HANDLE WITH FLAIR
While the Paul Stephens Autoart 993 R is a complete package, it would be remiss of us not to point out and champion one of its standout features, namely Tractive semi-active suspension, available for G-series, 993 and 964 applications, plus later water-cooled Porsches. Indeed, regular readers will know we’ve sampled Tractive suspension on other 911 builds, including Everrati’s 500bhp 964 EV and the 964 Carrera owned by Tractive UK boss, Steve Bennett. Both were 911 & Porsche World cover cars, both were positive experiences and a leap forward in chassis technology.
Tractive’s DNA can be traced back to celebrated Dutch motorcycle damping specialist, WP Suspension, a major player in top-flight two-wheel motorsport. In 2010, Tractive was established, promptly becoming an OEM development partner. Thanks to the firm’s UK outpost, in conjunction with many independent Porsche specialists and professional chassis tuners concerned with Stuttgart-crested road and race cars, there is now a broad understanding of the unique damping requirements for Porsches on challenging British roads.
Tractive’s standalone Active Controlled Electronics (ACE) system monitors real-time driving parameters, using lateral and longitudinal acceleration to observe behaviour on vertical, lateral and longitudinal axes. Inside each ACE damper is a patented Dynamic Damping Adjustment (DDA) valve. This valve is controlled by a sensitive multi-axis g-sensor and advanced algorithms developed from decades of racing and road testing. A dynamic proportional valve operating as a bypass has capacity for a large range of damping adjustment and is capable of responding between six and ten milliseconds. You can adjust roll and pitch interference for stable braking, controlled corner entry and, after hitting the apex precisely, better acceleration out of the corner. Little wonder a classic 911 chassis can suddenly feel very modern, particularly in terms of body roll and stability.
As intimated, five different suspension maps can be created using the system software. Each setting can be selected by way of a rotary knob or touchscreen display. The advantages are obvious: comfort and cruising to the track and, within five clicks, an aggressive circuit set-up or fast-road option. A game changer? We certainly think so.
R-ACE combines all the benefits of ACE technology with the addition of secondary low- and high-speed compression adjustments, which are tuned for the application and motorsport discipline. The low- and high-speed compression adjusters can finetune damper characteristics to find the perfect balance for individual track setup, driver preferences and race pace improvements. The compression adjusters can be located remotely, piggy-backed or mounted in-line with the dampers. As the name suggests, R-ACE is best suited for extreme race and endurance applications. It’s the very pinnacle of what is currently possible using suspension knowledge gained from decades of racing at the highest level. To view the full range of Tractive suspension solutions for Porsches and other applications, visit ttsuspension.co.uk.