718 Cayman GT4 is here – at long last.!

[Twinfan]

PDK won't arrive until late next year, so you'll be waiting a while for a suitable build slot...

 

[981TC]

Looks good, heres mine , I may have gone a little mad but is similar to my current one

https://www.porsche-code.com/PLCAFVJ1

Great spec. If you don't mind, what made you want to upgrade? Some say the 718 isn't much of a step on from the 981.

Looks very smart.

I gather the blue is a tad lighter than rendered on the configurator; I'm colour blind but even I can see why black calipers are better than red. Have you seen a Gentian Blue car?

The one thing some people seem to dislike is the chrome Porsche script on the rear but on a darker colour car it adds some contrast.

Do you have a build or lock configuration date?

Ralph

I'm torn on Gentian. Having seen it irl it does change in the light and the configurator really doesn't show it at all. May end up changing colour scheme completely, I've also been considering black with the satin aurum wheels or maybe launch spec yellow.

Thanks for the tip, I think I will keep chrome lettering to match the silver wheels.

I'm also undecided on buckets. Haven't driven a car with buckets (only sat in) so need to wangle one with the dealer.

No solid build or lockdown dates as of yet, just been told delivery later this year.

A number of reasons to be honest and in no particular order, I’m hoping I get a PDK, I’ve never had the chance to spec a GT car from new for myself, I believe the car will be dynamically superior, the noise limits at tracks are prohibitive and getting worse. I don’t expect a massive difference but I’m in a position where I can indulge and I wont have to pay a hefty premium this time.

 

[981TC]

PDK won't arrive until late next year, so you'll be waiting a while for a suitable build slot...

Fine with me, I’ve got a great car to play around with in the mean time, I know I will get one so happy to stick it out

 

[Motorhead]

....Regarding the latest injection technology on the GT3 Spyder - just part of the manufacturer's continuous development process?

Jeff

The emissions requirements have required a generational change from the 9A1. I understand the first engine to get the new technologies was the 991.2 range, and all the major changes (different alloy for the block, injector arrangement and pressure) went first into the 3.0L engine, and were then implemented as 'convenient' in the GT engine developments. I guess the injectors were not ready in time for GT3 991.2 launch but could be introduced for the Spyder. The 991.2 and GT3 engines had adjustable exhaust cams already which were lacking in the 981 GT4 9A1 engine, but now the 718 generation gets all the goodies.

I think that's right Ralph - this latest n/a engine will have incorporated the latest turbo technology updates (iron-plated bores, piezo injectors, etc.).

The 9A1 engine had a bore and stroke of 102mm x 77.5mm to give a 3.8L capacity whereas the 9A2 Evo 3.0L turbo engine has a bore and stroke of 91mm x 76.4mm. Being a close derivative, I'm sure the 9A2 Evo block casting's similar to that of the 9A1, so you'd have to assume that there's sufficient meat on the block castings to run a similar 102mm bore size which would require a stroke of 81.5mm to give the required 3995cc capacity, but we'll have to wait for the full spec.

Jeff

 

[ralphmusic]

Different style of video, about the Clubsport...talking with Michael Grasse of Manthey

[tube]https://youtu.be/g1LFnoTKuCc[/tube]

 

[ralphmusic]

..and on the MR version

[tube]https://youtu.be/aY6YfYlIYf4[/tube]

 

[ChrisW]

For interest, I weighed my modified GT4 with carbon brakes and Clubsport seats with roll cage ... a DIN weight with 90% fuel fill ... at 1440kg's (plus or minus 20kg's).

 

[Steve Brookes]

Is it just me or has the interest in the new GT4 all gone a bit flat since it was announced?

After looking at the changes (on paper), speccing one up and calculating the cost to change (at least £20K assuming no extra brexit 10% tax), I'm struggling to see the value of doing so. I'm used to Porsche producing a new generation that is at least 10% better. This one appears to be struggling to be 5% better. Maybe the original GT4 has proven to be a very hard act to follow? I guess when we see some proper reviews we might know more and....maybe we'll have to wait for the PDK version to see a significant improvement in the performance figures.

So, at the moment, I'm more than happy to stick with old one and just continue to enjoy it. []

 

[Twinfan]

I think the minimal improvement is due to the substantial constraints Porsche appear to have been under for this iteration:

* torque limit of the existing manual gearbox (same as for the 981 GT4)

* power limit for the car to fit correctly into the Porsche hierarchy

* target price

* reduced emissions limit requiring a GPF

* reduced noise limit

I don't think the 981 GT4 was a tough act to follow, more that Porsche have not given the GT department much room to do anything!

 

[Motorhead]

I'm with you Steve on that one. What was the point announcing the car a couple of weeks before it appears in the flesh at Goodwood, other than giving the Porsche Centres an advanced opportunity to get their allocations in place?

