vcp13

Hi all, I was hoping that someone with experience in both the 992 GT3 with manual transmission and the 991 Speedster could please provide some feedback on the driving characteristics of each - how they compare, how they contrast.

I don't want to influence responses too much, but I am asking from the perspective that they have a similar engine and transmission and I absolutely love the 992 GT3. I also love convertibles. I have a 718 Spyder and I had a 992 TTS cab; both very different but fabulous in their own ways. I'm thinking about picking up a Speedster, but I've never driven one. I would sell the Spyder if I do. I have driven the 991 GT3 (both PDK and MT), but as test drives and so basically I have no real insight. I have 6,600 miles on a 718 Spyder, put 8k on a 992 TTS cab and now 650 miles on the 992 GT3.

Thank you in advance. I appreciate the collective wisdom of the board.

Here's the new whip on winters:


The Spyder:


The TTS (I miss this, a beast; also shark blue is amazing!):

Maverick787

I will take a stab at for some reference, I own a Speedster and I driven the 992 GT3T in the GA mountains swapping cars with friends so enough to have an opinion.

Speedster/GT3T

- Only Porsche I will not sell, and I’ve sold them all for one reason or another
- The 992 Engine is from the Speedster which says a lot, and my guess maybe different throttle mapping
- The manual gearbox can’t tell the difference feels the same
-Speedster has a softer suspension set up and even in the firm mode it’s not harsh
-992 GT3T suspension feels like the last gen 991 GT3RS pretty firm
- What’s sets off the Speedster for me it’s a open top GT3 basically, and first Speedster to get the a GT3 engine/numbered halo car

Driving the 2 of them the one thing you will notice is the GT3 as mentioned above is much firmer and the Speedster is a softer version more for touring with an open top. Also as stated gear box feels the same, but the GT3 engine is “punchier”. My view not because I own a Speedster their 2 different cars, and if I had to choose it would be the Speedster because of the open top GT3 concept which doesn’t exist at any other brand level.

markmich

I agree with Maverick787. I own a 992 GT3 Touring manual as well as a 991.2 Speedster. The Speedster is the one car that I will not sell as well. Although I do feel that the transmissions feel very similar I think that the GT3 Touring's linkage and clutch feel slightly lighter. Not bad in any way, just slightly different.

I concur that the suspension is definitely softer in the Speedster. Even on the softest setting on the GT3 Touring it is noticeably stiffer. Again not in a bad way, just different. I also owned the 991.2 GT3 and feel that the 992 GT3 is slightly stiffer than its predecessor.

When the weather is nice I almost always grab the keys to the Speedster. I love that I can lower the top which really changes the overall driving experience. I also think Porsche did an absolutely great job of the design of the car. I also love the lack of rear seats.

I also owned both a 718 GT4 and a Spyder. I loved the Spyder and thought it was a great car overall.

Send me a DM: maybe we live close enough for you to do a test drive

Maverick787

Sorry you’re spot on, I left out the clutch is extremely light ……….I stalled the engine a couple of time 😇.

vcp13

Thanks @Maverick787 and @markmich

The 2 dynamics I wanted to explore were engine/transmission and suspension. (I am a lay person, not an engineer so my descriptions will be pretty unsophisticated.)

Engine and transmission: lighter clutch in the GT3, a bit more revy than the Speedster. It's the same engine and gearbox. I thought maybe with ITBs the Speedster would be revy like the GT3. I suspect that a combo of ecu throttle mapping and lighter weight flywheel in the GT3 make it more free revving than even the Speedster? I really like this about GT3. What I don't like is my brain needs to get re-mapped to drive the Spyder. I stalled many times my first week in the GT3. Make no mistake, the GT3 is very easy to drive because of that light clutch and fantastic gearbox, but you just need to get used to revs dropping more quickly. One reason to move from Spyder to Speedster in my mind was it would feel more like the GT3, but it sounds like this is only 1/2 true. The inputs will feel the same (save slightly heavier clutch) but the outputs will still be a bit different.

