I was at work the other day and a co-worker and I got into a debate on whether or not a Cayman S could keep up with a GT3.

He kept saying the Cayman would be annihilated by the GT3. I said, with the right mods done to it (LSD), it wouldn't do too badly.

This is for road racing.

 

Your co-worker is correct. You need a lot more than LSD to keep up with a GT3. A better Suspension, better brakes, and about 50hp (Plus the LSD) would be a good start.

 

maybe if you took the LSD you could imagine the pink elephant driving the cayman S is annihilating the gt3

 

Same person driving? Then it will take a lot. If the better driver is in the cayman S then it will be closer than you think. A properly set up Cayman S with a LSD, coilovers, sways, and it would have to be on R-comp's since the GT3 has those standard now... those would probably make it pretty close with the same driver... on certain tracks that didn't have too many places for the GT3 to overtake it in a stretch.

 

Mooty can chime in on this one.

If you are doing a 5 lap event, then a heavily modded Cayman S (Motons, 3.8L X51 motor, sways, LSD, better brakes) can hang with the GT3. However, if you are talking 30 track days a year driving at the limits, the Cayman S would toast it's steering pump, it's A arms, and whole lot of other components, while the GT3 just keep humming along. Fact is you got what you paid for. The Cayman S has cut-rate (by Porsche standards) components compared to the GT3. In short duration situations, it's possibly comparable. Not in the long run.

CP

 

A GT3 engine

 

That's pretty much the answer I was looking for and was expecting.

And this would just be one race, not a test of reliability.

 

Good answer, one which sounds free of knee-jerk pride-based bias, although I have seen lots of Boxsters run for 30+ days a year hard on tracks without the suggested disintegration, in Texas heat no less. Sure, some needed additional steering cooling, but in large part they fared pretty well. So I think this analysis is true, but a bit overstated.

 

So the original poster is not allowed to ask what mods it would take for a Cayman to run with a GT3?

Sorry folks, only stock car discussions are allowed. (I don't think that was really the message you meant to send, was it?)

 

Sorry, I wasn't trying to say you are inexperienced or anything, just we were clearly talking about different things.



My experience has been that my Boxster doesn't like to spin.



But perhaps this is because I am trying to regain control, whereas if I was just letting it run loose, it would snap spin like you guys are saying.


Only one way to find out

 

Sorry, I wasn't trying to say that you're inexperienced, just we're obviously talking about different things.


My experience is that my Boxster doesn't like to spin, but this could be due to the fact I am trying to regain control of it (AX) whereas if I just let it loose, it would likely spin like you guys are talking about.


Only one way to find out!!!

 

Try better gearing, too


Plus at least 100hp...without any added weight.


Then at least a weight reduction to 2900 lbs.


Then we'll have a race!!!!

 

Basically, this is the question to which Porsche doesn't want you to know the answer. I mean, they obviously severly restrict the Cayman/Boxster HP as a social sevice to prevent younger drivers from endangering themselves.

Shoe-horn a GT3 motor into a Cayman, give it LSD, motons, slap on some slicks and lets go race.

Didn't I read somewhere about a Canadian guy that campaigns a Cayman in Club Racing and consistently runs with the 996 Cups?

 

At 1450kg yes it is. It has phenomenal grip, more power and revised suspension but it's heavier and that's the reason why it is not much faster than the 996.

Now as far as the two layouts are concerned, I do like the balance of the boxster but for those whose driving style involves power sliding, turning with the gas pedal etc the 911 is more pleasant and more manageable. IMO the mid engined cars require cleaner lines and punish you after the limit as much as they love you before reaching it.

The main advantage of the GT3 engine is not just the amount of power it makes compared to the 3.4. It's the width of it's power band, it's torque, it's lighter internals, it's dry sump and the overall balance of its crankshaft. It's really apples to oranges since the cars follow different approaches.

What I would really want to see is a comparison for the torsional stiffness of the chassis of the two cars. And I don't seem to find that anywhere.

 

I think it needs some help but I def. think you could get it there. I agree with Adrift. A GT3 motor, like kind suspension upgrades, LSD and you are definetely in the ballpark.

I don't care how good the GT3 is, the mid engine design of the Cayman is inherently better and with like kind power and suspension bits the Cayman should be the faster car.