Hello all. I have recently bought a 2007 porsche 911 carrera 4s. Im a slowing learning how to lay into this car and am loving it!!! I am having trouble launching the car however. A friend said it may have launch control or something. Can anyone give me advice on the steps to launching this car. Thanks so much!!

 

Turn on sport mode, if equipped, turn off psm and rev appropriately. You'll have to figure out the best rpm based on condition, wheel spin, etc.

If it's a tip it'll be easier because you can brake boost too.

 

If you have a model year 2007 911, then you're in the wrong forum.

You also either have a standard, three pedal, manual transmission or a tiptronic. There is no launch control for either of those choices in 2007.

 

The above is correct - there is no launch control on the 07. Here's a tip: in order to get the best launch, first make sure the tires are very warm.

 

One more thing. If its tiptronic, I believe it will stay in second gear at a full stop so u should manually put it in first before launching.

 

As someone pointed out, the forums here are divided into related models of Porsche to make sure comments are valuable, and this forum normally deals with the latest model, the '991' in Porsche jargon. But as it happens you have bought the previous model but one, so a lot of us have owned your model. We know your car and can answer questions.

The problem with getting a quick start in an AWD Porsche is the excellent grip they have. Later models include something called "launch control" to make it easier, because honestly the only ones succeeding regularly were race car drivers and road test editors. Bluntly, neither category treats a car like we plan to keep it very long. In the three years I owned my 2009, I did exactly one hot launch. Mostly to see how the car would respond, and I didn't repeat it because I like to get 80k miles on a clutch and I couldn't do it launching like that.

The grip levels are so high with a C4S that standing start acceleration puts a tremendous load on the drive train. It is built to take it -- once in a while -- but don't do this often or you'll be looking at early suspension and clutch work:
If you can do that to your personal car when you've never had any practice on OPC's (other people's cars) and you have to live with the consequences for the next 40k miles, then you're more complacent than I am. I only did it once to my own first Porsche and I've had forty years of experience doing it to race cars. The fact that road tests include such treatment is the biggest reason I personally won't buy a car that was in the "press fleet" at a model introduction.

I hope I made it clear, but just in case: This is not recommended treatment. The torque levels to break away four very large grippy tires at once are high enough to break an axle on a lesser car. Your car will tolerate it once in a while when done right, but you'll be using it to practice your own skills which will bump the wear and tear. You may break something the first few times you try. I just noticed your location. Handy. Do this the first few times on packed snow, not dry pavement. I spent several years in Duluth Minnesota and I know that feel. You can get enough traction to matter, but enough easy slip to lower the forces involved.

My usual rule is to release the clutch smoothly and not "drop the hammer" until the car has moved away from rest. I'd rather give up the first twenty feet. But if you want the experience, and it is very dramatic, then practice a few times on snow. Then move to dry pavement, preferably in a remote area, and up the levels of power you apply to get the breakaway.

One more point: the remote area. Take a relaxed deep breath. Consider how long that took. On dry pavement, in that short time, a C4S will be going speeds considered anti-social in most circles. Take another breath: that's jail speed in Southern California.

Come join us in PCA at race tracks, where we consider those two breathy moments to be a preface to the real fun that starts at around 150 kph. You can get one of us to tutor you on this.

Gary

 

Wow what great information! Sorry about the wrong forum! Simsgw you hit the nail on the head! Exactly what I was thinking. I never tried a real launch in the summer out of the sheer terror of breaking something! I was thinking winter would be the perfect time to. Thanks so much for all the info and am really interested in what you were saying at the end of your message however I am a little confused on what exactly you were thinking. If you wanted to message me or even email me maybe we could chat some more. Again thanks to everyone who posted on my topic.

 

kurtis_haubrick@hotmail.com