WSJ: Want to Buy a Porsche on the Cheap?
12-10-09, 11:42 PM
#16
The Cayman is better-balanced than the 911 and (arguably) handles better, due to the engine being mounted slightly further forward, in a mid-engine location. The 911's center-of gravity is further to the rear, and, until the drop-throttle/snap-oversteer problem (translated: spinout) was solved in the 1990's with new tires, AWD, and rear-suspensions, could be a real handful, and sometimes dangerous, for inexperienced Porsche drivers.
12-11-09, 09:29 AM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
It has always been a top-notch sports car, even though the first ones appeared in 1964....a long time ago. But, until the big improvements of the 1990's, it simply required a higher level of driving skill than later Porsche models like the Boxster and Cayman, primarily because of its tail-happiness. The 914, which was much less powerful than the 911, also had some tail-happy handling problems, even though it was a mid-engined product (Consumer Reports, I remember, spun one out in their testing). To some enthusiasts, the 914 was a kiddy-car and not a "real" Porsche.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-11-09 at 02:13 PM.
12-11-09, 09:32 AM
#18
Lexus Fanatic
Modern stability control systems make the snap oversteer problems largely a problem of the past and are standard on all Porsche vehicles today.
12-11-09, 02:20 PM
#19
Lexus Fanatic
Even apart from traction control and VSC systems (which can often be adjusted or switched on or off), today's wide, grippy rear tires, computer-designed suspensions, wider rear tracks, and AWD torque-management systems have gone a long way towards helping 911s keep from swapping ends. Like some other Porsches, 911s often have wider rear tracks and larger, wider tires than on the front (that's why they are called "whale-tails").....and, in some cases, unidirectional tires.
12-11-09, 02:32 PM
#20
Lexus Fanatic
Even apart from traction control and VSC systems (which can often be adjusted or switched on or off), today's wide, grippy rear tires, computer-designed suspensions, wider rear tracks, and AWD torque-management systems have gone a long way towards helping 911s keep from swapping ends. Like some other Porsches, 911s often have wider rear tracks and larger, wider tires than on the front (that's why they are called "whale-tails").....and, in some cases, unidirectional tires.
Porsche has used all these mechanical aides since the Porsche SC in the early 80's but the cars could still be spun relatively easy compared to front engine cars. But those items did help temper the tail-happy behavior of the rear-engined cars.
In short the electronic PSM (Porsche Stability Management) stability control system made the most difference when introduced with the water-cooled Porsche's., to eliminate dangerous oversteer and understeer conditions.
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