Cayman GT4: Where are we up to now?
- Thread starter Motorhead
- Start date
How about your previous reference to SVP Ralph? - http://www.specialistvehiclepreparations.com/porsche-racing-cars-for-sale/svp-porsche-cayman-sv-upgrades/ I see that they're developing a 3.9L version of the 3.4L - http://www.specialistvehiclepreparations.com/blog/porsche-cayman-3-9-litre-engine-builds Including turbo and supercharged versions of the engine for sprint and hillclimb cars - http://www.ferdinandmagazine.com/3-9-litre-porsche-cayman-svp Jeff PS: Good to see you back. Hope the op went well.
Jeff, Op yesterday, home today so a few weeks of recuperation up to Xmas, thanks. Surprising what you cannot easily do with only one arm/hand. Autofarm were the first big engined Cayman I saw, 3.7 I think. It was sold to a PCGB member who took it on last year's Spring factory visit. SVP only do 987's, not the 981 series but are obviously building a special build business with a competition use focus. The RuF 3800 would be an alternative (albeit road focused) to the putative GT4, and would certainly benefit value-wise from the RuF name and quality reputation. Still a small market though - Forstner's Boxster has been on sale for some time. MrD's reversible mods is best to ensure resale - I think it has always been thus. My 1960s Mini Cooper S had a number of upgrades and the trade would not touch it until returned to standard - I forgot to tell them about the Downton head mods though!
Glad to hear you're on the mend Ralph. Are you having to learn how to be ambidextrous? I might have bumped into the chap with the Autofarm Cayman at the 2013 national event; not sure. No prices for the 3.9L and SVP turbo/supercharger mods but they're bound to be expensive and, as you say, available only for the 987.1. Something like the TCP Racing Atmo355 PowerPack kit and a sports exhaust system would probably meet your requirements for more power and mod reversibility to recoup some of the outlay. With 987.1 Caymans now available from c£15k [and 100k miles], at £12,300 the Cayman SVP package sounds a bit steep for a project car which would probably benefit from a £10k engine rebuild as well. I've long accepted the direct proportionality between cars and money down the drain. 'Twas always so - and probably always will be. Jeff
I had never looked into these aftermarket super Caymans apart from RUF. Just goes to show long Porsche hasn't exploited the opportunity themselves. Then they wonder why their Cayman sales targets are never reached. Let's hope VAG keeps pushing them to stop sitting on an absolute gem.
There has always been much more Cayman aftermarket tuning and race activity in the US 6 and hopefully we'll see the same over this side of the pond as Caymans become a more prominent feature on our race tracks. By concentrating - understandably perhaps - on the 911's status and profitability, Porsche hasn't fully developed the Cayman's potential. With the introduction of the GTS and the upcoming GT4 there is evidence that the Porsche marketing chaps [prompted by VAG?] have finally got the message that there is money to be made from the type. Let's hope that the GT4 becomes a staple car in the Cayman's line-up and isn't a one-off special. Jeff
Slightly off-topic but I've just read that Jaguar have introduced a ZF-produced manual 'box for the F-type: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31204 One reason given is that there's a lot of demand from the US. This is good news for us fans of manual 'boxes, not least because: 1) The US is a very important market for Porsche sportscars and they need to respond to strong competition from such Jag offerings. 2) ZF has developed the new lightweight 'box for the car [pressure rather than splash lubrication has reduced the amount of oil required] which means that provided there's a strong business case, car and transmission manufacturers will continue to invest in a manual 'box option. It's good to see that the despite the proliferation of double-clutch offerings in the marketplace, the good old manual 'box is soldiering on - for the time being. I'm sure that the 6-speed manual 'box will feature in the GT4 but it's possible that the next generation of manual 'boxes will be manual adaptations of the PDK 'box. Jeff [Surviving member of the ancient Tribe of the Manual Shifters]
Jeff, Chris, I had briefly looked at the RUF website in the past at a 987 based car but hadn't looked at the 981 based car. They're very impressive. I've never been into the aftermarket option, so even if they were more prevalent in the UK I wouldn't have been any the wiser. I'm a bit straight laced and prefer the factory product. I know the modders will shout me down saying that Porsche don't know what they are doing with this and that element of their cars and much can be improved but it's all a balancing act of performance, usability, durability and price that I don't have the expertise to understand the knock-on effects of uprating this or that. No doubt these professional outfits manage all that and uprate everything that is effected, but they're out of my budget. Do these cars tend to drive pretty crudely or could you drive them as a daily driver like a factory Porsche? Even if a GT4 isn't as fast i'd rather a factory polished package with the widest spread of usability - an unqualified opinion of course.
