What Do They Mean By - You Must Know How To Drive A 911 Or It Will Punish You"

I hear this many times. "You must to drive a Neunelfer in a special method" or it will "let you know". On Youtube I saw a man say you must do your braking at a special time when you approach a curve, etc. What are the nuances of driving such autos like these? Where can one learn these techniques? I am maybe beginning to think a tiptronic was a perhaps a better option of which to buy but the manual is much fun - like an arcade game! Thank you

Lots of different ways to answer your question, but, the most fun way is to learn it for yourself. Take your car to a DE, preferably a PCA event. Get in touch with your local PCA chapter and they can help.

+1 go to the track, have an instructor sit in the passenger seat and for $200 get a grin that will last a month and a desire to "do it again" that will last a lifetime PCA has events all over and in other countries ask the local Porsche repair shop how to get involved

That statement really depends on the era of 911 being driven. The earlier cars feel quite light in the front, and certainly the 930/turbo variety was known as a "widow-maker" because of the combination of snap oversteer along with snap turbo boost. But as 911s have been modernized Porsche has also engineered them to be more stable & predictable on the limit. That being said you must always be conscious of where the pendulum swings from in these cars - the rear.

Next time it rains, find an open area like a big parking lot and see for yourself. These newer cars are WAY more predictable than the early short wheelbase 911s. Only take you a couple minutes to see that the limit is more than likely way over your head on the road.

With my 911sc there was a bit of snap when throwing the rear out....remember where the weight is!!! I put the 996 sideways today, kept on the gas and pulled it through.....tons of fun.... Now on the track....under heavy horizontal G loads....getting of the gas and onto the brakes will result in a mess with very little chance of recovery...thats the old 911...new 911 its not as pronounced. example..... Early apex....too hot into corner lifts...and swaps.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dns2KXolwl4

I'm not the re-badging type, but I'd probably do it if they made a "neunelfer" logo in carerra-cursive.

I've ridden motorcycles probably for longer than most here have been alive. I also did some AMA CCS motorcycle roadracing on A Suzuki GSXR for 8 seasons entering hundreds of events all over the west. I've found the best way to drive a Porsche with the motor hanging back of the rear wheels is the same as riding a motorcycle at speed. Go in deep, brake hard, flick it in the turn while easing on the throttle. Increasing throttle while exiting the turn to the point of impending traction limits. Chopping the throttle or "lifting" can result in a highside crash or in the Porsche having the tail swap ends with the front. If only slightly lifting, then you may find your line being pushed to the outside of the turn. Your experiences may differ.

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100% on the money!!

Lifting Boy who would have guessed how quickly the ends swap!! I know add some breaks right as it comes about

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Shortning the time it takes you to arrive at the scene of the crash...

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I am so sorry - can you please explain what you mean in this statement? " ... Only take you a couple minutes to see that the limit is more than likely way over your head on the road ..." (with respect) Bellmore

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The only way to learn how to drive this type of car is to participate in a local PCA event. The 996/997 are very easy and intuitive to drive; however, having said that, you must make the commitment to participate in a few events, there is no other way, unless of course you want to take your chances on everyday roads.

Hey, Don't discount the effect of all the driving aids available today. ABS, PSM, PASM, et all. The old cars had none of that. Carry the braking too late, turn in with the brakes on, and the tendency was for the rear to pass the front. ABS prevents that from happening. Get on the power too early with PSM, and the computer shuts power before you look stupid. In an old car you would be going backwards real fast. Starting with the 993 and a more modern suspension, Porsche engineered out many of the dangerous 911 handling traits. Again, best thing for you to do is to do a local PCA DE. And do it on street tires. Barry

I think it mroe partains to the pre 99 units.. The VW ones. Something about "planting" the back end and what not.... I think a lot of that has been fixed in the new units

Kyle might even say "Buy a 911 and it will punish you" Check out his knuckles, pretty red and bloody

I really enjoy the rear weight biased handling of a 911 (any 911) they really are rather special. They do handle differently, sure, but... Weight transfer is weight transfer. You turn into the skid maintaining some throttle during oversteer, you brake hardest in a straight line, transfer weight to the front to combat understeer so forth. Cars are cars, and physics doesn't change... As an instructor for the PCA amongst many other clubs, I whole heartedly agree with the above recommendations, do a driving school (preferably one that includes a skidpad session). Your location is not listed, but I will be doing several schools this year with the PCA, Chin, Alfa Club etc. I'd be happy to take you out if you're on the east coast.

its physics.... try throwing a hammer, the heavy side will always want to be in the front, your job as a driver have to try to keep the heavy side behind you (especially going around turns).

Coming from one of the most stable platforms around, the 944, I was terrified when I moved to my 996. I had heard the stories about the back end coming up to the front when the throttle was lifted in mid-corner. After a DE though I found that the car is VERY stable and I think to get the ends to swap places you'd either have to be carrying quite a bit of speed into a corner or doing something you really shouldn't be doing. I tried on some corners to get the rear to slip a bit and couldn't really accomplish it. Granted, I'm just a novice but my point is that you have to really be in over your head before this generation of cars will punish you. With that being said, it does handle a bit differently so you must be mindful of that.

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Where are you located? I recommend you check your local PCA chapter for AX, DE or Performance Driving School (that's what we call DE-light in Houston) and learn how to drive these wonderful cars the way they're meant to! JP

Bellmore996911, What I meant was that for most of us mere mortals these babies can deliver more performance than we can use on the street with no drama. The older 911s were a handful. A handful of automotive pleasure to be sure but you could end up going backwards if you don't have fast hands!

Bellmore, where are you located ... where are you from? What year car do you have, earlier...or later with PSM? Do you have LSD? When I drive my LSD car, throttle cable, and no PSM in the rain, let me tell you it's a hoot! The standard traction control will allow the car to slip quite a bit before activating. Later cars with PSM and no LSD are shall we say, less involving. Braking too late into turns is a bit different story, but even then ABS will help. If you like to read more, I recommend Vic Elford's 911 driving handbook.

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No question. I learned how to drive on the track in an '87 911 and I looped it several times as I was learning. Once you got the hang of it, it was an incredibly fun car to drive. The first time I drove a 996 on track, I couldn't believe how easy it was in comparison.

The way I see it, rear engined Porsches have always done the same thing. All the development in the last 40 years has been toward trying to raise the limit at which the inevitable happens, so not so many people kill themselves, sue the company, etc. This has resulted in an unusual situation, where my car has--amazingly--295 section rear tires. Why would a 3300 lb car need tires nearly one foot wide? If you put those tires on a Camry, you could corner at 7g, yet I can get the back end loose easily on half a dozen turns just driving to work. With ESP on. Definitely something strange going on.