RWD vs AWD : pros and cons?

[f1eng]

What's your current thoughts on PDCC reducing the impact – or at least the feel of this – in everyday driving ?

I don't really think it can.

Weight is always bad in a vehicle, massive tyres can reduce (but not overcome) the downside of weight on grip, power can compensate in acceleration but everything else is just inevitably worse

I must say I chose PDCC for improved ride rather than the roll reduction...

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[f1eng]

OP is in the US market where there is no base ST, or any other ST trim other than GTS. Not sure why Porsche added this limitation.

I hadn't realised the Sport Turismo model wasn't available worldwide.

 

[whitex]

I don't know what to tell you.

The color bugged me over time, but I gained a ton of respect and confidence in the car, driving it 28K miles all over the place.

I'd been considering an upgrade to 4S and changing the color at the same time. I did title my purchase thread "Mistakes were made."

Did I need to upgrade? No.
Is the difference incremental? Yes. I would say the RWD is easily 90% the car the GTS is.
Am I happy? Yes.

To be very clear, I am not criticizing you for upgrading to get more performance. I am simply stating that the way you phrased your post sounded like the only reason you upgraded was because you wanted a different color. I absolutely get wanting to upgrade for performance, as I have gone through that process myself and learned that it can be expensive, hence my almost 2 year wait for the Taycan Turbo that I want, rather than settling for a lower trim missing options I want and/or having options I don't want (and usually having to pay for those options to add insult to injury). I have done the color compromise in my car ownership career too, but learned early on that colors just don't grow on me, so I don't compromise on color anymore (though I might consider a wrap).

 

[whitex]

I hadn't realised the Sport Turismo model wasn't available worldwide.

Yea. I might have gone for a Turbo ST with solid roof had it been available, but I'm fine with CT with glass roof I ended up with (or will end up with). It will be my first glass roof car ever, I even paid Porsche extra once to remove a sunroof from a 911 (they no longer let you remove standard options, or so I've been told). At least I know that I can live with the glass roof as I did end up buying a glass roof car for my wife after her solid roof Model S was totaled and newer Model S could only be ordered with a glass roof. Not complaining by the way, provided the transport ship doesn't sink and the dealer doesn't back out of the deal or try some shit like adding third party crap and telling me it's a mandatory option (as I've read here sometimes happens), I should have my CT some time in February and expect to love it!

 

[DerekS]

To be very clear, I am not criticizing you for upgrading to get more performance. I am simply stating that the way you phrased your post sounded like the only reason you upgraded was because you wanted a different color.

To rephrase: if I'd been happy with the color I was happy (enough) with the performance not to upgrade. But once I started thinking about a new order, it also made me think about what else I'd want to change on a second try.

 

[whitex]

To rephrase: if I'd been happy with the color I was happy (enough) with the performance not to upgrade. But once I started thinking about a new order, it also made me think about what else I'd want to change on a second try.

Hence my original question, whether you considered a wrap in your favorite color before considering a new order, since it would likely be less expensive.

 

[DerekS]

Hence my original question, whether you considered a wrap in your favorite color before considering a new order, since it would likely be less expensive.

Yes. I was concerned it would look crappy up close.

 

[4thPcar]

I'd stick with my RWD all day long. Its ample for me. I've had a 911S, and I may never own an ICE again, but I will remain loyal to the brand. My RWD has been free from any defects, apart from some PCM glitches.

I mean no disrespect to the owners that feel they need more power and/or performance. That obviously comes at a price but I've not found a situation where I would REALLY use it. I drive on the freeway and surface streets all day long. I don't drive on a track and I don't race the car. I let all the BMW 3 series vehicles think they are faster than me if that's important to them. When I need speed to overtake or avoid someone that cuts me off, the car does what it needs to do, and I am on my merry way.

I will say that the RAS helps a lot, but you can get that with any build.

 

[Da-man]

I saw a comment that a Porsche test driver liked the RWD on coil springs and standard battery best.
That would probably be because it was the best handling option, being very considerably lighter and having enough traction on a dry road.

Here where I live AWD will only have noticeably better traction in ordinary road use about 2 to 3 weeks a year. Personally I have never considered AWD to be worth having.

Until, that is, an EV. I do consider it worthwhile in an EV purely for nicely balanced regenerative braking. Obviously on the RWD there can’t be any regenerative braking from the front axle which means only braking the rear in normal use.

So for the first time in my life I have all four wheels driven. The extra weight really p*sses me off though.

