gen 2 2.9 vs 3.4

[mc5]

I have a really nice 2.9. Really enjoy wringing it out but sometimes feel it lacks a bit of mid range punch particularly when an overtake presents itself in third gear (yes i know could drop down to 2nd).

It would probably be circa £6k to change has anyone driven both is there much difference in performance. 

[wtaite01]

It should be decently quicker, 55hp more after all. I also have the 2.9 and I love it. On a B road blast I never think 'I wish I had an S', the base is already more thank quick enough to enter liscence loosing territory very easily. I will agree that the lack of grunt before the cam change (under 4k rpm) on overtakes can be frustrating though, and it's in these situations that I think the 'S' would be preferable. 

 

I haven't driven an 'S' so am also keen to hear a considered opinion from someone who has driven both gen 2 cars.

[Windymiller]

When I was looking for mine in 2017 I drove both S and non-S, although only 1 example of a non-S. 
 

I remember i liked the 2.9 enourmously because it had a ‘liveliness’ to it that I don’t think the S has. I attribute that to its slightly lighter weight with the marginally smaller engine perhaps and it’s 18” wheels that seemed to provide a quicker eagerness to its turning. 
 

I also felt you could wring it’s revs out in each gear to hear that flat-6 howl without feeling like you were going mental on the roads. Whereas in the S, anything above 5k RPM in any gear above 2nd is crazy speeds for the road. 
 

i agree, for a quick agile B-road fun car the 2.9 is sublime and as much car as one could ever need. 
 

However, I went for the S for 2 main reasons:

1) I wanted the additional grunt on track

2) I’d always think to myself ‘I wish I’d gone for the S’. (But in the same way I now think, ‘I wish I’d got an R’… 🙄😄). 
 

if you work the gears well on the 2.9 to keep it in the sweet spot of revs I think it would be as quick across roads as the S, albeit perhaps lacking a little bit for a quick overtake from lower speeds & revs if stuck behind traffic. 
 

on a track though, different matter - although a PDK 2.9 could be as quick overall around a track as a manual S possibly… 🤔
 

have you driven an S to see for your self to see / feel the difference?

[mc5]

no just a gen 1 S for which i didnt feel a great difference. Maybe the speedo numbers were a little higher but think i preferred the feel of the 2.9.

 

Not many gen 2 S for sale locally that I can try. Like you say i dont track it and plenty fast enough before iI catch up to traffic these days. Think the main issue is the longish third gear

[wtaite01]

7 hours ago, Windymiller said:

When I was looking for mine in 2017 I drove both S and non-S, although only 1 example of a non-S. 
 

I remember i liked the 2.9 enourmously because it had a ‘liveliness’ to it that I don’t think the S has. I attribute that to its slightly lighter weight with the marginally smaller engine perhaps and it’s 18” wheels that seemed to provide a quicker eagerness to its turning. 
 

I also felt you could wring it’s revs out in each gear to hear that flat-6 howl without feeling like you were going mental on the roads. Whereas in the S, anything above 5k RPM in any gear above 2nd is crazy speeds for the road. 
 

i agree, for a quick agile B-road fun car the 2.9 is sublime and as much car as one could ever need. 
 

However, I went for the S for 2 main reasons:

1) I wanted the additional grunt on track

2) I’d always think to myself ‘I wish I’d gone for the S’. (But in the same way I now think, ‘I wish I’d got an R’… 🙄😄). 
 

if you work the gears well on the 2.9 to keep it in the sweet spot of revs I think it would be as quick across roads as the S, albeit perhaps lacking a little bit for a quick overtake from lower speeds & revs if stuck behind traffic. 
 

on a track though, different matter - although a PDK 2.9 could be as quick overall around a track as a manual S possibly… 🤔
 

have you driven an S to see for your self to see / feel the difference?

Great write up Windymiller, thanks a lot for your thoughts! 

 

I would add one thing having taken my 2.9 on track for the first time in June (and then immediately signing up for 2 more days, next one in September) is that I actually didn't think 'I wish I had more power'. As a complete track novice, it actually felt like the ideal platform for learning the basics of how to drive well on track.

 

The mid engined balance meant that I get the car trail braked into the corners quite easily to start the rotation, but lack of torque also meant that I could get on the power (very) early without having to worry about breaking traction at the rear. This meant that I learned to judge the oversteer on the way in to the corners with the weight forward and then learned how the car transitioned to understeer on the way out as I got on the power and sent the weight rearward.

 

In the 2.9 I didn't have to worry about power oversteer which, though glorified and seemingly fun once you've got the hang of it, can very quickly have you spinning until you've learned how to balance the throttle and steering once it starts:

 

too much power -> rear tyres break traction -> front grip > rear grip -> more oversteer

 

too little power -> weight moves forwards -> front grip > rear grip -> more oversteer

 

I'll report back after my next two track days, but for me as a total novice on my first one, not having to be scared of the throttle coming out of corners was a blessing. I may feel differently as I build experience and want to add this to the challenge though!

 

[extanker]

My racing days are over [30 years of corvettes] so it was time to slow down and enjoy a smoother ride [17 inch tires] so i opted for a 2.9.........but the adage still applies ....i never have had too much power ....get the 3.4 . PO has always been about reving the snot outta every gear and hope ya get to the turn first ,even ferry said it once,over priced and under powered