Porsche 997.2CS Sport Auto Supertest

[KresoF1]

Back from Adriatic coast vacation. Sorry if repost...

Porsche 997.2 Carrera S

Equipment:

Sport PASM with LSD
Michelin CUP tires(they also measured car with normal Bridgestones RE050)
PDK
PCCB
Sport Chrono Plus
Bucket seats

Ring time: 7.50min(Cup tires)
Hockenheim: 1.13,4min(Bridgestones)

0-100km/h:4.4s
0-200km/h:14.9s

Weight: 1450kg

[Leadfoot]

I would expect the M3 with DKG to at least match that 0-200km/h time but there is no way it will get close to that time on the ring.

Where will these times leave the RS5? Can Audi possibly pull almost 20 seconds off the RS4 time, somehow I doubt the possibility of that regardless of the output figures.

I looks like on handling the 997 has pulled a definite gap between itself and the pretenders.

[artur777]

We should wait RS5 to be about 8-00 min time at the Ring
997.2 Carrera S - with normal tires would be about 7-58 at the Ring, so it's not that big difference.

And BTW, R8 is a direct compete for Carreara S not the RS5 or M3.
And R8 V10 will show its might:-)

[Leadfoot]

We should wait RS5 to be about 8-00 min time at the Ring
997.2 Carrera S - with normal tires would be about 7-58 at the Ring, so it's not that big difference.

And BTW, R8 is a direct compete for Carreara S not the RS5 or M3.
And R8 V10 will show its might:-)

That depends on the customer, to me the R8 is ruled out because of not rear seats. No matter how much I like the thing and I do, I will never own one because of this fact.

For me the M3 and RS5 would be a biggest rival than the R8 based on my demands and needs. So to me I see both of them as rivals to the crown.

[KresoF1]

I forgot to mentione one very important thing-7.50min Ring time was achieved in Sport Plus D mode! Yes, in sportiest AUTOMATIC mode of PDK!

[artur777]

KresoF1, do you know if the restyled 911 turbo will have PDK? wil it be new king of hill among gtr and r8 v10?

[KresoF1]

KresoF1, do you know if the restyled 911 turbo will have PDK? wil it be new king of hill among gtr and r8 v10?

Yes, 997.2 Turbo will have PDK as an option.

According to my source it will be much faster around Ring then current version.

Regarding R8 V10... Since it will be manual and R Tronic only it is carrying a huge handicap IMHO. If we look at Gallardo LP560-4 Ring time(next issue of Sport Auto 7.4Xmin) there is NO big hope for R8 V10. Simply said Audi waited way too long to introduce this version. Sales will start in March 2009. Do not get me wrong R8 is a great time but, its platform is unfortunately very limited for technical updates a la DCT transmission or new electronically controlled AWD for mid engine layout(version of Porsche PTM from 997 Turbo).

[artur777]

KresoF1, thanks for the answer.

It's a pity that current platform of R8 doesn't allow to make upgrades - S-Tronic and Quattro 3.
R8 will be no faster than LP 560 at the Ring - so it will be about 7-45 - no faster..
And thus R8 will be no way as fast as 997.2 Turbo - I hope at least R8 won't be as expensive as Turbo...

[Leadfoot]

I though I would add the latest roadtest conducted by Autocar.

They have two handling circuits, one dry and the other wet (maintained by water jets so the results for differing cars are as similar as possible). They also run their acceleration runs including braking distances for both wet and dry.

First the acceleration times , I have also listed the R8 times in brackets to compare. The car in question is a 997 C2 with PDK, not the S model.

0 - 30mph : 1.7s (1.72s)
0 - 40mph : 2.5s (2.7s)
0 - 50mph : 3.3s (3.5s)
0 - 60mph : 4.4s (4.4s)
0 - 70mph : 5.6s (5.9s)
0 - 80mph : 7.0s (7.1s)
0 - 90mph : 8.6s (8.4s)
0 - 100mph : 10.4s (10.5s)
0 - 110mph : 12.7s (12.5s)
0 - 120mph : 15.3s (15.2s)
0 - 130mph : 18.5s (18.8s)
0 - 140mph : 22.5s (22.6s)
0 - 150mph : 28.0s (27.5s)

Dry Handling course
1min 15.0s vs 1min 13.5s Audi R8

Wet Handling course
1min 14.0s vs 1min 8.2s Audi R8 (As you can see quattro makes a huge difference in the wet)

Braking distances
Dry 70mph : 42.6m - Wet 70mph : 51.2s

When you compare each cars acceleration times you can clearly see that the Audi still controls a huge difference in the handling, both wet and dry, but wet especially so. It will be interesting to see how the 997C2 performs on the ring because if it breaks the 8min barrier then questions need to be asked about the R8's time based on the evidence here.

[artur777]

base facelifted 997 w/PDK is as fast as R8...
S model and M3 will be faster...

[RXBG]

I would expect the M3 with DKG to at least match that 0-200km/h time but there is no way it will get close to that time on the ring.

Where will these times leave the RS5? Can Audi possibly pull almost 20 seconds off the RS4 time, somehow I doubt the possibility of that regardless of the output figures.

I looks like on handling the 997 has pulled a definite gap between itself and the pretenders.

i don't think the RS5 has the responsibility of knocking off the 997v2 times around the ring. the RS5 is supposed to compete with the M3. the outgoing RS4 did it in just over 8 minutes, i am sure the RS5 will make it in just under that- faster than the M3.

_________________________________

RE: R8 V10 ring times..... i wouldn't be so sure that it won't be able to produce a faster ring time than the ZR1 (as rumors abound) and be over 10 sec faster than the LP 560 time. to begin with, sport auto ring times are not the fastest for a given car. the fastest come from the factory as can be witnessed by the specialized drivers in the ZR1 and the GTR. sounds to me like audi simply did not put that much effort into the LP's time, rather leaving it for the R8 V10 to try to produce the goal number. further, the R8 is blessed with the magical magnetic ride system the LP doesn't have. next, the audi's torque curve may be better suited for a fast ring time vs the LP's- at a cost of less final hp, finally- you have to consider that the ZR1 did not use a DSG gearbox, but a simple manual, like the R8's to produce its ring time. it is for all these reasons that i think the R8 V10 could make it around the ring faster than the ZR1. whether or not the v2 997 TT will be faster remains to be seen. the gearbox and suspension upgrades may not have as big an impact on the TT as they do on the less powerful variants because the TT has a huge, almost problematic, amount of torque to carry and apply on its rear engined chassis.

the bottom line remains, if audi put a DSG in the R8 it would kill the ring times all of the above cars have posted and then some.... i am sure it could be engineered. but the cost to apply it to that particular platform might not make a good business case.

let's see what happens. i still expect the R8 V10 to be presented at the Paris show in october.....