Cayman GT4: Where are we up to now?

[MrDemon]

I am not a slow in fast out driver, that 911 driving

also this make no sense "I have experienced understeer twice and both times it was slight and down to me making mistakes and backing off the throttle on unfamiliar corners"

if you have backed off the throttle you should get weight transfer and oversteer. ie lift off over steer NOT understeer !

quote

"I am constantly bemused by the criticism of tall gearing and occasional understeer"

that because it has both esp with the factory set up.

 

[ian harvey]

MrD, I tried to avoid your critical input by saying 'most normal people' should be pleased with their GT4. I regard the GT4 as a focussed allrouinder that I expect to be equally happy on road or track and a little compromise in the gearing is surely permitted, especially at the price. The GT4 is doing 100mph at 4,000 rpm in 6th gear - that is not high gearing as far as I am concerned and the torque is more than capable of hauling it around.

As for understeer, I did not mean lift-off understeer (it tightens it's line nicely with a lift if you want it to), what I noticed was that when I was hesitant then on just two occasions it stayed wider than I expected. My fault. I only mentioned it because I was struggling to find any understeer and this was the nearest thing to it. The 997 GT3s that I have driven suffered obvious understeer, even in moderate driving. The GT4 does not, not in my experience on the road anyway. The rest of the time it was very good and pointy with the occasional and surprising dose of easily corrected oversteer.

So, for all those people that actually want their GT4 to be good it will be! Please take my word for it.

 

[ralphmusic]

I can't comment on GT4 handling but having upgraded my PDK 981CS' engine to a 991 3.8S, the increase in torque is quite noticeable. Holding a constant gear, my torque really takes off around 2.6k and up to 6.5k revs and whilst it is nice to take it to the limiter at 7.8k for ultimate power (and sound), on track it is of marginal acceleration benefit but useful when I want to hold a gear for longer. Also a change up at 6.5k revs takes it back into a meaty torque rev range. This strategy works for me with a PDK as changes are easy and rapid and don't really disturb the car's stability, but it may be different for a manual as I am effectively favouring a narrower rev band.

I sometimes think it would have been better if Porsche had simply tuned the 3.4L to get 370/380PS with 400Nm and running up to 8.0k revs, which would have given it (IMHO) more interesting engine characteristics for a track oriented car. However I must be getting old because actually I prefer the extra cubes and the torquier power delivery for road and occasional track days.

 

[ChrisW]

I hear Porsche are going to make about 5000 GT4 ….. This will ease up the wait for anyone who wants one …...[]

Concurs with what I've heard plus no Cayman GT4 RS. All bad news. []

Paul, it might be worth seeing if a dealer would accept your order for one ??

There doesn't appear to be a raft of happy people saying that P are now accepting deposits ???

 

[ChrisW]

MrD, I tried to avoid your critical input by saying 'most normal people' should be pleased with their GT4. I regard the GT4 as a focussed allrouinder that I expect to be equally happy on road or track and a little compromise in the gearing is surely permitted, especially at the price. The GT4 is doing 100mph at 4,000 rpm in 6th gear - that is not high gearing as far as I am concerned and the torque is more than capable of hauling it around.

As for understeer, I did not mean lift-off understeer (it tightens it's line nicely with a lift if you want it to), what I noticed was that when I was hesitant then on just two occasions it stayed wider than I expected. My fault. I only mentioned it because I was struggling to find any understeer and this was the nearest thing to it. The 997 GT3s that I have driven suffered obvious understeer, even in moderate driving. The GT4 does not, not in my experience on the road anyway. The rest of the time it was very good and pointy with the occasional and surprising dose of easily corrected oversteer.

So, for all those people that actually want their GT4 to be good it will be! Please take my word for it.

Yes I also have seen understeer a couple of times but I shall be interested to see how that settles at Oulton on the 4th November.

Both times were in corners where the tyres could well have been close to slip and it just wasn't sensible to barrel in faster assuming that it would be safe to play beyond that ...

 

[ian harvey]

How many miles will you have managed by early November, Chris? I'm trying to get to to 2000 miles but don't think I'll get much beyond 1500 by Oulton so won't feel able to take part. Might come over anyway. I've crept beyond 5000rpm a couple of times, not intentionally, but it does seem to go very well and sounds great.

