evo's Richard Meaden puts the brand new Porsche Cayman GT4 through its paces. From the creators of the 911 GT3, watch the latest Porsche motorsport car on track and on road.
I never liked the Cayman, because it's rear looked like a sitting frog. This one is different, especially because of the big rear spoiler. It looks really good!
fwijffels Yes, go ahead and assume whatever you want to assume to confirm without any good reason whatever you assumed in the first place. Lame comeback you say? I kinda admit that, especially because I was never gone, you know... like when you didn't even read what I wrote... Me: "I never liked the Cayman, because it's rear looked like a sitting frog. This one is different, especially because of the big rear spoiler. It looks really good!" You: "Are you one of those dudes that always said 'Gayman' and never liked it because it was the poormans Porsche? And now saying it's cool because it has 380+hp? Are you that kind of a dude?" Where did you get I ever said "Gayman"? Where did I say it's the poorman's Porsche? Where did you get I like the new Cayman, only because of the new 385+ bhp? I *specifically* said it's the new rear spoiler that makes me like the new Cayman, because it doesn't look like the old Cayman's rear anymore, which looked like folded legs of a sitting frog, IMHO. And it's not even only the Spoiler, the rear's design is different also, just imagine the spoiler gone - there are still differences, you see. So now go crawl back into the hole you came forth from and don't ever come back until your dad teaches you how to read english.
fwijffels Yeah, I'm sorry for taking it "to seriously", clearly my english skills are lacking. Blame my english teacher in school. Next time I promise you I will try harder to guess whether or not you actually mean what you say or you just like to hear your own voice talking... my bad!
TheGetawayer i won't spam a link here Guido but you need to watch Chris Harris throw it around Portimao too and hear his in depth tech talk with Andreas Preuninger :)
altern8ive Seen that, but the drifting in all his video and being a ' hoonigan ' bores me to death. It's irrelevant to me and most people who actually buy the cars, at least from what I read on my vids. Evo also had a detailed interview with Andreas on here :)
TheGetawayer given the use of an empty track and some free tyres (which were also being tested) what would you have done? :) to be fair i thought he was quite restrained for once. out of the 5 minutes of in-car footage deliberate hooning only began through the final minute or so.
TheGetawayer Guido, i'd never accuse another reviewer of being a hater, far from it, we need more people with your enthusiasm on here. i've been sub'd to you for a long time so i know your brand of preference. I hope Porsche increase their allocation of cars for you to review this year because the 4 month gap between the GT3 and Macan was too big! :(
I agree on the verdict that manual will be more for a drivers car and the difference will widen as the high performance cars will use double clutch gear boxes. I am fine with it, just keep the manual alive.
Why can't they make all sportscars/supercars like the Cayman GTS/GT4 ? Such a pure driving experience in modern terms, who cares about fast shifts and laptimes anymore.
amazing to think one of the worlds most fabled "drivers cars" has gotten even more demanding of the driver. As always porsche never disappoints. To think that this cayman demands even more of the driver is just beautiful that porsche engineering is still thinking steps ahead and willing to meet the high standards that drivers seek in a driving experience. With a classic manual gearbox to boot. I love that they have various options and applications to what the drivers seek in a car, and what various cars seek out of their drivers.
Growing up as a kid in the 80's and 90's Porsche was my first love, but I haven't been excited by Porsche in many years now, wasn't till I saw the 918 did Porsche grab my attention. But now after seeing the Cayman GT4 I think I'm in love again.
Richard did a good job trying to sell us on the manual transmission. But the fact remains...PDK is THE way to go these days. If any one is looking to reduce their lap times (assuming the owner actually does take their GT4 on a track...I bet less than 3% will) or if they plan to drag race them...then the PDK is THE way to go. Porsche knows it!! :) (e.g. GT3/GT3 RS, Turbo/S, 918 Spyder). What supercar doesn't have a dual-clutch trans these days?? How about professional racing (F1). Porsche NEEDs to put out a "GT4 S"...which includes PDK, w/ rear wheel steering...and 10 more HP. AWD would also be a good feature for people living in Canada or the east-coast (snow). This "base GT4" can keep those few who actually still like driving stick every day in commutes and city driving. All the stop go traffic. Stoplight to stoplight. Stick is no longer faster. Most of us know that. And if guys are buying sports cars for the SPEED and handling...
What an absolute beautiful car! I am totally in love with it. I would love to se a little bit more on how it is on the road. I've been driving the Cayman S and i love it to bits. But this is something else. Great job EVO!
Very nice review...One of the better sports cars out right now..I love that Porsche decided to use a manual..My only complaint would be a little low on HP but I also have not driven this ,sooooo : ) Anyway Great review..
