Kobalt:Grant:Individual throttle bodies for first time since 1973
Eventually you where right :-)
Even a broken clock is right twice a day
18 GT3 Manual, 73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 16 Cayman GT4, 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550, 79 635CSi
Apr 19, 2019 11:55:02 AM
Apr 19, 2019 11:56:33 AM
Apr 19, 2019 12:31:07 PM
Carlos from Spain:nberry:What makes this car is the limited production. Otherwise, I don’t see any redeeming features.
Sorry Tim. 😀
It is the only open-top ever with the GT3 engine though
For the moment..............
"Don't worry about avoiding temptation, as you grow older it will avoid you" Churchill
DaveC:Carlos from Spain:nberry:What makes this car is the limited production. Otherwise, I don’t see any redeeming features.
Sorry Tim. 😀
It is the only open-top ever with the GT3 engine though
For the moment..............
It is the only individual throttle body ....
964 Carrera 4 -- 997.2 C2S , -20mm -- 991.2 GT3 RS
Gnil:It is the only individual throttle body ....
Eric - I think this makes the Speedster very special. But I can't afford it, so hoping that they bring this technology to the 992 GT3 (then maybe I can swing it)
18 GT3 Manual, 73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 16 Cayman GT4, 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550, 79 635CSi
More info about ITB's from Preuninger:
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18 GT3 Manual, 73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 16 Cayman GT4, 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550, 79 635CSi
Apr 19, 2019 4:54:37 PM
Apr 19, 2019 5:09:34 PM
Carlos from Spain:Very interesting Grant ... wonder if it will improve the sound as well now that partical filters are mandatory
It may improve the intake sound (relative to the exhaust sound), but unlike the intake trumpets of old, the ITB's will be fed by a large intake plenum (for better torque) which will somewhat mute the potential intake sound...
18 GT3 Manual, 73 Carrera RS 2.7 Carbon Fiber replica (1,890 lbs), 06 EVO9 with track mods. Former: 16 Cayman GT4, 73 911S, Two 951S's, 996 C2, 993 C2, 98 Ferrari 550, 79 635CSi
Apr 19, 2019 5:44:31 PM
Grant:Carlos from Spain:Very interesting Grant ... wonder if it will improve the sound as well now that partical filters are mandatory
It may improve the intake sound (relative to the exhaust sound), but unlike the intake trumpets of old, the ITB's will be fed by a large intake plenum (for better torque) which will somewhat mute the potential intake sound...
No ram air into the plenum to enhance cylinder fill? I don’t see the air intake(s) in the photos.
Apr 19, 2019 6:45:20 PM
Grant:More info about ITB's from Preuninger:
Thanks Grant!
"The Porsche 911 Speedster's Independent Throttle Bodies Help Reduce Emissions"
The guy behind this new 502-hp 911 explains how independent throttle bodies kill two birds with one stone...
(19 April 2019)
To create the new 911 Speedster, Porsche's Motorsport department didn't just take a sawzall to the roof of a GT3 and call it a day. There were lots of detail changes as well, because that's what engineers do. One change is the inclusion of individual throttle bodies for the Speedster's 4.0-liter naturally aspirated flat-six, which serve an interesting dual purpose.
At the 2019 New York International Auto Show, Porsche Motorsport's road-car boss, Andreas Preuninger, told us that his team first investigated individual throttle bodies as a way to make the engine even better. "Individual throttle bodies are known in racing for throttle response, performance, better part-load throttle behavior, more torque in the mid-range, and simply faster reaction to changes," he said.
But, the individual throttle bodies also help promote tumble for the intake charge as it enters the combustion chamber, which the manifold can't do on its own. "That makes for a better combustion, cleaner burn, and less emissions," Preuninger said. "[It kills] two flies with one clap. It's a win-win situation."
Individual throttle bodies aren't common in production cars—BMW was probably best known for using them in various M car motors, the last being the E90 M3's V-8. Preuninger said ITBs aren't really useful in turbocharged cars—hence why BMW ditched 'em—and not really designed for road cars. "You take a [race] engine apart every half a year, or something like that, and you can adjust all the time," he said. "But a street-car has to be foolproof."
