Thanks for the reply.. This behavior occurs at various speeds. It is very pronounced on the 911 due all of the weight in the back..... M3's don't do this.... So what is the advantage of this design?

 

Just a word of wisdom regarding the advice NEVER LIFT... this does not mean full throttle. This means some throttle to maintain the car balance and avoid transfer of mass to the front. It's all a matter of degree.

Many people think the throttle is an on/off switch with 2 positions. It's not - it is a variable rheostat which should be used w/ finesse.

The best advice here is to read and re-read Vic Elford's book and practice safely and always drive safely.

 

A 911 is a very special car design. New generations (993/996/997) are very safe and stable, unless one drives it recklessly. The original (1964) 911 needed special driving skills, people could learn.

Either you understand this and appreciate the design, or you would be happier with something else. BTW... an M3 oversteers too, although not as pronounced, and needs similar skills.

 

Exactly. And to add to the comment, in addition to weight transfer (off of the rear wheels), fully lifting off the throttle is equivalent to applying the rear brakes (only) risking further loss of adhesion by the rear tires and increasing the outward slide. Since static friction has a higher coefficient that kinetic (or dynamic) friction, once you lose adhesion, things start going wrong a lot faster.

Now regarding the question of why Porsche builds them this way, this is a question for the ages, or at least the marketing gods. Many on the site are far more steeped in history than I, but my recollection is that the design was originally a derivation of the Beetle, and over the years, despite Porsche's repeated attempts to create more 'conventional' designs, the public associates the rear-engine design with Porsche. I'm sure that the marketing folks like the idea of being able to compete in an unfettered manner - there is no other car of the same design with which they need compete or compare themselves. As long as the geniuses with the white lab coats can keep them competitive in their space, they can really excel.
Which is why, IMHO, the Audi R8 poses such a threat to their franchise. Though it is not the same design, it's the first time a storied competitor has built an interesting and unconventional car that can compete on price, luxury and performance against the Carrera series. (Note I'm omitting any references to the GT-R!!).
Sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

Yes...you said it better than me....A lot of students I get at the track think the brake is an on -off switch too. I was guilty of this myself.

 

Absolutely! The brake pedal actuation should vary trough a wide application range. It's all about smoothness and seat-of-your-pants mass transfer feel. I imagine most enthusiasts know and practice this, either through a long self-learning process or formal driver's ed. I'm afraid though that many (most) sports cars jockeys have no feel at all and they are always all in or all out in their throttle/brake applications.

 

Don't worry - been competing and instructing at DE for 25 years or so. I;m just new to 911's. My expectation was as you say - i.e. very obvious and very abrupt changes in attitude. All I'm saying is so far I haven't found that. But even with that experience I am going back to basics and doing a Porsche level 2 DE day in April. I'll give you an update after that.

 

There is a reason they call it modulation. When people get in trouble in any car it is almost always their feet which is at fault.