My 2019 718 Cayman GTS PDK

[Motorhead]

Brian,

Thanks for the photos of a place I've visited on many occasions over the years. I was up in the Highlands a couple of weeks ago and thought of stopping in Pitlochry overnight on the way up but what little accommodation available was very expensive I believe due to the Enchanted Forrest event which attracts tens of thousands of visitors during October. Probably this accounts for your comment that the place was thronging with visitors! Although the weather on Skye generally was fine and dry, over the last couple of days - and in particular my 600 mile drive home - there was biblical rain that only the Highlands can produce. I don't think I've driven with the wipers on max for such an extended period ... horrible.!

Just to add to the EV debate - and something I think we've touch on before - I think the increasing availability and use of EVs is a given. However I'm not totally convinced that BEVs are the way to go, despite the fact that governments in general and the industry are heading in that direction. In terms of infrastructure and mind-set we have currently with hydrocarbon-fuelled vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles would appear to be a superior solution. Here's an interesting BBC News piece on the subject:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50212037

The Chinese in particular are very enthusiastic EV adopters and it's pertinent to note that:

The Chinese government has a target of more than a million fuel cell vehicles on Chinese roads by 2020, serviced by over a thousand hydrogen refuelling stations.

To that end, Beijing has reduced subsidies to the battery sector and, in 2018 alone, invested $12.5bn on fuel cell technology and related subsidies.

There are of course safety concerns with the use of hydrogen in vehicles, but this is being addressed. The production of hydrogen also requires significant energy consumption but this can be negated - at least in part - by using renewable resources, and you can argue that the production and recycling of batteries also requires significant energy consumption and the mining of raw materials, although hydrogen-powered vehicles do of course require a battery.

All just my tuppence worth of course. I'm sure that like Brexit, the debate will continue for years to come.

Jeff

 

[carolinewoodley]

Just to add to the EV debate - and something I think we've touch on before - I think the increasing availability and use of EVs is a given. However I'm not totally convinced that BEVs are the way to go, despite the fact that governments in general and the industry are heading in that direction. In terms of infrastructure and mind-set we have currently with hydrocarbon-fuelled vehicles, hydrogen-powered vehicles would appear to be a superior solution. Here's an interesting BBC News piece on the subject:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-50212037

The Chinese in particular are very enthusiastic EV adopters and it's pertinent to note that:

The Chinese government has a target of more than a million fuel cell vehicles on Chinese roads by 2020, serviced by over a thousand hydrogen refuelling stations.

To that end, Beijing has reduced subsidies to the battery sector and, in 2018 alone, invested $12.5bn on fuel cell technology and related subsidies.

There are of course safety concerns with the use of hydrogen in vehicles, but this is being addressed. The production of hydrogen also requires significant energy consumption but this can be negated - at least in part - by using renewable resources, and you can argue that the production and recycling of batteries also requires significant energy consumption and the mining of raw materials, although hydrogen-powered vehicles do of course require a battery.

All just my tuppence worth of course. I'm sure that like Brexit, the debate will continue for years to come.

Jeff

Interesting Jeff - I wasn't aware of the recent Chinese investment in fuel cell technology. I believe Japan was doing quite a bit of research on it at one point but I had sort of thought it had died a death globally after battery technology came to the fore in the last decade or so, and I had assumed most countries would be focusing on that and had stood down or reduced their fuel cell research. I’m not that familiar with what’s going on today in the UK but I would not be surprised to find that research is concentrating only or mostly on battery power and anything we might have done on fuel cells was dropped or scaled back a while ago.

Like you though I believe it’s a much better technology in the long term especially in terms of convenience (to the consumer) of “filling up” and probably likely range. If the problems you mention with safety and storage can be overcome and other countries start promoting and funding it like China has, it could well be the ultimate future of emissions free transport.

It will be interesting to see whether the UK (which will almost certainly have to find something to replace that part of automotive manufacturing reliant on JIT supply lines that is likely to be scaled back or relocated if the kind of Brexit currently being proposed, outside the single market and customs union, goes ahead) starts funding and looking seriously at fuel cell technology again or whether it continues with the battery vehicle strategy, and in the end whether that will prove just a diversion/dead end in the road to cleaner transport. I think this country is going to have to choose wisely and probably more quickly than it realises, otherwise it could end up backing the wrong horse!

 

[carolinewoodley]

Btw we should probably start a new thread on this EV/clean transport discussion, as it’s rather hi-jacking Brian’s beautiful and evocative photos and posts on his journeys around the Highlands!!

