Review of a 991.2S on a Track - PEC Atlanta

I took a 991.2S on the track at PEC-Atlanta today and wanted to share my thoughts. I’m planning on getting a 991.2 next year so I decided to test drive one in its element instead of taking one from a dealership on a public road. I learned a lot. For context, I will share my Porsche background: I don’t have a lot of track experience at all. I’ve been to PEC-Atlanta four times and now have driven a Cayman GTS, Boxster GTS, 991.1S and 991.2S on their circuit. I have put 25k miles on my 2014 Boxster S which has PSE, SC and PASM. I have also driven a 991.1 GTS and 993 (long time ago) at dealerships. I have zero relationships with Porsche or any dealership or journalist. However, my opinions are TOTALLY biased. I am an everyday Flat-Six fanatic! My 991.2S was lightly optioned surprisingly (and different compared to my last visits). It had PSE and SC. No PDCC, SPASM, or 4WS. It did have other interior bling such as painted interior(blah), full leather, Bose etc. Who cares about that stuff for this post. It did have the GT sport steering wheel. Of course, I always request the best option available…..a Manual…..and it’s free. First, I wanted to address the hype up front. From all the commentary on this forum and through other reviews, I came into my forth PEC visit with some preconceived opinions about the new 911: It has someTurbo lag, it sounds terrible, and the low end torque was awesome. All are over exaggerated in my opinion butlet me address each one separately. Sound: This was my biggest concern with the dot 2. At startup and at idle, it is great. No real difference. It is all Porsche and all 911. On the track and at power, it sounded fantastic from the cockpit. I was surprised. I was very skeptical because my reference point is my NA 981 Boxster S which is always driven with PSE on, top down, in sport + and of course the engine is right behind me. I love my 981 especially the Zuffenhausen symphony. With a coup 911, new turbos, and the engine farther away, I was expecting much worse. It was fine. The 991.2 was quieter but still sounded fantastic. Porsche must have done a great job with the symposer tubes. However, I stayed for the next PEC session that started later so that I could watch, listen and compare cars from the huge overlook porch next to the track. On the track at the time was a GT3, 991.2 Turbo, Cayman S (981), two Spyders, a 991.2 Targa and a couple of other 991.2s so I had a lot to compare regarding speed, acceleration and sound from an observers point of view. Wow….this is where you can tell the difference in sound. Holy cow the 991.2 was quiet….especially compared to the Spyders. The Spyders sounded really impressive – rightup there with the GT3 (IMHO). The 991.2s were very quiet and I was very disappointed. Oh well. Hmmmm….. Turbo lag: I didn’t detect any. None at higher rpm, lower rpm, on the low friction circuit or on the track. None. End of story. Power/Torque: I immediately noticed it on acceleration. It was nice. Seriously felt faster than the 991.1 and much faster than my 981S. On the track, no real difference. The NA engines are always in the power band on the track anyway so I didn’t think the low end torque advantage of the 991.2 really mattered at all in this environment. It helped a little on the low friction circuit for some fun but that was about it. It will be NICE as a dailydriver. As far as the handling and steering feel of the car, well to me, it felt just like a 991.1. I know there are minor differences in the suspension and steering between the two but I could not detect them. I did notice the rear weight bias compared to my 981. It’s very noticeable especially on the “S” turns etc. I didn’t have PDCC so the handling and roll was definitely noticeable….but same with the 991.1. I learned something new: I took the car on the “Dynamics” section of the course. (Slalom and acceleration/braking). Since I had the manual, they let you drop the clutch instead of launch control with the pdk. I have a Mechanical Engineering background so doing this just makes me cringe. It wasn’t my car so I did it. The car will not let you rev above 4500 rpm. That is interesting. It is electronically controlled because it knows what you are about to do. I launched and got .8 gs on the G force meter. Did this twice. I only got up to 1.19 gs on the slalom though. I don’tknow how guys are getting up to 1.6 gs unless they are running slicks. The rev matching is also available in sport mode unlike the 991.1 – I think I read that somewhere though. A couple of other random thoughts. I don’t like the manual transmission in the 991.1 or 991.2. It just feels flimsy to me. I love my 981 transmission. I also don’t like 7 speeds either. I never got out of third anyway on the track.Most of the time I was in second. PEC Atlanta is a short technical track. The fastest you can get up to in a Carrera is about 90 mph without the instructor yelling at you to brake (ask me how I know). J I learned that Porsche developed the first Hybrid. I didn’t believe it so I googled it and sure enough it is true – in 1900. Porsche marketing is going to have a field day with that when their 911s become hybrid and eventually electric. L The instructor (coach): He was good but not great. He knew the course well and the lines etc…very well. He helped me get betterand is a full time, 5 day a week guy. I asked him about turbo lag and when he stated that the 991.2S had variable vane geometry, I lost faith….uh….I think he got his 718S mixed up with a 991.2. He also didn’t know anything about European Delivery at all or even where the cars could be picked up at. Also, the PEC reservation line guy didn’t know what PDCC was…..hmmmm. Are they developing Porsche fanatics or just hiring people to do jobs. I know I am being overly critical here…but it was noteworthy in my mind….their employees are stove piped. So are mine. The “Other drivers” on the track: Oh my! Joes off the street….grandpa and grandma being pace cars in their dream retirement car. I’m not kidding. LMAO. Even a GT3 driver holding me up….ughhh. I had to ask my coach to radio to the “pace car” in front to pull over and let us pass. Seriously though…there are a lot of different drivers that you will find at PEC. That’s cool – this is for everyone not just track junkies. The wait time (dynamic circuit and low frictioncircuit) was fairly long compared to my last visits. Not too bad but sitting there waiting and burning up time was a little irritating. There were 12 cars on the course total. 5 minutes for your turn. I got 1.5 hours of track time in a 911 for about 400 bucks. Compare that to track costs, tire wear, brake wear (pads and rotors), insurance costs and engine wear, your time and convenience etc. It’s a good deal. I travel to Atlanta a couple times a year and hopping in a Porsche for 1.5 hours before I catch my flight back home is just nice. I think Porsche is losing money on me. My caris resting comfortably at home knowing what it can do. The 356 Restaurant: This is the restaurant that is one floor up from the Porch/Deck that overlooks the PEC track. They advertise that they are a Fine Dining restaurant but I think this is a stretch. It’s still good. After my forth trip here, I decided to try itout and moved my flight back home to the right another 1.5 hours. It’s expensive for what you get. I had two glasses of Malbec ($14 each), Tuna Tar Tar ($16) and Weiner Schnitzel ($24?). It was all good but not sure it was worth the price. The best part was the view. It sits right above the track. I walked in without reservations and all the tables right next to the front windows were reserved so I got a small table on the side and still had a reasonable view of the track and cars. It was fun but if you want the better view, get reservations. It opens at 1130 and my “experience” ended at 10:35 so I had to find something else to do in the mean time….. J The cars on display throughout the building and the Porsche shop kept me busy. Finally, after my lunch, I went back on the deck to watchthe cars. By this time, the 11:00 time slot was finishing up and I got to observe what the Porsche coaches do on their lunch break……watch for that post. It’s awesome….with video….and they have a preference for the GT cars! J Thanks for reading- I know it was long. I’m going to bed now to dream about driving Porsches. J

