Test drive the legendary Porsche 911 and 964 Cup car.

History and Features of the 964 Cup Car

A "Cup" car is generally a car developed for one-make races in which cars of the same make and model compete against each other.The 964 CUP, as the name suggests, is a model used in one-make races such as the Porsche 911 Cup.

The car, introduced in 1990, is based on the Carrera 2 and was assembled in Weissach, not on the regular factory line. According to the documents at hand,

."All parts unnecessary for racing were removed, and modifications that did not deviate significantly from the standard specifications were made to give the car handling performance comparable to a true racing car."

With cars, he said.

The engine power is up 15 hp to 265 hp, but the transmission has slightly higher ratios in first and second gears, the coil springs are very stiff, and the ride height has been lowered considerably. A Matter roll cage was installed inside the car,There is no interior or carpet of any kind, and the weight is thoroughly reduced.

Anticipation and excitement before test drive

This time we test-drove,The Cup car, imported from Germany, stood out with its very bright signal green color.Of course, the model is designed for public roads and comes with a minimum of safety parts.

Initially, the "Can I drive such a racing car myself?I was scared to death, but when I sat down in the racing seat and started the engine, a tremendous engine noise was relentlessly coming into my ears from the idling state.When I fearfully stepped on the clutch, it was quite hard.Shift into first gear and explore the meet point.

Then, surprisingly, it starts off like a normal Carrera 2. The car starts as if it were a normal Carrera 2.Oh, maybe I can drive this!I thought, "I'm going to go to second and third gear," and connected them.

The owner was told that he had toI've never seen anyone start off without stalling.I was told that "it was just not that hard," but I think it was just that the clutch and shift were very similar to other Porsche clutches and shifts, although different in firmness, etc.

Distinction from Carrera RS, highlighted by weight reduction

Lightweight technology for the 964 Cup Car

As mentioned above, the body is almost in a 'dongara' state,Movement is crazy light.Moreover, the wheels are specially made of 17-inch magnesium, 11 kg lighter than the Carrera 2's standard 16-inch wheels. The glass is thinner, and even the trunk lid bumper is lighter.

This makes the body go so lightly that it is hard to believe that the engine is only 15 hp more than the Carrera 2. And so it should be,The Cup Car is said to be about 200 kg lighter than the air-conditioned Carrera 2 in its standard state.

Compared to Carrera2 and Carrera RS

First of all, let me say first that it is 'totally different'. It is quite different from the Carrera 2, as well as the RS.In my personal feeling, the difference between RS and Cup is definitely greater than the difference between Carrera 2 and RS.The sound of the engine also initially sounded like "Is there something broken somewhere?Even when driving slowly and normally, I could hear clattering and whirring noises coming from behind me.

The biggest difference would be in the firmness of the suspension and the touch and effectiveness of the brakes. The Cup's legs are indeed stiff. It is not at the level of a modern GT3, etc., but stiff and hard. That's because, in addition to the stiff spring rate, all rubber bushings are said to be metal joints.

In addition, theThe brakes have a very hard touch and a very short stroke.The brakes are designed to be kicked off as hard as possible on a circuit, and the squeal of the brakes is similar to that of a racing car. Needless to say, the brakes are very effective, and in combination with the lightness of the body, they provide very strong stopping power. However, it is a brake that needs to be pressed down firmly.

Stability provided by surprisingly firm suspension

Suspension Configuration and Features

The standard suspension has camber set at -3 degrees front and rear, and the coil springs are four times stiffer than standard,They have been lowered by 55mm.

The roll bar is also thicker and set up as if it were different from the Carrera 2.

This makes the entire car look and feel quite low, and at first glance, the car looks like a so-called "modified car.

Firmness without discomfort while driving

However, when I drove it, I found that it was different from those "modified" cars.The suspension, designed in Weissach, is insanely stiff, but there is no discomfort in its movement.Of course, it bounces relentlessly on uneven surfaces and is not a comfortable ride.

But there is no uncomfortable feeling of being hard and almost intoxicated when riding. It is difficult to explain in words why this is, but it is because it is so solid and the contact with the road surface feels so close,Almost like a human being moving in the flesh.Perhaps it is because of the

Light weight requires more attention to turning.

Importance of front loading

While modern 911s, especially the 992 model, can be driven fast by anyone, this is not the case with air-cooled Porsches. It is rear-heavy, so at speed, it will not turn the way you want it to if you just turn the steering wheel normally.Therefore, the 911 is not a fun car to drive at all, especially if you don't have the basic skill of turning with the load on the front tires.It is.

This time, the 964 Cup will be driven by a "The skill of bending under load is being tested.exileIt is a car that is like a 'car with a lot of power,'" he said. This is especially noticeable on uphill corners. If you drive with a relaxed attitude and turn the steering wheel, there is no response from the front tires at all. This is a feeling that sometimes occurs even in the regular Carrera 2, but it is nothing compared to that.

Tips and cautions for bending

At street speeds, you can still get by with a little skimping, but if you really want to drive this car well, you need to let off the gas pedal a bit or apply the brakes to turn with a firm front load.

In addition, the suspension is stiff, so a small amount of load has little effect, so it is best to apply load consciously and deliberately.

Ease of operation is equivalent to that of a regular Carrera

Driving Environment of the 964 Cup Car

The seats are said to be single-seat, driver's only, but this unit has a passenger seat as well. The instrument panel and dashboard are almost the same as those of the Carrera 2. The shift lever is a little hard to operate, and some gears require a little more force than others, but in general, there is no major discomfort compared to the Carrera 2.

Modern 911 Cup cars differ greatly from the GT3 in terms of instrument panels and steering wheels, but there are few differences in the driving environment for 911s of this era,If you have driven a carrera 2 or similar, you will find the operation relatively smooth.

Difficult for daily use, but easy to handle

For example, theObviously, it is not suited for daily shopping trips or for commuting to and from work.If you force yourself to do it, it is just a struggle.

However, it can be driven on ordinary roads for a change of pace, such as on open winding roads or on highways. The lightness of the car is so pleasant that I have a feeling it will become a habit of mine.

We received the following comments from Twitter and from 964 Cup owners.

Focusing only on the [driving] point, all generations of Porsche racing cars are really light and easy to drive. 964Cup can be driven in the city center if you choose the right season, and there is nothing else to say.

That's exactly the kind of car I think it is.

Summary: 964 Cup car, a must for Porsche fans.

Lightness is justice.

Nowadays, some may think, "It's only 265ps."With such a lightweight, horizontally opposed engine and low center of gravity, it is really fast and fun to drive.

The test drive made the advantages of its lightness very clear to me, especially since I own a regular Carrera 2. The lightness is directly related to the sharpness of acceleration, braking power, and above all, the nimbleness and precision of cornering.

Through this test drive, I learned about the appeal of Cup cars, but I also learned a lot about the advantages of lightness. The 911 made me think that my perspective on car selection has broadened a little.