Okay so I have a problem. It's a win win situation for me regardless but I need some help on the choice. I am in the process of buying another Porsche. I sold my Boxster. My choices are a 996 C4S and a 987.1 Cayman S. Both are roughly the same price if not a few grand off. I will be daily driving it and tracking it at least once a month when the weather is appropriate. I want to know what is the better buy. I'm not worried about resale either. Both cars will be modded enough to make more fun and capable on the track. I know I could squeeze about 330whp from the cayman with mods but I'm not sure about the c4s. Which mods will boost up its performance and power and to how much? Which car would you have? I have driven both. I just can't make up my mind. The 911 feels more like its floating while the Cayman feels more grounded but the 911 feels like it can explode out of corners. I also have an SUV so practicality isn't an issue either. I want to be able to get the 911 to 350-360 crank hp. Is it possible? Again help me out guys. Thanks

 

If you are tracking, I would probably lean toward the Caymen but I'm sure you can't go wrong with either. I wouldn't stress about getting extra HP out of the car. First order of business should be getting a good suspension and dialing it in. After that get as much seat time and instructor time you can. If the instructor tells you he can't teach you anything else ask for a new instructor.

 

4wd on the C4s feels heavier than a rwd car.

i'd get the cayman for driving feel

 

Ya 2wd all day. And the lighter the better. With lighter weight you will in most cases spend less on consumables (tires,brakes,suspension components, etc) that equals more money for track time.

 

my c4s with coilovers and mods handles amazing, feels tight and light. Plus it looks way better IMO than any Cayman. C4S all the way.

 

Looks don't help much on a track.

 

I had a loaner 08 C4S tip for a week, and then another loaner 04 c4s 6 speed for a week.

At first, the 08 felt a LOT slower than my 6 speed 04 C2, but i thought it was just the tiptronic.

Then i got into the 6 speed 04 C4s and realized it was the AWD that was making it feel slow. Plus, the "trunk" is tiny in the 4wd cars.

 

Both cars are excellent.

Here are a couple of things to consider about a C4S. First of all, the AWD system only weighs about 120 lbs. The C4S is a bit heavier than a C2 or a Cayman, but it's not heavy by any means. Additionally, the AWD system was developed for improved handling on dry roads when cornering. The AWD system in the 996 wasn't developed for winter weather like some other AWD systems. In Porsche's internal testing, the 996 C4S was 4-seconds faster around the Nurburgring than the 996 C2. The upgraded suspension and brakes on the C4S are great on the track. It will certainly feel different than a C2, but that's not necessarily bad. It's a little more front heavy, so it tends to feel heavier and to push a bit more in corners. That being said, many people find it to be more forgiving and a bit better in terms of balance. Either choice is good, they are just a bit different. As for maintenance, the routine maintenance on an AWD 996 is identical to a C2. You have to flush the differential periodically, but that's it. There's certainly a chance that your front differential could fail (mine actually did) requiring a rebuild, but that's pretty rare.

The Cayman is a different beast. It's beautiful and superbly well balanced. It's a great track car. You couldn't go wrong with a Cayman. On the downside, I find them a bit cramped inside.

Have fun deciding!

 

Looks always help
Plus he said daily driver with track time.
I like Dennis' balanced review and quite agree with it.

 

I was in the exact position, I went with the C4S.

 

Cool info, and the first time I've heard that. Any idea what the 996's lap times were around the ring, and how that compared to other cars, back when they were the latest and greatest?

 

I've got a file that has all that information somewhere. I'll try to dig it up.

Here's a little more info on the AWD system: The AWD system on the 996 is shared with the 993. It utilizes a viscous coupling to drive the front wheels. In case you aren't familiar with a viscous coupling, it's a circular drum filled with a series of wet clutch plates and a silicone-based fluid known as dilatant fluid. This drum or coupling is attached to the drivetrain for the front and rear wheels. When the wheels are spinning at the same rate, the dilatant fluid stays cool and remains liquid. In this condition, 0% - 5% of the power is transferred to the front wheels. If the plates spin at different rates, this causes shear friction between the clutch plates and it heats up the dilatant fluid. This fluid reacts rapidly to this change in temperature and becomes nearly solid, thereby transferring engine power to the driveline for the front wheels. It's actually a pretty ingenious system, and it's entirely mechanical with no computer control.

So, the question is: when would this situation occur? Winter driving seems like it might be a time when this would occur, and it certainly could. If your rear wheels are slipping as you try to accelerate and your front wheels aren't moving or are moving very slowly, then this speed differential would quickly heat up the dilatant fluid and transfer the power to the front wheels. The kicker is that Porsche equipped all the AWD variants of the 996 with PSM. The computer-controlled PSM system detects wheel slip and brakes the rear wheels to mitigate the situation, acting as a traction control system. So in that example, the PSM system intervenes and doesn't allow the viscous coupling to engage the front wheels. This is the reason that you sometimes hear people say that the AWD system in the 996 is worthless in the snow. In some respects, these people are right. There are ways to deal with this situation. I used to have a very steep driveway at my old house. When it was snow covered, I would deactivate PSM to drive up the driveway, allowing the viscous coupling to engage the front wheels. I could definitely feel it working. I wouldn't ever recommend deactivating PSM when driving on the street in the winter - it's a great system for helping you control sliding in winter conditions.

The only other condition where you really see a speed differential between the wheels is during cornering. In cornering conditions, especially those seen in spirited and/or track driving, the viscous coupling works beautifully. It engages the front wheels as you corner, giving you a wonderful ability to pull out of a corner and quickly accelerate as mentioned above. It makes for a very stable drive on the track with exceptional grip. It's a cool system.

I believe that proper winter tires are the best equipment you can put on a Porsche for winter driving. I'd take a C2 with winter tires over a C4 with all-seasons or summer tires any day. There's no comparison. If you couple proper winter tires with a car that has the PSM option, you've got a very stable platform for winter driving.

Sorry for the "rant" on the AWD system of the 996, but I think it's good information given that fact that so many people write off the C4 and C4S for track applications due to the added weight. They do weigh more and they do feel different than a C2, but they shouldn't be dismissed. The C4S, in particular, is interesting for the track because of the suspension, larger brakes and larger wheels and tires shared with the turbo. You just have to decide what kind of experience you desire.

The 997 and 991 have a fully computer-controlled AWD system, and they no longer use the viscous coupling. I know that the 997 lap times for the C4 were also faster than those for the C2 in Porsche's testing, but I don't know about the 991 - I haven't seen those numbers yet.

 

We all know real men don't drive awd, traction control, abs. Lol, j/k

My vote is Cayman if you're gonna track it regularly and you are a performance sensitive driver.

 

I agree with everything but the ABS. I have flat spotted too many tires to have another track car without.

 

Most guys who track a car with PSM pull the fuse to deactivate it for track days.