Thats the problem aye! Everything has become too santitised. The old man would probably roll over in his grave thinking about how his cars have been spolied by crash and emsission standards etc,

Seriously tho. F1 cars are open top. So were the LM1 specials. I dont think the saftey thing is as bad as we have been led to believe although I accept you feel a damn sight more exposed in an open top car and Im not sure Id be comfortable with it at say the speeds my GT3 does up the straight at Hampton Downs.

I still think the idea has merit though I concede it will probably never happen...

 

it's like cigarette racing boats.
they used to have 2 lines.
35 foot cafe racer and 38 foot top gun.
3 foot difference and similar looks, but one was made for cruising close to the shoreline, the other, almost double the price, was offshore capable.
same same, but different.........

 

agreed! all the radicals, 2 -elevens, et al are all open topped too but they have a lot more aero and mechanical grip. also they usually run in sessions with equal and known vehicles. a standard car is more at risk of rolling over, especially with sticky tyres on a soft chassis.

 

I know some of Porsche's history,I don't want to brag I know it all. But most know what was back then. Today,as Aussie Jimmy says,cars are faster,more risks.
Don't get me wrong,I'm not against a GT Spyder,for road it will be great,but I want to see a Spyder Cup car first...GT3-R and GT3-RSR.

 

Racing used to quite dangerous, high fatality rates were the norm and accepted as part of the culture by most people, though a few like Sir Jackie realized that it didn't have to be that way and pushed for change.

Modern pro racing cars, including open tops, are highly engineered for safety, and can't really be compared to street convertibles like the Boxster, which do have some roll protection, but not at the same level as a hardtop which provides substantial support to the A-pillars (but they can still bend down, so roll cage is still much preferable for a dedicated track car).

My first Porsche was a beautiful 997 cab which I intended to track. It didn't take me long to conclude that I wasn't comfortable with tracking a convertible. And while I'm still willing to instruct in convertibles, I prefer not to, and I'm extra cautious when I do it.

I see no chance of a GT4 convertible coming out. Other brands (Ferrari, McLaren, etc.) may offer them, but I think Porsche knows better and is committed to producing serious track cars.

 

I love this analogy. I'm learning stuff here all the time lol!

Yeah the wife would prefer a soft top but she's getting a GT4 instead although I've let her choose the colour (carmine red). Ill tell her to shut up and drive!!! Ok maybe not....

It's a shame we are all becoming nanny state. I live in Vanuatu where you can still kill yourself in a Moto without a helmet. I guess we all perceive risk differently.

Ps. In recent EVO track car of the year that Ariel atom put in a time almost 3s quicker than the GT3. That's a very exposed race car but very popular too. We have a tonne of caterams on the track here and some of them starting to get higher Vmax. Most accidents here not on the fast bits but into the corners..

 

looks very tall. i wonder if it would clear a standard US garage?

 

A remove able hard top for race day might be a good option....

 

This may have already been discussed, but it is quite possible there will be several units available for sale slightly used when people realize they aren't quite as hardcore as the GT4 may be from a suspension compliance, NVH, and manual gearbox standpoint.

While most of us in this thread are pretty die hard car guys that don't mind stiff suspension and rowing our own gears, there will be a lot of poseur types that will buy this car and decide it's not for them pretty quickly. Lucky for the rest of us trying to get one.

I'm still hopeful I'm high enough up on the deposit list at my local dealer to get an allocation, but I'm definitely not holding my breath.

 

Flywheel weight, rotating inertia, gearing will all effect the acceleration numbers. Rolling resistance comes into play with top speed, but it's a very small factor compared to the wall of air the cars are pushing through.

I wouldn't want an open top track car- safety is the main concern, you're in a helmet, possibly with Hans, wind buffet... Stiff suspension requires the stiffest possible chassis, and the Boxster is noticeably less stiff than the Cayman. Once upon a time Porsche built skateboards for racers because they were as light and low drag as possible, but today speed isn't the issue, and in fact they are actively slowing the cars down in some ways.

I do see a roll for a purist street sports car that's faster and harder than any current Boxster. Something to take out when you're looking for maximum involvement and fun. A next level up Boxster Spyder sounds just the ticket there, but I don't think I'd share the GT4's stiff suspension or low ride height for that role.

Walter Röhrl has one of each generation of air cooled 911 in his collection. The only car newer than his 993 RS is a Boxster Spyder. Says something...

 

How much of this crowd buys a Cayman though? Part of what I like about it is it's the poor man's Porsche to the general public - it's below just another 911

 

Flywheel weight difference has a pretty negligible effect on acceleration. It really only has a measurable impact on 1st gear acceleration where angular accelerations of the motor are the highest. Even then, you're talking low single digit percentage impact, max.

 

isnt the Boxster GTS the successor to the Spyder?

 

What if you purchased a Boxster S at 32 and now own the Boxster and a GT3 at age 36?

The Boxster is a "gateway drug" to more capable Porsches and racing in general. It's a brilliant car that fulfills several roles, 1-it is a great daily driver, fun but comfortable, and has 9 cubic feet of storage so you can use the car for anything everyday. 2- brilliant weekend car for top down weekend trips or B-road blasts, 3-very capable sports car that can hold its own on the racetrack if driven well.

I have several friends who originally purchased a Boxster, got hooked on performance cars as a result, and eventually acquired a 911 or GT3, or other non-Porsche sports cars.

This rarely happens after buying a Mercedes, Aston Martin, Audi, etc, which are truly cars for "rich old gentleman", but I'm happy for the people who enjoy those cars.

Boxsters are the cheapest car in the Porsche lineup for a reason, as they are a "gateway drug" to true sports car performance.

To not drive an excellent sports car because of what others might think is rubbish IMHO.

 

If it were a Boxster, that would kill any/all interest for me.