What are your mods and who have you beaten? I've got some friends and i'm curious to see how the 996 would hold up against them, on the track of course.

Big Turbo A4 (about 330 AWHP)
New Mustang GT (some mods: cat deletes, intake and chip)

And of course, how does the 996 compare against the E46 M3? C5 and C6 Corvettes? Does it pretty much come down to the driver?

 

It ain't about the mods...

http://caicos.globat.com/%7Egtc-moto..._chickster.mov

Bro

 

I agree with Bruinbro. It's all about the driver; the suspension setup and the track. All things considered equal (per your post); I like a 996's chances vs. the Audi. The Mustang would be a handful on a track with a long straightaway.

 

Ain't that the truth! There are a few good videos on that page that tell the "skill over HP" tale. Fire up "Vipercam" to see a 1977 911 with an upgraded suspension but stock engine (113rwhp on a dynapack dyno) battle with a Viper and Camaro SS. This is the "middle" run group at a Tracquest (now Chinquest) event a few years ago, but you get the idea.

On the other hand, watch the "Being Turbo'd" video for a display of what horsepower gets you on the straights

http://caicos.globat.com/%7Egtc-moto...allery/videos/

 

Stock v. stock the 996 is pretty much equal to E46M3 C5. I have suspension mods and can always tell when a M3 or Cayman S or C5 are stock. When I'm on the track and one of those catches me either it's got some major mods or the driver is waaaay better. Considering the run groups usually it's the mods or a mix.
I was running w/ and keeping up with/faster than a 2001 Z06 this weekend. The first day I was faster, by the end of the 2nd day he was faster. That car is way faster it just took a day and a half for the driver to get comfortable and let it hang out.
k

 

Good points, but you forgot to mention tires. I run Slicks at the track and have had a few GT3 and Turbo drivers think my car was a Eurpean (MkII) GT3. I even had to raise the deck and show one of the guys my measly 3.4L for him to believe it! Driver is most important, then car set-up and lastly, power.

 

too many variables...and as driver skills get higher, the car starts to be more important. For beginners on the track, the car doesn't matter as much. I had a green student once LAP several 996TT, Vipers, C5 vettes, etc. in a 1983 Mazda RX-7 that had at most 115HP, and SHE had quite a blast letting them know that. Of course, by the 2nd day of the class, most of the drivers had figured out enough about their cars to be faster then her.

I think a stock 996 is outgunned by stock M3 and stock C5, so driver skills being equal, I think the 996 would be hard pressed to keep up.

 

Yeah focus on driving. I have beaten 996's in a Toyota Echo.

 

I'm in for a 996 vs Echo challenge!

 

In all seriousness the Echo isn't even close to a 996. Only chance an Echo has against a 996 is in an autocross. That's where I could grab better times than many Porsches. Short wheelbase and 2000lb curb weight give it the ability to just jam through fast transitions.

There are a couple of killer supercharged 200 HP 1900 lb Echos in the States. Most of the real fast Echos are in hatch form AKA first generation Vitz in Japan. My Echo had stock motor, but full on racing suspension with Koni adjustables, racing springs, huge sway bars, suspension and chassis braces from Japan. You would be amazed at how well the car handled.

I bought the Echo to keep miles off my Porsche when I was commuting. As I tore into the Echo its an incrediblely fun little car with tons of racing support in Japan and Europe.

It's hard to find race car video footage of these cars but here is fairly quick Echo: http://mundomotorizado.com/flashvideo/automovilismo.html

and then click on:
Panamá : On board con Kikos Fonseca 1
Panamá : On board con Kikos Fonseca 2

 

Here is another 996 beater:

http://www.blinkerfluid.org/video/T1inLaSource-2.wmv

 

A well driven 996 with good brakes and suspension set up will run well with all the cars mentioned.
Also it is a matter of marque "preference" I would take the porsche over the other cars anyway, regardless of lap times.

Of course, if you add twin turbos to a 996, well you wont have too much to worry about!!

 

its all about the driver.

 

It is 80% driver 20% car and setup. I see alot of great drivers in low HP cars zip past all sorts of high powered cars. Improving your driving with a good instructor is the best mod you can make for the track.

 

I agree with the comments about drivers. I jsut want to add that on an auto-x track, proper tires are way more important than upgrading suspension. In other words, if the same driver drove two identical cars except one had only auto-x tires and the other had only suspension mods, I'd put my money that he'd be faster in the one with auto-x tires.