It was worth the effort for the dynamic improvements ITBs brought and the reduction in emissions. They help a lot with cold starts, where emissions are especially high.
There are other engine changes too. Preuninger said the fuel injectors now operate at 3626 psi, an increase of 725 psi over the 2019 GT3 powerplant. A new stainless steel exhaust system saves around 22 pounds compared with that of the 2019 GT3, too, and that weight savings comes at a crucial spot—low and near the back of the car.
The GT3's exhaust had three mufflers, two on either side of the car, with one in the center. Now thanks to a particulate filter and catalyst, Porsche only needs a single rear muffler. It also has variable baffles that can adjust back-pressure and noise levels on the fly.
There's a very good chance we'll see this engine in the next 911 GT3, though Preuninger declined to confirm it definitively. Addressing the persistent rumor of the next GT3 going turbo, he did say "I don't see any reason" for ditching natural aspiration.
In the Speedster, the 4.0-liter six is paired with the same six-speed manual that came with the 911 R and is available for the current GT3. In a lot of ways, the Speedster is the open-top counterpart to the mighty 911 R. "When [we came up with the] idea to pair a Speedster with GT technology—which I wanted to do for ages—and when we finally built up a car, it was in parallel with the 911 R...an open and a closed version of a purist's car."
With the 911 R, Porsche tuned the rear-wheel steering system from the GT3 and GT3 RS to promote more agility in favor of total stability and race-track performance—it's the same story here. Like the R, the Speedster also gets carbon-fiber bodywork, including front fenders, hood, and rear decklid, while the front and rear fascias are made from a composite material. Those bits—plus the six-speed and the manually folding top—help offset some of the weight gained from the stiffening measures you need to take with an open-top car.
And you might think the Speedster won't be as good to drive as, say, a 911 R or a GT3 because of the lack of stiffness from not having a roof. Preuninger says it really isn't an issue, since the 991 Carrera 4 bodyshell the Speedster uses as a base is already very stiff, and the Motorsport team made additional strengthening measures for this car. He claims you won't even miss the roof on track.
Of course, you'll pay for all this goodness—$275,000, which is almost double the price of a regular GT3 and almost a hundred grand more than the MSRP of the 911 R (though that car has since become worth over $300,000). Thankfully, Porsche will build almost 1000 more Speedsters than 911 Rs, with 1948 set to be produced.
...great news for the 992 GT3!
Apr 19, 2019 6:57:10 PM
"Seven Less Obvious Reasons the New Porsche 911 Speedster Is Special"
(18 April 2019)
The 2019 Porsche 911 Speedster—the production version of which was unveiled alongside a Heritage version—upholds Porsche’s 65-year tradition of building trimmed-down, limited-production chop-tops. But the new model marks a major departure from Porsche’s tried-and-true Speedster lineage in that it aims to be even harder-core and more special than ever before. Here are seven things you probably didn’t know about Porsche’s latest, greatest Speedster.
The Speedster concepts’ sweet hood-mounted fuel filler cap was ditched—but not for the reason you likely think. Fanboys went crazy over the concept cars’ centrally positioned fuel filler, and rightly so: The feature is a proper, functional nod to motorsports. But the symmetrical design wasn’t ditched because of DOT regulations, according to Porsche GT product line boss Andreas Preuninger. “It’s almost impossible to fill up, the car is so wide. It’s not a Singer and it’s not a 356,” he says. “Needing to put the nozzle in the middle also makes it easy to scratch the fender. It’s just not practical.” Some 20 Speedsters were destroyed in the process of crash testing, meaning that Porsche could have theoretically incorporated the feature and properly validated it if it felt the real-world sacrifices were less of an issue.
Porsche agonized over the production numbers. It’s not always easy for Porsche to accurately project demand for its limited-edition cars. Take the 918 Spyder, which took longer than expected to sell out its 918-unit run—or the half-million-dollar 911 R, whose 991 units sold out so fast they spiked the market value of the car to seven figures. Preuninger admits that, at more the double the 911 R’s numbers, the Speedster’s 1,948 car run is relatively prolific for a limited-production car. But the ultimate test will be how long it takes the Speedster to sell out.
