Porsche’s GT division has used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to promote its latest offerings: The 718 Boxster Spyder and 718 Cayman GT4.
Both cars shun the industry trend for downsizing and forced induction, donning a naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine and a manual gearbox. Porsche says they will offer enthusiasts “unadulterated driving pleasure”, a “high level of agility and an almost intimate proximity to the centre of power”.
All the news from the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed as it happens
These faster, purer and more hardcore variants of the existing Boxster and Cayman join at the entry point in the road-going GT line-up, but both make use of an engine bored out and adapted from the 3.0-litre unit of the latest Porsche 911.
The new 4.0-litre flat six – up from the 3.8 litres of the previous Spyder and GT4 – forms a new engine family called 9A2 Evo. It ditches the turbocharger found in the 991-series 911 Carrera but still manages to put out 414bhp.
That figure is 44bhp and 35bhp more than the previous Spyder and GT4 respectively. The new unit revs out to 8000rpm and delivers peak torque of 310lb ft between a relatively high 5000rpm and 6800rpm.
The result is that both models are capable of 0-62mph in 4.4sec, with the Spyder managing a top speed of 187mph and the GT4 topping out at 188mph.
Both cars put their power down through a six-speed manual gearbox only. A Porsche spokesman told Autocar: “If the market asks for PDK, it [an automatic version] might be feasible, but the spirit of the cars and customer demand is very much oriented to manual.”
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No GT3 Engine :((
So no detuned GT3 engine?
Engine makes Sense
Engine choice makes sense on many levels. The detuned GT3 engine would be relatively easy to return to its normal state of tune, or close to, and that would upset the hierarchy. GT3 engine is also perceived as a more expensive unit to produce and almost certainly is, and finally the performance of this GT4 is deliberately kept below the GT3 for obvious marketing reasons so does not need the GT3 unit. Although the PDK is again absent on this model, don't rule out the long rumoured GT4RS to appear 18 months from now equipped with said GT3 unit and PDK. The next gen GT3 will be out by then and with its improved performance will leave the window open for the GT4RS. It's well documented that test mules with the GT3 engine have been running, and with PDK or sequential. So you know its coming this time around.
How many sales have been lost?
The irony is that in the real world the 6 is probably not that much less economical especially if driven hard when turbos really use it fast.
The S should get a 6
But why not sell the base car with a 4 and the S versions with a flat 6? The base version would be faster so plenty would still pick it but those that love a 6 and the smoothness and soundtrack could get the S.
paulmt123 wrote:
The slower the better (within reason) because you'll have more time to enjoy that flat 6 howl. Take the 3.0 from the 911, ditch the turbos and enjoy.
Completely agree.
Cars would be so much nicer without the wretched 'ring time obsession.
But it is incredibly encouraging that Porsche is again making lovely, non-turbo, manual cars at slightly plausible prices.
It is a fascinating and positive reflection of their customers in comparison with those of Ferrari.