718 Cayman GT4 is here – at long last.!

[ChrisW]

Thanks Jeff ,

I do have a video of my GT4 following a standard GT4 along the pit straight at Knockhill ... let me see if I can post it via Photobucket !

Yes I should hope to be at Anglesey next year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAEjJZ3ji1s

There you go ...

 

[ralphmusic]

Another youtube video with GT4 and Spyder + Walter driving both on timed laps of Knockhill. You'll need Google Translate sub-titles to make any sense of it but the lap times are interesting.

[tube]https://youtu.be/JfJqrJxXBbg[/tube]

 

[ralphmusic]

Another youtube video with GT4 and Spyder + Walter driving both on timed laps of Knockhill. You'll need Google Translate sub-titles to make any sense of it but the lap times are interesting.

[tube]https://youtu.be/JfJqrJxXBbg[/tube]

 

[Brian_Innes]

Those Knockhill lap times are amazing! Walter posting 56.62 seconds for the 982 GT4, and 56.69 seconds for the Spyder are mighty impressive times for a road car, on Cup 2's, and with a passenger onboard. I'm also amazed at the lack of safety equipment and track marshalls considering the speeds involved. Even allowing for the discrepancies of hand timing, a time in the 56 second bracket is seriously quick. I posted a 58.76 second GPS recorded lap time in my 718 GTS PDK on my own on PS4S tyres, and I know just how committed the driver needs to be to be two seconds faster.

The Carrera Cup GB Knockhill lap record is around 49 seconds, on slicks, last time I checked. The 500 bhp Carrera Cup cars are due to visit Knockhill in September. I shall be watching the lap times posted during qualifying and the fastest race lap to see how the current Cup cars compare with Walter's times in a road car.

There is no doubt at all that chassis and aero developments on the 982 GT4 and Spyder have progressed road car performance to levels previously unimaginable.

Brian

 

[ChrisW]

Good but, the man is a legend ... and on tyres that could give him 1.5 to 2 seconds a lap extra.

I think part of the reason why the time difference to GT3 Cup car times are so small, is that the lap is so short.

You could double the differences at Oulton Park ...

Brian, you were in a standard non GT road car with a passenger on PS4's !!!

 

[snowy999]

Chris, sounds amazing - looks like your modding has beena great success - Snowy !

 

[ChrisW]

Thanks

It is noticeably quieter than the red GT3 but a nice quality of sound .. it checked at 102dB at Croft last week using 5500rpm ...

------------

I am very happy with the car, though I am getting used to the pace and beat myself up because GT3's are faster ... the RWS being influential at Croft in the tightest hairpin in the UK and then down the long straights ... though the Croft GT3 drivers were fast and I still can't get Sunny-in and Sunny-out as nicely as they should be driven ! But I was so tired by the end of the day

I obviously need more practice there!

 

[Motorhead]

Just a heads-up for an interesting PH posting by Twinfan Dave, a fellow poster on here, who's comparing a 981 GT4, Spyder and his own GTS.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=231&t=1829100

I presume that the PEC will soon be getting their 982/718 GT4 and Spyder if deliveries are due to kick-off next month? Has anyone got a PEC booking to drive one of the latest cars?

Jeff

 

[nwc123]

I know the GT4 is already at PEC. Spyder to arrive soon.

I have a relatively late PEC booking for the GT4, late November. Lockdown has passed for my build so I’m expecting delivery before then, perhaps even late October.

 

[Motorhead]

No chance to 'try before you buy' then Solomon.!

Hope the new car meets - or hopefully exceeds - your expectations.

Jeff

 

[Twinfan]

I know the GT4 is already at PEC. Spyder to arrive soon.

They have no 718 GT4s or 718 Spyders at PEC Silverstone yet. The GT4 that was there for a few weeks was for promotion purposes and has now gone.

 

[Twinfan]

Just a heads-up for an interesting PH posting by Twinfan Dave, a fellow poster on here, who's comparing a 981 GT4, Spyder and his own GTS.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=231&t=1829100

Cheers Jeff, Monday was a glorious day and I had a fabulous time comparing the cars. I'm still "on the list" for a 718 GT4 at my OPC, and if I'm highly fortunate enough to be offered one next year or in 2021 I'll have to have a long hard think about the cost to change from my 981 GTS as it will be massive for one in my preferred spec.

 

[Motorhead]

Well Dave, it seems as though I've been "on the list" since the beginning of time, but I'm still not convinced that I'm in with a shout this time round despite demonstrating loyalty to my PC for the past 10-years. At least it looks as though there'll be a decent production run this time, so I suppose anything's possible.

