Article Comments - 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 First Drive

16 messages, Last post on Jul 22, 2008 at 8:39 AM

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First Drive: 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 - Officially the GT2 reaches a top speed of 215 mph, making it the fastest series production 911 ever unleashed for the road. "With speedometer error factored in, that's an indicated 214 mph," explains Alan Lewin, the new car's project boss.(more)

Full Test: 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 - Bottom Line: The ne plus ultra Porsche 911 lives up to the hype, but isn't really worth the extra cash compared to a GT3 that costs $84,000 less.(more)

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#9 of 16 Re: Article Comments - 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 [bmlexus] by bigmclargehuge May 05, 2008 (6:31 am)
Replying to: bmlexus (May 04, 2008 4:57 pm) or Lexus for that matter. Must have been a good day. Those are some nice looking machines. FYI, not everyone who appreciates cars of different makes and models is 'going Nissan.' I certainly don't have a problem with Porsche as a company. If they could just keep the rear end of the Turbo from stepping out it would be a real monster. Its like 99% of a perfect car. IMHO. Replies to this message: spiritinthesky (May 07, 2008 8:43 am) bigmclargehuge (May 07, 2008 10:37 am) habitat1 (May 08, 2008 3:27 am) and 1 more...
#10 of 16 Re: Article Comments - 2008 Porsche 911 GT2 [bigmclargehuge] by spiritinthesky May 07, 2008 (8:43 am)
Replying to: bigmclargehuge (May 05, 2008 6:31 am) If they could just keep the rear end of the Turbo from stepping out it would be a real monster. For someone who talks big, large and huge I have to ask, have you ever driven any of the cars you talk about on a track? Not the Nurburgring, mind you, just any track? Or an empty stretch of open road, for that matter? I suspect not. Because if you had, you would know that it's damn near impossible to get the rear end of a 997 Turbo to "step out". That nasty characteristic dates back 20+ years and has been effectively rendered a non-issue in the 997 unless the car is pushed to very extreme limits. Something I haven't done at my local track or at Nurburgring last fall. Not even in the RWD GT3. From the sounds of it, you are a hell of a reader. Hopefully someday you can switch to driving - and be able to offer your own perspective without having to rely on what somebody else has written. Replies to this message: bigmclargehuge (May 07, 2008 10:37 am) habitat1 (May 08, 2008 3:27 am) bigmclargehuge (May 08, 2008 5:28 am)
#11 of 16 Re: Take off the blinders [spiritinthesky] by bigmclargehuge May 07, 2008 (10:37 am)
Replying to: spiritinthesky (May 07, 2008 8:43 am) All righty then oh wise and ancient one, What's your excuse for the 997 Turbo being about 2 weeks slower than heavier AWD cars with the same power? You're an engineer, so start explaining. Porsche screwed up somehow. And it can be corrected, typically involving revised rear suspension. I'm an aftermarket tuner, and its my job to make cars go faster. And it works in the hands of experienced drivers. I like 07997's attitude that if the car ain't fast enough, fix it! I'm not knocking the GT2. But you yourself have admitted there were flaws in the 997 Turbo. You are mistaken that it is the AWD that is a liability. You could have tuned the Turbo to near GT2 levels. If you think the GT2 is more fun, more power to you. I don't care how much experience you have, you're driving with blinders on if you can't accept that the aftermarket can make the 997 Turbo faster. Thats a proven fact. If I were a Porshe engineer, I wouldn't have had to have driven either car to tell you what the problem is. Its not witchcraft making cars better, it is as good as the sum of its parts. The 911 has gone from oversteer to understeer. Add the weight and traction of the AWD system to the front, and your current suspension setup goes out the window. They just haven't perfected it yet. Not that it can't be done. Replies to this message: habitat1 (May 08, 2008 3:27 am) bigmclargehuge (May 08, 2008 5:28 am)
#12 of 16 Re: Take off the blinders [bigmclargehuge] by habitat1 May 08, 2008 (3:27 am)
Replying to: bigmclargehuge (May 07, 2008 10:37 am) For what it's worth, there is at least one other kindred spirit to the "wise and ancient" spiritinthesky. The gentleman who is getting my dealer's first (and possibly only) GT2 next month is also trading out of a 997 Turbo. I met him when I picked my car up for service. In a nutshell, he is trading becasue he wants a lighter, faster, more nimble car and is willing to give up the "stability" of AWD and certain creature comforts to get it. Prior to the Turbo, he had a Ferrari 360 and had been considering a 430. His opinion on the GT-R was surprisingly complimentary. He thinks Nissan has done an "excellent" job of high performance engineering relative to the track performance of the car. But, as many others have suggested, at nearly 4,000 lbs and without a manual transmission, he thinks the GT-R would be more comparable to driving an SL63 or BMW M6 on public roads. A "different animal" than the GT2/GT3 or Ferrari 430. P.S. Regarding making the 997 Turbo faster, he is selling his Turbo to his nephew who owns a slightly modified 996 Turbo with 550 hp/ 550 ft.lbs at the wheels and that has been clocked at 11.1 seconds in the 1/4 mile. He will be shooting for "mid 10's" with the 997. But, as both of us agreed, stop light drag racing isn't our top priority. Replies to this message: bigmclargehuge (May 08, 2008 5:28 am)
#13 of 16 Re: Take off the blinders [habitat1] by bigmclargehuge May 08, 2008 (5:28 am)
Replying to: habitat1 (May 08, 2008 3:27 am) I don't particularly disagree with anything in your last post. That was not a defense of the Nissan, nor trying to convert anyone. But using that as an example, there isn't anything inherently wrong with AWDs. If you tweak them correctly, that is. But 07997 has a good idea, and it seems you have seen some examples with a friend's modified 996 Turbo. It goes far beyond stoplight drag racing though. Its expensive, yet easy to improve the Turbo as a track car. The Turbo is several hundred pounds heavier, dozens of HP weaker than the GT2, with a softer suspension. It does not use as many lightweight materials. And the aerodynamics are improved on the GT2. And the first thing that gets blamed by some 'knowledgeable' people is the AWD system. Well, we can either use the evidence available to agree that it is not the only liability, or even the primary liability, or continue driving with the blinders on. If I tricked you into driving a GT2 with 200lbs of lead bricks in the front area, you'd probably say it didn't have the feel you were hoping for. That's the kind of unfair comparison the Turbo, with its fully functional backseat without rollcage, gets put under. Feel might be the main factor that is driving your friend to the GT2. And he recognizes and compliments other cars where credit is due. But for those that don't like the feel of the Turbo, why make other excuses? You like what you like, and if that happens to be the GT2 or a Ferrari, so be it. The GT2 motto is 'Respect Required.' Don't worry, if I were sharing the track with one, regardless of what I was driving, I'd be respecting it.
#16 of 16 Full Test available! by KarenS HOST Jul 22, 2008 (8:39 am)
Full Test: 2008 Porsche 911 GT2