Best RPM for daily driving an M96

I have seen a lot of threads on this subject in the air cooled forum but haven't seen on in a 996/996 forums. What is the best RPM for daily driving? I read a lot of people who say that the cars are designed to rev and that 3500 and 4000 RPM is the best shifting RPM. Having never owned a Porsche before, my natural inclination is to shift around 2000 RPMs because that is how I learned to drive a manual transmission. I know the really old 911s did not do well at low RPMs. When I initially got my car I shifted at around 2000 RPMs because that is just how I drove. Lately I have made an effort to **** closer to 4000 RPMs. It took a bit to get over my instinct to shift and it increases the engine noise, which for me is a bonus, not so much for my wife. I find the car drives amazingly when shifted at higher rpms. At highway speeds, in fifth or sixth gear the car is plenty fast but in fourth gear it is wonderful. It will sit around 3500 RPMs in 4th and cruise at around 70. Since it is right at the bottom of its maximum power curve, it accelerates in and through traffic like a beast. The same is true for driving on the side street. Under 50 mph, it is a much better car in 2nd than it is lugging away in 3rd. I don't imagine this hurts the engine. Is it better for the engine to keep the revs up? Or is that not really true with the newer models? It isn't bad is it? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Think of it this way, is there more friction with steel on steel components at slow speed or high speed? Think about pushing something heavy with no wheels across the ground. The hardest part is getting it started and then the more you get it moving the easier it slides. Pistons somewhat work the same way. You dont want to ever bog the engine, puts more stress on parts than high revs. When you first start the car for the day shift between 3,000 and 4,000 rpms until its warm and the oil temp starts climbing, then start shifting at 4,000 + . Its fairly well known that the M96 and M97 motors seem to do better if they've been driven at 3,000 and above RPM's. Cars that have been mildly driven seem to have more problems oddly enough.

I keep it between 2000 rpm and 4000 rpm until it's warmed up. After that I shift anywhere between 2000 rpm and 7000 rpm depending on what's happening around me. It depends on what I will be doing in the moments follwing the shift. If I expect to be accelerating I'll shift at a higher rpm but if I expect to be coasting, especially downhill, I'll shift at a lower rpm. It depends if I'm being careful with my fuel consumption too. Once in a while I see how well I can do and it's pretty impressive actually. Otherwise - I do find myself cruising at 3000 rpm a lot when nothing special is going on, but not intentionally. That happens to be where the variocam plus kicks in and truth be told I'd rather not hang around on that point. Don't over-think it though. Shift and cruise where it feels good but for gawd's sake don't lug the engine below 2000 rpm pretty much ever.

My personal method. YMMV warmup from cold, leisurely cruising or flat level highway- 2-4k spirited driving- 3-5k race track- 4-6k to redline only when flat and level in upper gears.

Warm up driving 2-3K Daily driving 3-6K with an occasional red line visit

I'm not too far away from jwetering so my driving characteristics are more or less the same.

If anyone want's to hear what Porsche thinks on the subject...

Quote from Charles at LN Engineering: "Also, make sure you drive your Porsche as it was intended to be driven! Keep the engine’s RPM above 2500 rpm – your IMS bearing will thank you! The faster you spin the IMS bearing, the longer it will last and less it will wear." The whole article is worth reading: Preventing Failures Cheers, Johan