360 Switched from a Boxster to a 360 Modena. Advice for getting comfortable with spirited drives?

Actually I haven't "switched", just expanded the garage to include the dream car.

I have had the 986 Boxster for 5+ years now and am very comfortable with the car on winding and twisty mountain roads. I have gone thru several "Boxster and 360" threads on the forum, and the one thing that I have read is that the Boxster is easy to drive fast. I absolutely agree with that. The thing is just so balanced and sticks to the road when cornering at high speed. It sounds like I have things to learn to get that level of comfort with the 360.

When I drove my 360 back from Seattle a couple of weeks ago there were a few corners in the mountains that I took at speed and the car just didn't feel as planted as my Boxster. It felt as if the rear end was light - so I slowed down.

There is speed, and there is the perception of speed. My Boxster has about 210 hp, but is definitely a momentum car. Over the years I have gotten comfortable where I feel that I am at my limit with cornering. Having 400 hp available in a car now has the potential to get me into trouble.

I am sure that the 360 is a much more capable car than the Boxster for spirited mountain drives, but does anyone have advice for learning to drive it better?

Don't coast around corners? Always either be on the brakes or on the accelerator to engage the suspension?

For hitting the tight corners, what's the best method to downshift the F1 transmission? Hit the brakes hard before the corner and downshift when braking, so that I can get back on the gas once I let off the brakes?

Once Spring is here I will have an trailer so I can take the 360 to the track in Salt Lake City. I figure that will be a huge help, but until then I would love any and all advice that you guys have.

I have a drive scheduled for this Wednesday after work up the mountain to the local ski resort. Lots of twists and turns. I am really looking forward to it!

 

The car should feel responsive and confidence inspiring, not nervous and twitchy. If it feels like the latter, I would have the alignment checked. That was exactly the case on my car when I first bought it, an alignment transformed the car. Other than that, just get seat time in it and learn the car.

 

What year is your Boxster and what year is your 360? You may be feeling the difference in old technology for the 360.

I had a 2015 Boxster S with the flat 6 cylinder and now have a 2009 F430. I think the Boxster handled way better in the twistys.

 

There is a race class for boxsters called "spec box". It's a great porsche race class for a reason. Those cars can handle! Ferraris just aren't great for the track but they are fun on track because they are ferraris. Anything you learn on a track in the box will translate to the 360. The big issue is higher speeds in the 360 and that means you get to and exceed limits much quicker and have to be physically quicker and more precise to deal with all that. You can take some turns in a 200hp box at full throttle with no drama but you might have to feather the throttle with 400hp 360 and that can actually make you slower through the turn until you learn to master it. Approach to a brake zone at 110 in the box is every different from 140 in the 360.

 

Both are model year 2000.

 

Thanks - that all makes complete sense.

Yes, I think that's going to be the toughest thing to get used to - feathering the throttle. I am used to having the pedal to the floor when exiting corners on the Boxster and that will be a really bad idea in the 360.

 

Take the 360 to an AutoCross event. Many tight turns and not going too fast in a safe controlled environment. You will get to learn to feather the throttle, braking, and gear shifting (albeit, depending on the course layout, there might not be much shifting) to get smoother and faster turns (entry, during, and exit). You also learn more about the lean of the car in turns and tire break points. This translates well to higher speeds on public twisty road or even the track. Great way to learn more about what your vehicle can do and how you can be a better driver in that specific vehicle. Gaining and building more trust and confidence in the 360 and its capabilities (and yours), safely.

Tires make a big difference in handling and feedback on a car, especially with the 360. Recommend at least the Michelin PS4S. (I initially had the Pirelli stock tires...big, big difference in all departments by going with the PS4S.)

 

Buy a new set of road tyres for it (pzero, Mp4s, or whatever your shops recommend).

Slow in fast out (aka: yes. Brake and downshift first and then drive through and out of the apex).

Drive it more, until it fits like a glove and you are more comfortable feeling the traction via your bum, hands, and feet.

Also, google/YT the traction/friction circle. And start to understand that you are driving the outside wheels of your car not all four.

Eg. On a left hand turn, you are managing the friction on the rear right when it comes to power down. And the front right when it comes to turning grip. The other two wheels are basically passive/supporting efforts at best.

And - the front doesn't matter. Either it will do its job, or it will understeer and need to cut throttle.

Driving a rwd platform is all about one wheel, which is the rear outer one.

The fast way to learn this is a few laps in a speed/sprint car.

 

Thanks for that info - of course the last autocross of the season is this weekend, but the weekend is full with family stuff already. Darn.

What is it with the magic of Michelin's top tires? I had some nice Conti tires on my Boxster for 4 years, but then replaced them with some Cup 2's this Spring and OH MY GOODNESS - they are GREAT!

My 360 just had new Conti Extreme Contact tires installed 5 months. Not sure which ones - I will have to check that tomorrow. I plan to get Michelin PS4S installed as soon as I get the Contis worn down a bit.

 

Contis are very good tires; which extremecontact ? Force , DWS? the DWS is an all season tire, will never get close to the performance summer tire like PS4S. IF they are Force, they are good; very good. Some say they are better than Ps4s.

CUP2 is a street-able track tire, no wonder you liked it. It just won't last more than 6k miles (at least did not on my GT350R).

 

I also want to throw another wrench in the works. I like the Michelin Pilot Supersports better than the PS4S on my M3, they don't get so greasy on the track.

 

At that mileage a set of tires will last me 2 years+, and honestly that's a bargain when you factor in ownership cost for a vehicle that's tons of fun.

 

Cup 2 tires are great!

There are other tires which may offer even higher grip levels (e.g. A052), but the Cup 2 just seems to be the absolut peak in consistency and predictability.

For me the 360 feels well balanced and reasonably fast (for a car of that era). I love the idea of the Boxster, but just not a fan of the M96 engines (except for the Mezger, which are only M96 in name)

 

I do not think Michelin makes Cup 2’s sizes that will fit a 360 either in a 18 or 19 inch wheel, the last time I looked.

 

Well shoot. You are correct.

When I search at discounttires.com the only Michelins I see are the Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires, which I just bought as my winter tires. Nothing for Michelin summer tires. This is for the 215/45/R18 front, 275/40/R18 rears.

Looks like I will have to sort that out at some point late next year or the year after. Or is there a similar, but close tire size that you all are using?

 

225/35 R19
285/35 R19

Have those on my 360 and can recommend them

 

Thats F430 sizes, do you have F430 wheels ?

 

I had a 1999 Boxster that I sold to an FChat brother this last year and had a 2002 waay back. The Boxster dances around curves like a ballerina.

The 360 is equally inspiring but.. NO.. you can't dial out the "nervousness" at the limit. 430's also have it. It's the suspension geometry. It's much much less forgiving than the Boxster and you gonna be on wrecked exotics if you push it to the limit. I had once on a questionably cold day an oversteer that wouldn't have happened in the cold with either Boxster. New tires will help.. btu be careful near the limit, 360's will slap you like a good italian hottie..