Hi all, I'm new to Porsche, and newly returned to true performance cars after 11 years of AMG SLs, most recently a '13 SL65. Prior to the run of SLs I was in an NSX that I tracked semi regularly for 10 years (usually with the Porsche club), and loved the for the time razor sharp handling and instantaneous throttle response.

Ordered my black, espresso/cognac Turbo S last week, and am very excited for its September arrival. I know the Turbo will blow me away with its handling and ability to put power to the ground at lower speeds. And while throttle response won't be NA, I'm sure it will feel practically instantaneous compared to the bi-turbo V12s I've been in for the past 9 years.

My question for any V12 Merc or tuned 63 owners is, will I miss the torque, should I be planning now for exhaust and ECU mods on the 991? Is the Turbo going to feel meaningfully slower than the 65 on 25-75 freeway entrance runs, or will the minimal wheel slip and better hp/weight make up for the torque deficit?

 

Although my SL65 was a 2006, you will definitely miss the torque. Quite honestly, I haven't driven anything under the sun that is stock that has that brutal torque the 65 engine provides and I surely do miss it sometimes.

I really wished the Sl65 was AWD because the wheels would come loose in almost every gear. I think the ability to get the powers down to the wheels will yield similar roll times but they have different ways of achieving that time.... The Porsche is very efficient but the SL65 was just a brutal beast.....

 

I had 01 996 turbo that i tuned to 760 or so hp/tq then went to a 06 sl65..and in between a sly of other ones...most recently i also had a 13 sl63 renntech tuned. two completely different animals..the sl is a prettier car Imo the growl of the engine is unique to the sl but it is in my opinion not a tts the porsche gets the power down to the road and has a unique feel to it. I for one MUCH prefer the ride quality handling and power delivery of the Porsche. I also loved my sl63 however i had to feather in the throttle and HOPE on a clear day it make traction to get the enjoyment of the power band. many times on dry pavement and feathering in the throttle my back end would swing out and traction would kick in.... The transmission in the sl is a joke compared to the PDK....
i think the the b & O in the sl might have been slightly better to the Burmester .. if u have any questions for me ill try to answer them. i have done the GIAC tune and found that it helps bring on the power sooner and i think its faster LOL i only kept it stock for a few days. u will definatley want to swap out the exhaust as its to quiet esp compared to your sl the tts feels "peppier" its smoother esp with u turn off the pccb launch control in the sl is a joke while very usable in the tts...
cheers

 

I reserve judgement on the power and acceleration until I've had more seat time, but so far I haven't experienced the same level of responsiveness and raw seat of the pants power that either my 458 or M5 appear to have. I can't believe I'm saying this about a car that's rated as one of biggest monsters on this planet, but thats just the way it feels to me.

One thing I can say for certain is this car is far to quiet. My new 3.0 X5 has a better growl. Fortunately, this can fixed.

 

I've only had my TT for a week now. My last car was a CL63 PP. A couple of observations thus far. The car is quiet! Coming from an AMG you will definitely want to do an exhaust. In instant torque of the AMG at low revs also missing. Once you get into the throttle a bit you won't be disappointed though.

 

I had a Renntech CLS63 w/ 650hp/750tq, and driving that thing was fun but like being on a rocket with regards to lack of control. The TT does not have the same push you back massive torque, but it's FAR more controllable. Perhaps not as enjoyable in a straight line, but in twisties and the track... Oh, and PDK >>> MCT.

 

I have both now: a tuned SL63TT and a tuned 991 TT-S:


The TT-S is faster to 100 no doubt but the tuned SL is pushing 600 whp and 660 rwtq and Ill bet its a closer race to 150. The TT-S will lose some steam due to AWD and the SL has the MCT which is not as efficient. Remember both are tuned and the SL has more hp. The SL for 2013 went on a diet and is about 4000 lbs vs the close to 3700 lbs in the TT-S so tuned vs tuned the rolling race would be interesting.


As for the tq part, you wont miss it much. Just drive the TT in the proper range of rpm's you will have over 500 lb/ft of tq. But the faster range is past 5k rpm where sport plus lives a good life. The SL wins the sound part hands down. As CPI said, the TT-S needs more sound to connect it with the power its exuding. As for wheel spin you wont find any in the TT-S as you stated and there is some spin from a roll in my 63 due to the tune and huge tq increase. I actually like that part with the TT-S; I can just floor it and Im gone. Get the tune on the TT-S and don't look back!!!

 

Wow, thanks for all the responses. This is super helpful.

How much can I expect to boost torque with just an ECU tune and exhaust? Not willing to do anything more invasive and don't want to push any boundaries on reliability.

Regarding exhaust sound, I'll do a little more research here, but any consensus on what is most aggressive sounding in Sport mode while being as (close to) quiet as stock when in Comfort mode? Oh, and no CEL either. I'm already used to a relatively quiet exhaust as the V12 AMGs are much more reserved sounding than the V8s. I was actually perfectly happy with the exhaust note of the 991 S with PSE that I test drove. If there is a Turbo S exhaust that will just let me match the base 991 exhaust I will be happy.

I am looking forward to being able to just put the pedal down and go. The SL65 is an exercise in frustration as the throttle is not very progressive: slightest bit too much throttle and traction control shuts down all the fun; slightest bit too little throttle and the car accelerates like a Prius with bad batteries.

Also hoping the traction controls act more like Ferrari than Mercedes. In the Mercedes if you trigger traction control it basically shuts you down completely for what feels like several seconds. The most amazing thing about the F12 I drove was the way its safety controls cooperated with spirited driving. I pushed it a little hard through a turn and it dialed me back only enough to keep the car in control while still allowing me to accelerate hard.

 

As Vic mentioned, the PDK is worlds better than the MCT. Actually, the PDK makes the MCT feel like a slush box automatic!! I find the PDK one of my favorite aspects of the TT experience thus far.