Well, the opportunity came earlier than expected. This morning I had a chance to spend 15 minutes with the new 911 Carrera PDK, along with the technical advisor of our OPC here in Thailand. In the first lap, he showed how civilized the 911 can be with PDK set to full auto. The gear changed so smoothly, and before I knew it, we were in 6th!
Yawn....
:sleepy:
The second lap, he demonstrated how to use Launch Control :mrgreen: , and boy, it was like a video game came true! Activate Sport mode, hold the brakes, dab the throttle, then side step the brakes, and whoompphhhh! The car took off without any wheel slip, and the next gear arrived and went by in a flash! It changed so quickly that you don't lose any momentum. If there's one reason why one should by the PDK, it's the Launch Control!
After some slalom and a few curves, we came to the end of the lap and it was my turn at the wheel.
I took it slow in the first few laps, trying to get to know the feel of the car. I found myself shifting down when I wanted to upshift quite a few times, thanks to the steering wheel buttons of the PDK. The transmission wouldn't allow a downshift if it would over-rev the engine, nor if the g-force is too high (according to the technical advisor). After a few laps, I felt more confident, pushing the car harder, braking a bit later. Even though the track had some damp patches and standing water, there was still so much grip with the half worn Michelins. The steering is nice and adjustable. I'm not so familiar with steering feel of prior models, so I can't say whether this MkII has lost or gained anything.
There are two things I think Porsche could improve. First was the tire noise, or maybe the insulation from it. If PDK is to capture new 911 customers, I think better road/tire noise insulation would complement that very nicely. The second gripe has to be the PDK's buttons. After 15 minutes, I still found myself flicking the buttons incorrectly!
The acceleration is strong especially after 4,000rpm. The engine note did not come to live until 5,000 rpm or so. I think the PSE will be a popular option for sure. I drove the car for several more laps, before coming in for a reception where there's a white Carrera on display.
Before going inside the reception tent, here are a few more pics of the test car:
The tent has a few tables to accommodate customers throughout the 3-day event. The center of attention is the white 911 Carrera (PDK) with Terracotta leather interior. The car had been sold but Porsche was kind enough to open the car for a few photographs.
Well, that wraps up my Sunday morning. Now I can't wait to take delivery of my Carrera S next year!
Thanks for reading,
Wisrute
Yawn....
:sleepy:
The second lap, he demonstrated how to use Launch Control :mrgreen: , and boy, it was like a video game came true! Activate Sport mode, hold the brakes, dab the throttle, then side step the brakes, and whoompphhhh! The car took off without any wheel slip, and the next gear arrived and went by in a flash! It changed so quickly that you don't lose any momentum. If there's one reason why one should by the PDK, it's the Launch Control!
After some slalom and a few curves, we came to the end of the lap and it was my turn at the wheel.
I took it slow in the first few laps, trying to get to know the feel of the car. I found myself shifting down when I wanted to upshift quite a few times, thanks to the steering wheel buttons of the PDK. The transmission wouldn't allow a downshift if it would over-rev the engine, nor if the g-force is too high (according to the technical advisor). After a few laps, I felt more confident, pushing the car harder, braking a bit later. Even though the track had some damp patches and standing water, there was still so much grip with the half worn Michelins. The steering is nice and adjustable. I'm not so familiar with steering feel of prior models, so I can't say whether this MkII has lost or gained anything.
There are two things I think Porsche could improve. First was the tire noise, or maybe the insulation from it. If PDK is to capture new 911 customers, I think better road/tire noise insulation would complement that very nicely. The second gripe has to be the PDK's buttons. After 15 minutes, I still found myself flicking the buttons incorrectly!
The acceleration is strong especially after 4,000rpm. The engine note did not come to live until 5,000 rpm or so. I think the PSE will be a popular option for sure. I drove the car for several more laps, before coming in for a reception where there's a white Carrera on display.
Before going inside the reception tent, here are a few more pics of the test car:
The tent has a few tables to accommodate customers throughout the 3-day event. The center of attention is the white 911 Carrera (PDK) with Terracotta leather interior. The car had been sold but Porsche was kind enough to open the car for a few photographs.
Well, that wraps up my Sunday morning. Now I can't wait to take delivery of my Carrera S next year!
Thanks for reading,
Wisrute
