The holes in the break disk have two purposes: cooling and better breaking in wet conditions. Water on the hot break disk turns into steam an this holes enable the steam to lead away. The guys at Porsche are since decades in Motorsport and knew exactly what they do. Even the CEO of Porsche has race license and a phd in engeneering.
And Brembo who manufacturers the brakes (engineers) have told us these are the worst designs for track use and are moving away from them whenever possible. Cup cars dont use them and newer porsche brakes are moving to divets instead of holes because of cracking issues. Cross drilling is a legacy design. The worst part aside from cracking is all of the benefits you mention go away when holes are clogged with iron and pad material. Which happens under hard track use in a matter of 5-6 laps.
@@jordankeeler7297 Just want to answer this here because multiple comments on this and I didnt clarify. Its a nerdy topic but, the standard brakes on this car are a weak spot when you are driving flat out on track. They don't go away but lack a super consistent feel.
Another 2 things I really like about this channel: 1. The (increasingly, and delightfully, common) track runs with appropriate vehicles 2. Does any other auto review channel (a) put cars on an actual lift, and (b) talk comprehensively about engine, transmission, and chassis in a way laypeople can understand? A wonderful balance of entertainment, education, and critique
@@ericstazzone8281 agreed, and by a huge margin. there are other channels i like, but SG has such a great balance and the production value is on a whole 'nother level.
@@ericstazzone8281 meh I could do without the overly pessimistic attitude which soaks the vibe of each episode and the enormous bias against the German brands.
It's amazing how Jack has become so much more comfortable in front of the camera. I remember when he used to look and sound so nervous. Creating content like a pro!
They will build as many GT4 RS's as they can sell. We are getting ever closer to the final swan song of the N/A flat 6. Hopefully prices come down on the regular GT4s when that is released.
I'm glad you mentioned the GT4 feels sharper than the Spyder. It's not a massive difference but its noticeable. I was not expecting them to feel different given they are nearly identical. Great video guys!
I've had open top sports cars since I was 21 and quickly realized that the experience is with a no-top target, rag top-down or power-retracting hardtop down makes driving so much more enjoyable that I think I will always have at least one open air car. In fact, ever since I bought my first convertible I've had a second car that I'd take to less-than-perfectly safe areas - typically inner city. My first "second car" cost me $300 but I drove it on snow/ice covered roads and through heavy downpours. Every time I replaced the "beater" it cost more until it was a new Mazda 3 sedan 2.5. Maybe something like Mark's LC500 or even the 500h will replace the Mazda 3 some day.
You guys probably don’t remember but I ran into you at the airport and we talked about cars for a bit. You recommended the GT4 and a week ago I made my dream come true by purchasing one. Thanks for the advice guys. It’s such an amazing vehicle to drive.
Savagegeese at this point probably has the most comprehensive coverage of Porsche models and trims than anyone else. I remember just a couple of years ago Mark was not too crazy about the brand. Maybe he has warmed up to it by now 🤓.
That's the thing with these cars. BMW as well. Everyone has a chip on their shoulder and attitude around them from years of interactions with some owners and internet myth. The reality is they are really great drivers cars. Hate the badge love the cars.
@@cwx8 No, porsche and bmw are COMPLETELY different, its not even a comparison. One company is an engineering focused car manufacturer behind the scenes, while the other is a marketing focused manufacturer. Not to mention the differences in brand perception...
I’m one of the owners of this car. I noticed and felt exactly same things as you guys ,but please listen as it can be fixed easily; - adjust front and rear sway bars to full (soft) settings, it took me about 20 minutes on my 1st try, adjustments were there by Porsche to switch the ride to more street manner n it did for me (felt 20% easily smoother from switching the Rear hard - Front mid ex setting) + its in the owners manual but arguably explained differently. - engine noise: though you didn’t mention the factory force closing of exhaust valves untill 4k+ reached (even though you pressed a button to let it be open all the time from 0 rpm) you could buy a hack to force and bypass the factory to either switching to on- off - auto, plus you could buy an overaxle pipes it will bring back the lively engine characteristics like the prior gen + you wouldn’t void warrenty. Overall one of the greatest sweet spot of GT cars this era period. For the gear ratios on the manual you will actually be more grateful that its tall on the street as i did because you don’t need a big power and its more compliant than a small ratio. (did own an evo 8 and an s2k) this is heaven when we compare gears lol
I saw someone take delivery of this car last month at my local Porsche dealer. Now I know why he was so happy. His wife didn't look as enthusiastic but maybe her mind was changed on the way home in this amazing machine.