That’s exactly how my car is RWD on coil springs and standard battery.
And I love it!!!

 

[Andy0565]

I have an Aston Martin Vanquish and a Taycan Turbo. I spend 99% of my time driving behind other cars at or just below the speed limit. When I do get to enjoy the cars, I’m on tight country lanes, where handling is much more important than outright power. So, gas suspension a must, rear wheel steering a sensible option (also useful when manoeuvring at slow speeds) and 4WD nice to have.
Where I live, our winters aren’t particularly cold but they are wet. On days when the temperatures are 4/5°c and it’s raining, winter tyres are a must if you want to drive aggressively. Far more important than 4WD.
So, if I was thinking about my bank balance (which I need to BTW even though I never do!) it would be RWD, Gas Suspension, RWS and a second set of wheels with winter tyres.

 

[whitex]

I have an Aston Martin Vanquish and a Taycan Turbo. I spend 99% of my time driving behind other cars at or just below the speed limit. When I do get to enjoy the cars, I’m on tight country lanes, where handling is much more important than outright power. So, gas suspension a must, rear wheel steering a sensible option (also useful when manoeuvring at slow speeds) and 4WD nice to have.
Where I live, our winters aren’t particularly cold but they are wet. On days when the temperatures are 4/5°c and it’s raining, winter tyres are a must if you want to drive aggressively. Far more important than 4WD.
So, if I was thinking about my bank balance (which I need to BTW even though I never do!) it would be RWD, Gas Suspension, RWS and a second set of wheels with winter tyres.

I've been living in the NW USA for a couple of decades now. When I lived on the east coast, I used winter tires every year. In the NW I am having a hard time justifying winter tires, as they seem to be useful only a few days out of each winter (a little more every year as we seem to be getting more cold days). Majority if days in the NW where I live are wet, now snowy, and above 45F which is the temperature under which the winter tires are most optimal. Winter tires on a wet 50F road have worse performance than all-season tires. What made you decide on winter tires here and how is that working out for you?

 

[andb]

I must say I chose PDCC for improved ride rather than the roll reduction...

Are the sway bars 100% disconnected when driving at slow speed or straight?

I'm asking because a friend Panamera without PDCC didn't felt less comfortable than mine that has it.

 

[f1eng]

Thats why just about every high level professional race series banned AWD? Because it handled worse on the racetrack?

I have sat on rule making groups for Formula 1, CHAMP cars and Le Mans cars over the years.

It wasn’t banned because it handled differently, that is a matter of setup. It makes electronic driver aids (which is cheating in most racing series) easier and more effective and gives better traction in grip limited situations. Worthwhile in a road car with (mostly) not particularly accomplished drivers.

Not worth the weight in a sports car IMO.

I like driver aids in an every day road car, it takes the skill out of driving and makes mistakes, other than entering a corner quicker than it is possible for the car to get round, penalty free.

On my sports car I prefer old fashioned purity, just a limited slip diff. Any mistakes are mine and a satisfying level of skill required to not scare myself

 

[f1eng]

Are the sway bars 100% disconnected when driving at slow speed or straight?

I'm asking because a friend Panamera without PDCC didn't felt less comfortable than mine that has it.

I assume so. It would be better from a vehicle dynamics POV and Porsche aren’t stupid in that domain.
Perhaps not though, if it is cheaper not to.

 

[Andy0565]

I've been living in the NW USA for a couple of decades now. When I lived on the east coast, I used winter tires every year. In the NW I am having a hard time justifying winter tires, as they seem to be useful only a few days out of each winter (a little more every year as we seem to be getting more cold days). Majority if days in the NW where I live are wet, now snowy, and above 45F which is the temperature under which the winter tires are most optimal. Winter tires on a wet 50F road have worse performance than all-season tires. What made you decide on winter tires here and how is that working out for you?

I run three other cars for my wife and kids, all of them on all-season tyres. It’s much less hassle and undoubtedly more cost effective. The Aston only comes out in the summer, (I hate the idea of covering it in road salt) so I don’t bother with winter tyres for that, but the Porsche is different. It’s my daily driver and I like to enjoy it (rather than just use it) all year round. Although temperatures can reach 50° on any given day here between mid October and late March, it’s only for a couple of hours and for most of the time the temperature is below 40° and often well below.

I do think that, for the majority of time, my chosen solution provides better performance than running all-season tyres throughout the year but how much better is questionable. Is it worth it? For me yes. Is it necessary, undoubtedly no, but then neither is a Porsche.

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