The Upcoming Cayman GT4 Might Come With a 4.0L Flat-Six
Big Engine, lightweight chassis – Old School Hot Rodding
Before the Cayman GT4 became a reality, the very idea of Porsche fitting a flat-six from a 911 into the Cayman chassis was pure fiction. After all, the Cayman’s performance has always been restricted to keep it from outdoing its 911 counterparts. However in 2015, the Cayman GT4 debuted and it was an instant hit. With a 911 Carrera 3.8L flat-six sitting behind the driver mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, Porsche won the hearts of enthusiasts all over the world.
The Never-Ending Battle: NA vs. Turbo
With the launch of the 718 Cayman last year, the Cayman and Cayman S have become quite fast despite being down two cylinders from their 981 siblings. The reason being is the conversion to turbocharging. The 718’s 2.5L flat-four engine delivers torque down low where it simply did not exist in the 981’s naturally aspirated flat-six. Want to know exactly how fast the 718 Cayman S is? Last September, the 718 clocked a 7:46.70 at the Nurburgring becoming the second fastest 4-cylinder car behind the KTM X-Bow (if you even consider that a car).
To put things into perspective, the Cayman GT4’s lap record at the Ring is 7:42.00. According to Autocar, the 718 Cayman S matched that time using the GT4’s tires (we are assuming the Michelin Sport Cup 2). With the current Cayman S lapping the Nurburgring just as fast as the GT4, it looks like Porsche have a problem on their hands. Which direction to go from here when it comes to the power plant for the next GT4. Stay N/A or is it time to jump on the turbocharging train?
Go Big or Go Home
A source recently spoke to Autocar saying that Porsche are indeed planning on dropping a 4.0L flat-six into the upcoming GT4. They may even call it GT4 RS. With turbocharging seemingly out the window, it looks like Porsche’s answer was to go big or go home. There’s no telling as to which 4.0L the engine will be derived from. It could be from the GT3 RS, 911 R, or heck even the 911 RSR race car. As of now, it’s all speculation. Only time will tell.
With the current GT4 making 385 horsepower, Autocar speculates that the upcoming GT4 or GT4 RS will most likely make at last 430 ponies. Do you think that going big is the way to go for the new GT4 (GT4 RS)? Or should Porsche bite the bullet and resort to turbocharging? Let us know what you think!
Source: Road & Track
