Hi All
Borrowed a friends 996TT for the weekend. Read a lot on the board over the last year about moving from the M5 to the 996TT and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about...Can't justify both (I wish!)
It is probably the only thing i would realistically consider changing to and, never having driven it, I wanted to know.
FYI I have an 01 M5 - Carbon/Silverstone - stock, owned since new with 22K on the clock. The car has been a dream although I did have a problem with the clutch. BMW UK replaced it under warranty at 14K and it's been fine since. My personal opinion is that the clutch isn't quite up to the job. I have always owned manual (stick) and i guess i could claim to know how to drive them having had some experience in single seaters and other track kit.
The 996TT - Silver/Black stock again with no X50, stick, and 15K on the clock.
First Impression. Collected the car on Friday morning, and I have to say it confirmed my opinion that I don't really like the interior of the 996's generally. I had a standard convertible a couple of years ago while an insurance claim was being sorted and I wasn't that keen on it then. Interior on the TT appears the same save for the fact that this one had SatNav.
The switchgear is not my taste - the plastic is hard, the stalks for the indicator and computer feel very flimsy.....as I say its my own take on it but not what I would expect from £80K of Porsche.
Then you start the engine.
If you did it as I did.....with the drivers door still open.....you cannot help but smile. The growl of that six is just intoxicating. I defy anyone interested in cars generally not to say WOW. And of course you HAVE to blip it.
OK. Engage Reverse. Smile On. Back it out of the drive and....unfortunately I had to go to the office for a quick meeting. Pulled up in my space outside the building walked in....up to my office (overlooking the car) and within 60 seconds there were 4 guys and 2 girls pouring over it. Boy does this thing attract attention. Now, living in London you get kind of used to seeing nice german/italian ironmongery regularly. I seem to recall that no-one was vaguely interested in the 996 I had before. What IS it about the turbo? Its like a magnet. I park my M5 every day, alongside a Carrera 4S and CLK Convertible and I rarely notice anyone looking at any of them.
An hour later i was pulling the door closed again. 1/2 a day, sunshine (for the first time in London this year).
Eased it out onto the N Circular and headed for my fave bit of road (in London anyway).
Traffic Lights.....Long sweeping left hander.....up the hill about a mile...under the bridge and down the other side. I swear I was laughing as I crested the hill and came down the other side.
We all know our M5's but this (as you TT owners already know) is something else.
I have an office down the A3 outside London. The road is generally clear dual carriageway, and ends in 10 miles of lovely country lanes. And I decided I just had to go.
I headed out of town and gradually picked the pace up till i hit the twisties.
This car goes round corners like nothing I have ever driven. It just inspires confidence. So long as you set yourself up for the corner right you can add more throttle than you would ever imagine in a road car. I have drive that road many time in my M5 and on a few occasions in the Carrera 4S and the difference is light years. Now, I love my M5, but I would never attempt corners at anything like the speed that felt comfortable in the TT. Before you all jump down my throat - I know they are different. I was just staggered at the relative difference.
The last section of road is about 3 miles long down into a valley and back up the other side. You can see end-to-end and save for a crossroad in the dip theres nothing else to trouble you. Remeber this is all country lanes, fields either side. I let it fly.
I had set the digital to display speed and i remeber glancing down and seeing 125......
......just as I see a tractor pulling off a field and directly into my path. Time to test the brakes.
Now. I hadn't up till then, appreciated what I found was the TT's single strongest characteristic.
Brakes. This thing came down from 100+ on a badly cambered country lane with such confidence and so little fuss that TT braking became my favourite hobby for the weekend.
I almost enjoy standing on the brakes as much as I enjoyed standing on the gas! These things are vast and with respect bear no resemblance to those found in a stock M5. I'm not much for altering the car's I own - we have real issues in the UK insuring - especially if your wife like to drive them too, which she does. But I WILL be changing the brakes on my M5.
I drove back from Hampshire to town later that evening. Same twisties in reverse and was getting more and more impressed with this things capabilities. On public roads, you really would have to be insane to get near the limit. Having said that, I do wonder what the handling would be like when you get there. Any of you TT owners like to enlighten me on this specifically I'd love to hear.
The rest of the weekend was spent Blat, Brake, Corner, Blat, Brake, Corner, Blat.....etc.
Things I Want To Do
1. Get 996TT on a track.
Things I Loved
1. Brakes
2. Brakes
3. Handling
4. Power
Things I Didn't Love
1. Interior
The BIG Question.
And the answer is .........NO. I will not be swapping. My M5 does too many things for me that the TT doesn't. I have 3 kids and I like to load them up at the weekend. I LOVE the fact that the M5 is a wolf in sheeps clothing. For me, the TT just attracts too much attention. I'm not sure how comfortable I would be turning up to meetings with clients in it. Its just too noticeable. And much as I loved standing on the brakes I did notice on one or two occasions cars behind me were suspiciously close. I wonder how long it'd be before I got rear ended just on TT stopping power!
If I could have both.......well who wouldn't.
The TT is a phenomenal road car.
But for me - I like my M5 better!
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