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So last Saturday (Dec 9th), I took my GT4RS out to pop it's track cherry at my favorite local track (Buttonwillow) with the car being completely stock. I drove up in the morning with a buddy to the track and got there before the track opened at 8am. The weather was on the chilly side with the temperature on 8am when I went onto the track was 38 degrees so I started out with tires at 28psi front and 30psi rear on my Cup2s. I took it easy the first session to get the tires warmed up and to brush off the dust as I haven't been the track since the Spring. I cranked the heater up as windows had to be down and the tires only got up to 30psi front and 32psi rear so I didn't bleed any air out. By the 3rd and 4th sessions (10am and 11am), the temperature was already in the mid 50s and I was getting more and more comfortable being on track and with the dynamics of the car. I've tracked a 981 and 718 GT4 extensively so I'm very comfortable with the Cayman mid-engine platform on track. Temperature got up to about 60 and I ended up doing 8 sessions and leaving after the 3pm session as my neck and shoulders were getting sore since I didn't have a 6pt harness. I used about a 1/4 of a tank per session and found that the tires liked being at 30-32psi for best traction.
Now my review of the car. OMG, I knew why I had a BIG WANT of this car. Between the intoxicating sound from 5k to 9k RPM (even with ear plugs), less body roll with the stiffer springs, the fast and pronounced PDK shifts with PDK-Sport on, and more aero than the 981/718 GT4 with wing risers the car was a blast to drive on track. The power once you got above 5k RPM was when the extra power started to kick in above what I got with the 981/714 GT4 cars. The car has so much power that even the tires weren't able to lock up when I did a launch control pull from a stop going onto the tap in the hot pit. The extra aero was confidence inspiring in the fast corners and in the fast transition turns. One negative is that the car was a bit more bumpy compared to my 981/714 GT4 (with stiffer Swift springs) so I had the traction/nannies kicking in at a few bumpy spots on the track so it feels like the OEM dampers aren't dialed in for the stiffer springs. I also did get a bit of tail waggling in the heavy braking zones but I'm sure that will be corrected once I do a proper alignment and ride height adjustment.
Overall, I couldn't be any happier with the car and I'm sure it will be that much better once I put the proper mods onto the car. Besides the alignment and ride height, I plan on putting in my BBI roolbar & 6pt harness, monoball suspension pieces, higher wing uprights and front canards, ST rotors with Pagid pads, SS brake lines and better brake fluid, and custom long tube headers and side pipes with 200 cell cats. I've attached a few on track pictures below.
Great writeup and as you say the dampers aren't coping with the stiff springs. With the tweaks you plan on doing the 4RS will be an awesome track tool.
Great writeup and as you say the dampers aren't coping with the stiff springs. With the tweaks you plan on doing the 4RS will be an awesome track tool.
DSC is a bandaide at best... Dump the PASM and go full MCS 3ways...THEN...
DSC is a bandaide at best... Dump the PASM and go full MCS 3ways...THEN...
Lol. Well if you're going to track your car a lot then yes by all means change the suspension completely. While your in there add a roll bar and better buckets etc.. It's a slippery slope. The DSC is a no brainer for most enthusiasts.
Lol. Well if you're going to track your car a lot then yes by all means change the suspension completely. While your in there add a roll bar and better buckets etc.. It's a slippery slope. The DSC is a no brainer for most enthusiasts.
Slippery slope indeed! OP did say he is going to do a lot of mods sooo, I thought I would help him lighten his wallet further!
Bringing in 3 degrees of front camber transforms the car at the limit. Installed Ferodo 3.12 pads and had to re-train my thinking to brake less, much less. If I have a passenger, I tell them; "hold on, I'm getting ready the throw out the anchor". Once the car gets set at turn in, you can ask for more, much more. Quick transitions and jumping curbs still challenge the platform.
Last edited by matttheboatman; 12-17-2023 at 03:36 PM.
Thanks for that report.
Surely there is a bit of video footage to torture us mere Spyder/GT4 owners a bit further?
Unfortunately no in car videos as I don't have a camera and a roll bar installed. A buddy of mine who came with me did a video on his iPhone of me going WOT down the front straight.
12-17-2023, 12:02 AM
Tracking the GT4RS for the first time