Speedster softer suspension: Honestly, on Corsa and now winter tires, to me the GT3 is not materially stiffer than the Spyder (Michelin Pilot Sport 4S) or the TTS (I think this was on the Eagles?) with SPASM. I drive the GT3 and Spyder (and drove the TTS) in stiffest setting. I think when you are driving slow, say 15-25, the car is really bouncy. And on certain awful roads, its bouncy. If you pick up the speeds, it irons out the bumps. But for most roads, I feel all pretty similar. The TTS had 18 ways and the gt3/spyder buckets. Neither of you commented on how they feel on twisty roads. There is a fast downhill turn by my house where I can really feel the difference between the Spyder and a TTS/GT3 911. I think this is some combination of the front double wishbone and rear wheel steer added to a car that weighs the same as a Spyder (GT3) and PDCC + RWS on the TTS hiding weight. Both TTS and GT3 feel much more planted and have limited body roll. In particular, the way the GT3 turns into and gets around the corner is unbelievable whereas the TTS is just very good. The Spyder is also very good, but it definitely has body roll and just doesn't rotate as well as the 911's, which I am surprised by given mid-engine format. At the end of this road is a roundabout and the Spyder rotates more freely in a completely controllable way there.

Anyhow, the gist of my questions are trying to get at upgrading the Spyder to a Speedster, or not. I am a value for money type and on that score, it is hard to beat the Spyder. But if the Speedster is much more 992 GT3 than the Spyder, maybe I need to start shopping.

Many thanks again for your time commenting on my questions.

markmich

I put about 7K miles on the Spyder and the 992 GT3 has been a daily driver as well. Sometimes I jump from driving the Speedster to the GT3 and it becomes a little clearer to me the differences in driving characteristics. I would start off by saying that the Spyder is probably one of Porsche's best bang for the buck cars. Having said that and being fully cognizant of the significant delta between the cost of the Spyder and the Speedster I would say that the Speedster drives almost identically to my GT3 with the exception, as stated previously, of a slightly softer suspension, slightly heavier clutch and what I perceive as slightly more engagement of the linkage.

I took the Speedster on a trip to North Carolina and put on about 500 miles driving around some really wonderful engaging roads including Tale of The Dragon. It was a great drive and the Speedster was a perfect car for that trip. I also drove the Spyder in the Santa Monica canyons in L.A. which was also a great experience. Driving the two cars on similar curvy roads I found that the Spyder was very stable but at the higher limits the rear would rotate but in a controllable manner. I feel that the Speedster is very well planted and communicates a little better when its limits are being approached, which is identical to my GT3. All of my cars are on Michelin Cup 2's. All the cars have the LWB's.

I am not sure if I am answering your question but I would say that the Speedster is much more aligned to the GT3 and doesn't really feel like the Spyder. I know it may not be an easy find but I really think that if you had some seat time in the Speedster you would pretty quickly answer many of your questions.

Maverick787

Ive also driven a Spyder and owned a 991 Spyder, and hands down no comparison the Speedster hands down a more superior car. My comments around the Speedster and the GT3, my assessments it’s the ECU because one is a street track car and the other a street car. The Speedster clearly is a GT3 product no mistaken, but driving on the street is more enjoyable, I sold my 2019 RS for the speedster as my track days were reduced too many other hobbies. Good luck on your choice and most speedster guys will die with the keys in their hand, car was produced 5 times I believe and this is the first with the GT3 engine. I’m just not a 992 guy I’m an analogue gauge guy when it comes to manual cars, and not so much a fan all the digital displays and button pushing. Good luck on your choice no wrong answer get what you love.

STALKER99

I’ll chime in a bit more later but having owned a 718 Spyder and current Speedster owner.

They are completely different experiences behind the wheel. The engine obviously is the dominating force but they truly are different, plus in your mind the Speedster is double the price but worth it IMO.

GrantG

I think the 992 is easier to stall, because the flywheel is lighter. While it requires a few more revs to pull away cleanly, it results in a more responsive engine overall.

Maverick787

Yeah, interesting I’ve driven the 911R much easier than the 992. Once you get use to it not a problem at all for sure.

juanpablo046

US Spec Speedster is non OPF, correct?

Maverick787

‘Good detail here post 16
https://rennlist.com/forums/991-gt3-...options-4.html

GrantG

Did that 911R have the optional single-mass flywheel?

Maverick787

Yes it did, and that thing spins up really fast and has a very different feel than any GT car I’ve driven. Anyone that says the car is over rated needs to drive one, and take some meds.

STALKER99

OPF and inner core is present but not monitored by the ECU.