I guess I am lucky because she was fine with my 981 Spyder buy and then she positively egged me on to get an Aston Martin Vantage for my 40th this year! Had to get rid of the Spyder though. A touch sad to see it go.
this summarizes why I'm single. A truly great relationship would be a wife that is happy to see how happy her husband is. It's so rare that it might as well be a unicorn.
Porsche is the manufacturer who most take what they learn in the crucible of development (racing) and apply it to their consumer products. The kings of LeMans.
@@DB-sd3cw i think porsche still making driver's cars in a period where manual transmission and gasoline powered cars are being pushed away, is a pretty good thing. Especially with these cars. The driving experience you get from a gt3 and gt4 is unlike no other. More fun to drive than the faster exotics.
They're one of so few brands to do so. BMW abandon it mid 00's, Alfa doesn't actually make a sports car, Lotus doesn't practically exist for most people (I've maybe seen 2 dealerships across the country).
Thanks for your realistic insight into what this car is great at, and where it falls short. By the grin on Mark's face, this is a true dream car. Keep doing what you do - your reviews are in another league.
I really really appreciate you guys and the high quality material you're producing. I get a lot of enjoyment from the blending of the technical, visual, passion, jokes and smiles when the pedal goes to the metal.
Idk exactly why but every time I watch a review I find them so damn funny, something about how you guys throw the cars around comedically on the street, then seriously on the track while just laughing is so great.
The value here is immense: through the docu-reviews you've created, we get to experience the vehicles you've tested and make more informed buying decisions when we get to the Shoppe. Thanks as always. You two set the bar.
Best car review channel on YT, bar none. When folks get tired of watching the "burger king" (aka Hoovie") pretend to be "devastated" by his/their "problems, with their crappy high dollar purchases, this channel will satisfy.
*Call it a PRODUCT one more time, I dare you.* To say something positive, I always appreciate the manufacturer's technical document pages you let us see, not something others appear to be doing. So thanks for that.
Very informative. As proud owner of 21 PDK car, who's never seen the undercarriage and has never been on the track. I can't wait to unleash it's full potential. Bravo
@@mitchellsteindler As a person who drives a manual Porsche 911. PDK is like driving a computer simulator..it does all the work for you. Might as well be in a Nissan Leaf for that matter.
I've got a 981 GT4 and was really interested in the new GT4 RS they just revealed... but then they said it won't come with a manual gearbox :/ having had a 2020 supra that only came in automatic, I definitely don't want to go down that route again. Makes a car so boring for me even if everything else is great.
Not at your level, however, I've driven both DSG and Manual Golf GTIs and I can't comprehend the fascination about the lightning-fast quick shifts, the DSG shifts were so smooth I felt nothing! What's the point? Needless to say I ended up with a Manual (previously had a 2016 STI), and will always go with a Manual. Long live the Manual.
Discover you guys today, my good your lvl of Details and Quality is insanely good! Love you videos especially the one where you go more into detais of the components!
I like how he gets under the cars and shows stuff rather than talking about paint colour names. His first GT4 video was the best on here in my opinion. Both superb.
Your 987.2 is a gem! Hydraulic steering, rev-happy naturally aspirated flat-six and three pedals on the floor all in a package that weighs in at less than 3,000lbs. While styling is subjective, I personally think the 987 generation's styling has aged quite well and will continue to do so.
@@faust451 Yep, even though its a base and not as powerful. It means you get to rev it out more and get to use and hear the whole engine on public roads. 987 holds up great looks wise too. Especially the Caymans.
Love mine, first sports car I have owned that makes me want to become a better driver. drove mine on a 3000 mile road trip to the Smoky Mountains and I was pretty comfortable. Steering inputs are immediate with zero forgiveness so taking your eyes off the road at 75 mph even for a second is a challenge.
Re: street driving manners...would be interesting to see the GT4 vs the GTS 4.0 on the track/street to see whether the GTS 4.0 has a better balance for that; without sacrificing too much on the track.
I was pulled over by a cop in northwestern Ontario Canada because my from plate was ajar. I got out to look at the plate. The officer said to me, what a nice car. I told him to enjoy the rest of his day then I took off. This was version 1 of the GT4. I replaced that car with a 2020 718 Spyder which is great except for the manual roof. Nice problem to have. Great review men.