I love the usual nonsense being rolled out. It needs a bigger engine / it's underpowered - Honestly that's nigh on 400hp, in what world is that underpowered!? How much power can you actually use on the road? Saying that it could have 900hp and someone would complain because it doesn't have 1000. It needs a flappy paddles to make it faster - I think it was explained in the video that the GT4 is taking a different tack to the GT3. The GT3 is all about the numbers. The GT4 is an answer to people like me who are not as concerned with the numbers, who want a car to DRIVE, not to measure against other cars or the stopwatch. Basically who've been complaining that Porsche has forgotten about us. That's why it's got three pedals and a stick. But it's not like a race car! Flappy paddles are it - I have a race car, it has a sequential gearbox and it's marvellous. I also have a Cayman with a manual box, because quite frankly I like changing gear, and no one is timing me. When I drive on the road a few tenths is irrelevant when the enjoyment comes from the driving, not necessarily the speed. I've driven the PDK, it was dull because it was so efficient you just stuck it in auto and left it to it. With it doing all the work for you all you do is steer and brake... A Nissan GTR/Corvette is faster - Awesome. That's very nice, enjoy your Corvette and Nissan. You probably have a massive penis too, good for you. Live and let live. Also remember that not everyone has the same tastes as you, and for them a Corvette might not be as good a fit as a say a Porsche, or a Lotus, or whatever. If we all had the same tastes the world would be a boring place. Someone was calling for the RWS of the GT3 - RWS on the GT3 is to try and make a car with a load of weight behind the rear wheels handle like a mid-engined car. You don't need to cheat physics when the engine is already in the optimal position. Indeed the GT4 has adjustable ARBs if you want more turn in and a looser rear. No electronics doing it for you. Again, more reasons why I like this car. In the end it's moot anyhow as you can't buy one, certainly not in the UK as they're all sold. In which case the Corvette guys can enjoy their Vettes and I'll continue to enjoy my standard Cayman. Or we can both just log on to the internet and recycle the same old bullshit comments again and again. Which of course I've just done ;)
juansmeeth I just want you to know that another human being took the time to read this and understand your point of view. Your time typing was not wasted.
DZGunner Cheers. I read so much of the same thing over and over from people that don't accept that there are people out there with different tastes. Porsche took the time to make a car for those people and people slam it for not being a GT3. Which already exists...
juansmeeth Yeah people don't seem to understand that there is such a thing as variety in this world. There's too many factors like finance, what it's used for, preference, and so on. BTW, crossing my fingers for winning one of these in the Porsche raffle :)
Wow, I've been wondering and complaining about not getting a higher screaming engine, so thank you for explaining why we cant get the base gt3 engine in this...if they could have then this would by far be the best
You make a good point that the whole stick shift thing is not about paddles, but about rev-matching (i.e. heel-and-toe on downshifts). It's definitely part of the fun, ability, feel for the car and its engine and powerband that you need to be enjoying a real driver's car. It's a couple tenths slower than paddles but definitely more fun.
Great car and all, I'm glad we forum-jockeys finally have a "proper Porsche" to talk about, but here's one thing I don't get. The motor is supposedly from a Carrera S, yet the Carrera S has 400bhp, the GT4 has "only/mere" 380bhp. Why is Porsche still holding the Cayman down?
David Lewis I don't think, that there is a problem to get air into that engine. Just look how big those air intakes at the side are. They deliver enough for a big Turbo engine. But still, it ways 100kg less than the Carrera S, has the engine in the right place and has a way better chassi. It would have been awesome if they put all 400hp down the line, but I'm glad that they finnally put the 3.8 into the Cayman. Maybe the next generation will make the cars equal. But I guess, that Porsche will adjust the price tag too when that happens.
The motor is based on the Carrera S 3.8, Andreas Preuninger says in the other EVO GT4 video that they had to rework the crankcase and intake manifold to fit in the Cayman chassis which would effect the horsepower rating.
Power to weight ratio on a base Carrera S with a manual gear box is 7.68hp/lb while power to weight on a base Cayman GT4 is 7.77hp/lb. Just because engine power goes down doesn't mean it's performance does. Plus the cayman has a track focused chassis while the Carrera S doesn't. It's in no ways held back from a Carrera S, but it'll always stay a few steps behind the GT3/GT3RS, they're not going to make something that's cheaper superior to their top of the line 911 track cars.
