"Z_Stig" (Z_Stig)
10/02/2013 at 10:58 • Filed to: Porsche, PDK, manuals
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"Z_Stig" (Z_Stig)
10/02/2013 at 10:58 • Filed to: Porsche, PDK, manuals | 1
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There was a very nice technical piece on the new GT3 in the November issue of Excellence magazine, and David Donohue also contributed a bit. The engineers initially wanted to keep the GT3 a three pedal car like previous iterations, but at towards the end of development decided PDK did everything better without taking away from the character of Porsche's factory racer.
I guess that wasn't too much of a surprise to me that they would say that; but then David Donohue said when hot lapping the car, he leaves it in Auto. Wait. What? I thought these type of gearboxes give you more control and more speed on track, and yet, we leave it in Auto?
Then after reading the 991 GT3 is 2 seconds a lap faster than the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 and 6 seconds faster than the GT3 RS 3.8, and 7 seconds faster than both the 997 GT2 and the Carrera GT around the Nordschleife (an impressive feat!), Timo Gluck, Porsche's factory test driver, says he left it in Auto for the record breaking lap as well.
Two highly skilled drivers leave the PDK in Auto, and show it's faster than any other mode. Where does that leave me? Well, on the very slim chance to none I would ever own such a machine, I'd want it in manual of course. I do have to say, the technology at work here is simply amazing and the fact this new GT3 is heavier, and less powerful than the old RS 4.0 and still faster is mind boggling. I'll be driving three pedal cars 'till the day I die, but I really do respect the latest in gearbox tech. I'm really curious as to what a 991 GT3 RS will do now.
Saracen
> Z_Stig
10/02/2013 at 12:45 |
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That's what I've been saying..
The flappy paddle transmissions are so good on the track, that eventually anyone who drives them just leaves the things in auto mode. I mean, if you're just going flat out all the time, it's likely a fairly simple shift program.
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Z_Stig
> Saracen
10/02/2013 at 13:30 |
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Good news for guy like me is, the transmissions are usually faster than the driver behind the wheel so I can still catch 'em on the track!
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Saracen
> Z_Stig
10/02/2013 at 13:49 |
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that was a point I brought up too!
Unless you're a race car driver, you shouldn't be using your transmission to shave lap times...you should just work on becoming a better driver!