I recently had my second Porsche Experience at Silverstone, and thought I'd share my views with my fellow 911UK'ers.
The first Experience I had was a couple of years ago, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. For those who haven't been, or are considering going, I would 100% recommend it.
You get to spend a few hours driving 911's around a track, with an instructor sat right next to you, giving you tonnes of advice and pointers. The facility itself is great, there are some lovely cars on display, the staff are all very friendly, and the restaurant is also pretty decent. But that's not why we go is it?
I had pre-booked the cars: I chose a 911 Turbo S Cabrio and a Carrera GTS Coupe. My mate took the GTS first, and I was in the Turbo.
I'd never driven a Turbo before, and I'll be honest , I was a little nervous. The figures on paper - 570 BHP, 0-60 2.8s - cannot be fully appreciated until experienced. Needless to say, the car was crazy quick! The Launch Control alone had me in disbelief, it's stupid fast; I was genuinely astonished just how much power it has. Imagine a Yamaha R1 motorbike with 4 wheels - that is the Turbo S.
I eventually chose to switch cars with my mate, and jumped into the GTS. A few minutes into the drive, I fell in love with it. The Carrera GTS 991.2 is 'the' best Porsche I've ever driven.
The steering was so precise, I felt supreme confidence when cornering. You point the car where you want to go, you're there instantly. The Turbo does comply, but needs a little more persuasive muscle. The GTS, however, is just so well balanced and perfect.
Style wise, I've always preferred the GTS. It's slimmer, more sleek shape looks more understated, when compared to the more bullish Turbo. Don't get me wrong, the Turbo is an attractive car, just a bit too beefy for my frame. The interior was the same, so cannot fault either car. Although, I really liked the Alcantara on the GTS, the lack of leather inside the cabin gave it a cheaper feel, rather than the intended sporty feel.
Lets talk about noise. Hands down, the GTS with the PSE sounded way way better. I wouldn't say the Turbo is 'disappointing', but way more lacklustre. It just didn't have the conviction or the force you'd expect from a 570 BHP car. The GTS: simply perfect.
I enjoyed that car so much more than I expected to, I could write a lot more, but I'll conclude by stating that I am in love with the GTS. It was such a capable, precise, and fun car. Literally ticked every box.
If I was really being overly fussy, the only things I would possibly change are the dashboard - this needs to be a little more luxurious - and I'd reconsider having black centre-lock wheels, as I do think there are a few variations to be considered with the all-important rims.
The car really has gotten underneath my skin. I love my C2S, it's a superb machine, but I want a GTS now. I swear those damn swines at Porsche do this on purpose! The drive has created in me some level of anxiety, which can only be relieved by way of purchase. If only Mrs. S felt the same...
Right now, the car is not in my reach financially, sadly. In the meantime, I'll just look at my desktop wallpaper, which now proudly displays a GTS Cabrio! Why do we always yearn for what we don't have? Why?!
The first Experience I had was a couple of years ago, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. For those who haven't been, or are considering going, I would 100% recommend it.
You get to spend a few hours driving 911's around a track, with an instructor sat right next to you, giving you tonnes of advice and pointers. The facility itself is great, there are some lovely cars on display, the staff are all very friendly, and the restaurant is also pretty decent. But that's not why we go is it?
I had pre-booked the cars: I chose a 911 Turbo S Cabrio and a Carrera GTS Coupe. My mate took the GTS first, and I was in the Turbo.
I'd never driven a Turbo before, and I'll be honest , I was a little nervous. The figures on paper - 570 BHP, 0-60 2.8s - cannot be fully appreciated until experienced. Needless to say, the car was crazy quick! The Launch Control alone had me in disbelief, it's stupid fast; I was genuinely astonished just how much power it has. Imagine a Yamaha R1 motorbike with 4 wheels - that is the Turbo S.
I eventually chose to switch cars with my mate, and jumped into the GTS. A few minutes into the drive, I fell in love with it. The Carrera GTS 991.2 is 'the' best Porsche I've ever driven.
The steering was so precise, I felt supreme confidence when cornering. You point the car where you want to go, you're there instantly. The Turbo does comply, but needs a little more persuasive muscle. The GTS, however, is just so well balanced and perfect.
Style wise, I've always preferred the GTS. It's slimmer, more sleek shape looks more understated, when compared to the more bullish Turbo. Don't get me wrong, the Turbo is an attractive car, just a bit too beefy for my frame. The interior was the same, so cannot fault either car. Although, I really liked the Alcantara on the GTS, the lack of leather inside the cabin gave it a cheaper feel, rather than the intended sporty feel.
Lets talk about noise. Hands down, the GTS with the PSE sounded way way better. I wouldn't say the Turbo is 'disappointing', but way more lacklustre. It just didn't have the conviction or the force you'd expect from a 570 BHP car. The GTS: simply perfect.
I enjoyed that car so much more than I expected to, I could write a lot more, but I'll conclude by stating that I am in love with the GTS. It was such a capable, precise, and fun car. Literally ticked every box.
If I was really being overly fussy, the only things I would possibly change are the dashboard - this needs to be a little more luxurious - and I'd reconsider having black centre-lock wheels, as I do think there are a few variations to be considered with the all-important rims.
The car really has gotten underneath my skin. I love my C2S, it's a superb machine, but I want a GTS now. I swear those damn swines at Porsche do this on purpose! The drive has created in me some level of anxiety, which can only be relieved by way of purchase. If only Mrs. S felt the same...
Right now, the car is not in my reach financially, sadly. In the meantime, I'll just look at my desktop wallpaper, which now proudly displays a GTS Cabrio! Why do we always yearn for what we don't have? Why?!