So I went out this weekend with the BMW Club at California Speedway. I came from an E46 M3 and BMW's track days are well put together so I thought it would be fun. Plus, it ended up that there were a decent amount of porches there too.

Let me just say this.... I never realized how much faster this car is than my M3 until I was on the track and completely blowing by EVERYTHING on the track. it was unreal. I was pushing hard but I could tell there were only a few times where I was even close to the limit of what this car can do.

In my 2nd session on Sunday, an instructor was out in his friends Black 996TT that was supposedly modified to 600hp. I started in front but let him by almost immediately so I could follow him. This was probably the most intense & fun session I have had since tracking my cars. Even with 600hp, my 997TT (w/ exhaust) was right with him for the entire 30 minute session.
Afterwards he even came up and told what an awesome job I did.

This car is too much fun!!

 

Way to go avi8tir. Sounds like you had a real blast.

 

come spring I am looking forward to trying a local track day. Sounds like a lot of fun.

MB

 

These cars are amazing at the track. You blow by other "high performance" cars as if they are crawling along in a school zone

 

Yes, don't be fooled, out of the box stock in sport mode the car is unbelievable, very stable at speed. Akin to the x73 in sport mode, the car really needs nothing. I ran my fastest lap time ever at the glen on street tires recently, imagine a set of cups. Passed vipers, a gt2, a couple of 996gt3's and a host of older 964/993's track cars. Granted, purely anecdotal, but the turbo is a beast at the track. Some people complained about hi-speed instability, just make sure your tires are at a good psi(29f/35r hot) and your alignment isn't off, believe me the car is very stable!

 

Nice to know that the 997TT with an exhaust upgrade keeps up the pace with a 600 hp 996TT.
Yesterday was my first drive of a manual 997TT. The car is much more stable, more refined and much more balanced than my 996TT. The power is available at lower rpms much better than the 996TT. VTG technology rocks.

 

Congratulations...So seems like you loved that day!

 

They are fast on a track.

 

Congrats that is awesome! Your results may vary I wasted the 997 turbo at our track event at Grattan. Not even close!

 

Congrats! 997 Turbo is a *****in' car!

 

Yeah, thats what I thought too.....100 hp difference in a lighter car? Poor 996TT driving.