlos from Spain said:
    Quote:
    U Boat Commander said:
    I believe Carlos got his 997S up to 191MPH and he thought the car was planted.



    Correct. Car was planted at top speed, I was even actually driving with only one hand...



    Carlos, don't you know that your car has a cupholder?



    PS: Ooops, if I'd read Al's post first, I'd have realized that mine was redundant.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    maybe better without che velox at the end of this autostrada ......obviously the Radio Deeyay is A german Radio lol ..

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Pretty good, maybe P can add this to its 997 options list: Headrest cam, for good dashboard shots at top rev's/speed.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    JimFlat6 said:
    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then



    Your car isnt even getting started until after 130mph and even a diesel Passat feels ok at 120mph.


    You and your car need a vacation.






    I think I didn't express my point clearly enough. Allow me to try again.

    Basically the mythical autobahn speeds, are they rational?

    I mean do you really feel "safe" driving at 150+ mph just to get to grandma's house? I mean would you think of the risk/benefit?

    Wrecks at 130 or more mph are deadly, isn't it something like four times the energy of going 60mph?

    I was basically saying I feel "comfortable" at 100mph all things considered. Even though the car can go much faster and feel just as stable, the consequences of some "little " thing going wrong increase dramatically.

    I dunno. Asking for people's opinions on this matter. It just seems using the top speed or near top speed of the car is very impractical; just a mental thing and a now-and-then thrill thing.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then



    WUSSY!...........





















    Just kidding MMD... I too practice the same principle actually. 155mph was the first and so far last time i pushed it. 100mph seems to be a comfort cruising speed

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Absolutely. The car (997S) is so quick that you can easily reach speeds above 250 km. As it is so plane on the road you sometimes even don't notice that you got 290-300 on the speedo! You only have to pay attention to people from neighbouring contries as Holland and Belgium who are not used to high speed traffic and make German autobahns unsafe

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    For those of you that regularly cruise at 250Km/Hr, what type of fuel consumption do you see? In other words, what type of range/distance do you achieve on a tank of fuel when travelling at high speeds?

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    TheOldMan said:
    This past week I was visiting Europe on business. Over the week I had the pleasure of driving through Switzerland, Italy, Germanay and Austria. The rental car was not a porche, but an Opel diesel. Nevertheless, I found myself cruising along at speeds that would get you arrested in Canada. As various high end cars passed me by (including 997's), I got to thinking about how fast a Porsche Carrera could cruise safely along the autobahn.

    So, for those of you that drive in Germanay and the rest of Europe, how fast can you drive a 997S along the autobahn and still feel that the car is safely planted on the road. In other words, given a lightly travelled autobahn, what is the ideal cruising speed for these cars?



    I did Paris - Munich in 4 h 30 min at night (5 h incl. fuel stop and p.. break ). This happened after our Cayenne Turbo has been damaged (door lock) after a steeling attempt, I was so p.ss.d at french police (they refused to safekeep the car over night, so we can rest til the morning). From my experience, the "safe" cruising speed in the Cayenne Turbo is around 240 kph, in the 997 Carrera S slightly below (more pavement/tire sensitive steering). The Cayenne Turbo feels safe even at 270-280 kph on the speedo, there are only two rules to follow: count in early braking and keep it smoothly at the steering wheel.

    And now the most interesting part: when driving very fast, my adrenaline level seems to be very high, I'm extremely concentrated and not tired at all. Whenever I'm in Florida and forced to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando on the Turnpike at around 70-80 mph, I'm always feeling tired and I hate it. This is much more dangerous to driving safety than driving at higher speeds. Or maybe I'm just not used to it.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Some quick calculations, 850km in 4.5 hours, ~190km/hr. That is a pretty good cruise.

    It is hard to understand or appreciate how an SUV can out cruise a sports car without actually trying it. But I have no doubt that you have actually done both! Now I have a new appreciation for why someone would want a Cayenne Turbo.

    Your comment regarding the difference between NA and Europe driving is very real and explains the differnece betwen car preference and habits.

    No car can be sold in North America without cup holders. And yet in Europe, many cars still do not have cup holders. But the cup holders are not really the issue, when driving at speed, there is no time to be drinking coffee or soda, but when driving NA highways, the drive is so boring, that most people do not think twice about getting a cup of something or other for a long drive. In Europe, with the higher speeds and less intrusive police, there is no time for coffee!

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Quote:
    JimFlat6 said:
    Quote:
    MMD said:
    Call me a wussy, but I would feel okay (not great) up to 130-140mph if conditions looked perfect. Anything over that is really asking for trouble, IMHO. Something as simple as a bird strike, or a flat tire become deadly.

    The car's "perfect" at 100mph. Fortunately I get to do that on the USA interstate highways now and then



    Your car isnt even getting started until after 130mph and even a diesel Passat feels ok at 120mph.


    You and your car need a vacation.






    I think I didn't express my point clearly enough. Allow me to try again.

    Basically the mythical autobahn speeds, are they rational?

    I mean do you really feel "safe" driving at 150+ mph just to get to grandma's house? I mean would you think of the risk/benefit?

    Wrecks at 130 or more mph are deadly, isn't it something like four times the energy of going 60mph?

    I was basically saying I feel "comfortable" at 100mph all things considered. Even though the car can go much faster and feel just as stable, the consequences of some "little " thing going wrong increase dramatically.

    I dunno. Asking for people's opinions on this matter. It just seems using the top speed or near top speed of the car is very impractical; just a mental thing and a now-and-then thrill thing.



