EVO MR, Porsche Turbo Buttonwillow Comparison
EVO MR, Porsche Turbo Buttonwillow Comparison-Now w/ Videos
I had a chance to spend a day at Buttonwillow with "my friend's" EVO MR yesterday. This was not my EVO MR, instead it was "my friend's" EVO MR that is exactly like mine. Same year, color and everything. "My friend" even has a Sparco harness bar and Schroth 6 point belt just like mine. Weird, huh? Anyways, I rented the track with 15 buddies and we sure had a great variety of cars. Here's the review:
For a bone stock car, the EVO did pretty well. As most of you know, it understeers a bit. The day abused the front tires. I started with the standard tire pressures which I think are 32 front and 29 rear? After a hot session, the fronts were up to 44 and the rears were around 36. I let 4 psi out of the fronts and left the rears where they were. In the afternoon, when it got hotter out, I had to let 2 more psi out of the fronts to get them around 40 hot. I left the rears the same all day.
The addition of a rear swaybar and some more negative camber would probably make a huge difference in the car. Most cars tend to to feel like a Cadillac once you get them on the track. When it feels stiff on the street, it'll still feel too soft on the track. The body roll was making the transitions difficult. In stock form, you have to just let the car take a set after the body rolls and then just go with it.
I definitely could've used more power too. I was pretty even with my friend's M Coupe (240hp version) going down the main straight. There was one spot on the track where the turbo lag was getting me. Through the bus stop, there's a little braking zone and a kink left. I was keeping it in fourth through there but was falling out of the sweet RPM range. Maybe third would've been better, but sometimes the extra shift just eats up time.
Driving at the track with a stock exhaust is difficult. With the windows open, and a helmet on, its tough to hear what the engine's doing.
Brakes were great. I have stock pads and fluid and they held up pretty well. A few times I felt them starting to go a little, but I just changed my braking a hair and they came back. Pretty impressive for OEM. Pads and ATE Super Blue would make them great.
The EVO is geared lower than my Porsche Turbo. I found myself topping out 4th gear at just over 100 mph and shifting to 5th just didn't make sense for how much straight was left. My Porsche does about 130 in fourth so it is setup better for Buttonwillow.
I'm not the fastest guy on the track but just as a comparison, I'm able to do 2:17 laps in the Porsche on street tires and I was able to do pretty consistent 2:24 laps in the EVO. With a few changes, I'm sure the EVO could dip below 2:20 under my piloting. Does anyone have any lap times at Buttonwillow in a modified EVO so I'll know what its capable of?
As a final comparison to the '01 Porsche Turbo, the EVO feels a bit less like a glove than the Porsche. The ergonomics in the Porsche are second to none. Everything is in the perfect spot for driving fast all day long. The shifter, the pedals, and the steering feel are so perfect in the Porsche. The shifter in the EVO could be better and the brake pedal presses too far down compared to the gas pedal for efficient heel toeing compared to the Porsche. Its not bad compared to most cars, but it could be better. Can the brake pedal be adjusted so its out a bit further? If anyone knows, please tell me. I haven't looked at it yet.
Here's some pics from the event.
Picture Link
For a bone stock car, the EVO did pretty well. As most of you know, it understeers a bit. The day abused the front tires. I started with the standard tire pressures which I think are 32 front and 29 rear? After a hot session, the fronts were up to 44 and the rears were around 36. I let 4 psi out of the fronts and left the rears where they were. In the afternoon, when it got hotter out, I had to let 2 more psi out of the fronts to get them around 40 hot. I left the rears the same all day.
The addition of a rear swaybar and some more negative camber would probably make a huge difference in the car. Most cars tend to to feel like a Cadillac once you get them on the track. When it feels stiff on the street, it'll still feel too soft on the track. The body roll was making the transitions difficult. In stock form, you have to just let the car take a set after the body rolls and then just go with it.
I definitely could've used more power too. I was pretty even with my friend's M Coupe (240hp version) going down the main straight. There was one spot on the track where the turbo lag was getting me. Through the bus stop, there's a little braking zone and a kink left. I was keeping it in fourth through there but was falling out of the sweet RPM range. Maybe third would've been better, but sometimes the extra shift just eats up time.
Driving at the track with a stock exhaust is difficult. With the windows open, and a helmet on, its tough to hear what the engine's doing.
Brakes were great. I have stock pads and fluid and they held up pretty well. A few times I felt them starting to go a little, but I just changed my braking a hair and they came back. Pretty impressive for OEM. Pads and ATE Super Blue would make them great.
The EVO is geared lower than my Porsche Turbo. I found myself topping out 4th gear at just over 100 mph and shifting to 5th just didn't make sense for how much straight was left. My Porsche does about 130 in fourth so it is setup better for Buttonwillow.
