Porsche Cayman GT4 and 911 GT3 RS Compete in Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap
What do you get when you take 18 of the hottest cars of 2016 and see which one can do the fastest lap around Virginia International Raceway? Car and Driver‘s Lightning Lap 2016, but of course.
Mind you, this isn’t just any lap, at 4.1 miles, the Grand West Course at VIR is the “longest world-class road course” in the country. And these aren’t just your normal press cars, these are the best performance cars around, fitted with all the available performance extras.
As you’d expect, Porsche was well represented at the affair, with not one, but two cars competing: the Cayman GT4 and the 911 GT3 RS. And as you’d expect, both cars fared well. Here’s what Car and Driver learned about each:
2016 Porsche Cayman GT4
C&D sums up their experience with the Cayman GT4 as “still the perfect learning tool for the track, but now more supercar-like.” That comes from their comparison to the Porsche they tested two years ago: the Cayman S. With 385 available ponies, the GT4 has a 60-horsepower advantage over that car, a retuned chassis, and stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. And all that showed up on the track with an impressive 2:54.0 best lap time and a 120.6-mph average. It also didn’t hurt that at 3058 pounds, the GT4 was the lightest car competing. Alas, the Cayman could only claim second place in the LL3 class (the third most expensive), as the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport crushed the competition with a 2:47.1 time.
2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Competing in the LL4 class, the second most expensive, the 911 GT3 RS would seem to be the odds on favorite, as “this is what the GT3 RS was built for,” what with “tires that barely fit, the shark gills on the fenders,” and “the ironing board hanging off the tail.” But with a time of 2:44.2, the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR beat the Porsche by nearly three full seconds. Still, with 172 pounds less weight, this year’s model out performed Car and Driver‘s GT3 test model from last year, while retaining that car’s undeniable character and consistency.
All in all, it’s another great showing for Porsche. Check out the full run down of all the competitors, then let us know what you think.
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Via [Car and Driver]