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I am back, sorry for the late reply :)

Regarding the daily driver question, it really comes down to how tolerant you are. I am definitely more tolerant than not, to set the scene.

There are a few things to look out for, some you can mitigate, others not:
  • Ground clearance: Manoeuvring down parking houses and and over speed bumps could be troublesome. I am not afraid of the front lip, it is a cheap replacement as long as the facia is not damaged (if the facia cracks, then it will be expensive!). However, the wheelbase is long and the car is low. I scraped, with hairs thin margin, the undercarriage going slowly over a bump once. Scary.
  • Tires: The Michelin Cup2 tires are amazing on dry asphalt. Very grippy! In the wet, when there is standing water, they start to feel unsafe at motorway speeds. The tires could be changed to normal street tires of course. Problem solved.
  • Bucket seats: To me these are complete no-go for daily use. The seats give fantastic support on the track, the best buckets I ever tried. They are also the most uncomfortable for daily use. Hard to get in and out. Zero comfort. Very hard. Could possibly be solved with pillows, but you will still need to get in and out ;) The sport seats should solve this problem.
  • Suspension: The car is very stiff and firm, but pretty compliant. You feel the suspension is of very high quality, since it never goes harsh, just hard. If you have nice roads, then I don't see a problem. If not, well... get prepared on a shaky ride.
  • Exhaust: The car is not loud in normal mode. Like PSE off in a Cayman S. No problem.
  • Sensory overload: You cannot switch off the feedback, the preciseness, the directness... the car demands your attention all the time. To me it does get a bit "overload" after more than 1-2 hours.

So to summarise, assuming you spec the car with sport seats, it is the ground clearance and the suspension which could cause problems. Both of these depend on you use of the car and the conditions of your roads. While not a problem as such, the sensory overload could be tiresome for longer trips.

Personally, as daily driver I would have gotten a GTS instead.
Thanks for a wonderful diary of your impressions and experience with your GT4. I drive an '06 Cayman S with some mods and find it a blast at the track, but I do still drive on the street frequently even with my GT3 Euro seats installed - kind of fall in and pull myself out. Saw my first GT4 in person this past weekend, and I am definitely thinking about it a lot. Will be interested to hear your continuing thoughts.
 
Very curious as to how and why Porsche would make the LWBS worst when the foldable seats have such great comfort for long distance driving.
I don't think anyone sets out to design anything that is worse than the previous version. When it happens, it's usually because of orders from on high. In this case, I suspect it's because designers were asked to make a seat that would fit a 90th percentile North American (i.e. it needed to be wider). As you know, it's hard to make something that's all things to all people, especially when there's limited adjustability.
 
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Discussion starter · #124 ·
Keep up the good work! What's the next event for you GT4?
Thanks. The next event which is planned is the Scuderia Hanseat driver training the first week in September at NĂĽrburgring. 5 days of petrol awesomeness on this beautiful track :) I expect to see a few more GT4s there, plus some new GT3 RS cars to hunt down ;)
 
Thanks. The next event which is planned is the Scuderia Hanseat driver training the first week in September at NĂĽrburgring. 5 days of petrol awesomeness on this beautiful track :) I expect to see a few more GT4s there, plus some new GT3 RS cars to hunt down ;)
Darn, just missing you then by a week. I'll be making my first Nurburgring pilgrimage for an early morning Touristenfahrten on the 12th. Also doing a Porsche Zuffenhausen factory tour a few days prior.
 
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Discussion starter · #126 · (Edited)
Darn, just missing you then by a week. I'll be making my first Nurburgring pilgrimage for an early morning Touristenfahrten on the 12th. Also doing a Porsche Zuffenhausen factory tour a few days prior.
You will love it! The Ring in the early morning is magical. The sunshine breaking through the mist. The hills, the forest, the atmosphere. Awesome place.

Here is from last year:

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Enjoy the factory tour and drive on the Ring! :cheers:
 
I had an opportunity to try out the LWB seats in a 991 GT3 and found them really uncomfortable, as the padding is very thin, and the seat side bolsters are high so getting in and out is not easy, and the kicker is that the seat back is fixed, and in a pretty upright seating position.
Did I mention that there is no lower lumbar back support at all.
Since I plan on driving my GT4 3-4 times per week and doing only a handful of track days, I am going with the standard seats. I've had them for 10 years on my 2005 Boxster and they are some of the most comfortable seats I've ever sat in.
Personally I think that many who choose the LWB seats will be disappointed with them comfort wise.
They look really cool, but not at the expense of comfort, as I plan on taking my GT4 on lots of trips.
 