    Germans love speed.

    Autobahnwise, its obvious that a 997s top speed is not used in great frequency, but its not uncommon to use 150-160mph and more. Even Audi diesels whiz by at 150mph. Are these speeds rational? What would you think if you paid huge VAT and had triple the fuel prices? Wouldn't you want to get the maximum use from your vehicle? The rational and practical answer is yes.

    If worried about over 130mph "consequences" paying 100K for a 190mph car might not be a practical choice.

    In 1971 Porsche marketed the 911S as "being able to do 144mph for longer than you can." Think about that. Its what its made for. Its a high speed machine not basic 100mph transport.

    I suggest you Fly to Frankfurt and rent a 997 from Hertz for a week. Until you have driven your car in its native environment, you have absolutely no feeling for what you own or German automobile culture. You would enjoy it.

    And when you come back, you will realize just how retarded US speed limits are and just why they make bad drivers even worse.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    My two cents - its not speed that kills - its stupidity! Stupid people who can't control their cars, talk on the damn phone, refuse to rest when they are tired, pay no attention to the road (corners, bumps etc) don't look in the rear view mirror before they pull out in front of someone, get lost and then think they can jump to the exit without killing anyone or feel like having a cup of tea at speed! THEN there are the scum who drive cars that are not roadworthy! Then we get to the SCUM who think they can drive with a belly full of beer! Take them off the roads and I am sure PROVIDING THE ROAD AND WEATHER conditions allow you can drive at 250KM all the time! Until then, I feel quite safe at around 110 - 130 MPH Its not being a wuss! I doubt ANYONE on this forum commits any of the above!

    Have to agree with the above comments about USA speed limits BUT, I think someone got the idea that if you are not going fast you are not going to kill anyone.....

    Incidentally, a question to you guys in the USA, would you feel comfortable with everyone driving those clapped pieces of junk you seeing going up and down the 405 or 101 going 100MPH plus talking on the cell and eating an enchilda and drinking a Corona?

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Porky Tokyo said:
    Incidentally, a question to you guys in the USA, would you feel comfortable with everyone driving those clapped pieces of junk you seeing going up and down the 405 or 101 going 100MPH plus talking on the cell and eating an enchilda and drinking a Corona?



    Kinda difficult to do a 100MPH on the 405 with the congestion we have ... That's just plain old reckless driving. If I see someone doing something like that, I would be tempted to pick up my cell phone and dial 911 ...

    Incidentally, people don't drive around here with open containers of alcohol on a regular basis. So I don't know where you're going there.

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Sorry mate, just a bit of exaggeration for emphasis - personally never had a bad experience on the 405 or 101 or anywhere else for that matter! BUT, have heard a few scary stories! FYI, Tokyo is full of idiots! Truck drivers and taxi's are the worst! There are deaths EVERYDAY!!!!

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Porky Tokyo said:
    My two cents - its not speed that kills - its stupidity! Stupid people who can't control their cars, talk on the damn phone, refuse to rest when they are tired, pay no attention to the road (corners, bumps etc) don't look in the rear view mirror before they pull out in front of someone, get lost and then think they can jump to the exit without killing anyone or feel like having a cup of tea at speed! THEN there are the scum who drive cars that are not roadworthy! Then we get to the SCUM who think they can drive with a belly full of beer! Take them off the roads and I am sure PROVIDING THE ROAD AND WEATHER conditions allow you can drive at 250KM all the time! Until then, I feel quite safe at around 110 - 130 MPH Its not being a wuss! I doubt ANYONE on this forum commits any of the above!

    Have to agree with the above comments about USA speed limits BUT, I think someone got the idea that if you are not going fast you are not going to kill anyone.....

    Incidentally, a question to you guys in the USA, would you feel comfortable with everyone driving those clapped pieces of junk you seeing going up and down the 405 or 101 going 100MPH plus talking on the cell and eating an enchilda and drinking a Corona?



    Well, the Mexicans who you so kindly allude to in your post usually drive slow and stay out of the left lane. The biggest problem in California is actually DWA - Driving While Asian.

    Its incredible how so many of them have tunnel vision, never look in their rear view mirrors, drive too slow in the left lane, talk on cell phones, use blackberrys, hang incense burners from their mirrors, seem like they are in a medically induced haze, show no courtesy, know no hiway manners and just drive around acting completely oblivious to other people on the road.

    The Asians who do attempt to do drive fast put empty coffee cans on their tailpipes thinking that more noise will improve their hand eye coordination. Amazing they are not, dangerous they are! They can build cars ok, they just dont know how to drive them well.

    So how is Tokyo?

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Whenever I'm in Florida and forced to drive from Fort Lauderdale to Orlando on the Turnpike at around 70-80 mph, I'm always feeling tired and I hate it. This is much more dangerous to driving safety than driving at higher speeds. Or maybe I'm just not used to it.

    Next time get off at the Glades Road exit and I"ll buy you a cup of coffee!

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Japanese people can't drive! The Chinese (at least in mainland China) are worse and no one in this whole continent understands what lanes are for! Apart from that it ain't too bad! My earlier post was not directed at anyone in particular - it was just a bit tongue in cheek - I am Indian and married to a Japanese and have absolutely no prejudice! If I offended anyone - I take it all back!

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    abt 250 km

    Re: Top cruising speed for a 997S

    Quote:
    Porky Tokyo said:
    If I offended anyone - I take it all back!



    Don't worry about it. You didn't say anything wrong. Besides, you used the key word "everyone."

     
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