So After ordering a Turbo, I went back and read the Turbo Article in Excellence Mag (Dec 2013). It stated the only motor difference between the Turbo and the Turbo S is the programming of the ECU. Of course besides the standard options on the Turbo S.


Does this mean you can get Turbo S power by reprogramming the ECU?
Of course assuming some vendor can actually do this. I've seen some claims already by vendors to up the hp/tq numbers. Has anyone actually tried this and got real gains?

 

Yep, pretty much. However, there are more standard options on the S

 

I posted this same question, and considered doing the same thing, ordering a Turbo, then having the Turbo tuned. Even went as far as to place an order for a Turbo.

After placing the order and thinking on it for a couple days, I decided that knowing myself, I would always be asking if I should have bought the Turbo S, when that was what I really wanted. Part of that reason was some associated guilt with spending that much on a car. Not that I could not afford it, but $200K for a vehicle is a lot of money. Most of my "fun car" purchases until this were in the Viper/Corvette/MB C63 AMG price range.

And as well, after I looked at the price of my built Turbo, I was within $15-20K of what the Turbo S would have cost anyways, so that was not as great a leap in price as I thought.

Build both out the way you want, then look at the end totals. That might help you decide.

Both are fine cars, a great choice either one, but I knew I wanted the top of the heap, and I am glad I bought my S.

 

Did the same, and came up with a $30k spread between my TT Cab with the options I wanted, and a TTS Cab bloated with unwanted options.

Sure, I'd love to have gone full monty.... but in my mind $30k extra was a lot to spend on the letter "S".

 

...but if you want all of the options on the Turbo S then you are getting a deal albeit a Porsche deal

Your comparison is a little myopic since the chassis (PDCC), transmission/engine mount tune (sport chrono), wheels (forged center lock), brakes (PCCB), lights (LED) and seating (18-way) are also enhanced. Therefore your "ecu tune" is only part of the integrated system that the (pricey) 'S' stands for.

If you are really into tuning and/or tracking your car I would strongly recommend getting a base Turbo. because your disc brake/pad costs are ~25-35% of what a Turbo S would be.

 

I do not think it is just programming. I remember reading something about stronger internals that allow for a higher redline.

 

Lol. Yeah $190-200k a lot of money for a second car that I drive only on sunny days. Also, couldn't justify the extra $30k for the S. But the real story is that we went to one of those open house events for the Porsche Cayenne here in New England. And my wife has been looking for a new car to replace her 2012 Infiniti G37x, we took a test ride in the Cayenne with almost every option on it and we both loved it. So we bought the Cayenne and I ordered a Turbo. Not a SUV guy at all, I wanted a sedan but that Cayenne was just such a nice ride and so comfy inside. So it was an expensive day.

 

I thought that also, but the Excellence article said it was just ECU programming differences between the S and non S.

 

I settled for the plain TT. I didn't want the PCCBs since I will be keeping the car awhile and didn't want to spend $20k for brakes in the future to replace them. I know I will be shamed and ridiculed for my lowly TT, but I am pretty tough so I can live with it.

 

For me it was a business decision. I wanted the PCCB, love the looks and hated the break dust on the red calipers so if you add all the standard stuff on the S all of a sudden its a great deal.

 

I just ordered a Turbo instead of a S. Here is how I feel about the three most important options that the S comes with standard over the Turbo (extra horsepower excluded). The high maintenance CL wheels could be an issue for me if have a flat (or want to swap tires) where I live, 150 miles from the nearest Porsche dealership. Also I find the 18 way adaptive sport seats a bit confining for everyday driving. I have PDCC on my Turbo Cayenne which I feel makes a very noticeable difference in everyday driving. I drove a Turbo with PDCC and by using the PDCC on and off switch, felt that the difference it made on the street was subtle at best. PDCC may have even made the car feel slightly artificial.
I ended up adding PCCB's to my order, after driving the cast iron brakes back to back with them. I loved the feel of the PCCB's, have never owned them, and wanted to give them a try. I was already stretching financially for the Turbo so it was an easy call for me.

 

The redline is only increased by 250 rpm. I recall articles about the air induction system on previous models that "breathe" in more volume via expansion, and I recall articles about the power kit for the base and S normally aspirated models but I have not found any article on the internal engine differences between the base and S Turbo. If you find your reference on internal differences please share it.

 

I believe that OP is correct on the only difference in the engines is the ECU. However, after configuring a TT with LED's, PDCC, etc, the price differential for the TTS was worth it for me. If I planned to tune I might have gotten the TT. Don't forget that in SC over-boost one gets about 20 seconds of extra torque, which is not trivial. I plan to keep my TTS for a while, so will stay stock. Yes, the PCCB's are extravagant and the stopping difference and feel or fade may not differ much from iron rotors, but the difference that there is was enough for me.

 

This sounds like me. I went looking for a Turbo S in late July and my wife tagged along to keep me in check. We drove in with her 2013 X5 5.0 with premium everything and 22k miles and drove out with a 2014 Cayenne Turbo S with 0 miles. It's the best SUV we have ever owned and we have had a suburban, Lexus LX470, and two X5's. The Cayenne performs almost like a car, it can go off road but I don't recommend that due to potential paint damage and it's luxurious and rides great as well as massively powerful.

I got my Turbo S a month later in August. I still have my M5 but I think I am going to trade it for a Ford Raptor which I need for the oil field. I have oil properties out in West Texas and they are in the Wolfcamp shale. We have one new well and more coming so I have to drive out there regularly. Was just out there this weekend and I rented a Chevy 2500 but the guy who operates one of my wells has Ratpors and they ride great over the rough roads out there.

As far as saving money on Turbo, do what I did, buy a Turbo S that someone else dumped for a new one with low miles. I got my 2014 Turbo S with everything plus $10k+ in aftermarket stuff with 3k miles for $157k. That is Turbo price territory for a Turbo S.

 

Yes, this is true. The main differences between the two are the standard options that come on the TT-S. In terms of power, you can easily level the playing field by adding a GIAC performance tune to either car. Read through a few of these links, or just search "GIAC" in the 991 Turbo forum...

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...available.html

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...y-turbo-s.html