911 (964 model) as if it were a new car

I picked up the keys and headed home. I drove a few dozen meters on Route 43 in front of the store and found the "Wow, not even close!'. I couldn't help but say it out loud. I can already see how round the tires are. I have never felt such a rolling feeling of tires from this car.

New front shocks

It is smooth.The sensation is about 20-30% more than before. Even in rough areas and over manholes, the "thumping and rattling" sound is almost non-existent.

It used to sound like an aircraft passing through bad airflow on rough terrain, although the impact itself is not so noticeable, but it has become much quieter. You can hear it from the rear if you are aware of it, but from the front it is virtually non-existent.At any rate, the front ground feel and smoothness are outstanding.Pitching was considerably reduced, and there was much less up and down movement of the eyes when driving.

NVH is generally quite restrained andAt a stroke, the 964 became a comfortable car.

The effect is also felt here when starting from a stoplight and during acceleration for overtaking.Response delay to gas pedal operation is much improved and better.It is. Probably thanks to the replacement of engine mounts, Tiptro mounts, etc.

The latest water-cooled Porsche has a function called PADM (Porsche Dynamic Engine Mount), which hardens or softens the mounts depending on the driving mode. This gives the impression of a crisp, muscular car when the car is in sport mode, and it is similar to the impression one gets when the car is in sport mode.

Movement as if the car were lighter and less body fat.It is.

As you can imagine, they didn't go straight home.We immediately went to Ashiari and then to Sundabruk rink for a test run.It is. Points that were not clear in the city gradually became apparent.

First.Easy to drive around corners!It is quite easy to drive. Until now, it would not turn unless I drove true to the RR basics of letting off the gas pedal, applying front load to turn, and opening the gas pedal earlier to get traction to turn, but even if I cut corners a bit on that, it turns perfectly.

And it turns smoothly. Of course, it's not as easy-driving as the latest water-cooled Porsche, but still, this would be much easier to drive.

I also felt a change in behavior in the middle of the corner.Perhaps because of the stronger front ground contact, the car tried to go in the middle of the corner with a gulp, gulp, gulp.This is a feeling I often get with GT3, and I've come to feel something similar to it with 964.

The Tiptronic shifting is also very small. Until now, when the accelerator was released from high rpm in 2nd gear hold, there was a slight backlash and a slight sensation of sudden engine braking, but this has been reduced considerably. I can't tell for sure if this is thanks to the replacement of the tiptronic mounts.I bet the ATs are looking good too.It seems.

The front end of the car was raised quite a bit. It seems that this is still the lowest setting.

In the straight line of the Ashiari Tunnel, theThe improved straight-line stability is clearly visible.It runs straight and crisp. It has not been so bad in the past, but here, too, the stability seems to have increased by 10-20%. It is the kind of stability that makes you want to try long-distance cruising.

Climbing up from the Arima side at Ashiu Esses, this is where RRs, especially air-cooled Porsches, have a hard time.A steep winding road with narrow tight corners.When I first bought this 964, I drove it here without a second thought.How it wouldn't bend! I remember being amazed.When I drove there in the reborn 964, it was as if all the hard work I had done up to that point was for naught.

Naturally, since it is RR, load transfer is important, but even so, the ease of driving was totally different. I felt more relaxed and able to run.

At the Sundabrückring, we will try to focus on slightly rougher surfaces and mid-speed corners.As expected, there is little vertical movement of the front.Naturally, the ride quality is not as good as that of today's water-cooled Porsches, but it is still quite easy to see that the legs are moving well, and the car is flat and pleasant to drive.

Originally, the rear of the 911 is firmer because of its heavier rear end, but the front end is lighter and has softer legs. Therefore, the ride is said to be relatively comfortable for a full-fledged sports car, and this was well understood during this refresh.

On the way home, I examine it again on the familiar road to my house. The difference between the two is clear.After all, the improvement in ride quality and ease of driving are considerably different.Imagining that 28 years ago, in 1992, this 911 was running like this, it was somewhat like experiencing the past in a time machine.

Although it cost a good deal of money this time, I am really glad we did it. If we had not done it, we would have almost spent our lives without knowing the true 964.If you are a classic Porsche owner and your budget allows, I recommend freshening up the suspension.The driver's satisfaction is high, but above all, the car itself seems lively and happy. The driver himself is highly satisfied, but above all, the car itself seems to be lively and happy.

The next step is to plan a body refresh. We are still a long way from getting as close to a new car as possible.