Test drive!!

[ChrisBuer]

As you all know, I'm loving my R32 but the chance has come up to test drive something a little bit quicker....well in fact a lot quicker

This morning I have a 30 minute test drive booked in a lovely turbo car This thing has two turbo's on it, around 490bhp and over 500 lb/ft of torque.

Yep this morning Lancaster garages in Colchester Essex are letting me loose in their brand new 911 Turbo!! I can honestly say that it will be the quickest thing I've ever driven and although it may spoil my view on what is actually fast, I'm very excited nonetheless!!

I'll let you know how it compares to the R32 and get some pictures as well!! Can't wait!!!!

Cheers,

Chris.

[Oli]

Ive driven the 996 Turbo and they are awesome.

Enjoy

[rs32]

bye-bye R32 then

enjoy Chris - PICS, PICS, PICS

[SamD]

What a fanstatic day to test it as well, the sun is shining, the roads are damp

You are a lucky, lucky, lucky man

[AGK512]

We are all waiting for the impartial considered review .... how does full right pedal compare ?

[Dan32]

Been fortunate enough to drive both 996 and 997 Turbos and have to say, 997 is astonishingly quick car. Makes the R feel .... dare I say it.... normal. The 996 had small amount of lag but the 997 is just ferocious from the smallest of throttle openings. The suspension on the 996 tended to bang and crash about the place - something that didn't bother me at the time, but I'm sure if it was mine would become annoying, whereas the 997 floats at low speed and then firms up as you press on. Problem is, feels like it floats a bit too much, something the owner is looking into in case its a fault (car is only 2k miles old).

Having come from riding quick bikes, and from being driven in quick cars like a supercharged 500bhp Monaro (cheers Chris), the 911 feels as quick as bike and quicker than Monaro (sorry Chris!), possibly due to the fact you do sit quite low in it. As for build quality, it blows the R away, but then what do you expect for £100k!

Couple of photos for your pleasure

[SamD]

Certainly a stunning machine Dan. I'd love that on my driveway

[Roy32]

That is one gorgeous motor Dan, just needs to be black

[ChrisBuer]

Well I’m back from my drive and what can I say....WOW!!

Still even now after a few hours I’m still absolutely astonished at just what an amazing machine this car is.

We started out by driving through the small busy roads of Colchester with the demo lady taking the wheel. She drove us out onto the A12 were we pulled up into a lay-by and swapped seats.

First thing I noticed was just how low you sit in the car, it almost feels like driving an Elise, i.e. very much bum on floor feeling.

Anyway, engaged first, bimbled away and thought “yeah, very smooth”. I was expecting a heavy clutch and heavy steering but if anything, it was no different from driving my Golf, very easy indeed.

The steering had a fantastic feel to it, weighted but at the same time very easy to work with. The clutch was light and didn’t require much effort to use and overall I was very surprised. I took it easy onto the A12, not really giving it any beans as I wanted to get used to the feel of it.

We took a turning off through some country lanes and I got to feel how good this car is on the twisty stuff! Very impressed!! Hardly pushed it at all and we were just riding on a wave of torque. The grip was immense and the ride fantastic! It felt so sure footed but I knew I wasn’t even touching on it’s true performance.

Back out of the country lanes and onto the slip road of the A12. I thought “Ok lets give it some beans”. In third gear, checked the mirrors, all clear…foot flat down…there was a very slight bit of lag, I’d say half a second or so (I was doing about 1500rpm) and then....WHAM!!!!! Oh my god!!!!!!!!!!! I’d hardly touched 3000rpm and was back off the throttle again. The needle had jumped from about 30mph to 70mph and I wasn’t even on full boost.

B*gger me with a broomstick I thought....jesus this thing is immense I muttered as the sales woman laughed. Into 4th gear and then foot flat down...WHACK the needle was hitting 3 figures and I thought damn, get off that gas otherwise I’m going to jail!!

I simply cannot describe just how QUICK this car is, it’s bonkers!!! Do you know that feeling you get when you go over a hump backed bridge, the butterflies in your stomach? Well that’s what happens in this when you put your foot down.

Things just blur and you have to back off because other cars don’t expect to you come shooting past at the speed you do. I actually pulled out and saw an Audi TT (3.2 one) coming up in the fast lane, left it in 6th and before I knew it he was a dot in the mirror and I’d hardly even pushed the car.

I never really got it further than 4000rpm just because there wasn’t the space on the road to do so. This car does 0-125mph in 10 seconds and I can believe that!!!!!

What a fantastic day and something to aspire to own!

I also saw a nice GT3 at the dealership and the new GT3 RS, but I’m not sure I like the colour on this, I’ll let you decide for yourselves!!

Anyway, I need a coffee to calm my nerves what a car what a fantastic car!!!!!!!

How does this compare to my Golf? Ermm...it doesn't

[rs32]

sounds like it was quite good then Chris

you lucky

would guess you really need to drive it across Europe to find out exactly how good it is - our roads are just too shyte to really open her up by the sounds of it.

very, very jealous mate - top marks !

[dogbucket]

Any tips on blagging test drives?, you are obviously very good at it!

[AGK512]

Turn up in an R32 and say your looking to upgrade ?

[swil00]

Not keen on the wheels on the Turbo.. The GT3 is very nice though

Dreams

[ChrisBuer]

[ QUOTE ]

Any tips on blagging test drives?, you are obviously very good at it!

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually my father has ordered one and when the sales woman asked if I might like a test drive, it wasn't a hard decision to make

Now all I need to do is convince him to sell it to me for a "good price"

[w1how]

I have the 997 cab(tiptronic) and it is a little quicker than the r32,not massively so.The r32 is also more 'chuckable' round corners.I love the turbo but if I bought one it would be a toss up as to whether I lost my license or my life first!

[JaminBen]

Nice review Chris!

I'm hoping to get a ride in a twin-turbo MkIV R32 pretty soon. I don't know if he posts here or not, but Christian's pristine R32 is getting the full HGP T-T treatment as we speak.

What i'd like to try is both T-T R32 and the 997 T-T, the same day:

I imagine the outcome would place the 997 much higher in terms of chassis abilities (though Christian's R32 has KW Competition coilovers) and interior refinement. Speeds however would be pretty similar...

Anyways, Chris, thanks again for the story!

[ChrisBuer]

Well I’m yearning to feel that performance again haha! I’ve gotta say though, it does put my car and others into perspective.

I’ve driven quite a number of cars and from getting out of my fiancée’s Ford KA and into my Golf makes you think just how quick the Golf is compared to most other road cars.

However, getting into the 911 Turbo is an even bigger jump up. When you plant the throttle you have to think “is that car in the distance going to pull out” because in seconds you’re behind them.

To give you an idea how quick this car is, check out this quick video of it driving with a Ferrari F430 in Germany. The F430 is no slouch but the Turbo eats it alive:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUjwK7a83E4

I’m in love with this car and WILL have one…..well one day

[GTiMK5]

[ QUOTE ]

Well I’m yearning to feel that performance again haha! I’ve gotta say though, it does put my car and others into perspective.

[/ QUOTE ]

Chris,

Great review, wish I had the chance to try one out. I can relate to what you said above having changed to the RS4, the R always seemed fairly quick until that point and of course it is but the RS4 is quite a step up in terms of how quick it is, its scarily quick at times but lots of fun.