GT4 vs GT3 vs 911 GTS vs Cayman GTS article
06-01-2015, 03:47 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
I can't speak German, but it's not hard to parse the test results page. What's interesting is that the GT4 is at least as fast as a Cayman GTS with PDK, despite having to shift manually and the ridiculously tall gearing. Braking is slightly better (particularly when warm) but the difference is less than I would have guessed, given the stickier Cup 2s. Interior sound levels are higher, but not significantly so (although the type of noise may be more better or worse, depending upon your predilections). It is the lightest car and I suspect much of that difference is PDK vs. manual tranny. Nice to see everything charted out like that.
06-01-2015, 03:53 PM
#3
All that matters is the GT4 is his favorite 
06-01-2015, 04:00 PM
#4
For track comparison purposes, they really should have put them all on the same tires. Having two cars on SC2s and two on P Zeros doesn't make a lot of sense for a track comparison.
06-01-2015, 04:19 PM
#5
Good article, interesting... My German is not what it used to be. One of our German friends please check my translation of the editor's note at the end?
Look at the numbers and you already know the winner: the 911 GT3. But not for me. The Cayman GTS and the 911 Carrera GTS also come close to the sports car ideal, but I feel the GT4 distils the Porsche essence the best. A bit rough, a bit hard, but still everyday useable, mind-bogglingly agile, demanding, precise, emotional, at the same time somehow grounded. This mix intoxicated on the road - where the galactically fast GT3 bored.
06-01-2015, 04:45 PM
#6
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
^Thanks Pete. Sounds exactly like what many here want.
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06-01-2015, 05:17 PM
#8
Racer
I think people will be surprised by the small straight-line performance difference between the GTS and the GT4, but it also confirms my own findings when on track that acceleration out of slow corners the PDK can make up for a lot of horsepower. I find that a 997.1 GT3 needs quite a long straight to claw the advantage back.
I'm guessing that the GTS would have been roughly as fast as the GT4 (probably a bit faster) in this test if it had Cup 2 tires, but it seems that the GT4 is a lot more engaging and fun!
I'm guessing that the GTS would have been roughly as fast as the GT4 (probably a bit faster) in this test if it had Cup 2 tires, but it seems that the GT4 is a lot more engaging and fun!
06-01-2015, 07:23 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
This is good news. I bought the GT4 for fast road and weekend drives. the GT3 for track & touring between tracks. It sounds like my theory may be sound!
06-01-2015, 07:35 PM
#10
Rennlist Member
All separated by exactly 45hp. Just a bit too...perfect.
I don't have the patience to sift through German...is the Carrera GTS a stick or PDK?
I don't have the patience to sift through German...is the Carrera GTS a stick or PDK?
06-01-2015, 07:47 PM
#12
Rennlist Member
Danke.
06-01-2015, 08:08 PM
#14
Rennlist Member
A few things I noted.
The Cayman GT4 is the lightest Ive seen tested. The real world delivered cars Ive seen on the scales (such as nur93 & Evo) are sitting at 1420-1440kg (although often with steel brakes and half cage). I note the test car has PCCB as do all the cars in the review. So maybe its possible to be 1400kg with steel brakes, sport seats and a few other options. Hope so.
The GTSs in the test have a 2s + disadvantage being on street rubber rather than MPSC2 as the GT3+GT4 are. That should more than negate the PDK advantage (1.0-1.5s?) on this length track I would think?
The GT3 is 3.5s faster on this medium length technical track compared to the GT4 both using the same tires. If you negate 1.0-1.5s for PDK then the GT3 is 2.0-2.5s faster than the GT4 over a 2 minute track (assumes a skilled manual driver). You can see why PAg may not want to launch a PDK GT4 or a manual GT3. The difference on a smaller, tighter track may be no more than 1s per 1m lap in the right hands....
The GTS variants are still the best looking IMO.
The GT3 makes the best sound as it runs 7000-9000 rpm. One day someone will put a GT3 engine in a Cayman GT4. That will be interesting!
The Cayman GT4 is the lightest Ive seen tested. The real world delivered cars Ive seen on the scales (such as nur93 & Evo) are sitting at 1420-1440kg (although often with steel brakes and half cage). I note the test car has PCCB as do all the cars in the review. So maybe its possible to be 1400kg with steel brakes, sport seats and a few other options. Hope so.
The GTSs in the test have a 2s + disadvantage being on street rubber rather than MPSC2 as the GT3+GT4 are. That should more than negate the PDK advantage (1.0-1.5s?) on this length track I would think?
The GT3 is 3.5s faster on this medium length technical track compared to the GT4 both using the same tires. If you negate 1.0-1.5s for PDK then the GT3 is 2.0-2.5s faster than the GT4 over a 2 minute track (assumes a skilled manual driver). You can see why PAg may not want to launch a PDK GT4 or a manual GT3. The difference on a smaller, tighter track may be no more than 1s per 1m lap in the right hands....
The GTS variants are still the best looking IMO.
The GT3 makes the best sound as it runs 7000-9000 rpm. One day someone will put a GT3 engine in a Cayman GT4. That will be interesting!
06-01-2015, 10:17 PM
#15
Hockenheim short, Supertest:
991 Carrera S 1:10.4
991 GT3 1:09.6
So 75 hp and suspension / PSC2s found .8 seconds. Two different days, but by that math the PSC2s can't be worth more that ~1 second on a 2 minute course, leaving the Carrera GTS roughly dead even with the GT4 and the Cayman GTS still 3-4 seconds behind. From there is will come down to the track, the Carrera outperforming over bumps and out of tight corners, the GT4 winning in rapid transitions. Very much a driver's race in the real world.
It's interesting that the GT3 got a 10% power bump, suspension and tires over the Carrera GTS and found 3.7% more time.
The GT4 got a 13% power bump, suspension and tires but lost the PDK- it found the identical 3.7% over the Cayman GTS.
Both this and WR's comment suggest that at this speed PDK is not worth quite as much as I'd expected, but it's tricky... Either way it's getting pretty crowded . You can see why the X51 engine wasn't used in the Cayman- give it a 26% power bump and things would get too close for comfort.