Gracias. Wonderful write up. But you didn't answer or evaded one main point. Or did I miss it? Based on this experience, would you buy a 991.2 base with a manual? Or is your 981 S such a sublime experience that this car, regardless of how fast it is, just can't match it?

Thanks for sharing ur experiences. Most of us never get to research as thoroughly as u have. From what u say, I should just sit back and enjoy my new (new to me) CPO 2015 Carrera S with manual and Sport Exhaust , for now. I can now wait to get into a 991.2 S or GTS , for the right time and the right deal. My wife has already had the equivalent of a facelift, with her eyebrows way up about me being retired just over 2 years and this being my 4th Porsche since retiring!! ;-)

You get right to my internal conflict! I came away with three things that I need to resolve. When I left PEC I wanted a to buy a Spyder or a GT4 . I love their manual transmission, power and sound....but I need an "emergency" back seat. I can't have two 2 seaters. 1. The (external) sound bothered me a lot. Maybe I should get a 991.1 GTS CPO? ....but then I can't do European Delivery. 2. The transmission bothered me. Same as the 991.1. It felt flimsy and I don't want 7 gears. Maybe I should wait for the 992 which I hear has a 6 MT? 3. I really should get the S or a GTS . The power felt good and now I am spoiled. Power is addicting. I need to drive a Base and see if I can live with it. I don't want to have "S" envy and regret a 100K + purchase. I'm Facebook friends with my Porsche Sales Advisor and we are active with Porsche together....I am sure he will give me a Base for a while to thrash around. . I have plenty of time to decide. Ugh...first world problems.