RUF make bespoke cars to cover what the customer needs. I drove a 1990 CTR a few years ago.....too fast for me, a total Hot rod! You have to look at these as niche products, Porsche will look to sell more cars globally to cover their R&D. Consider the GT4 we do finally receive, will not be totally designed to appease the UK enthusiast buyer.
Unfortunately 6, unlike Paul I've not driven a RUF vehicle but from what I've read, their cars are very well engineered - and fast..! RUF is to Porsche what Alpina is to BMW, although I'm not sure that RUF's relationship with Porsche is anywhere near as collaborative as Alpina's is to BMW. Apparently they've been in business for more than 70 years, so they must be doing something right. ChrisH was with the Club FV group which visited their premises last spring and if he's reading this, can give us his impressions. Will something like the RUF 3800S be as well-developed and user-friendly as the GT4 will be? I doubt it, but they're appealing to different types of customer and the RUF has 320bhp compared with a [projected] 375bhp for the GT4 which is a fair bit of extra power. You might be interested to read Georg Kacher's impressions of RUF's 3800S Boxster here: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1311_2013_ruf_3800s/ Jeff
Yes Jeff, RUF is a very impressive company, they were testing a 991 Turbo S when we visited (it was in September actually) and had a Cayman with a V8 Turbo engine they had developed themselves. Their 3800S is much more GT3 like than the GT4 will be as it has 420bhp, 6 pot front and 4 pot rear brakes and front axle lift, the front lip is removable /replaceable. Infact a very well developed car as are all RUF products. These mods can be done as a conversion to an existing car and a I am finding out the details and pricing if anyone is interested in the 981 3800S. An expensive but quality product as you would expect with their reputation. I dont think you can compare their cars with the other US based bolt-on tuning companies as seen on P-9.
I find it strange that no one has a 3800S coupe in the UK as far as I am aware it's a great car and great company and a great concept. It's over what I have too spend (about 100k UK £), but I find it odd the guys with money don't have these. I think it's awesome. in fact lets have the pic again on this page ;-)
I totally agree Mr.D. Infact the conversion based on the 981 is nothing like as expensive as buying a new car from them. There are some photos of the real thing over on P-9, look just as good. Or for 987 owners there is this, but its more like 918 money. http://www.ruf-automobile.de/assets/documents/RUF_CTR_3_CS_en.pdf
yes I have been 203 mph in the CTR3 at vmax, a nice owner likes taking people out in it. crazy car, but so much turbo lag. that is a car which needed PDK, the gear change was not great and add in the lag you lost great ammounts of time. of course it makes up the time on boost lol but a PDK CTR3 would be sooooo fast. and imo that is what PDK is about. A must have in turbo cars imo. although my last turbo I still had a manual ;-) but if I have a turbo car again It would be PDK style of box.
A ride in a CTR3, that must have been a treat. The GT4 maybe the last model to have a NA engine assuming its the detuned 3.8, as from next year they are moving to 2.9 and 3.8 Turbos to meet the 2016 EU Emission Regs. So the GT4 might be your last manual to PDK as the case may be.
Or if you want a turbo... http://www.parr-uk.co.uk/sales/cayman-s-sport-turbo-2009-09-5618.html
Tangential to subject perhaps but SVP are now doing large bore and turbo upgrades for Cayman 987s. Not sure whether these are .1 or DFI engines but links below: https://twitter.com/cultofporsche/status/539471064691400704 and http://www.specialistvehiclepreparations.com/blog/porsche-cayman-3-9-litre-engine-builds-at-svp
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