Piston Heads Walter Rohrl Interview
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01-14-2014 | 06:16 AM
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Piston Heads Walter Rohrl Interview
Can't argue with the man. Nice to know he can still speak his mind.
Full text here: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=29197
You have, of course, been heavily involved in the development of the new 918 Spyder, as you were with the Carrera GT. Which is your personal favourite?
"If I have to choose for a future car, I would take the Carrera GT. The car is slower, and it is much more difficult to drive, but it's more how I expect the car to be.
"The 918 is something highly sophisticated; it's very fast, it's very easy to drive, but it doesn't give you the same feeling as the Carrera GT. Of course if somebody is asking me which to buy, I will always tell them: take the 918. With it, your life is easier, and your life is safer. But the sound of the 10-cylinder; this alone is something which is unique!"
And the next predictable Porsche question; PDK in the GT3 - thoughts?
[With a knowing smile] "Yes, during the press launch everybody was complaining and saying: 'Why?!' But I said, 'Be happy! Drive the car and you will see how much easier it is for you to go fast.' The shifting is something very impressive. I think most engine problems we have created because people were not able to watch the rev counter, watch the speed, and know when to shift. So they would shift back too early and the engine would be over-revving. With PDK, you avoid this. But for myself, if I want to buy a car, and I want to say I keep this car for the next 20 years, I would always take a manual gearbox, because I believe more, I trust more in a manual than in a double clutch. I've just ordered a Boxster Spyder with a manual shift - and I know that it's working, it's perfect, and it's up to me how I handle things. But PDK makes life easier for normal customers."
Given that, what's your pick of the GT3 lineage?
"It would have to be the first GT3 in 1999, the one in which I set first [Nurburgring] time under eight minutes, a 7:56. I think that car was like a 2.7 RS from 1973; a pure Porsche. Today it's easier to drive the new GT3. On the Nuerburgring, to go 7:35 is nothing any more. It's so easy to drive, it's so perfect; you don't even have to shift any more. You just put down the throttle and brake and everything is going automatically. Really the newest one is always the best one. But for myself, I always want that it is my talent to make the car fast, and in the old one you really need more talent than with the new one. But I still thinkthe 997, with 435hp, it is a fantastic car. In it, everyone can go fast."
Full text here: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=29197
You have, of course, been heavily involved in the development of the new 918 Spyder, as you were with the Carrera GT. Which is your personal favourite?
"If I have to choose for a future car, I would take the Carrera GT. The car is slower, and it is much more difficult to drive, but it's more how I expect the car to be.
"The 918 is something highly sophisticated; it's very fast, it's very easy to drive, but it doesn't give you the same feeling as the Carrera GT. Of course if somebody is asking me which to buy, I will always tell them: take the 918. With it, your life is easier, and your life is safer. But the sound of the 10-cylinder; this alone is something which is unique!"
And the next predictable Porsche question; PDK in the GT3 - thoughts?
[With a knowing smile] "Yes, during the press launch everybody was complaining and saying: 'Why?!' But I said, 'Be happy! Drive the car and you will see how much easier it is for you to go fast.' The shifting is something very impressive. I think most engine problems we have created because people were not able to watch the rev counter, watch the speed, and know when to shift. So they would shift back too early and the engine would be over-revving. With PDK, you avoid this. But for myself, if I want to buy a car, and I want to say I keep this car for the next 20 years, I would always take a manual gearbox, because I believe more, I trust more in a manual than in a double clutch. I've just ordered a Boxster Spyder with a manual shift - and I know that it's working, it's perfect, and it's up to me how I handle things. But PDK makes life easier for normal customers."
Given that, what's your pick of the GT3 lineage?
"It would have to be the first GT3 in 1999, the one in which I set first [Nurburgring] time under eight minutes, a 7:56. I think that car was like a 2.7 RS from 1973; a pure Porsche. Today it's easier to drive the new GT3. On the Nuerburgring, to go 7:35 is nothing any more. It's so easy to drive, it's so perfect; you don't even have to shift any more. You just put down the throttle and brake and everything is going automatically. Really the newest one is always the best one. But for myself, I always want that it is my talent to make the car fast, and in the old one you really need more talent than with the new one. But I still thinkthe 997, with 435hp, it is a fantastic car. In it, everyone can go fast."
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