 

[Brian_Innes]

A very interesting and well informed debate on the topic of BEV and Hydrogen fuelled vehicles from Caroline and Jeff. You are both far better informed than I on the subject.

I agree with Caroline's comment that this vast and rapidly evolving topic deserves a dedicated thread all of its own. Thanks for recognising that fact Caroline. I'm sure this will happen before too long.

Jeff, you are correct about Pitlochry being busy in October due to the Enchanted Forest light show event. I tried unsuccessfully to obtain late availability tickets. The ticket-booth throng at Fishers Hotel was not unlike a fish market auction. I gave up when I saw the lobby packed with people waiting to put their name and number on a long, long, list.

Regarding the wet weather experience, I also had biblical rain on my journey north on the A9 with my wipers on fast speed for most of the way. One thing I noticed that I hadn't experienced very often on the public road, was noticeable aquaplaning of the PS4S N0 tyres on the rivers of standing water crossing the carriageway on some of the dual carriageway sections. I've driven at high speed in wet conditions on track days and have already experienced aquaplaning with PS4S N0, but this is the first time I have noticed this happening at public road speeds of around 70-75mph. The conditions were quite extreme on the day of my travel northwards. Progressing in a straight-ahead line while encountering the river of water, the car would twitch as the tyres lost contact with the road surface. Very important not to react to this twitch with any steering input, it would only make things worse. The 718 GTS is so planted chassis-wise that recovery following the brief loss of adhesion is instantaneous and undramatic. Wide section tyres, lowered suspension, and half-worn treads (4.5mm rear, 5.0mm front) all contributed to the aquaplaning effect. The 718 GTS is so sensitive and responsive in the chassis department that this aquaplaning twitch is telegraphed instantly to the driver via the steering wheel. Vehicles such as softer sprung limousines, or Range Rover sized 4x4's may not telegraph aquaplaning so directly to the driver. Of course that doesn't mean that these large and heavy vehicles are exempt from the physics of aquaplaning. We Porsche drivers have a more tactile connection with the road surface.

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

You only have to look at my avatar to appreciate that I'm not averse to driving the Cayman in biblical rain conditions ... although I must confess that was on a swamped Blyton track a few years ago (when a boat would have been more appropriate form of transport) rather than on the public highway..!

I'm in tune with your comments and find that it never fails to surprise me the speed at which some people are prepared to drive in atrocious weather conditions. One of the problems I believe is that modern cars are so refined that drivers nowadays are totally isolated from the environment in which travelling, cocooned in their "crash-proof" metal boxes. Although modern Porsche sports cars are equally civilised compared with with their forerunners, they do fortunately maintain the excellent connection between driver and road to which you refer.

Apologies for partially hijacking your excellent thread by the way. Certainly I think the battery/hydrogen EV discussion would make an interesting more general topic.

Jeff

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

Something I forgot to mention. In an earlier post we were discussing the state of Highland roads.

During my trip to Skye I thought that in general they were very good, but my friends' cabin at Ord is accessed by a single-track road from the main (EU funded!) A851 road from Broadford to Armadale. Some sections of that road were like a farm track and were particularly bad on the rather dangerous twisty hill section, with lots of loose surface material, which I found surprising. Apparently the road got so bad in places that even the Post driver complained to the authorities and some crude patching was done. The Ord-Tarskavaig-Armadale loop is a very scenic route, but best avoided in a Porsche at the moment I think.

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

Jeff,

Wow, your avatar certainly proves you are no stranger to atrocious, wet driving conditions. The wet A9 on my recent trip north was generally well drained of surface water. Occasionally streams of standing water would traverse the carriageway at a diagonal angle, causing the aquaplaning twitch I described. As with all Porsche sports cars, the 718 GTS is superb at telegraphing road feel to the driver whenever grip and slip angles change.

I completely endorse your comments about some drivers in their "crash-proof" high-riding 4x4's driving at high speed seemingly oblivious to prevailing road conditions. Now that winter has arrived in the north, it's not uncommon here in the Highlands to see SUV's and 4x4's upside down in a ditch.

No apologies necessary regarding discussing the EV and hydrogen propulsion topic on my thread. Certainly a good idea to have a dedicated thread on the forum for this rapidly evolving subject. You would be the ideal author to kick-off this topic on a new thread.

