I'm seriously thinking about getting a 993 but have never driven one before. In a 993 with grippy street tires (non-R compound), on regular street surfaces, at regular street speeds (say 0-45mph), in dry conditions, if one floors the accelerator, how easy is it to break traction (spin the rear wheels)?

 

It doesn't happen. Being rear engine and having the bulk of the weight over the rear wheels it is very diffecult to do. That is one of the reasons why these cars handle so well, you can put the power down. To get the wheels to spin in normal good traction situtations you will need to be stopped, get the revs up and drop the clutch. But be warned the car does not like it very much. Lots of wheel hop and shutters. I have owned my 993 for 8 yrs and have only done it once (right after I bought it) and won't ever try it again. If your looking to do burnouts buy a mustang, thats just not what this car was meant to do.....

 

+1 maybe on wet pavement if you power shift you could do it in 2nd gear, but why bother?

 

Agree^^^

Gearing and engine power band working against a jackrabbit start. Once underway, well that's a different story.....!

 

Off the line pretty tough...unless you rev the hell out of it and dump the clutch. However, with Michelin PS's it WON'T HAPPEN, it will just rip up the asphalt, out grip, and take a Mustang because you are not spinning and sliding around at take off...all grip.

Put some hard tires on and the out come may be different. If you want to spin your tires just punch it just pass apexing in second at 45mph...and you will be spinning!

 

I recently test drove one, and my total seat time in a 993 is like 2 hours so take that for what it's worth, but...

To echo the above, off the line you won't break traction without risking damage to the clutch.

In the corners (sub 45 mph) it's a different story in terms of throttle application. These cars actually stabilize with throttle, and they lose stability under braking (as weight shifts forward) or throttle lift under cornering (weight follows centrifugal energy).

I managed to get sideways in a few tighter hairpin-type corners, but it wasn't from pinning the gas, it was lateral force that broke traction. As soon as I got back on the gas the car hunkered down and straightened out.

These aren't designed for burnouts. Porsches in general are very pro-traction at all times, but you need to be conscious of their physics under lateral G's.

If you like getting tail happy get an E46 or E92 M3 and turn off DSC.

:-)

-Chris

 

[I managed to get sideways in a few tighter hairpin-type corners, but it wasn't from pinning the gas, it was lateral force that broke traction. As soon as I got back on the gas the car hunkered down and straightened out.

These aren't designed for burnouts. Porsches in general are very pro-traction at all times, but you need to be conscious of their physics under lateral G's.

If you like getting tail happy get an E46 or E92 M3 and turn off DSC.

:-)

-Chris[/quote]


Just to clarify when I said punch the throttle just past the apex “and you’ll be spinning”....I meant around in circles or wickedly swapping back and forth trying to get the vehicle back under control...not smokin’ the tires.

Even throttle control / application and yes, your grip will increase....bad timing, late braking and apexing in conjunction with whisky throttle...and you will spin.

I was being facetious...these vehicles are designed for handling and corning at speed...not for burning rubber.

 

VID997

I was responding to the OP.

Thanks

-Chris

 

No worries...just didn’t want you or the originator thinking I was referring an episode to TopGear with surreal cinematography and images of a GT2 sliding effortlessly while being followed by a cloud of white smoke.

 

No worries :-)

I know from getting my 996TT to the edge a few times it is far from glamorous when the back end swings out. Definitely not something worthy of a slow-motion TopGear hilight reel LOL...

-Chris

 

You can break it loose doing 0-60 sprints, but you got to work it, hard. On my C4, the clutch slips before the tires, so I don' do that to it.

Going into a fun corner, you an get the back end to break loose & slide around the corner, but not at speed you will most likely do on the streets. This has only happened to me a couple of times doing Auto-X, & it took work to get the back end to come round.

The 993 is the MOST stable Aircooled 911 ever made. Always feels composed & planted. Mine even does great in the snow, there I can get the tires to light up, & the car just goes straight with no drama.

 

Impossible in a C4 unless it's wet/icy and darned tough at that!

 

You guys can’t compare all wheel drive with rear wheel drive cars in terms of traction or how they feel/handle through the turns, in the turns, turn-ins, and hard acceleration just past or mid apexing. Two totally different machines. Not to mention snow, rain, or ice.