My first weekend with the 997 GT3 RS
OK guys. So it's time to share my impressions after my first weekend with the RS.
I don't really know where to begin. I'm still in chock. Well, let me start by saying this was the best weekend of my life. By far. Seriously.
I have been waiting for this car since March which is when I put in a deposit for a normal GT3. I have been saving for many years and finally I could afford to buy one. In short, this car is what I worked my but off for over the last years. I had a 993 4S which I had to sell when I was short on money 5 years ago - and so I've been saving up for a new one ever since. To say I've been longing for it is a bit of an understatement. Ask my fiancée. She was getting very bored with me since my life has been completely revolving around this car purchase. Nothing else has really mattered lately. Bless her for putting up with me! After this weekend she completely adores the RS. She wanted me to get an AMV8, but now she is happy I didn't.
Anyway, after realizing that there was going to be a delay on the GT3 and that I wouldn't have my car until October, I decided to go for an RS instead - the delivery time was around the same as it turned out. I was lucky to get an allocation for the 2nd RS in the country when I switched my order back in early June. I knew it wasn't necessarily a "smart" choice because of the big up-charge. But I figured you don't buy these kinds of cars as smart investments anyway, and I was very seduced by the RS once the first details came out. Now I am very happy I made this choice (even though I love the GT3 as well).
I went to pick her up on Friday morning, 2 days ago. I woke up at 05:00 to catch the first train to the dealer, 450 km from where I live. I can't remember a lot of what the dealer told me. I was just concentrated on the car, waiting for me in pick-up hall. This was not my first Porsche so I know most of the buttons. It was around 8 degrees C, which is unusually warm for Sweden in late November, so I was actually lucky. Downside was that it was pouring with rain. You know the reputation of these GT3 Michelins. They don't do well in cold and they don't do well in puddles of water. So the trip home was nerve-wrecking. But it was also wonderful beyond belief. Here are my impressions, in no particular order.
Overall I think I would summarize the driving experience as being similar to a 993 on steroids with the nervousness taken out. I can't really explain this technically, maybe it's the steering and the overall poise. It just feels a bit more mechanical than the 996/997. You just feel so much part of the driving experience. The difference to the 993 being that it's much less nervous at speed and turn-in is crisper. And it's a lot faster than my old 4S, of course.
The noise is AMAZING. It sounds raw, like a proper race engine. And over 4,000 RPM it sounds like it is going to eat you. Let me explain at this point that my dealer advised on keeping her below 5,000 RPM for the first 1000 km. He did say, however, that this is not strictly necessary according to the factory, but this is what he has done with great results on his 996 RS. And so I did the same on mine. My car now has 1150 km. With the Sports button pressed the noise is there all the way from 2,000 RPM. Technically this is just the exhaust being opened which also releases some more shove up in the mid-range. I have yet to experience a tunnel, but I understand that is supposed to be thrilling...
The car is very, very, very fast. The accelerative shove is quite like a 996 Turbo in my mind, which makes sense in performance terms. But the way it delivers the power is very different. It's the same shove, but it comes with a noise that is incredible and much higher up in the rev-range, of course. It would easily spin at 80 kph in 3rd, which says a lot about the slippery roads, but even more about the incredible power of this unit.
It also feels extremely solid. Stable at any speed. And as with any Porsche it's very well screwed together. I really feel the wing giving a lot downforce over the rear wheels. At 180 kph I have never felt anything as stable, including the E-class Merc.
It is tail happy! I already lost the rear twice over this weekend, but nothing out of control. TC was on, but pressing the Sport button does move the limit out. Talking about the Sport button it has gotten unfair criticism in my view. People think it should be "on" at all times. Personally I think it's great to be able to have a safer setting with lower noise for the times when you don't want to go full-out.
The steering feels more alive than in any 997 I have tried. You can feel everything that is going on below you which gives an amazing feeling of involvement, more like the 996 actually. But it doesn't tug and it goes exactly where you point it. It feels like it starts turning before you give the input. Magic.
What else? Well, the radio is actually better than I thought. You can't get the Sound Package Plus with the RS so I was expecting absolutely awful sound. It's really not that bad. Also, the bucket seats are amazingly comfortable - even on long distance trips. I would recommend them to anyone who is not a HUGE person. It is actually not an uncomfortable car at all. I think if you lived in a warmer climate than Sweden you can live with this car as your daily driver. It really is that comfortable and easy to drive. At least up until when you start pushing it. Of course the clutch is very heavy for a 997, so a lot of stop-light traffic is tough on your left leg... I love the gear box. Some people have criticized it for being "snatchy". There is some truth to this, but only when the car is cold As it warms it becomes lovely. Very short, precise and with a snick-snack mechanical action. I have never shifted faster. Finally, I think the stiffer PASM setting (sport) is not as stiff as people say. I think you can easily prefer this setting on reasonably smooth roads.
Any gripes? Well, let me see... A black car at this time of year gets dirty VERY quickly. And the heart-braking thing is I'm not allowed to wash it for 2 weeks before the colour sealing system I had put on at the dealer has hardened. But I still wouldn't have any other colour. Black with orange looks stunning to me, and I will easily put up with a lot of TLC. I was afraid it was going to look like a Christmas tree, but it doesn't. Those tires are not ideal outside of a circuit. They are just too slippery for driving this time of year. Can't think of anything else!!
That's all for now. I hope I didn't bore you too much with the long rant. I doubt I'll be able to tell you a lot more for another 5 months which is when snow melts here. I'm just thrilled I got at least a weekend before winter. Some pictures from the day of the pick-up below.
