60 whichcar.com.au/wheels
technology,ABScalibratio
generationsteering– with
lotofconnection”– andae
thelatesttyres.
Thetyresizesareunchangedfromtheoldcar,meaning
245/35ZR20frontand295/30ZR20rears,wearing Michelin
PilotSportCup2 tyres.Preuningerdescribes them as: “new
spec,butnotultra-ratedsupertrack-daytyre; they’re more an
ultra-highperformanceall-rounder.”TheMichelins are fitted to
a newwheeldesign,whichretainsa five-stud fixing, rather than
thecentre-locksoftheGT3– anotherconcession to the cars’
priceandposition.PCCB(PorscheCeramic Composite Brakes)
signalledontheGT4byyellowcalipers,are a (costly) option.
ThecaralsogetsthelatestversionofPorsche Torque
Vectoring,alliedtoa mechanicallockingdiff, Porsche Stability
Management,whichallowsESCoffandTraction Control off, as
wellassportsPASM(PorscheActiveSuspension Management),
andit sitssome30mmlowerthana typical 718. While the
PASMofferstheusualbutton-pushchoicebetween two
suspensionmodes,thechassishasadditional adjustability to
allowownerstosetupthetoe,camberand anti-roll bars.
Balljointsfeatureonthetopmountsatthe front and
rear,andwhilefurthersolidconnectionswere considered,
Preuningeradmitsthattherestofthesuspension bushes are
conventional,soasnottocompromiseitson-road livability.
Visually,thenewGT4doesn’tlooksubstantially different to
thecarit replaces.However,aswithevery new model from the
GTdepartment,aerodynamicadvanceshave taken a sizeable
step.Thefrontsplitterprotrudesa littlefurther forward, while
therearwingfeaturesnewendplatesand a slight gurney
tocreatea low-pressureareatobringtherear into balance.
Therearwing,whichis situatedonaluminium struts, remains
adjustable,asdoelementsinthefrontaero package.
Thekeygainsaerodynamicallyarealong the sides and
underneaththecar.Foreofthefrontwheel is an additional aero
element, which helps remove turbulence from the car’s flanks
and vents airflow around the front-wheel-well. At the rear is a
prominent diffuser, which is where the biggest gains were made.
“We had to look elsewhere [to improve] downforce; that area
is the underbody, because we can always live with a little bit
more,” Preuninger says. “It’s aero that comes for free because
we don’t have a penalty in drag coefficient to the underbody
changes. It’s making more downforce, about 50 percent more
than on the first-generation GT4, which is GT3 bandwidth.”
The net result is a car that is: “faster round the ’Ring than
the GT3 was a couple of years ago.” Very fast, then.
Even so, Preuninger is quick to point out thattheGT4“we think the package is
erofthe GT3, with a little
elcomes any novice, but
e track guys.”
Beinga GT-departmentmodelmeansweight is always vital.
The quoted kerb weight is 1420kg, compared to 1340kg for the
old GT4, which helps explain the zero gain in 0-to-100 times.
Preuninger is quick to point out that the way the cars are
homologated is now different, the weight being for a car with no
options. It was previously legal to quote a kerb weight with the
optimised, light-weight specification.
“There are so many boxes to tick that make the car lighter
so this car nominally is about 60 or 80 kilos heavier on paper,
but it’s only about 30 kilos heavier in the real world, if you
compare apples to apples. Why? Because the diffuser weighs
about six or seven kilos and the exhaust, that has to be different
as well. Then there are the exhaust filters, they’re essential for
emissions, as is the bigger starter, bigger battery – we can’t put
in a super-small battery again because we have a bigger starter;
we have to have the start-stop in this car, for the first time in a
GT car. We can’t help it, it’s emissions law; we have to do it.”
Preuninger adds: “I can absolutely assure you that it doesn’t
feel half a gram heavier than the car before.”
As per the usual GT dictate, the opportunity to remove
weight by doing without climate control, communication and
stereo equipment exists, while PCCB, and lightweight carbon-
backed bucket seats all strip kilos, via the options list. The
familiar Clubsport package is also offered if you want a half
cage, ignition cut-off, fixed harnesses and a fire extinguisher.
Emissions requirements might have added some weight, yet
they have also resulted in no change to the oft-criticised gear
ratios in the six-speed manual transmission of the old GT4.
“The gear ratios are the same – they had to be for emissions
and homologation. In many countries you have to pay fines for a
certain point of CO 2 upwards, which would make the car hugely
expensive,” says Preuninger.
“We don’t want to make the car unobtainable or inaccessible
for everybody. I think one thing we learned from the last one is
a lot of people couldn’t get one. We are proud that enthusiasts
can now really buy the car, instead of writing letters.”
Tantalisingly, it’s a car with a whole new engine, which has
been built with the future in mind. And yes, Preuninger admits,
he’s got some ideas about what else to do with it.
“We can say we’re good at doing high-revving, naturally
aspirated engines, and this is what our heart beats for, these are
cars by car people, for car people, with a GT philosophy.”
TheGT4will arrive early in 2020, priced at $218,800.Model Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
Engine 3995cc flat-6, dohc, 24v
Max power 309kW @ 7600rpm
Max torque 420Nm @ 5000-6800rpm
Transmission 6-speed manual
L/W/W-B 4456/1801/2484mm
Weight 1420kg
0-100km/h 4.4sec (claimed)
Fuel economy 10.9L/100km (estimated)
Price $218,800
On sale Q1 2020SPECS
n,dynamictransmissionmounts,next-
,saysPreuninger: “lotsoffeelanda
erodynamicenhancements,aswellasremainsbelowitsGT3relation,saying:
aboutrightforbeingthesmallerbroth
bitofa differentpositioning. TheGT4
it satisfiesallthe purists,aswellastheFEATURE /
PORSCHE
CAYMAN GT4