Next-Gen Porsche 718 Cayman GT4: Exclusive
The Porsche 718 Cayman range uses a new 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. But, the 718 Cayman GT4 will get a naturally aspirated flat-6 instead. That鈥檚 great news, especially since there have been mixed reviews of the turbo-4 engine. Although, it has great low-end torque, it doesn鈥檛 make an exciting sound as you drive along. Porsche has just revealed the 718 Boxster and 718 Boxster S. This got us excited about the future Cayman GT4 and we can be sure it will be one brilliant little sports car. Following the 718 Boxster reveal our talented digital artist rushed to his desk and came up with a rendering of a future Porsche that you and I would be more interested in. Here is a our artists rendering of the next-gen Porsche 718 Cayman GT4. The 718 Boxster and Boxster S have swapped their naturally aspirated flat-six engines for a more modest 4-cylinder units with added garnish from a turbocharger. So, the size of the engine has gone down but output figures are up thanks to forced induction. Here are some specs. The 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-4 engine in the 718 Boxster is good for 300 hp while the 2.5-liter unit in the Boxster S makes 350 hp- that鈥檚 35 hp more than the 6-cylinder engine from the previous generation Boxster. Similarly, the hard top 718 Cayman could also feature the same 2.5-liter powerplant.
Fans are in for a real treat at the ADAC Rallye Deutschland contested from 16-19 August: A very special course car, the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, will run ahead of the starter field. For Porsche, the entry of a concept study for the FIA R-GT category based on the near-production GT circuit race car is a critical test under real conditions. Whether this turns into a rally project for customers with a similar vehicle in the medium term will be decided at a later stage. Driving the vehicle is Porsche works driver Romain Dumas (France), who is considered one of the best all-rounders in the motor racing scene. For the last twelve years, the Le Mans winner has contested rallies around the world with his own team. Dumas has also won the legendary Pikes Peak hill-climb four times and holds the course record there. The factory drivers Richard Lietz (Austria) and Timo Bernhard (Germany) are also seasoned rally drivers and were involved in the test programme with the Cayman GT4 Clubsport concept rally car. The Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport, which has been campaigned at clubsport level worldwide since the 2016 season, is powered by a 283 kW (385 hp) 3.8-litre flat-six engine. The mid-mounted engine drives the rear wheels. The vehicle features Porsche dual clutch transmission (PDK) with shift paddles on the steering wheel. For rallying, full underbody protection has been fitted. An energy-absorbing foam element, as used in WRC cars, has been mounted in the doors. 聯Were looking forward to seeing how the rally world responds to our FIA R-GT concept study,聰 says Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Vice President Motorsport and GT Cars. 聯I would like to invite every interested driver and team principal to visit the service park and take a close look at our rally concept car.
Hating turbocharged engines is en vogue among purists these days. When Saab in 1979 introduced the 900 Turbo (it destroyed turbochargers faster than front tires), and when BMW launched the 2002 Turbo (it featured what felt like 10-second throttle lag), the world could not have cared less about artificial aspiration. More than 40 years later, though, at the height of the turbo era and on the eve of affordable electro-mobility, hardcore car guys are mourning the apparent demise of pure and simple old-school drivetrains. I consider myself part of this group, and I reluctantly admit I wanted to hate Porsche鈥檚 new forced-induction four-cylinder boxer engine ahead of this test of its new 718 Cayman S and Audi鈥檚 new TT RS. This engine has, in both Boxster and Cayman, replaced the normally aspirated flat-six. I鈥檝e been critical of the current breed of let-me-do-this-for-you Audis, thanks to their lack of thrill and enthusiasm. 鈥淎ndrogynous,鈥?鈥渁septic,鈥?and 鈥渁rtificial鈥?are terms that come to my mind when sampling these near-perfect but cold products from Ingolstadt. But is this a case of personal preconceptions? Join us for a day of surprises, confirmations, and new findings.
鈥淎nticlimax鈥?is the first thought when you twist the Porsche鈥檚 lozenge-shaped ignition key and start the engine the old-fashioned way. What disappoints is the noise generated behind your back, a metallic jam-session oddly reminiscent of an Oettinger-tuned Beetle from way back when: plenty of initial clatter and splutter, followed by a hoarse, uneven, and atonal idle. We hoped for a more extrovert performance, even though the tune does get catchier as you select a gear and add revs. There are 7,500 revolutions to play with, plus that optional extra-loud exhaust system acting as mobile speaker array, and yet your ears feast primarily on a dense mix of high-decibel buzz and jarring, bassy rasp. Let鈥檚 move over to the Audi, which adopts the racy steering wheel with the big starter button from the R8. Hit that red circle, and people who live on the same street will hate you forever. If the explosive hard-rock intro is anything to go by, this synthesizer has all the marks of the world鈥檚 first external combustion engine. The initial firings could jerk a baby out of its stroller and make grandpa turn down his hearing aid.