One key engine feature trickled down from the GT3 R race car. While the GT3 coupe from which it is largely derived is a purer sports car, the Speedster has been blessed with a first-ever innovation for a Porsche road car: individual throttle bodies as seen on the GT3 R race car. And that’s just one of numerous elements that signal the fact that this is the first open-air Porsche to hail from their motorsports-focused GT division.
The engine’s secret sauce not only boosts throttle response, it aids efficiency. Having six discreet throttle bodies makes the already fast-revving 4.0-liter flat-six spin to its 9,000-rpm redline even quicker. But one added silver lining is increased intake tumble, which produces a more complete fuel burn and, subsequently, greater fuel economy.
It rides softer than a GT3. While the Speedster’s engine is a radicalized take on the GT3 mill Porsche fanatics know and love, the GT3-derived suspension was actually tuned for real roads, not race tracks. “[Tracking] this car would be a little bit off the topic. This is a car to enjoy on the weekends, on a long winding road,” says Preuninger. Not that we wouldn’t mind exploring its limits on a track . . .
Speedsters trace their roots to New York, then California. Back in the 1950s, U.S. importer Max Hoffman encouraged Ferry Porsche to build a more affordable, stripped-down 356 variant to compete with the attractively priced Jaguar XK120. The Speedster was borne of that request, debuting in Hoffman’s Park Avenue, New York, showroom with a sticker price of just under $3,000. But it wasn’t until Hoffman drove the first 356 Speedster (and later, several additional ones) across the country to Southern California that the car became a success.
You’re not spending $275,750 just for that glorious engine and chassis, you’re getting one of Porsche’s last great manual gearboxes. Porsche is still technically offering manuals, of course—the latest 992 model was launched with the dual-clutch PDK automatic first, and row-your-own ’boxes will follow. But not all P-car sticks are created equal. The semi-ubiquitous six and seven-speed manuals in regular 911s are fine bits of kit, but the Speedster’s GT-derived six-speed veers away from standard protocol. This hallowed gearbox, which was also used in the 911 R and later in the GT3, is a special short-throw unit that’s stouter than normal to handle the extra torque of the competition-capable engine. The Speedster’s gearbox is special, and we’ll miss it when it’s gone.
Link: https://www.automobilemag.com/news/2019-porsche-911-speedster-things-to-know/
nberry:What makes this car is the limited production. Otherwise, I don’t see any redeeming features.
Sorry Tim. 😀
No worry Nick, as I agree with you.
I actually don't think it is too limited at 1948 units. I have 2 911s that is 50 and 60 made.
I agree that the price is too much. It should be just a little over GT3RS to be fair.
But this car ticked all my boxes - NA engine, manual, convertible (never have one), in a 911 body. I would prefer an automatic top though.
I don't need to make money on it. But if it can maintain value, then I can always trade for the next GT3 cab (and have spare credits for another SUV), or whatever special cars down the road.
Buying new special Porsche is a game that I know how to play. This car will allow me to have an upper hand.
Tim
2010 997.2 GT3RS; 2008 Cayenne Turbo; 2006 911 Club Coupe; 2016 911 GTS Club Coupe; 2015 Macan S
Tim, you’re fortunate to get an allocation. You certainly will not lose money on the car.
I’m trying to think of another performance car manufacturer that’s offering a manual in that price range. I can’t think of one. It will be a rare car.
There is nothing stronger than gentleness.
Apr 19, 2019 9:50:45 PM
They should make this a standard model. Dump the carbon body panels and sell it just about the gt3rs. And have it with pdk! Come on Porsche! They want to play 911R all over again. I will wait for the next 992 gt3.
Tesla Model S P100D & Model X P90D & 2016 BMW i8 & 2017 Sept 991.2 GT3 ordered. 2020 Porsche Mission E on order
Apr 19, 2019 10:01:40 PM
Apr 19, 2019 11:57:53 PM