Dorkiphus.net - Interesting point...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kurt Mickelwait

Todd while I have not "drove" you particular 996 I have drive a few including a rather frisky TT. It might have been a 993 TT but ether way you get my point, (Or should I say, drift? ;) )

With respect to the steering input and chassis reaction times you might be confusing a system input reaction or lag time with chassis reaction time. Let’s use the manual and power steering as an example. There is no lag difference in manual and power steering in a Porsche. If you turn the wheel in a Porsche that has power steering the wheels respond just a soon as with Manuel setup. This is because it is a fully linked system just the same as with the manual system just power assisted. With this being the case you might be misreading the chassis timing as steering input lag. The power assist might be masking the system feedback or “feel”

Generally speaking the heaver the car and or the softer the suspension the slower or lets say the more lag there is in the cars execution of driver inputs. With this we are back to the hula dance. You have to keep up with your dance partner and also not get ahead of her. If the car is real hard to get the back out it is telling you something! Work with the tools at hand. If the car is sticking like glue give it more energy to deal with. That is, go faster, carry more energy through the corner. Instead of dropping to the mat and wrestling with her go with the flow. When you are near the limits of the traction circle the size of any inputs will be smaller to achieve the same result regardless of the car. All cars need a lighter hand when they are at the “edge”
As far as sliding the car. Personaly I try to keep the wheels planted as much as possible. I don't have the final answer to anything but I think TTO or hooking a corner is not the fastest way around if other methods work. It costs you tire life as well. Try opening up the turn a little bit and carrying speed through. Don’t quote me but try entering a tiny bit earlier and carry through, as you load up the suspension and get the tires close to limits you can make little adjustments to get the drift you want or need.

Kurt, I hear what you are saying and I imagine that you are absolutely right.

With respect to steering, however, remember that I said they are exactly the same between the 996 and 944. Although the steering ratios are different so you have to turn the wheel a lot more in the 996, I do not believe you drive the cars any differently with respect to steering.

Nonetheless, your point brings out exactly why the 996, which is an outstanding car both on the track and on the street, can make it a little more difficult to learn how to drive well. You need to be going so fast to reach the limits of that car, that it can be a little dangerous once you step over that limit. I suspect that I, like most, spend much of my time in the 996 at about 70-80% of its capabilities: the driver runs out of ability so much more quickly than the car.

When you drive a car whose capabilities may be less, you stand a better chance of reaching the limits of the car before you reach your own limits, or at least you can get there at roughly the same time at much lower speeds.

I am also open to the real possibility that the suspension set up on my car, which is not stock, leads to the handling characteristics I describe, and so people who drive other 996s may not experience the same things I experience.