Porschenews 01/2009 Go your own way. The new Cayman.

The new dynamic engine mounts
The new dynamic
engine mounts.
Motorsport and inertia are terms that should cancel
each other out. That’s why our engineers strive to
measure their developments against the laws of
physics. With its new dynamic engine mounts, the
911 GT3 is a bit better than the rest at conquering
inertia.
Its new feature is the optional dynamic engine
mounts (earliest availability: 09/2009), an
electronically controlled system for minimising
noticeable oscillations and vibrations in the entire
drive unit, especially the engine.
The motor is mounted to the rear part of the body in
two places. According to the law of inertia, a body
in a state of uniform movement along a straight line
will continue to move uniformly in a straight
line until acted upon by outside forces that alter its
state. Put simply, if you steer your new 911 GT3
into a corner, the vehicle will follow the direction you
steer. The mass of the engine, however, will not at
first. The result is that the rear of the vehicle on
the rear axle is pushed outward due to the inertial
forces of the engine mass.
Magnetic forces work against
inertia.
And the new dynamic engine mounts minimise this
effect. Steering angle and rates of longitudinal and
lateral acceleration are measured constantly by
sensors and the characteristics of both engine
mounts are adjusted automatically according
to driving style. This is achieved by mean of a
magnetisable (magnetorheological) fluid and an
electronically generated magnetic field.
The magnetisable particles realign themselves and
the fluid’s resistance changes, as do the stiffness
and damping of the engine mounts. They are
softer for more comfort and fewer vibrations in
normal driving situations or harder for a more direct
feeling of contact in more dynamic and sporty
driving situations. This is like the 911 GT3 racing
cars, in which the engine unit is directly mounted
on the body. The dynamic engine mounts also
reduce vertical engine oscillations during full-throttle
acceleration. The result is a higher and more uniform
propulsion force on the rear axle, more traction and
better acceleration.
Both on the racetrack and in everyday situations,
this means better handling with shifting loads in fast
corners that you can feel. n
You will find more information in our web special at:
www.porsche.com