 

[MrDemon]

MrD, I tried to avoid your critical input by saying 'most normal people' should be pleased with their GT4. I regard the GT4 as a focussed allrouinder that I expect to be equally happy on road or track and a little compromise in the gearing is surely permitted, especially at the price. The GT4 is doing 100mph at 4,000 rpm in 6th gear - that is not high gearing as far as I am concerned and the torque is more than capable of hauling it around.

As for understeer, I did not mean lift-off understeer (it tightens it's line nicely with a lift if you want it to), what I noticed was that when I was hesitant then on just two occasions it stayed wider than I expected. My fault. I only mentioned it because I was struggling to find any understeer and this was the nearest thing to it. The 997 GT3s that I have driven suffered obvious understeer, even in moderate driving. The GT4 does not, not in my experience on the road anyway. The rest of the time it was very good and pointy with the occasional and surprising dose of easily corrected oversteer.

So, for all those people that actually want their GT4 to be good it will be! Please take my word for it.

Yes I also have seen understeer a couple of times but I shall be interested to see how that settles at Oulton on the 4th November.

Both times were in corners where the tyres could well have been close to slip and it just wasn't sensible to barrel in faster assuming that it would be safe to play beyond that ...

the car needs -2 up front, front full soft ARB and rear full hard it seems. I have been on track in a GT4 with rear set to hard and it still had issues, the above settings should bring it back in line a bit for people who want to get the most out of it on track.

If you have the rear ARB in the middle is a painfull drive, yes you can drive round it, but what's the point in adjustment if you can tune it out.

 

[Orangers]

Bit late, but here is my GT4 with my old RSL

Hey Ian, looks like a fire station mate[].......... only joking!!!!

Nice collection and it sounds like you are very pleased with the GT4, I'll have to pop over and have a look!

K

 

[ian harvey]

Hi Kev,

You'll be very welcome, let me know when you're around.

Ian.

 

[ralphmusic]

Tuning kit for GT4 available in USA and Germany

[link=http://www.planet-9.com/981-cayman-gt4-chat/114239-cayman-gt4-stage-i-power-upgrades-unlocking-power-potential.html]http://www.planet-9.com/9...g-power-potential.html[/link]

 

[MrDemon]

Nice generally the same mods I did to my gen 1 and my Spyder.

 

[ChrisW]

Thanks Ian,

I'm on holiday this week and may only have done around 1700 miles by Oulton, but by then it will be ready to do little more work than can be done on the public road.

Whatever the chassis does, I want to find out for myself !!!

It would be great to see you there

Cx.

 

[Hayzi]

I'm going to pop up to Oulton too with mine, I doubt it will have reached 1000 miles by then so won't be taking part but would be great to meet up with you guys.

Ian

 

[SteveJC]

Mines delayed by a week, but at least my wheels have arrived.

SteveJC

 

[ChrisW]

I wonder if we can create a GT4 trackday "clan" in the way that the 964RS owners used to turn out and drive

--- Before they were reputed to be worth multiples of five figures !!

 

[Steve Brookes]

I wonder if we can create a GT4 trackday "clan" in the way that the 964RS owners used to turn out and drive

--- Before they were reputed to be worth multiples of five figures !!

No chance of that because the GT4 'used price' is already five figures and from my reading of the GT4 thread on PH, most of them have been bought for road use only...or dare I say it....to make a profit.

 

[MrDemon]

mine will be on track if it ever arrives, should have been on my drive on the 18th !! I still don't have it.

very annoying !!!

It does look like not many will see a track day though.

 

[Hayzi]

Mine will be going on track, it's the reason I have bought it lol

 

[ian harvey]

Steve,

Coming to a track near you hopefully in November if I can get it run-in, if not March.

Hopefully see you there (and Chris and Hayzi). I hope Kev A and one or two others will be at Oulton Park in a couple of weeks, too.

And it's not for sale either, it's far too good for that.

As for MrD's delay, I've heard that they're not letting you have yours as you'll only slag it off! Only joking, maybe.

Ian.

 

[MrDemon]

lol I'll just set it up for a driver and not keep it in nanny understeer state ;-)