Porsche Says Future GT-Branded Models Won鈥檛 Be Electrified
Porsche's GT division is responsible for models like the Porsche 911 GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 RS, and 718 Cayman GT4 (pictured above). The team there doesn't intend to electrify the variants that it produces, according to department boss Andreas Preuninger while speaking to Autocar. According to Preuninger, members of the Porsche Board still understand the importance that the GT division's hardcore models have for the brand, even as the company develops more hybrids and fully electric models. All three types of vehicles form major pillars for the company's product plan, he suggests. The GT division has been very busy in the last few months with the introduction of the 911 Speedster, 718 Cayman GT4, and 718 Boxster Spyder. Based on spy shots, the next-gen 911 GT3 has already started development, too. Porsche's electrification initiative really kicks off in September when the production Taycan makes an official debut. The EV should be in European showrooms before the end of the year. Americans need to wait until mid-2020 when the model would be on sale for the 2021 model year. Later, the Taycan Sport Turismo wagon would join the range as a more utilitarian option.
We鈥檝e recently discussed the rolling piece of art that is the Spyder, which is why we鈥檒l zoom in on the Cayman GT4 for now. Both specials mentioned above are expected to land within the next few months. As such, it doesn鈥檛 come as a surprise that the engineers are pushing prototypes to the limit on the Nurburgring these days. While the Cayman GT4 Clubsport circuit machine has updated its predecessors鈥檚 3.8-liter flat-six, which was borrowed from the 991.1 911 Carrera S, the GT4 road car isn鈥檛 expected to go down that route. Instead, the street vehicle should grab the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter found on the 991.2 GT3, GT3 RS and Speedster. In fact, you can listen to the mill in the brief piece of spy footage below - isn鈥檛 it ironic that we鈥檙e not quite sure whose this voice is? While the manual transmission is a blessing, here鈥檚 to hoping the rumors about the optional PDK are true. These are based on Porsche leaving cannibalization fears behind (this is what kept the car鈥檚 predecessor from receiving a two-pedal setup), all thanks to the new 992 Neunelfer delivering superior performance.
If you believe the rumor mill, there were ongoing discussions (arguments, some say) within Porsche whether to build the latest 718 Caymans around six cylinders or four-bangers like they originally started out with. It looks like the gearheads won, because the latest variants will be packing a very impressive and powerful flat six. And that naturally-aspirated flat-six makes the 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and Spyder the most powerful 718s to date. What Is The 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4? The 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder are right on the cutting edge of where Porsche is going to go. From an engineering perspective, a mid-engine car is much better than one with a rear engine. Porsche is a German company. German鈥檚 are (supposedly) cold blooded and logical. But Porsche also makes the 911, a decidedly rear-engine car. Meaning that Porsche has a lot of marketing momentum and - dare I say it - sentimentality tied up in keeping the iconic 911 as the top of the heap.
Ergo, the aforementioned discussions/arguments within Zuffenhausen about just how good to make the company鈥檚 mid-engine cars. The answer, apparently, is Verdammt gut! 2020, the Cayman GT4 and Spyder are motivated down der bahn via a 4.0-liter flat-six that puts out 414 horsepower and 309 lb-ft. That is, technically speaking, 鈥渁 lot鈥?given the size of these cars and the rather healthy output from that big of an engine. 2020 Porsche 718 Spyder. That engine has an 8,000 rpm red line and that six-speed transmission, although an old style manual, has an 鈥淎uto Blip鈥?function that automatically matches gearbox and engine speeds during downshifts. Pretty trick. But if it鈥檚 too trick for you, it can be turned off. There鈥檚 a standard mechanical limited-slip differential with torque vectoring for optimum traction. This all adds up to a zero to 60 time of 4.2 seconds for either the hardtop or the convertible. Max is 188 mph for the GT4, while the Spyder can 鈥渙nly鈥?reach 187 mph. The performance (and the performance goodies) don鈥檛 stop there.
Both cars share the track-bred Porsche Active Suspension Management system with its adaptive dampers, helper springs on the rear axle, and a ride height that is 1.18 inches lower than a standard 718 Boxster or Cayman. The suspension is fully-adjustable for those of you that, say, AutoX on the weekends and really want to tweak things. So, adjustments of camber, toe, ride height, and different anti-roll bar settings are there for the asking. Developed by the Porsche Motorsport department, the 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder are the most powerful variants of the 718 lineup. Porsche lifted the front axle from the 2018 911 GT3 and went to the same parts bin for the brakes. The standard stoppers are 380 mm cast iron rotors front and rear but, if you鈥檙e like me (and you have the money), go with the optional Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes. They will save a whopping 50 percent of the weight versus their cast iron brethren, and also stop you like you threw out an anchor.