Dave GT4

All this complaining about gearing is very humorous to me.

I don't see anybody who has driven the car say that the gearing is making the GT4 slower.

Walter R certainly proved the car is damn fast if you know how to adjust to it and drive the thing right.

Walters lap time with a 170lb passenger in tow trumps all this concern about tall gears.

CH the drifter doesn't make up my mind for me.

fishing

I finally got home and started to read through the forum. This car has many upgrades to make it track durable and it should be softer on the road than the 997 GT3s. I also noticed rear brake cooling ducts on the video. Brake issues appear to be solved and the brakes are top notch. I wish they would have reviewed the cooling systems and third radiator set up.

It needs to be compared to the 991S. With all these changes, it should be a much better all around track car than the 991S (feel free to correct me as I really am not up to date on the 991S, but this car has its engine plus better suspension and brakes than a 991S). I want a track car to handle the heat, have an adjustable stout suspension, and top notch brakes. My only wish would be for lower gearing. The GT3 is going to blow it away coming out of 40-50 mph turns leading to straights. So will Vipers and any other high torque or well geared HP car. Others may like this gearing better for different reasons or applications.

I think Chris Harris's written review was written to relieve the 991 GT3 guys. That is understandable and will hopefully open up some allocations as maybe some 918 and GT3 guys won't bother with this car. It is positioned to keep them in GT3s, not convert them to GT4s.

Unlike some, I am kind of looking forward to the auto blipping. I really want to improve entry and mid corner speed and this will allow that while at the same time allow you to row the gears. I am a good shifter, but one imperfect downshift (taking away the smoothness of corner entry, be it the shift, rev match, or less smooth braking) will cost you 1/4 second or so on that lap. (I wish you didn't even have to use the clutch to shift. I am used to and love clutchless shifting and left foot braking.)

orthojoe

I agree.
I don't recall much whining about the gearing in the cayman GTS
I've driven the cayman GTS on track don't find the gearing to be a problem
Maybe it could be shorter to take better advantage of the powerband, but that also means I need to shift more in and out of each corner. This would translate into more potential errors since it IS a manual. Some find the extra shifting a plus, and others don't. Either way, it's not a deal killer.

I don't get the complaints about steering either. I've driven both the cayman GTS and 991 GT3 on track and the steering is just fine on both.

DeerHunter

In the Pete Stout test drive thread, I posted my thoughts about this. It's entirely possible that Porsche tested various ratios and determined that these were ideal for getting around the 'average' track in the least amount of time. It's also entirely possible that they took an off-the-shelf gearset (from the GTS), heat-treated them for strength, put them in and said "good enough".

Even if the former were the case (and the cynic is me says that it's too much of a coincidence that the ratios are exactly the same as a car with smaller engine and less sporting intent), it's still a shame because there won't be much cause to shift on your average back road. Second and third will probably be all you need, unless you can really stretch the car's legs (and in that case it's not so much a back road anymore). Whatever the reason, driving enjoyment will be diminished. It still may (make that most likely) be a blast, but it could have been better.

IMO.

Macca

Perhaps the GT4 is the beginning of Porsche wholesaling the GT franchise. Otherwise there is no way a non drysump low Erving main stream production line engine would be allowed as part of the formula. This car was developed quickly. AP has a mandate to become a GT factory now curtesy of the VAG paymasters. I suspect we will see much more GT product like this downstream....Macan GT4 anyone lol!

neanicu

I tend to agree...
They're washing down the GT badge...
My money's on a Macan GT2 RS. Twin Turbo,rear wheel drive,700HP...madness I tell you...MADNESS!!!

GT4000

i agree with this. and ill probably go out on a limb here, but if the gt4 was set up for 'a' specific track, it will most likely by the nordschleife where they did extensive track testing. in addition, when i took my cayman gts around that track i never felt the gear ratios were off... so, i'm fairly certain that the gt4 will, too, perform quite admirably on the ring... and on the autobahn, and any other place ill take it... id like to think that ill take it as it comes and learn to deal with it, have it changed at on my own dime, or buy a different car...
just my 0.02c

orthojoe

This is exactly what BMW did with their 'M' designation. I hope Porsche doesn't go down that road. I'll lose a lot of respect for them if they do.

Petevb

Lol... What color are your glasses? No one has said it's slower, but virtually everyone who's driven the car has complained about the gearing.

Ideal gearing for lap speed is track specific, but for most US tracks a shorter 3rd particularly would generally produce quicker laps. That's missing the point however: the car's entire ethos is not about lap times, it's about feel and driving enjoyment. If virtually everyone complains that the taller gearing reduces their driving enjoyment, that's game. Not in itself a reason not to buy the car, but a totally valid criticism. And for some uses, like autocross... Lightyears slower.

Macca

Lol!!

997rs4.0

I think Porsche is killing it at the moment!

Gt3 that is great at track and undoubtably the best DD Gt ever made!

Gt4 at $85k dollars seems like a heck of a deal! Sometimes I think we forget about the price and just look at the little things that could have been better. I agree with the gearing for some regions and tracks. But I think for the German Autobahn the gearing is perfect. Constantly between 70-130mph.

Gt3RS is actually a gt3+! They made a great car even better. My guess is that it will be very street friendly and a monster at the track! But personally I'm still waiting for the real RS.

Beantown Kman

Two surprises from the Chris Harris (and others) review:

1. The brakes on the GT4, either variety, are truly a gift from the Motorsports division. Yet he didn't really comment about them. I guess he slows the car enough by pitching and sliding it through the turns that he really doesn't need to use the brakes all that much.

2. The ride quality, while acknowledged to be firm, appears to be more acceptable on public roads than was expected.

arena-RTR

I don't understand why everyone keeps talking about this. It, like the GT3, and EVERY OTHER CAR sub $900k, could be "so much more". NO ****. They are designing it to hit a price point. If they put a 4.0 liter in it, a pdk transmission, and a bunch of new carbon fiber aero like the GT3RS, it would be as fast as a GT3 RS, and cost $190k. What is your point?

Dave GT4

My glasses tell me if it doesn't make it slower on track there is nothing to complain about in my book.

You mean autocross where Miata's beat GT3's?

orthojoe

The brakes are a gift because at that size, there is zero chance of overheat and the rotors and pads will last much longer, meaning running costs are lower.

Some people will never be satisfied until the car being made is almost exactly like a car they already own or once owned which was considered awesome. Then, if by some small chance that car is actually made, they won't buy the car anyway because it's too much like the car they own or used to own. You can't win with some people.