Can't help you with a decision but it was a inexpensive learning experience and better than a Showroon ride! My 991.2 C4S PDK will pull 1.05 routinely on Launch and on a Track if the corner is right. Left/Right has been as high as 1.37 with Factory P Zero's. I don't like noise so the 991.2 without SE suits me fine! On hairpin turns on a Track the torque is quite evident to me compared to my 981 . The C4S just rockets out of the turn. Brakes, if you thought the 981 brakes were good, the C4S is on another level. My biggest problems with the C4S compared to the 981 on Track is having to slow down prematurely at the end of straights as i am coming up on other cars so fast and can brake so much later. Good luck with your decision.-Richard

The 4S with PDK sounds like a ridiculously fast car. I read the front brakes are from the 911 turbo. Thanks Richard.

Thanks for the write up, very entertaining read. I too am impressed with the new 991.2 911 's. I didn't get to test the MT but the PDK was great, fast and always in the right gear. I see 991.2 in my future.

Great write up...thanks!

Thanks for the write up. Very sensible what you did to test it on track. I'm still happy with the PDK on my 991.1 and would get another. The 7 speed manual is a compromise which is why they had to build a new 6 speed for the new manual GT cars. The option to pop it in manual mode is great as even in Sport the auto shifting can be irritating as it can't read the track and in a N/A car can leave you in the wrong gear at times which is a real issue with car's low torque below 2500 rpm. I've got the SPASM and leave it in track setting all the time now, relatively comfortable and grips better. If you do plan to hussle the car along I'd be seriously tempted to get the SPASM and the 4WS - the latter will sharpen up the handling. You could do worse than pony up another $400 for a go in a tricked out PDK job and write another report.

I just did some track driving in the new 2S/4S in Porsche 's driving academy here, right after I had a week in a 4S press car. It's very easy to spot a few things that the cars have lost, but the overall package is very impressive. What surprised me though - I found the sports exhaust a complete waste. The press car had the standard exhaust (which I thought looked much better) and after a week of driving that I got in a car with the sports exhaust the day after and noticed zero difference inside the cabin. *Maybe* on the outside the turbo spool from idle is a bit more pronounced and there are a few more artificial pops but I just didn't notice the difference. And sound is a big deal for me. Getting back into my 981 GTS - PSE on or off is a pretty noticeable difference. But on the new turbo cars I honestly wouldn't get it unless you like the twin pipes in the middle. A lot of sound has been lost, and I found the boost delay/threshold quite annoying sometimes in daily driving compared to my own NA Porsche . But when it goes, it goes. Throughout the day I swapped between Caymans and the 991.2 and the sheer margin of speed that the 911 has over the 981 in the corners took me back a little. Obviously they all had SPASM and rear wheel steering, but the lateral grip they generate is on a totally different level to the Cayman . I was genuinely surprised by the difference. The 911 is also much easier to balance, for me at least. I find the 981 snappy. It hangs on until it doesn't and then the back moves out very quickly indeed. Then I jumped into a 991.2S and carrying much more apex speed it just held a tiny bit of oversteer as I kept full throttle all the way out. It just stayed out of PSM intervention territory and lets go very gradually. Caymans genuinely a lot harder to drive on the limit in a gracious fashion. Avoiding the use of sport/sport+ throttle mapping helps a little. I will note that the tires on the Caymans were getting to be pretty shot. But I've noticed the same kind of snappiness from my GTS ( X73 ) and the handling characteristics go into "expert mode" pretty quickly when you start to push it. You'd think twice about disabling the PSM on the street anyway. I had a few launch controls, in a Turbo S too (reminding me to never buy one of those after the driving school are done with them) and it's fun but more of a gimmick to impress your friends with when you take them for a ride in your new car. Can't imagine ever using it after owning the car for a little while. After doing 3 or 4 I got over it pretty quick. I do think the new turbo engines are more suited to PDK . You can always go manual but with the sound all but gone and so much torque plus a bit of boost lag the PDK just works better I reckon. On video one of the launches was 0-125 mph in about 13 seconds. For a Carrera , that's quick. But the thing is, for me it doesn't really feel like a Carrera anymore even though it looks the same. It's a 911 Turbo-lite. Sounds similar, behaves similar just at slightly less insane levels. I did feel a little sad giving it back, but more than a little happy driving my own car again. The list price on the 4S I drove was 225% what I paid for my GTS when it was 8 months old. It's not that much better. Closing thought, I think with the new engines the regular Carrera makes more sense than it used to. The only problem with the 3.4 was torque. That's well solved now, and I suspect the new car will be very close to par with the old 3.8S which wasn't slow to begin with. In many situations it will be quicker. And it's a much better value proposition.

Another very nice review. Thanks. Seems to me if you really care about the sound, the older S or GTS model is the one to get. Although this from this C&D review, even the base Carrera is insanely fast with PDK . 3.4 s to 60. 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera Test ? Review ? Car and Driver