Brian

 

[carolinewoodley]

No apologies necessary regarding discussing the EV and hydrogen propulsion topic on my thread. Certainly a good idea to have a dedicated thread on the forum for this rapidly evolving subject. You would be the ideal author to kick-off this topic on a new thread.

Brian

I see there is a new Taycan forum - perhaps it could go there? []

 

[Motorhead]

That's certainly a possibility Caroline.

However, it might be considered bad form making the first proper Taycan post an apparent challenge to Porsche's decision to take the BEV route..! Maybe the General Discussion Area would be less controversial? A difficult one - I'll give it some thought.

Jeff

 

[carolinewoodley]

Ha ha to be fair it was a slightly factious suggestion!! Yes general discussion probably the best place []

 

[Motorhead]

Yes Caroline, I appreciated that your comment was somewhat tongue-in-cheek..!

Anyway, in case you've missed it I've created a new post in the General Discussion Area so we can now leave Brian in peace. []

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

No doubt you'll have me chipping-in with my tuppence worth Jeff.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

Today, I had a scenic drive across the A9 Moray Firth Kessock Bridge, then westwards via the glorious undulating corners of the A835 through Contin and Garve, before joining the A832 to Achnasheen. No particular reason other than the pure joy of driving on mostly empty roads with the hazy winter sunshine glinting on the snow-capped mountain tops. Driving for fun is something I've done all my adult life. How much longer this particular leisure pursuit will endure is a moot point. Reading the more extreme mutterings of the Extinction Rebellion rebels, driving for fun in your own car will become a criminal offence. I hope I'm long gone before that happens.

With the winter temperatures already below zero in the Highland glens, care is needed when driving in the shaded areas where the frost can linger for most of the day. The low sun angles at this northern latitude cause the road surface to remain damp for days on end, and with the gritting lorries now active, the tarmac adopts a greasy finish. Also the rutting season is underway and vigilance is vital, particularly when driving through wooded areas where deer can leap onto the roadway without warning. Stags are very big animals and will do serious and extensive damage to any vehicle other than an HGV. Porsches are very vulnerable as you will imagine.

My GTS is now into it's 11th month since the hand-over on 3rd January and has now covered 8,370 trouble-free miles. I'm well used to 718 4-pot turbo by now. The chassis is an absolute joy to drive on the sort of roads I spend most of my miles on. Having owned Caymans for coming up to 12 years now, I know the car extremely well and it's the perfect tool for my leisure driving requirements. I am currently working on plans for another UK tour south of the border in 2020.

I'll leave you with a few photos of my trip west today.

Brian

 

[Brian_Innes]

The moody lighting of the hazy winter sun.

 

[Motorhead]

Great stuff Brian, as usual.

Although I didn't see too many deer on my recent Highland trip, like you I'm always wary of their presence and the potential catastrophic damage they can inflict. At this time of the year I also found that fallen leaves were a potential hazard, particularly in damp, shaded forested areas.

Jeff

 

[Wollemi]

When I was last in Ullapool the guy in the petrol station there sold me a ”deer whistle”, a little plastic thing which you stick somewhere at the front of the car so it faces forward, and it‘s supposed to emit a high frequency sound which deer don’t like when you travel about I think 40mph.

He told me that local opinion was that they were pretty effective, people reporting significantly reduced encounters with the animals.

I‘ve no idea if it actually works but for £5 I was prepared to give it a try. The glue’s pretty good too, it’s still there after 18 months and eight trackdays.

 

[Brian_Innes]

Interesting comment Graham. Not aware of that device. Was it displayed alongside the haggis traps?

Have you noticed sheep dogs following you by any chance? []

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Ha! Yes, it's a genuine item Brian. My friend gave me one a few years ago to try but either I lost it or it fell off.

Whoever marketed it was probably on to a winner, much like midge repellent.! I suspect the science behind it's a bit dodgy and the advertising only makes the claim that it may prevent deer-car collisions.

Jeff

 

[vitesse]

Could that be -expensive car collisions?

Always like Brian's posts -I end up getting my map book out to follow his itinerary .

 

[Brian_Innes]

What with deer-cars (ha, ha,), haggis traps, and ultra-sonic whistles, no one can say that my thread lacks variety!

Seriously, I do wonder at the effectiveness of this so-called deer-whistle. The noise from the road surface, tyres, wind, engine, and exhaust of a moving car would surely drown out any sound coming from a £5 high-frequency whistle.

I would rank this device alongside the car-sickness anti-static straps that I used to see attached to cars in the 60's. The placebo effect perhaps.

Good fun comments folks.

Brian