As to whether it's 5% or 10% better than its predecessor we'll have to wait for the first reviews, but you can be sure that all the mags will be falling over themselves to claim that it's the best thing since sliced bread.! You can see the headlines now: "Back to a n/a flat-6 Cayman at last.!"

Dave makes some very valid points for perceived minimal improvements, but I can't help but feel that the 981 GT4 was always going to be a hard act to follow and that its success was a surprise to Porsche, given the lacklustre sales performance of the Cayman R which was sprinkled lightly with the magic GT-dust. The spec and price-point were spot-on and met a pent-up demand for an entry level GT car and only time will tell if Porsche have repeated the trick the second time around.

Jeff

 

[Albaco]

The new GT4 does not have to improve very much on the old one at all. Porsche have a very easy sell here, considering the huge demand for the 981 GT4 and the erm muted demand for the whole 781 range in general. There will be a LOT more cars available this time IMO..

 

[Motorhead]

Car sales in general are somewhat suppressed at the moment David, and 718 sales in general I think are holding up OK given the current circumstances.

With no mid-engine replacement in sight at the moment, meaning an extended production run for the 718, I think that we can expect more GT4s this time around, but I wouldn’t count on there being a big hike in production numbers. Porsche know how to milk the market and produce a situation where used car prices remain buoyant meaning both buyers and sellers gain, in the short term at least, so they’ll keep production numbers relatively low.

Jeff

 

[Thomas91]

I think there will be a 718 GT4 RS. Andreas Preuninger has mentioned (and this seems quite logical) that the 4.0L engine has "a lot more to give". Also, should customers request a PDK coupled with the extra power, this will make a great RS status car. However, this would probably come with a massive price tag and even more disappointment from people begging their OPC's when they turn round and say once more "NO CHANCE".

 

[Motorhead]

The Yanks have been prattling on about this for ages Thomas, but I just can’t see it happening myself - far too expensive and encroaching too closely on GT3 territory. All grist to the rumour-mill though.!

Jeff

 

[Brian_Innes]

I completely agree with David, Jeff, and Steve, on the topic of the 982 GT4. (I have a thing about not calling it a 718. That's a four-4 pot heritage name. It's a 982).

The 981 GT4 will continue to be a sought after model and as Steve suggests, the incremental performance improvements on the 982 GT4 do not justify the substantial upgrade costs.

The new 982 GT4 will certainly sell, but so far there doesn't seem to be the frantic interest afforded to its predecessor. The magazine road test reviews should be interesting.

Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Agreed Brian. It's a nonsense referring to the GT4 as a 718, which was a marketing-led fudge to 4-pot heritage. The 982 GT4 label is much more sensible and appropriate.

As a final comment on the new car I'd say that the situation's a bit like the difficult second album. Last time Porsche were building from ground-zero, but this time expectations were higher - unrealistically so in my opinion. In fact the new car is exactly what I was expecting since I'm on record from late 2017 in saying that the new car would have a n/a flat-6 engine of 4.0L capacity and ~420hp, using the existing manual transmission (and ratios) but with PDK being an option, all at a price-point around £72k-£75k. The only surprise was the use of a n/a development of 9A2 Evo engine rather than just a stroked version of 9A1 engine, but in hindsight that was the only course available to Porsche.

Roll on the test reviews...Oh! - and seeing the car's first outing next week at Goodwood.

Jeff

 

[ChrisW]

I think there will be a 718 GT4 RS. Andreas Preuninger has mentioned (and this seems quite logical) that the 4.0L engine has "a lot more to give". Also, should customers request a PDK coupled with the extra power, this will make a great RS status car. However, this would probably come with a massive price tag and even more disappointment from people begging their OPC's when they turn round and say once more "NO CHANCE".

Except that Porsche dealers are currently unable to see how much damage they are doing to the integrity of the brand when allocating these cars to their Cash Cow customers ... whilst telling long standing and local Porsche devotees that they will not get an allocation from either the first or second batches, irrespective of the chronology and singularity of their letter of intent.

Pleading to buy is surely a relationship that would be far too demeaning for many self resection Porsche (or any other) true enthusiast to be comfortable with.

It's not a great buying proposition.

 

[Motorhead]

Passenger ride at FOS.

https://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/porsche-718-cayman-gt4-first-ride/40542

Looking good in the launch colour too..!

Jeff

 

[Thomas91]

That picture on pistonheads is edited and it looks very close to PTS 'signal yellow'. The racing yellow is a lot milkier in person but still great. Has any Porsche GB customers actually secured a build slot yet?????? I know of people in Europe that have theirs ordered and already have estimated delivery dates of November 2019.

 

[Deanoc123]

Who heard it and the Spyder go up the FoS hill? More underwhelming than I feared