"NervesOfThrill" (adrenalingus)
08/31/2014 at 22:44 • Filed to: test drive
1
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"NervesOfThrill" (adrenalingus)
08/31/2014 at 22:44 • Filed to: test drive | 1
| 1 |
Rented an '08 C4S (6 speed) over the weekend and thought I'd post a quick review. To set the stage I should say that while I've driven most of the most popular sports cars and owned an embarrassing number of them too; I've never driven a Porsche until this weekend. Like many others I have always been, shall we say, suspicious of the level of single minded adulation professed by 911 devotees. I rented the 911 C4S as much to satisfy my curiosity about just how magically different the 911 really is as because it seemed a great choice for a mountain drive. Would both prove true?
The first thing I noticed about the C4S was how great and terrible the interior is simultaneously. The great: seats, seating position, instrument cluster, quality of the leather, visibility. The terrible: the entire center stack and everything electronic looked incredibly outdated and was identical to my friend's Boxter whose interior first shocked me into saying "this is a Porsche?".
The second thing I noticed was how insanely easy it was to drive. It took all of two shifts to become synched with the steering, clutch and drivetrain.
After these initial observations I began real driving, first in town and then out into the mountains. I quickly came to appreciate the ride quality in town and how usable this car was for an elite level sport car. As we moved out of town onto the interstate the ride was even better and it was pure joy working between 5th and 6th through traffic. By the time we got to the mountain roads I specifically rented the car to drive on I was already developing a bit of a crush. After dashing through the twisties in the foothills of the mountains I was getting into lust territory.
DRIVETRAIN
The C4S had the 6 speed manual and the 355hp/295ft-lbs flat 6. As mentioned before the clutch is excellent and engages intuitively. The shifts are good but the throws are a little longer than expected and the shifts while solid, were not as precise as I had anticipated. The engine is outstanding and takes no time to become simpatico and start dancing together. The power band is so wide you can choose based on gear just how you want to tackle every corner from smooth & fast to shock & awe. It makes for an engaging driving experience.
HANDLING
The 911 C4S now holds the record as the most planted vehicle I've ever driven. On public roads I cannot fathom getting the car to break loose on dry pavement. I think I would need a track to reach that limit, or at least no wife in the car. The steering is every bit as intuitive as it is reputed to be. The car begs to be placed into any line through the corner you feel like taking and then reacts exactly like you expect to anything you do throughout the turn. It really is sublime.
ACCELERATION
Let's just start by saying the flat 6 is amazing. It pulls long and hard and has so much usable power it is intoxicating to charge from corner to corner. But straight line acceleration was the lone disappointment of the 24 hours spent together. It is just clear that the flat 6 was designed for race tracks with the seemingly never-ending usable power and not drag strips. It just lacks that head snapping torque of some others that produce guttural rips of acceleration.
WIFE FACTOR
The most absolutely amazing part of the car was how quickly it turned my wife into a raving fan. As the day progressed she grew to admire the car from the passenger seat. When it was time for dinner and I had commenced my birthday celebration with a half dozen cocktails and some of Denver's unique brand of freedom, the keys were handed over to her. By the time the 20 minute drive to dinner was up she was suggesting I should buy one. Let me repeat that just so it sinks in; my wife was telling me I should buy a 911. That of course all went away when I disclosed the price for that exact car, but she has never reacted that way to a car before.
SUMMARY
The 24 hours I spent with the C4S were a wonderful experience. The initial negative reactions I had to the outdated electronics quickly gave way to the fit and finish throughout the car as well as a respect for the way the C4S strikes such a great balance between luxury and performance. The drive up the mountains turned from flirting to crush to love as I carved my way up the mountain. I can't say that the experience will make me a 911 owner because for the money they command I can think of many others I'd have to consider, but I can say that if the right deal came along it would happen in the blink of an eye.
Manuél Ferrari
> NervesOfThrill
09/01/2014 at 16:25 |
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I've heard that this engine is louder than the DFI engines. Having that boxer behind you with the top down is probably pretty awesome.