I fucking love my new GT4!!! Amazing for the street, I live up in the mountains and the roads here are a lot better than in Illinois. I drove it 1000 miles in 2 days after I bought it and my back didn't hurt one bit! Biggest weakness is the rear end but that can be partially solved with some rear toe links
Drove my buddy's 981 six-cylinder (non-gt4). I was so excited and then at the end of the day, I realized I would never buy one due to the gearing. Something like 82 MPH in second gear. For a street car, what is the point? You want to shift that beautiful manual all the time but honestly never got out of third in any hard street driving. I know Porsche could fix this but I think they choose not to. Just a heads up if you plan to buy one and not track it.
well you can buy a turbo with a 6.000rpm redline and your second gear ends a lot earlier. What people don’t understand is that the 6 Gear is already at 4.000rpm at 150km/h (I live in Germany btw) which is cruising speed here. If they would shorten the gears significantly the vmax would go down and I would be at nearly 5.000rpm. Which is just to much to get from A to B. High Revving engines naturally have a „long gearing“ the GT3 has the same problem and basically nobody cries about that.
The new 4.0 liter has so much useable torque, the gearing is not an issue. I own a manual GTS with the 4.0, and it's the best car I've ever owned. The gearing "issue" is overplayed, it's not a deal-breaker, trust me.
Another great review boys! I am in talks with a Porsche dealership in regards to a GT4-RS now it comes with a hefty premium and is something I have to consider but if I do get one. I will let you know asap!
Porsche spent years saying Cayman was stuck with long gear ratios because they couldn’t fit anything else in and not because it would be faster than the 911. Then magically fit in shorter ratios on the GT4 RS. Another great video! With your technical excellence, I hope you are now on Porsche’s short list for new cards to review.
Andreas Breuninger freely admits that the Cayman sits under the 911 in terms of performance. Of course he won't admit that long gearing also takes away some of the way of driving it on the road. Bit of a shame. I'd rather have Porsche detune the engine and give the manual shorter ratios
It feels like Porsche are the only company left that gives a shit about how the customer feels. They've absolutely nailed the "aspirational-buy" segment of the market. Nobody else makes cars that I want to save up for. Doesn't mean I can afford a Porsche on my wageslave rates, but I want to.
I can't wait to see SG make amazing videos on the next generation EV's ................................................................. said no one ever. Keep up the great work guys.
Jesus, that launch was CRAZY! I can't believe it "dumps the clutch" at 6500 rpms like that, I wouldn't ever think to try that to get a good launch out of a manual!
Great review. Great sound and video. Cant afford one, but the GT4 and GT3 would be my favorite cars in the world for a track and fun summer only car.. Rich people buy insanely expensive flashy cars.. this would be my holy grail at 110 k . Which is not insanely priced.
There are few new cars that make we want to put down that much money for a car that is, in essence, useless for all practical purposes - especially with the lower-price segment getting so good - but the GT4 is definitely one of them. Mark is really living the dream, being able to take all those awesome cars on track!
@@touringteg I remember reading an article about stock-looking racing car teams and the brake rotors they used. Almost everyone was using AP Racing's J-hook slotted rotors. Years later I was given the opportunity to design stainless steel rotors. The J-hook slotted design is patented so I changed the shape a bit. They still worked very well in our street testing.
It deserves a manual! If you are PDK-person I would suggest a GT4 RS. But as a real drivers car (not all about record lap times, but more about being rewarded while setting any lap time) with a more timeless beauty (I even find it more beautiful than the GT3) to it, the GT4 is simply one of the peaks in car history!
The 981 engine doesn't "die off on the top". It's dual 6-800 cell catalytics plug it up top from achieving significant pull. You put in 200cell cats and they make 405-410 crank hp with no tuning. Just 4hp less than a 4L
*I feel bad for Jabron with all that expensive changes for the re gearing just for Porsche to announce that they're releasing the GT4 RS WITH SHORTENED GEAR RATIOS*
Amazing review, I was never into Porsche until I started watching reviews on the GT3 and seen the 911 Carerra 4S. These are beautiful cars, I’d love to own one.
So appreciate your brilliant reviews!! Not being critical at all.....but saying a lotus is too harsh yet owing a aerial atom......?? Love your insights....!