the new GT3 is not a purpose built race car. The GT3 RS isn't either, but they are beasts on the track... there is no kidding with that. They come stock with cup tires... anyone who has driven R-comps on a track no how much that matters. If both were on the same tires, the main difference between two cars would be horse power, suspension (gt3 comes with coilovers from the factory), and the Cayman's lack of a LSD. If you were to add coilovers, LSD, and stiffer sways... then yeah the only problem would be the mid-range torgue difference... IF in a theoretically world, you had a driver that was totally unfamiliar with the rear engine layout of the GT3 and the Cayman's nuetral mid-engine layout, then it would be much easier for this driver to be faster in the Cayman...


But for your argument's sake... A cayman S would need some significant modifications to keep up with a GT3 on a track with the same driver.

 

Problem solved GT3 Boxter. Here is a spy pic and I bet your friend would go ape **** if you showed him. Your welcome on this one

 

Both Farnbacher Loles and Mind Over Motorsports have put 3.8 liter engines into Cayman S's along with suspension mods and are adamant they are SS GT3 beaters!

 

SS = street stock?

 

LSD, stiffer suspension, brakes and about 50hp should be enough. THe GT3 is indeed very well speced but it also weighs quite some more than the Cayman.

 

The 996 GT3 is pretty light, is the 997 GT3 heavier?

 

Cayman S is listed on Porscheusa.com as 2967 and the GT3 at 3075...not that big of a difference.


One cool thing that isn't generally known about the GT3 is that the sport button on the Sport Chrono option will add up to 18 lb-ft of mid-range torque under hard acceleration.


If you have to do this much to get your Cayman to GT3 level, maybe you ought to just get a GT3

 

I agree, but the real question which is really not a question at all, is why they do not offer a Cayman in a GT configuration.

 

Because many snobby Porsche owners think of the Cayman as a Boxster, which they think of as a junky, cheap car.


For any variation of a Cayman (ie Boxster) to compete with a 911 is unthinkable for some people



Is it not true the Cayman/Boxster S's gearing was made longer in order to worsen the 0-60 time?



Same reason Honda badged the NSX as an Acura here in America. Because some ignorant, superficial retards can not fathom a $90k car being a Honda.

 

My original post was based on actual experience on the track with both cars. I personally beleive that the Cayman S is a phenomenal car. I have instructed 2 different students in their S's. Very easy to drive on the track, nimble, easy to thorw around and better balanced than the 911 platform. In order to get it to be competitive with a GT3, you must do what I stated in that first post though. (Which may not be cost effective to get you there)

 

yeah...check out caymanclub.net...there is a guy there that has done a ton of stuff to his cayman to make it able to run with GT3's....pretty awesome, but bottom line...the gt3 is an out of the box supercar ready to drive to work or race at the track...the cayman takes more work but is also a great car.

have had both, and they each have their own great characteristics...still have the Cayman S btw.

 

Having a little seat time in my Cayman now, I would throw down 90K for a factory Cayman GT with 380hp and corresponding GT bits.

And I believe there would be a pretty strong contigent of 911 owners that would do the same.

Such a weird position for Porsche to be in. There is a funny thread about "forcing Porsche hand" in regards to the inherent advantages of the mid engine layout, but the fact is, the US consumers in large part are forcing Porsche's hand by continuing to buy the 911 en masse.

 

I have to admit, seeing the GT3s racing does get the blood pumping, and makes the idea of a GT3 (esp an RS) more appealing than "just a Cayman", and I am a devout mid-engined believer. I really wish Porsche would sell a race-ready Cayman car and then they could start building the clout the Cayman needs to become a top seller and performer for Porsche. It sure would be nice to see the Cayman get a chance to compete with the '07 ALMS-unassailable F430s. Sure, we won Le Mans, but it does seem the F430s are now the consistently quicker cars.

"Ignorant superficial retards"? Hey, you just named 75% of the Porsche buyers out there. lol

 

Nice post..very nice post.

 

Agree. I always heard and thought that the mid engine set up in the Cayman has a far better balance than the rear-engine 911s.