How do you make a good car better? Exercise restraint. The latest 911 Carrera S is already an amazing car. The addition of direct injection and a dual clutch semi-automatic gearbox has given the car a near ideal drive train. Improved suspension tuning and slightly better aero dynamics has lead to a platform that is just about unbeatable in the twisties. Sharkwerks tuning in Fremont California has managed to take the latest 911 and squeeze just a little bit extra out of it.
We are pounding down a deserted farm road in the middle of nowhere California. Locals have told us that the only time people use this road is just before sunrise and just after sunset. Who knew farm roads have rush hours? We have made a couple of observation runs back and forth, and we are forced to believe them, not a single person in sight. Pulling away from a stop, it is immediately apparent the extra torque this car has over the factory car. The thick torque curve shoves the car forward even in the mid-range. As the needle swings around the tach, the acceleration gets even more urgent. Right at redline, I slide the awkward steering wheel button that Porsche has bestowed on the PDK equipped cars. The shift bangs off into the next gear faster than I can comprehend and it begins again.
As we blast through the next gear, I can’t help but wonder what Porsche was thinking with these push pull sliders for shifters. They are better than the modified window switches that graced tiptronic steering wheels, but still nowhere near as good as the flappy paddles that everyone else in the industry uses. Why does the best gearbox in the industry has to be paired with the worst interface? As the needle swings around again, I reach down and use the shifter. BANG, another gear change flashes by.
Sharkwerks has certainly made improvements in the power department. Their new ECU flash has really woken up the car. Porsche new direct injection engines are fantastic out of the box, but this is just more urgent, a little more angry. It is helped by a new center sections in the exhaust as well. The car now growls when it did purr. The center mufflers on the factory 911’s exhaust are extremely restrictive forcing spent gasses to make a u-turn before exiting into the rear mufflers. The system on this car crosses over from one side to the other, creating a more direct route and decreasing resistance. Since the factory rear section and cat are still in place, this system is legal and not obnoxiously loud. The end result of the modifications is roughly 420hp at the crank, pretty impressive.
As we approach the twisty sections of the road I find out how good the factory brakes really are. Sharkwerk’s chassis tuning allows a little more use of the rear brakes from decreased dive. It also makes the car feel more confident. The pedal is always right there under foot. After a tough day of use, no fade was noticed or even hinted at. Sink your foot into the pedal and smooth deceleration pushes the tires into the asphalt as the whole car seems to squat instead of diving over the front axle.
This 911 came equipped with PASM, Porsche Active Suspension Management and the guys at Sharkwerks didn’t want to loose that functionality. It was decided that a set of Techart sport springs, which lower the car by 20mm and increase spring rates just under 20 percent were the way to go. With the PASM on sport mode, the handling is noticeably sharper than factory. In comfort mode the car feels remarkably stock. Part of the smooth ride can be attributed to the lightweight rolling stock. HRE P43 forged monobloc wheels are substantially lighter than stock improving both ride comfort and performance. Nineteen inch wheels were chosen in the name of performance. While twenties may look cool, they will certainly diminish handling, ride, acceleration and braking abilities of the car.
To wrap things up, a subtle Techart aerokit was added to the outside of the car. The front spoiler keeps air going around the car instead of under, while the small ducts in front are actually functional and force air to brakes. A rear spoiler and lower diffuser work to keep the back end of the car down and the side skirts tie everything together visually.
On the road the car is almost the perfect modern 911. It is not quite as urgent as a GT3, but definitely more comfortable. With 420hp linked to a 7-speed DSG acceleration is nearly as quick as the GT3. Using traction control I have no doubt it would just edge out the light-weight Porsche in the sprint to sixty with average drivers. Once the road begins to turn, you will feel the extra weight of the standard 911 as well as less precision. The GT3 sacrifices comfort for ultimate control of unnecessary movement and deflection. The Carrera S however still uses rubber bushings for suspension and subframe mounts. While these allow for vibration and noise absorption that GT3 customers are willing to live with, you will celebrate their existence at the end of long road trips. If you really need that extra edge in cornering, Sharkwerks can supply you with a full set of spherical bearings for suspension hard points. They weren’t on the car at the time we drove it, but you can see some quick shots of them here(insert Link to other story).
When the 997 GT3 was first released, it was hailed as maybe the ultimate 911 for track and daily use. That may still be true for cars that are stock, but this Carrera S has certainly closed the gap quite a bit. There is no doubt that this car will be a little less precise on the track, but if the track happens to be more than an hour away, you might be willing to make that trade.
Nice work Alex! That 997 PDK moves!