Personal preference.... I love the GT2 seats in my 987CR, they are not too unsimilar to the 918 seats. Third car with bucket seats, wife and I do not want anything else. Getting in/out is uncomfortable, but couldn't care less. Can only recommend that every prospective buyer tries them and makes up his mind him/herself.
 
Persey,

Amazing thread... Thoroughly enjoyed reading and seeing your adventures. Great pics as well.

I hope that you will continue to post in this thread. My allocation won't be available until next summer, so until that time, I live vicariously through your adventures, :D
 
Discussion starter · #132 ·
As to the gearing, yes it is long and it would have been preferred with shorter ratios.
May I ask you what speed equates to 6th gear at 3K rpm? I'd actually welcome very much taller gearing than on the S; 72 at 3K rpm in 6th was just ridiculous. But erased the rest of my post. This car is more track oriented than I need. I'd use it for touring with my wife, so will settle for a GTS, probably a PDK if the manual is still geared so shortly for 2016. Recently bought a 2015 GTR due to no local Porsche dealer, but with cancer now, want to own one Porsche in my life, so that will dictate how soon. Good luck with your new car.
 
May I ask you what speed equates to 6th gear at 3K rpm? I'd actually welcome very much taller gearing than on the S; 72 at 3K rpm in 6th was just ridiculous. But erased the rest of my post. This car is more track oriented than I need. I'd use it for touring with my wife, so will settle for a GTS, probably a PDK if the manual is still geared so shortly for 2016. Recently bought a 2015 GTR due to no local Porsche dealer, but with cancer now, want to own one Porsche in my life, so that will dictate how soon. Good luck with your new car.
ELP_JC, here's to your good health. And enjoy the hell out of the GTR and your eventual Porsche! :beer:
 
Discussion starter · #137 ·
Long time, no post... The GT4 has mostly been sitting in the garage with an occasional weekend drive or two. This summer has been amazing and I spent most time hanging out by the lake, than in the car. This is however about to change... ;)

Tomorrow we are off to NĂĽrburgring for our annual participation in the Scuderia Hanseat sports drivers course. I think it is now the 7th consecutive year which I participate and this event is truly special. Not only from the driving, but also from the participants and atmosphere.

The GT4 key even got a new stylish cover for this event :) Cheap, cheap off eBay... ;)

Keychain Fashion accessory Vehicle Font Technology
 
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Discussion starter · #138 ·
Scuderia-Hanseat, NĂĽrburgring, Autumn 2015

From Sunday, August 30, to Thursday, September 3, I participated in the Scuderia-Hanseat sports drivers training at NĂĽrburgring. This event has become a tradition and a few petrolhead friends participate every year in the autumn session. To those who are interested in learning the "Ring" and want to participate in a great event, I can highly recommend this training.

The weather was as always in the Eiffel region very mixed, from 38C degrees and sunshine to 14C degrees and torrential rain. We had it all, except for snow, which made the training interesting, to say the least :)

There were several GT4s there (white, yellow, red, sapphire blue and black). Everyone seemed to agree that a color which produces much contrast with the black details (white, yellow and red) does make the car look more aggressive. The black one I mistook for a GTS several times and the sapphire blue did not have the shine and intensity which I had seen on the photos. I snapped one photo of the sapphire car, but the color is not this intense in real life.

There were also plenty of 991 GT3 and GT3 RS cars, as well as 997 and 996 versions of the same.

The GT4 surprised me once again with its sublime balance and excellent handling. Once the Michelin Cup2s build up heat, the GT4 can take very impressive speed through the corners. The level of grip is quite amazing. I had the feeling even the 991 GT3 could not keep up through the turns. The over-sized brakes offer a late braking point and you can gently trail-brake it into a corner without upsetting the chassis, throw the car into the apex without any hesitation and then go full on the throttle as you open the steering. The car will understeer lightly and you can play with it on the limit, until you have full grip. Both fun and fast! :) I was pulling 1.5G in lateral force at the most. Pretty impressive, in my humble opinion.

So once again, with the risk of repeating myself for the n:th time, I am super happy with this car! A package of fun with one wheel in each corner ;)

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