Unlike you I've not driven a GT4, but I do enjoy the occasional track day so I guess I ought at least to get behind the wheel of one to decide if it really is for me. It could be that the rumoured 718-6 would be a better fit for my requirements, but we'll have to wait and see what materialises towards the end of this year.

If the PEC still haven't yet got their new cars I suppose some people turning up for their introductory session in the next few weeks could be driving the 'old' 981 cars. I'm not sure I'd be happy with that.

Jeff

 

[Motorhead]

This has just broken cover - Cayman GT4 RS? Whether or not it's a one-off or actually planned for production we'll have to wait and see.

More pics here:

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-frankfurt-motor-show/hardcore-porsche-718-cayman-gt4-rs-spotted-first-time

Jeff

 

[Twinfan]

So the RS is coming, Porsche need to recoup the costs of the new 9A2 engine in the 718 series GT4/Spyder. I think that car helps to explain why the 718 GT4 wasn't as much of a step up from the 981 series - they had to leave room for an RS underneath the GT3.

The rumour mill says it won't be coming for another 12 months, get your buns ready for the allocation fight...

 

[Motorhead]

Dave,

Despite the hype, I don't think that we can be sure that this will actually make production:

“Everybody’s asking for the RS,” Walliser told Autocar. “Can I imagine a GT4 RS? Sure I can. That’s not to say we will make a decision on it yet, as it is a challenge. Would I like such a car? Yes, definitely! Would I like more horses? Yes. But we need to put the resources where the market is - it would be a lot more expensive than the normal one.”

The main visual changes are the NACA cooling ducts in the bonnet, the replacement of the rear quarter windows with vents and the swan-neck arrangement for supporting the rear spoiler, although I guess that's only to facilitate spoiler adjustment. Under-bonnet I would expect a revamp of the nasp 9A2 Evo engine to 450+hp.

More pics at a different location here:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/porsche/cayman/107891/spy-shots-say-porsche-cayman-gt4-rs-is-on-the-way-pictures

Jeff

 

[Twinfan]

My view is that this is one of the usual Porsche staged mule pic releases - it's same mule car specs we always see (all black, gaffa in areas, PCCBs), same backgrounds in a built up area (near the Nordschleife or Porsche factory?) etc. The pics also came out on the day the GT4 race series was officially announced in the UK.

After following mule sightings for the last few years of the 718 GT4, 991.2 GT3/RS/Touring plus the 992 GT3 we've seen recently I now have no doubt we'll see a GT4 RS, probably in 2021. When these types of pics come out they're always followed by a production car. I can't think of one example where the car never made it to release.

 

[ralphmusic]

The next EU emissions standard Euro 7 for new model type testing comes into force January 1, 2021 so manufacturers have just 15 months to introduce new models under the present standard. I’d guess that means new 992 / 718 GT and cooking normally aspirated models will be next year.

Model development and introduction programs now are very much tied and constrained by the ever tightening emissions standards and testing regimes, which these days cover not only engine emissions.

I also hear CoC delays are affecting GT4, but oddly not Spyder releases to customers.

 

[Twinfan]

According to AP at Goodwood, in the Henry Catchpole interview I think, the 9A2 engine is compliant with all known forthcoming emissions regulations so I don't think the January 2021 deadline is a hard stop for the new engine. Porsche have planned to use it for the next few years by the sound of it.

 

[ralphmusic]

Dave,

Despite the hype, I don't think that we can be sure that this will actually make production:

“Everybody’s asking for the RS,” Walliser told Autocar. “Can I imagine a GT4 RS? Sure I can. That’s not to say we will make a decision on it yet, as it is a challenge. Would I like such a car? Yes, definitely! Would I like more horses? Yes. But we need to put the resources where the market is - it would be a lot more expensive than the normal one.”

The main visual changes are the NACA cooling ducts in the bonnet, the replacement of the rear quarter windows with vents and the swan-neck arrangement for supporting the rear spoiler, although I guess that's only to facilitate spoiler adjustment. Under-bonnet I would expect a revamp of the nasp 9A2 Evo engine to 450+hp.

More pics at a different location here:

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/porsche/cayman/107891/spy-shots-say-porsche-cayman-gt4-rs-is-on-the-way-pictures

Jeff

Jeff,

I think the “rear quarter vents” maybe intakes not extractors.

The swan neck arrangement allows for the wing to be placed further back and probably allows better use of the underside of the wing, which I think is more efficient (down force v drag) than top surface flow.