Good morning. So I walked away from getting a 360 6-speed a few weeks ago because it just did not seem as exciting as I had hoped. Beautiful car, wonderful color combo, mileage, and price, but I just did not get 'that feeling' during the test drive. I have heard that the 996 GT2 is a blast to drive, but is called 'The Widow Maker' because of certain characteristsics.

I would like to get as much information as I can about the reality of owning and driving one regularly in order to figure out what I am in for. As I am sure you all know, it is not easy to find one, so I cannot just trot on down to the dealer and see for myself or I would do just that. I have had Porsches before and loved them for their handling and ability to drive them 15,000 - 20,000 miles per year without issues. I currently have an NSX now and plan to keep it, but also enjoy the handling and daily drivability of that car too. I look forward to what I am told is a notable amount of forward thrust with the GT2, and the 'you better be paying attention' handling, as I feel to be a really skilled driver you need to learn on a challenging car.

I appreciate your input. If anyone knows of one around the Indianapolis area, I would appreciate notification since I cannot seem to find one.

 

Part of the reputation is from the notorious throttle off oversteer from the RWD that is amplified by the engine being in the rear. I think if you are a skilled driver, you will be okay. I think a majority of the issues with the car was with novice drivers that were not aware of their limitations.

 

You might also consider the four wheel drive Turbo over the two wheel drive GT2, but that sorta depends on what you are looking for out of the car. If money matters, there are a lot more turbo's at lower prices than GT2's, and they look nearly identical from the outisde other than the fixed wing (which can be upgraded), and the few extra horsepower from a larger turbo (which can be upgraded, although consider turbo lag and your use for the car again).

 

There's one for sale at Paul Miller Porsche in Fairfield, N.J. (not affliliated).

 

Nice to see you looking at a GT2, Your in for a way different experience in regards to speed! Good luck on your search.

Mark - Fellow ohio s2k'er who just bought a 996TT. PS your NSX is beautiful, are you going to sell it?

 

Call Sloss. He has a little ole' GT2...if you can drive that one...you're good!~

 

The 996 GT2 is most definitely a Car for seasoned drivers that have a decent level of skill.. If you have driven Shifter Karts, done a few dozen Track Days and are at the top of the fast group, have a ton of experience driving high HP Cars, or you have ridden Sport Bikes, you should be OK.

First, the warnings;

The Car is extraordinarily fast, it is light, it requires that you pay attention... In the wet, you need to really think about what you are doing.

This Car is one in which you cannot just mash the throttle wherever and whenever you want.. You have to plan ahead .. If you floor it in second gear on anything other than completely flat road, the chances are the rear end is going sideways on you, which is not a big deal if you are expecting it. Flooring it in first gear is just a complete waste of time.

If you plan on driving the snot out of it on public roads through the odd set of twisties, you will need to learn the Car in increments.. In a GT3, or most other Cars, you can get up to speed fairly quickly because the power delivery will be fairly smooth and even.. The GT2 delivers it's power with a bit of a bang.. you don't want it to come on full boost in the middle of a corner where you have your foot planted on the floor; so again, planning what you are doing and making sure you learn to apply the throttle gently, so the power comes on when you want it, is part of the lessons to be learned in driving this Car; throttle control is a major deal in this Car.
First gear is so short that it's just there to get you going from a stop.

The handling with the Car's geometry set exactly as it was from the factory, is a handful. They set the front end to understeer.. what they forgot was that if you are going into a corner too hot and turn in, the understeer will eventually stop, the Car will grip and then the rear end goes into snap oversteer.

The GOOD news:

The Car is extraordinarily fast, it is light... It has almost unlimited potential in terms of the amount of power you can extract from it and also in terms of the suspension and handling.

It comes from the factory with fully adjustable suspension.. Adjustable coilovers, 5 position adjustable swaybars, adjustable camber front and rear etc. If you get away from the diabolical factory settings and get the geometry set correctly, you will have a Car that handles as well as, if not better than almost anything out there.. (A 996 GT2 just won the One Lap OF America race, beating numerous Nisssan GTR's, Corvette ZO6's and other similar Cars). Even WITH the suspension sorted, the Car STILL requires your full attention, it will just be a lot more controllable and considerably more fun to drive.