I don't really know where to begin. I'm still in chock. Well, let me start by saying this was the best weekend of my life. By far. Seriously.
I have been waiting for this car since March which is when I put in a deposit for a normal GT3. I have been saving for many years and finally I could afford to buy one. In short, this car is what I worked my but off for over the last years. I had a 993 4S which I had to sell when I was short on money 5 years ago - and so I've been saving up for a new one ever since. To say I've been longing for it is a bit of an understatement. Ask my fiancée. She was getting very bored with me since my life has been completely revolving around this car purchase. Nothing else has really mattered lately. Bless her for putting up with me! After this weekend she completely adores the RS. She wanted me to get an AMV8, but now she is happy I didn't.
Anyway, after realizing that there was going to be a delay on the GT3 and that I wouldn't have my car until October, I decided to go for an RS instead - the delivery time was around the same as it turned out. I was lucky to get an allocation for the 2nd RS in the country when I switched my order back in early June. I knew it wasn't necessarily a "smart" choice because of the big up-charge. But I figured you don't buy these kinds of cars as smart investments anyway, and I was very seduced by the RS once the first details came out. Now I am very happy I made this choice (even though I love the GT3 as well).
I went to pick her up on Friday morning, 2 days ago. I woke up at 05:00 to catch the first train to the dealer, 450 km from where I live. I can't remember a lot of what the dealer told me. I was just concentrated on the car, waiting for me in pick-up hall. This was not my first Porsche so I know most of the buttons. It was around 8 degrees C, which is unusually warm for Sweden in late November, so I was actually lucky. Downside was that it was pouring with rain. You know the reputation of these GT3 Michelins. They don't do well in cold and they don't do well in puddles of water. So the trip home was nerve-wrecking. But it was also wonderful beyond belief. Here are my impressions, in no particular order.
Overall I think I would summarize the driving experience as being similar to a 993 on steroids with the nervousness taken out. I can't really explain this technically, maybe it's the steering and the overall poise. It just feels a bit more mechanical than the 996/997. You just feel so much part of the driving experience. The difference to the 993 being that it's much less nervous at speed and turn-in is crisper. And it's a lot faster than my old 4S, of course.
The noise is AMAZING. It sounds raw, like a proper race engine. And over 4,000 RPM it sounds like it is going to eat you. Let me explain at this point that my dealer advised on keeping her below 5,000 RPM for the first 1000 km. He did say, however, that this is not strictly necessary according to the factory, but this is what he has done with great results on his 996 RS. And so I did the same on mine. My car now has 1150 km. With the Sports button pressed the noise is there all the way from 2,000 RPM. Technically this is just the exhaust being opened which also releases some more shove up in the mid-range. I have yet to experience a tunnel, but I understand that is supposed to be thrilling...
The car is very, very, very fast. The accelerative shove is quite like a 996 Turbo in my mind, which makes sense in performance terms. But the way it delivers the power is very different. It's the same shove, but it comes with a noise that is incredible and much higher up in the rev-range, of course. It would easily spin at 80 kph in 3rd, which says a lot about the slippery roads, but even more about the incredible power of this unit.
It also feels extremely solid. Stable at any speed. And as with any Porsche it's very well screwed together. I really feel the wing giving a lot downforce over the rear wheels. At 180 kph I have never felt anything as stable, including the E-class Merc.
It is tail happy! I already lost the rear twice over this weekend, but nothing out of control. TC was on, but pressing the Sport button does move the limit out. Talking about the Sport button it has gotten unfair criticism in my view. People think it should be "on" at all times. Personally I think it's great to be able to have a safer setting with lower noise for the times when you don't want to go full-out.
The steering feels more alive than in any 997 I have tried. You can feel everything that is going on below you which gives an amazing feeling of involvement, more like the 996 actually. But it doesn't tug and it goes exactly where you point it. It feels like it starts turning before you give the input. Magic.
What else? Well, the radio is actually better than I thought. You can't get the Sound Package Plus with the RS so I was expecting absolutely awful sound. It's really not that bad. Also, the bucket seats are amazingly comfortable - even on long distance trips. I would recommend them to anyone who is not a HUGE person. It is actually not an uncomfortable car at all. I think if you lived in a warmer climate than Sweden you can live with this car as your daily driver. It really is that comfortable and easy to drive. At least up until when you start pushing it. Of course the clutch is very heavy for a 997, so a lot of stop-light traffic is tough on your left leg... I love the gear box. Some people have criticized it for being "snatchy". There is some truth to this, but only when the car is cold As it warms it becomes lovely. Very short, precise and with a snick-snack mechanical action. I have never shifted faster. Finally, I think the stiffer PASM setting (sport) is not as stiff as people say. I think you can easily prefer this setting on reasonably smooth roads.
Any gripes? Well, let me see... A black car at this time of year gets dirty VERY quickly. And the heart-braking thing is I'm not allowed to wash it for 2 weeks before the colour sealing system I had put on at the dealer has hardened. But I still wouldn't have any other colour. Black with orange looks stunning to me, and I will easily put up with a lot of TLC. I was afraid it was going to look like a Christmas tree, but it doesn't. Those tires are not ideal outside of a circuit. They are just too slippery for driving this time of year. Can't think of anything else!!
That's all for now. I hope I didn't bore you too much with the long rant. I doubt I'll be able to tell you a lot more for another 5 months which is when snow melts here. I'm just thrilled I got at least a weekend before winter. Some pictures from the day of the pick-up below.
