Balancing on the knife’s edge of pure insanity and blistering performance lies the double-crossing Porsche Cayman GT4.
What makes this thing a German secret agent in disguise is the fact that it is not the legendary 911 Series sports car but the “entry-level” Porsche Cayman. Now, we’ve personally always loved the 911’s little brother, especially in later generations, but the fact that it can hang on our tracks with vehicles like Audi R8 V10 Performance and the Huracan LP610-4 is a testament to how hard this Cayman bites.
First introduced in 2016, the GT4 was a proper ode to the performance division that Porsche had so lovingly created with vehicles like the 911 GT3 and GT2. The Cayman always had the potential to be a performance monster but it always seemed to be stuck in the shadow of its big brother. Porsche change all of that with the hardcore GT4.
For 2020, the GT4 has been thoroughly revised to include what every car enthusiast wants to hear: more power. A screaming, naturally aspirated hunk of metal that screams to 8000 RPM with the fervent purpose of a preacher shouting, “This is the way God intended an engine to sound”. We’ll cover this masterpiece more in a bit, but rest assured, it’s a big part of what takes this car straight to insanity land and why we love it so much.
Ready to dive into dangerous waters with the Cayman GT4? Let’s do it!
Performance Master Class
Howling Flat 6
Part of what makes the Cayman GT4 such a monster is the positively maniacal 4.0L Flat Six that’s mounted just a few feet behind the few brave souls who are willing to wrestle with the Cayman. This 414 horsepower masterpiece spins with terrifying speed to a breakneck 8000 RPM redline and has an engine note that would make an enthusiast weak in their knees. Essentially a 911 Carrera engine with a slightly higher level of tune, the GT4 utilizes everything from old school race technology like forged steel connecting rods to modern performance car must-haves like direct injection and variable valve timing tech.
Torque rich, willing to rev like a banshee and flexible – it’s the ultimate track-ready weapon.
PDK
Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe or PDK is the company’s now ubiquitous dual-clutch transmission. Although standard with a 6-speed manual (save the manuals – am I right?), the GT4’s optional PDK allows drivers of all skill levels to master the GT4 in its native element. Although the natural engagement of a manual is an experience you don’t want to miss, the PDK allows error-free shifting, bone-crushing shift speed, rev-matched downshifts, and a performance-focused driving experience without the fuss. Oh, and it’s about 1 second faster to 60 than the manual.
It’s not just the additional speed that makes the PDK a natural choice for the 714 GT4; it’s the gearing of the transmission. To achieve a high top speed, Porsche chose to install taller gearing on their 6-speed transmission. While we love speed as much as the next enthusiast, this taller gearing means this high-strung engine may not be in its power band during lower speed corners. Adding in another gear and lowering overall gearing ratios down a few notches, and suddenly this major criticism of manual-equipped GT4’s evaporated.
Porsche has mastered the dual-clutch and one trip through the gears will make you a believer that this transmission, save for the nostalgia of the manual, is really the better choice.
Aero and Chassis
One of the most important elements of a Porsche GT series car is advanced aerodynamics and the GT4 is no exception to this credo. In front, a redesigned front splitter draws air over the front of the GT4 and over the back of the thoroughly redesigned rear wing. Underbody ducts draw air through a specially designed rear passage in the exhaust to draw down the rear of the GT4 during high-speed maneuvers. The result of all this aero trickery is a staggering 50% improvement in downforce, without contributing to drag. Sound incredible? In practice, it is masterful.
This aerodynamic trickery works in conjunction with a chassis that’s inspired by the legendary GT3. The GT4 gets a 30 MM drop vs the Cayman GTS, along with a litany of other enhancements such as Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, a torque-vectoring rear differential, and a trick drivetrain mount system that manages weight shift under a full load. Oh, and let’s not forget the massive front and rear sport brakes that haul the GT4 down from speed with authority.
This vehicle is all about symmetry and focus.
Numbers and The Press
Sure, the GT4 will do 0 – 60 in 3.4 seconds, which is fine and dandy, but it’s not really the type of blistering performance we see from supercars like the R8. Fun fact, the performance with the PDK is also faster than the 6-speed manual by almost a full second! Where the GT4 really shines is when the road gets curvy.
Car and Driver say the GT4 offers “wide-open channels of communication from every primary control”, and offers an analog, raw driving experience that fixes the car and driver together in the ultimate dance.
Motor Trend remarks, “The steering is preternatural and perfectly weighted, the optional carbon-ceramic brakes return flawless bite and ear-folding stopping power, and the new PDK matches the prior GT3’s unit with its slick shifts that seemingly take just a picosecond.”
Performance Numbers:
60 mph: 3.4 sec (Car and Driver)
100 mph:
¼-mile: 11.8 @ 117.5 (Motor Trend)
Top speed: 188 (Porsche)
60 to 0 Braking: 100 Feet (Car and Drive)
Come Xperience Porsche Perfection
If you think the GT4 sounds like the ultimate track car, well, you’d be right! Luckily for you, at Xtreme Xperience, we happen to have our hands on a PDK equipped GT4 that is simply begging for you to slide behind the wheel, grab the Alcantara wheel and attack the track. Our team of driving instructors will teach you how to wring the most of the GT4 chassis with safety and ultimate precision, all while your family and friends get to cheer you on.
Sound like the perfect day? We thought so too.
See you in 2022!