I'm not the fastest guy on the track but just as a comparison, I'm able to do 2:17 laps in the Porsche on street tires and I was able to do pretty consistent 2:24 laps in the EVO. With a few changes, I'm sure the EVO could dip below 2:20 under my piloting. Does anyone have any lap times at Buttonwillow in a modified EVO so I'll know what its capable of?
As a final comparison to the '01 Porsche Turbo, the EVO feels a bit less like a glove than the Porsche. The ergonomics in the Porsche are second to none. Everything is in the perfect spot for driving fast all day long. The shifter, the pedals, and the steering feel are so perfect in the Porsche. The shifter in the EVO could be better and the brake pedal presses too far down compared to the gas pedal for efficient heel toeing compared to the Porsche. Its not bad compared to most cars, but it could be better. Can the brake pedal be adjusted so its out a bit further? If anyone knows, please tell me. I haven't looked at it yet.
Here's some pics from the event.
Picture Link
Last edited by JakeMate; Jun 2, 2005 at 11:15 AM.
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Good write-up. The only thing I question is the pedal placement on the Porsche. Unless the turbo has different pedal placement than the NA 996, the pedals couldn't be set up much worse for heel-toe. In fact, there are some PCA instructors that don't show heel-toe in the 996 because the pedals are not set up for it. Also, the shifter in the 996 felt sloppy and unsure compared to the one in my '03 evo. Not that the 996 is a bad car, I love it, it's just that what you specifically call out as strengths I find to be some of the very few weaknesses in the car. Granted, this is in a NA 996, but I have not heard that the pedal placement is different in the turbo.
-Paul
-Paul
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From: By the water
Nice write up. 
I usually go down a gear to 3rd after the Bus Stop and then shift into 4th entering Talladega. It's a bit hairy if your car is stock (which mine is) with stock seat belts. (which I've now switched out, harness bar and 4 point
)
With a rear sway bar set to full stiff, it will make the car turn better and react more like a rear wheel drive car. Like a 911 in fact. Lift a little on the throttle to help the car turn, the tail wants to come around.
I'm sure a racing seat that is lower will help. And I agree with you about the suspension being soft at the track eventhough it's hard and harsh on the roads.
I thought the pedals on the Evo are great for 'heel and toe'? When I had my Porsche, it was impossible to do the heel and toe. I use the left side of my foot (left side for brake) and right side for throttle. Not the 'heel' brake and 'toe' for throttle style, that I've seen racing driver's do in Porsches.
I usually go down a gear to 3rd after the Bus Stop and then shift into 4th entering Talladega. It's a bit hairy if your car is stock (which mine is) with stock seat belts. (which I've now switched out, harness bar and 4 point
)With a rear sway bar set to full stiff, it will make the car turn better and react more like a rear wheel drive car. Like a 911 in fact. Lift a little on the throttle to help the car turn, the tail wants to come around.
I'm sure a racing seat that is lower will help. And I agree with you about the suspension being soft at the track eventhough it's hard and harsh on the roads.
I thought the pedals on the Evo are great for 'heel and toe'? When I had my Porsche, it was impossible to do the heel and toe. I use the left side of my foot (left side for brake) and right side for throttle. Not the 'heel' brake and 'toe' for throttle style, that I've seen racing driver's do in Porsches.
Last edited by racerhead2; May 24, 2005 at 11:03 AM.
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Originally Posted by PVD04
Good write-up. The only thing I question is the pedal placement on the Porsche. Unless the turbo has different pedal placement than the NA 996, the pedals couldn't be set up much worse for heel-toe. In fact, there are some PCA instructors that don't show heel-toe in the 996 because the pedals are not set up for it. Also, the shifter in the 996 felt sloppy and unsure compared to the one in my '03 evo. Not that the 996 is a bad car, I love it, it's just that what you specifically call out as strengths I find to be some of the very few weaknesses in the car. Granted, this is in a NA 996, but I have not heard that the pedal placement is different in the turbo.
-Paul
-Paul
shiv
Last edited by shiv@vishnu; May 24, 2005 at 11:10 AM.
Originally Posted by PVD04
Good write-up. The only thing I question is the pedal placement on the Porsche. Unless the turbo has different pedal placement than the NA 996, the pedals couldn't be set up much worse for heel-toe. In fact, there are some PCA instructors that don't show heel-toe in the 996 because the pedals are not set up for it. Also, the shifter in the 996 felt sloppy and unsure compared to the one in my '03 evo. Not that the 996 is a bad car, I love it, it's just that what you specifically call out as strengths I find to be some of the very few weaknesses in the car. Granted, this is in a NA 996, but I have not heard that the pedal placement is different in the turbo.
-Paul
-Paul
