When the Porsche Cayman GT4 was first announced in May, there were concerns that the range-topping coupe could cannibalize 911 sales.
As it stood, the 340-horsepower Cayman GTS could hit 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds, which was only .2 seconds slower than the 911 Carrera S. It accomplished this feat while being almost $25,000 cheaper, so there wasn’t a lot of wiggle room for the GT4 to improve without rubbing shoulders with the lofty 911 GT3.
However, we had no performance specifications at that time, so an educated guess was the best we could do.
That all changed today, because according to a report by Car Magazine, there’s a new Porsche on the block, and it looks to be going toe-to-toe with the legendary 911.
The GT4 will forgo the naturally aspirated, 3.4-liter flat-six from the GTS in favor of a twin-turbo, 3.8-liter boxer unit that produces 450 hp. That makes it the first turbocharged Cayman ever, and its high output places it firmly in 911 territory. The current 911 GT3 (Type 991) pumps out 475 hp from its free-breathing 3.8-liter flat-six. It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds.
We don’t have pricing info on the GT4 yet, but if it follows the Cayman’s trend, it should be much cheaper than its 911 brother while boasting similar performance figures. For reference, the current 911 GT3 costs $130,400.
Of course, there’s a lot more to Porsche than simple horsepower figures. The 911 GT3 is naturally aspirated while the Cayman GT4 is not, and that alone guarantees a completely different driving character. Unfortunately for us, the GT3 vs. GT4 dilemma won’t be coming up anytime soon, as the hardcore Cayman won’t be out until at least 2016.
(Photos via Car Magazine)
