tip question - is this normal?

Intention: accelerate as fast as possible from around 50mph What I did: Bleeped the throttle quickly and then floored it What the 996 did: bleeped caused 5th to 3rd down shift as expected then what seemed like a second+ in neutral with the rpms building to redline then something "engaged" and I took off (with a big f'n grin on my face). Should I wait for this "something" to engage before mashing the throttle? is the behavior above normal for an automatic in the 996? is my tranny slipping? thanks

Normal, if it only raises some. If it raises a lot, a fluid check is needed. There is a delay because first, the computer has to sense the need for lower gears from you stomping it, then the torque converter has to disengage from lock-up, and finally the trans has to down shift from 5th to 3rd. Lots of mechanical movement to get the desired effect once the Tip computer tells the trans what to do. I swear this is what sold me on the one I bought. I punched a '99 manual on test drive at low RPMS's and wasnt impressed (I had an '02 Z28 6-spd at the time). Then, I got into the Tip I bought, stomped the throttle at about 40MPH and the thing downshifted to 2nd I believe and set me back. I bought it. Of course, I figured out later the manuals are way faster and I just caught this tiny motor off guard at such low RPM.

You can also 'blip' the throttle a split second before you manually downshift the box via the - button on the steering wheel and I find the decel transition *almost* like matching downshift rev's on a manual.