Re: Finally drove a PDK equipped Boxster yesterday

I had some time yesterday - and it was a sunny 80 degree day, so I decided to take a drive to the Porsche dealer just to check out all things Boxster with all the changes that are supposed to be coming with the 981. Just not too crazy about a possible 4 banger in the Boxster. I did find out that dealers can't place any more orders for Boxsters. What they have listed is all they will have until the 981's are available, probably sometime in the Spring.
One of the things I wanted to do was take a PDK equipped Boxster for a test drive. The salesman gave me the keys to a 2012 Boxster S with PDK and Sport Chrono.

The PDK is one awesome piece of engineering. Press the lever and upshifts are quick and seamless, same thing with downshifts, definitely different from a regular automatic. I did find I frequently had to check the instruments to know what gear I was in when going into a turn, something I could feel with the manual. Then there's launch control. Plant your left foot on the brake, then your right foot on the gas. You can hear and feel the horses straining to pull free. Lift your left foot and the car took off like a rocket with the electronics working like crazy to keep the rear wheels under control. Makes you wonder what the life span of the clutches would be if you did that on a regular basis.

The longer I drove the PDK, the more this sound track kept building and getting louder in the background.

[www.youtube.com]

So on the way home, I had a great drive. The CURVEN8R and I, accompanied by the Symphony in Flat Six enjoyed dancing through some of my favourite Boxster back roads and I appreciated my short shift kit in the twisty bits even more than when I first got it installed a couple of months ago. Life is good.

Sounds like fun Guenter, what color are you going to order?
Will you make the switch to PDK or stay with the stick?

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DougW
Sounds like fun Guenter, what color are you going to order?
Will you make the switch to PDK or stay with the stick?

As I indicate, you can't order anymore 2012's. The only two silvers on the 2012's are Platinum (looks like a dirty gray to me) and GT Silver which looks great, but it's a $3500 option. There aren't any GT Silver ones around.

Like the Stones song goes, when it comes to the PDK ....
I can't get no ....satisfaction
I can't get no ....satisfaction
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, I can't get no

When I'm drivin' in my car

So the CURVEN8R and I will continue to enjoy the twisties together for quite some time.

I guess I should have had my speakers on



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/2011 10:27PM by DougW. (view changes)

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DougW
I guess I should have had my speakers on

Mine are always on when I'm driving.

Glad you finally experienced PDK. Turns out it's not so bad, eh?

--
MY 2000 S, Ocean Blue, Metropol Blue, Savanah Beige.
Bought June 2000 - Sold May 2010

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frogster
Glad you finally experienced PDK. Turns out it's not so bad, eh?

I agree that the PDK is a great transmission for people who don't want to shift, find shifting difficult, need that 0.1 quicker time to 60 mph or do a lot of stop and go driving. It's much better than other automatics, but it's just not for me. Guess I'm just a moldy old prune who likes to be involved in driving and I just didn't feel that same connection with car by pressing or pulling on the little levers.

I thought they replaced the external crank with electric starter motors. Not sure how much an ignition switch would do to turn over an engine.

Personally, I never liked the crank start on my 51 Morris Minor. I much prefered using the ignition/starter motor combo. Guess I was a rebel back in those days.

I guess the same controversy will go on when they replace steering wheels with GPS based guidance systems so we don't have to keep on turning that steering wheel while going from place to place.

I just happen to enjoy shifting the gears and steer the car myself.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/01/2011 02:12PM by Guenter in Ontario. (view changes)

And I wish they'd bring back Seal Grey Metallic. That with a (now) Sea Blue interior (close to Metropol I suppose) would be a great combination. Not sure if the warm hue of Meteor Grey would work with blue.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

No one seems to have any exact dates. I've read in a few places that the new Boxster might debut at the Detroit auto show and go on sale sometime in the Spring which makes sense with a convertible and the Cayman to come out a couple of months later. The salesman also seemed to think that they should be getting new Boxsters in the Spring.

I imagine that it will take them a little while to get the new production facility in Germany set up to produce the cars.

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?