Porsche's DINO investment car 20 years from now. With so few made, many crashed, this car is a collectible home run. The manual only gearbox for ALL GT4's puts this in its own class of Porsche GT models. Again, with 2016 prices in 2018 already over $105,000 for cars with 15,000 miles on them, I see this car running away from 100k faster than even new GT3's, which are depreciating. Few people realize this was a $85,000-$95,000 car brand new. In just 1 year, this car has APPRECIATED across the country with not a single one under $100,000 anywhere to be found. A point worth noting if you collect cars....for investing. Rarity, purity, good power, excellent interior, room to breathe, fun factor, manual-only gearbox, GT, this has nowhere to go but whatever GT4 owners want to sell them for....even back to dealers who kill to get them in.
Great review You nailed it !! Hats off to you, fine sir ! I feels sorry for the poor chap that compares his Vette to this car ... He just doesn't get it He prefers a plastic, over heating, rattle trap. I doubt he has over owned a Porsche. I was lucky enough to get to own this car, and it is all I could have asked for ... Would I like a few more HP....? (tell me what man wouldn't ) but the car is so well balanced!!
Renaissance Man It will be interesting to see what percentage actually sell with a manual box, i am guessing not many will be the answer, I know youtubers and reviewers love manual boxes but they are not the ones who are spending their hard earned money
M3Conv To answer your question about manual take rate, they sold out of the GT4's before they were even officially announced. They're apparently only going to make a limited number of these and if you had waited until they officially revealed it you were too late! All you can do now is put yourself on a wait list and pray someone in front of you changes their mind or go through a broker that's getting one and pay a serious markup.
Plz give us Options to choose PDK. iam waiting for PDK to come to buy the car. Hope it Comes early as possible, every day iam checking on website for GT4 PDK.
Well, 997 GT3RS motors fit in the older Cayman body, it's been done. Imagine what that car must be like! I kinda like the Cayman R more a bit, looks smaller and prettier to me.
Cayman GT4: 385 hp @ 7400 rpm 309 ft-lbs of torque 2,955 lbs Top speed 183 mph 0-60 in 4.2 Cayman R: 330 hp @ 7400 rpm 273 ft-lbs of torque 2,855 lbs Top speed 175 mph 0-60 in 4.7
Nice vid, but while it's cool to see these cars powersliding around a circuit in all their redlining glory, there's some something endearing about seeing them in traffic. What's the GT4 road car like.. on the road?
The new gt3 really should have an option for a stick i mean i cant buy one of course but these new semi-auto in sense transmissions just take away from connecting with the car.
He said that you can't have a 991 Gt3 engine in a Cayman with a manual gearbox. Surely that's wrong? It might be a challenge but it would be worth overcoming it!
Ok so it sounds like a brilliant car, all round, but here's my question: Would it have been better with a 3.4L fettled with by Porsche Motorsports rather than the Carrera S's 3.8L?
A maxed out 3.4L will require many bespoke parts, which jack up the price and be edgier to use. A solid 3.8L is available off the shelf (meaning cheap to make), and with the headroom you can be sure it doesn't try to eat you alive each and every time you drive it.
Nanorisk Fair, but Porsche is not one to produce an engine that isn't reliable. And for the extra money you'd get the high revving shriek that would be spine tingling. I'm not complaining about what they did, but I think they could have done a bit more to make it even more magical.
too bad that the clutch in porsches has about ten inches of travel. if this had the manual transmission feel (and clutch feel) of somehting like an S2000 it would be incredible. i never understood high performance cars with super long and mushy feeling clutch pedals and long throw shifters. i want a stick, but i want a great one. not just a third pedal and a rower. it's why i would get a pdk. clutch like a bmw, ick.
The GT4 is a great car, no doubt. But I think it isn´t for everbody... there is reason, that Porsche tries to put more and more models to the market...
The odd things watching all these GT3 and GT4 videos, is a total lack of actual track safety. On a track, the driver should have numerous things: windows should be down, helmet on, four point restraints, fire extinguishers, tires must meet track specs, etc., etc. Almost none of these reviews observe actual track safety and given how the cars are being driven, just a point to note. A great review but play it safe when on the track.
Someone here thinks his old Z06 is destroying this GT4 on a track... That's not true. The GT4 is about 5 seconds faster on the Nürburgring Nordschleife ... and the ZO6 is cheap plastic inside
Funny how 6MT is now a "new" & "different" thing... "changing gears and steering and braking all at the same time... it's an entirely new thing" LOLOL. Um, no it's an entirely old thing... which I love... but funny to see reviewers making such a big deal out of it... sad really...
No one can beat the Britts when it comes to talking about cars, it just suites them with all due respect to nations making great cars like Germany and Italy but the Britts knows what to say and how to say it. I always feel sick when I remember Top Gear USA presenters especially the fat one who think he is Clarkson...
the manual shift for all sport car is dead, why Porsche proposal this system? For me is not a good solution for this extreme car, I prefer the paddle shift: more fast, more funny, more modern...
