I would say I’m over budget. But I have a component level understanding of the special edition cars like the Jaguar SVR, and why they cost double. They’re actually a good value.
Essentially I could have bought a GT4 instead of modding this car beyond brakes, but let’s be honest I would get into modding that also (suspension, rotor replacements, etc.) It’s a very tail happy car (nose is impossibly light).
If they do another GT4 (big if as far as race homologation) I think it will have to be turbo as the new 718 S loaded is within 1 second of the current GT4. That might make it a marketing name only unless they start racing turbos in the junior leagues.
I didn’t find the GT4 tail happy, it’s very neutral in my opinion I drove one in the wet and it was perfection. I have only driven a base model Cayman to compare it to, but it was much more neutral than my S4. I don’t think Porsche will turbo it, the GT4 exists for drivers who still want a kinetic experience that can’t be satiated in the post GTR world. It’s the reason why people still spend 40k on a used Lotus Elise/Exige. That kinetic in touch driving experience is becoming a thing of the past, everything is yaw controlled DSG, electro steering with PASM dampening and etc. The GTR is not that much more than Cayman GT4, but is infinitely faster than any Porsche made right now outside of the 918… That being said, most GT4 or even GTS owners would never even consider a GTR as it is as far from that experience as possible. I liken the GTR is to driving as the flesh light is to sex. An awesome but ultimately artificial experience.
My point is the GT4 should be as kinetic as possible because that’s the premium people are paying for. That being said, the Viper ACR might just be the last great super car currently produced as far as a raw driving experience, pretty sure that if it was legal they would have opted to omit ABS and other nuances that stifle the driving experience. Naturally Aspirated engines still hold so much more value to me, that’s why I still think that the 458 is infinitely better than the 488… But I’m getting off point.
Porsche owners were so pissed about a PDK in the GT3 RS that Porsche had to rebuild a new model for them. It actually annoys me that the GTR has influenced the corporate culture so much that the obsession with ring times has made excellent computers and terrible cars. The Cayman is still one of the last true sports cars offering some spirit. The mx 5 is pretty damn good as well, lotus is still where I set my benchmark. There are always better faster cars, but at this point the GT4 is my dream car should I win the lottery.
I don’t know. I like my 981 a lot but I don’t think it’s god’s chariot. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to run it as a dedicated track car. The rear suspension is just a front suspension without the steering rack. It’s weird that the rear track isn’t wider than the front track, given the rear weight bias and light nose. The steering has no ackerman correction so the springs bind at low speed. It’s an unsophisticated ride in some ways, almost like when the mustang has the live axle. I’m in the camp that would rather go up to a 991, rather than drop $100k on a GT4.
These are really minor complaints on one of the best drivers cars you can buy. I’d make a much bigger list on the Miata.
The only cars getting sideways at an Audi track day are Cayman S, GTS, GT4. They’re easy to hold in a slide, but they’re also quite easy to spin.
