Hey guys,

I currently drive a 2009 BMW M3 and have been looking into upgrading to a 997.1 turbo.

I got a chance to drive two turbos this weekend. The 2nd only because after driving the first I had assumed it was broken as it did not seem to accelerate as quickly as I expected but no check engine lights were on. The second felt marginally quicker but perhaps this was because it was a convertible and I could hear the engine more.

Do these cars have some sort of valet mode? Or limited power modes until the engines are fully warmed up (but I'm pretty sure they were both warm..). Both cars had sport chrono if that matters.

Maybe I was expecting too much? I ride and race sport bikes so my expectations of a fast, 130K+ "supercar" may be a bit skewed?

 

My DD is a 2011 M3 (bone stock) and my WE toy is a tuned 997.1TT.
The stock 997.1TT is a very good car but sure not agressive enough (which oem car is?), you have to see it as one of the best basis for high power evolutions.
With 800hp believe me the 997 becomes truly exciting!

 

I drove a freinds M3 and it was nice but nowhere near the thrust of the turbo. That's odd commentary but who knows, maybe you are right.

 

Is there a valet mode or any reason I wouldn't be seeing full power during a test drive?

I think for it to work for me I would have to budget an extra 15-20k for upgrades to get to 750-800hp. I think I may just supercharge the M3 and wait on the porsche for awhile.

 

Not sure what you were expecting also, but the 997.1 turbo is easily "FAST" enough for its price tag. even a 996 TT accelerates with a ton of thrust for me (ive owned many high HP cars ) and i would confidently say much more than the M3 but again we all have opinions.

You cant compare to sport bikes obviously, but also would be like comparing the TT to your M3 in terms of accelration..

 

A stock 997.1TT drives very modestly. The power is there (doesn't really feel like it), but the way it comes on and how the throttle responds especially at low RPM is not very impressive. Sport mode is a little better, but non-Sport is terrible. A tune changes everything.

I got into this industry about six years ago. The first dozen or so 996 and 997 Turbos I drove were all modified, with anything from just a tune to our 660 and 775 turbo kits. Then one day I drove a stock 997 Turbo cab. I had to put some miles on it to diagnose an issue, and I actually looped back to the shop shortly after departing to check the faults on the car since it felt like it was in limp mode. No power, no hit, and poor throttle response especially down low. I got a kick out of it when I realized what went on and that I was finally getting the stock Turbo experience.

A good tune like ours will totally transform the car, making it MUCH faster but also making it much more responsive. It feels like the car lost 1000lb of weight and gained rocket boosters. Before you pass judgement on the car, try to experience one with a tune or at least plan on tuning the car after you own it. Very little downside and a massive improvement in the experience.

 

I don't have a 997.1. I have a 997.2 tts. If I leave it in drive and don't push it it's as comfortable a luxury cruiser as has ever been built. If i stomp on it, watch out. If I use sport or sport plus. It's just about unstoppable.

Not sure what you were expecting but I think perhaps you did not get on it enough to experience the best the car has to offer.

The smoothness and control also make it feel less dramatic than other cars I have driven.

 

Well seeing a TT will run with most sport bikes you either have two bad examples or didnt launch it right. Unless of course your bikes are under 10 sec all day.

 

A stock .2 TTS is much quicker and provides a more visceral experience than a stock .1.

 

You are 100% right???there are ways to drive turbo and you to drive the crap out of it to feel speed ....when I first got mine I wasn't happy with the pull on the car??it wasn't till about two weeks later that I realized that I was being a pu$$y with it...launch hard and bang gears that wave of torque that waits for you is amazing....also the exaust sucks so you get no personality from the motor....15-20 k is a bit much..if you ask me...but custom tune exaust coolers and you have some pop in that motor....550awhp is easy power on these cars....

 

Interesting comment. While I haven't driven a stock .1TT, I would have expected a noticeable difference in acceleration and driving dynamics vs. a 2009 M3! The turbo feel alone should make for a meaningful difference...

 

I came from a Z06 and felt the same way initially. I think there are a few reasons for this feeling.

1. There isnt really turbo lag per say. The tq comes on early, hard, and fast but then you never feel a turbo rush after that because of the vtgs. It is pulling and the speedo proves this but it doesnt feel it.

2. The stock 6MT 997.1 turbo feels a little dead from 30-80 if you ask me, 2nd and 3rd gear. This is where lots of street driving occurs. 997.2 w/pdk is better here i think.

3. With cars like the M3 or in any high revving N/A motor or bike, there isnt torque (i have a 600RR). So when the HP hits in the upper rpms, it hits hard and the acceleration (feeling and actuality) is monumental. You get that building feeling of acceleration and hp as rpms rise. In the turbo it is just accelerating at a constant rate throughout the band. The turbo .1 specifically has more tq than hp in overboost. So while fast it feels different.

4. The mundane exhaust doesnt help.

All that said a tune transformed my car. It now feels like i expected it should. The increase in HP really helped the car (more so than the increased tq). I recommend driving a turbo S or taking a modded turbo for a spin.

 

The M3 is a very responsive car -- the power feel is entirely different in the Turbo. I had an '08 for a while -- but if you don't really REALLY get on the pedal on the 911, you're not going to feel anything...

Just saying. They're very different cars. I have yet to drive a tuned one though. Looking forward to next week for that Only driven a 997.2 though, not a 997.1.

Love love love the E92 -- if you're looking for a similar power feel you might want to look at a GT3.

 

Yup, it's in a different league than the 997.1TT

 

+1 to this. I have an E92 M3 also and believe me, it feels slow in comparison to the 997.1TT. The rate at which the TT accelerates when you step fully on throttle is mind blowing and the first time i tried a 997.1 TT tiptronic a few years ago, i was immediately hooked.

Launch the car, the M3 is nowhere close. Mod it, and its crazy quick.