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Thank front suspension lifted from the 911 GT3 and some seriously grabby
tyres that make it almost impossible to unstick at road speeds. The steering’s
great, if not a patch on the McLaren’s when it comes to communication and
confidence, but the optional PCCB carbon brakes are the standout feature.
Pedal feel is the best of any car in the test. Although there’s a switch for the
adaptive dampers on the console, there’s even more tweakability for those
willing to dive beneath the arches. At the risk of making your car drive like
it’s been in a massive accident, and then probably having one, you can adjust
everything from the toe and camber angles to ride height and roll-bar set-ups.
‘It doesn’t feel like an old car, but there’s something simple and old fash-
ioned about the GT4,’ says Gavin Green. Including that delicious manual
gearbox. There’s a PDK coming this time, apparently, and given the last man-
ual’s overlong gearing (third is good for around 120mph) had to be retained
for homologation reasons, we can understand the temptation for buyers. But
a PDK just wouldn’t sit right with the GT4’s back-to-basics philosophy any
more than bolting on a couple of blowers to fatten the torque curve would.
Of all the cars here, the GT4’s power and torque outputs, and the way it
delivers them, are probably the best fit for these roads. And the engine
itself is second only to the Huracan’s in its ability to maintain that sense of
direct connection between your leg and the back wheels. Surprise, surprise,
they’re both naturally aspirated. While ordinary Caymans switched to
turbocharged flat-four power three years ago, the GT4 carries on with an
atmo flat-six. Not a 911 GT3 motor, contrary to pre-launch rumour, instead
one actually developed from the turbocharged engine in our Carrera S.
Stripped of its blowers but bored from 3.0 to 4.0 litres, the Cayman makes
414bhp and 310lb ft, compared with the 911’s 444bhp and 390lb ft. And despite
the presence of two exhaust particulate filters necessary to meet emissions
rules, it still makes an epic noise.
Kudos to the 911, though. Porsche has done an amazing job making its
engine respond and sound like a naturally aspirated six. With more torque
spread more evenly across the rev range, and more ratios to make the most of
it, the Carrera is the easier car to carry speed in.
It’s just nowhere near as immersive an experience when you do. Which
is what you should expect when you pit a talented 2+2 all-rounder against a
focused two-seater from the people who build Porsche’s racing cars.
We love the GT4 but wonder if it gives up all its secrets a little too easily.
Will you still be learning from it a year down the road? What we do know
from these roads is that the cheaper, slower, simpler Cayman is the purer
driver’s car. Thank you 992, you can sit down now. ⊲
Of all the cars here, the GT4’s
power, torque and delivery is
the best fit for these roads
G A v IN G REEN’s vIEw
I f 718 wERE s E t fREERather like a talented youngster expected to play second fiddle
to a more famous colleague, the Cayman has always been in the
shadow of the 911. The 911 is Porsche’s icon. The Cayman is the
characterful number two. Yet the superior dynamic architecture
of the Cayman/718 – it is mid-engined like the finest racers, not
rear-engined like an old VW Beetle – raises an intriguing question.
What would happen if the Cayman were set free? It could well
be a Ferrari 488 rival. Maybe. I suspect Porsche will keep the
Cayman in its place, and I’m glad. The 414bhp of the GT4 feels
quite perfect. More power might improve the speed. But it would
not enhance the driving appeal. And would likely ruin one of the
Cayman’s many enduring joys: its astonishing value.Sports Car Giant Test 2019911 cabin is
a shrine to
touchscreen
technology.
Luxurious tooScientific tests
have proven
it’s impossible
to drive a GT4
without smiling