I bought the 996 GT2, because I have spent my life riding Liter Sport Bikes, racing Shifter Karts and Cars and have been a race/driving instructor for the past 14 years.. Over the last few years, I have owned and driven almost every major performance Car on the market, including: ZO6's. Dodge Vipers, Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Ferrari F430, GT3's, Audi R8 (I spent 3 days driving one to the limit at the Audi advanced Race School at Infineon/Sears Point), Lamborghini Gallardo's etc, etc and NONE of those Cars has given me the sheer rush that a Liter Sport Bike gives me.. BUT the GT2 is the closest thing to it that comes in a Car shape.

The GT2 is the Car that still makes my heart beat just a bit faster, gets my adrenaline pumping.. It lets me know it can bite me back if I'm not at the top of my game, YOU the DRIVER have to do everything.. no electronics to limit wheelspin or bring the Car back in line, no multi-letter acronyms to stop the Car from spinning out if you screw up, no computer to mask YOUR driving limitations and flaws...

The payback for all it's quirks and mysteries is the process of learning to drive it.. it's a fascinating journey that teaches you things you just won't learn on any other Car... The front end gives you SO much feedback and you need to learn to drive it by getting the front end to do what you want it to do.. once the Car is settled at the front and you have the nose headed towards the apex, the wheel dancing and moving in your hands, you can get back on the throttle.. feeling the rear end searching for traction as you feed more and more power in until you can see the exit.. if you have everything right, you MASH on the gas and FREAKING FIRE the Car out of the corner.. the turbos are on full boost, the engine is making a deep, snarling wail, the rear end squats under so much torque and power and you ROCKET out of the corner in full-on attack mode, accelerating towards redline.. you ****** another gear as quickly as you can and stomp the gas again.. the rear end squirms a bit, but grips and you continue your massive rush towards the next corner.. You get hard on the brake pedal, twitch the right side of your foot, heel-toeing, blipping the throttle to rev match your downshift and start getting the nose to sniff out the next apex... Repeat, then rinse, then repeat again (and that's why I love this Car).

If you want a Car that's easy to drive, requires no real effort, will get you out of trouble if you screw up, a Car that you can have a conversation on your cellphone in, a Car that you can listen to music in, a Car that suffers mediocre drivers gladly.... then the GT2 is NOT your Car.... If you want a Car that will challenge you, make you rise to IT'S level and MAKE you a better driver, continue to excite and enthrall you and make you dream about driving it when you aren't, then I personally don't think there is a better Car out there.

 

Baby steps. I wouldn't suggest for anyone to just hop in that monster and go for a test drive.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. You have to respect the car. It reacts differently than any of the other cars I have owned or driven.

 

I cant imagine anything that compares to my bike.... I'm definitely right at home on my liter bike, however, in a car, i've never felt as if I was in total control. I just bought a 335i, and have been having a blast with it, hopefully with some trackdays under my belt in the near future, I'll be more at home, and eventually be looking for a 996t/997.... time will tell, but they are beautiful cars.

 

If you get one, get some seat time and take it very easy. After a month or so, do a DE w/ a qualified instructer and DON'T GO TO RACE, JUST GO TO LEARN!

A couple of DE's, a few months of respecting the car and being careful and you should be OK.

 

It really depends on what you mean by "skilled." If you have a lot of track experience in 911s dealing with that rear weight and can manage it right on the edge to steer the car with the throttle mid corner while sliding a bit, you'll be fine in a GT2 once you learn the eccentricities of the turbo torque curve.

If you mean "lots of fast street driving in fast cars," the GT2 will put you into the weeds *** first faster than you can say trailing throttle oversteer.

 

You need to go to a shop that knows how to set up the suspension properly...alignment and corner balance.

 

Here is my take on the GT2:

My experience is primarily 2 wheeled. I ran a string of 500hp turbocharged bikes and set many land speed records including on at 253mph at Bonneville.

My bikes can't compare to the rush of my GT2 (680whp) I've only had the car for 1 month now and I am very cautious while driving it. My friends have GT3's, 996TT Gt700 kits etc. and they don't compare to the kick in the pants that is the GT2!

Pull the trigger and treat the car with respect, enjoy.

 

Just curious , will a RWD 911 TT feel as edgy as a GT2? Just wondering what it must feel like to drive a Gt2 with 600 +rwhp.....can i replicate that on my turbo?

 

You guys make me wanna sell my 996tt for a gt2...
It sucks to not be rich... haha