[Porsche 718 News]

Porsche’s next-generation 718 Cayman GT4 was spied testing on public roads in Europe and it seems to be sporting quite the dirty backside. From the looks of it, that dirt is all the camouflage this mule has and we’re not complaining.

The more performance oriented 718 Cayman is showing off an aggressive from facia with some redesigned air intakes featuring extra vents and a more prominent splitter. If you look closely though the windows, you may even see a roll cage. Moving to the rear, we’re given a good view of an updated diffuser with exhaust tips on either side of the vehicle’s centre line, fixed wing, and what seems to be taillights borrowed from the 2018 GTS.

Though its powertrain remains hidden, we most likely won’t see a turbocharged flat-four hiding under that bonnet. In fact, CarScoops thinks the 718 Cayman GT4 may be getting a detuned version of the 911 GT3’s 4.0-liter six-cylinder unit. Rumored to be offered with a manual gearbox and optional PDK transmission, the new GT4 could deliver in excess of 400 horsepower.

Now the biggest question we have is when the next-gen GT4 will debut. With the lack of camouflage on this test mule, we can expect Porsche to officially reveal it in a few months.

 

[Porsche2018]

Hope that is going to happen. Would buy a 718 GT4.........

 

[RussellHodgson]

Will this make the 981 GT4 prices come down considerably?

 

[Acky]

Latest rumors are different from what the author has written.
GT4, manual only, flat 6 turbo engine or new 3.8L flat 6 n/a engine. No detuned 4L GT3 engine for the GT4.

More and more rumors about flat 6 turbo. Difficult to believe, but maybe they are force to do that, because of new emission rules in europe starting september 2018.
All seen prototypes were manual. Normally almost all Porsche prototypes are PDK. This forces me to think GT4 will be manual only. It's a shame. Why not let us choose.

 

[4802]

Latest rumors are different from what the author has written.
GT4, manual only, flat 6 turbo engine or new 3.8L flat 6 n/a engine. No detuned 4L GT3 engine for the GT4.

More and more rumors about flat 6 turbo. Difficult to believe, but maybe they are force to do that, because of new emission rules in europe starting september 2018.
All seen prototypes were manual. Normally almost all Porsche prototypes are PDK. This forces me to think GT4 will be manual only. It's a shame. Why not let us choose.[/QUOTE

Didn't Porsche state quite categorically that a flat six turbo wouldn't fit in the available space? I believe that was the reason given for adopting a flat four turbo. If it turned out that a flat six turbo actually would fit it then would be a bit of a customer relations nightmare (because basically it would mean they lied or that some of their engineers are incompetent). Either way it wouldn't look good. Not that I would personally be bothered, as having lived with a flat 4 turbo I find that for driving enjoyment it's far superior to the normally aspirated flat six units it replaced. A larger capacity normally aspirated flat six or a slightly tuned flat four turbo makes sense (because it's naturally capable of more power & being held back somewhat) but as for a turbo 6? Even though I could be wrong that doesn't sound very realistic to me.

 

[Acky]

Yes, I also not believe this flat 6 turbo rumors. But they are strong.
In the end 3.8 n/a will come....

718 Spyder pics, very good quality:
Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder Spy Photos - 718 Boxster Spyder Test Mule Photos

 

[RsZk]

Man, love the rumor mill on engine type.
Can't wait till it comes out. I'm thinking of putting a deposit on one as I can get my deposit back if I want, but it would be good to secure an allocation.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

having lived with a flat 4 turbo I find that for driving enjoyment it's far superior to the normally aspirated flat six units it replaced.

Based on my owning/driving experience with n/a f6 engines of 3.2, 3.4 and 3.6 litres, I quite agree with statement above. The sixes were all lovely free-revving, utterly reliable engines of relatively high specific power output at peak rpms. The new engine is all that (so far) with far more tractability across the power band, V8-like low-end grunt, and greater efficiency.

Naturally I'd love to see the turbo-four unleashed to its max potential in the GT4 format. But those cars are sold in such small numbers as track-oriented specials, however powered they are less representative of the 718 formula than the upcoming GTS. I'm more interested in seeing how those perform as the most powerful (so far) expression of the mid-engined/turbo-4 package....

 

[4802]

Yes, I also not believe this flat 6 turbo rumors. But they are strong.
In the end 3.8 n/a will come....

Whilst I think it's a total none starter, I really hope I'm wrong. I'd love to see it equipped with a flat six turbo & think that combination would be awesome.

 

[Cinnamon]

The limitation in 718 engine space is at the front, as I understand it. Room for turbo hardware or room for two more cylinders, not both... But could the turbo(s) be relocated to the rear of the flat 6, simplifying the plumbing while sacrificing some trunk space?

I'd think a turbo solution, whether 4 or 6 cyl, would be most likely given current/future regulatory limitations. Perhaps the flat four could get a modest displacement boost to, say, 2.7 L? And perhaps a turbo flat 6 would be 3.0 L or so?

Doug

 

[4802]

The limitation in 718 engine space is at the front, as I understand it. Room for turbo hardware or room for two more cylinders, not both... But could the turbo(s) be relocated to the rear of the flat 6, simplifying the plumbing while sacrificing some trunk space?

I'd think a turbo solution, whether 4 or 6 cyl, would be most likely given current/future regulatory limitations. Perhaps the flat four could get a modest displacement boost to, say, 2.7 L? And perhaps a turbo flat 6 would be 3.0 L or so?

Doug

I don't know the intricacies of what might be possible & nor would I pretend to. I'm just purely going by what Porsche themselves were reported to have said, which was basically there was insufficient room to accommodate more than four cylinders alongside a turbo & the extra plumbing required.

 

[trusted]

If it comes with a 3.0L turbo flat 4 with 400+hp I'd be interested.

 

[OldJedi]

If it comes with a 3.0L turbo flat 4 with 400+hp I'd be interested.

A punched out 3.0 liter turbo four in a Boxster/Cayman with 400 HP would be a very cool car no matter what letters are on the back bumper.

 

[dpcompt]

3 liter turbo

A punched out 3.0 liter turbo four in a Boxster/Cayman with 400 HP would be a very cool car no matter what letters are on the back bumper.

They would have to put some pretty hefty rubber on the rear.

 

[trusted]

A punched out 3.0 liter turbo four in a Boxster/Cayman with 400 HP would be a very cool car no matter what letters are on the back bumper.

Wouldn't that be awesome? Porsche did some amazing 3.0L turbo 4 in its history. I'd applaud them for putting one in a GT 718.

 

[ZuffenHouseRules]

I share the sentiment, would have preferred to see the new GT4 as an expression of the overall 718 package -- chassis plus H4 turbo. Somehow dropping the big n/a 4.0 in there now feels more like an LT conversion (Chevy small block V8 hybrid) than it did in previous GT4....

But 3.0 liters doesn't align with the current 9A2 all-turbo engine architecture shared between 718 and 911.

The 2.0 is two-thirds longitudinally (four of six cylinders) of the 3.0 in 991.2 Carrera, S, and GTS.
The 2.5 is two-thirds of the 3.8 in 991.2 Turbo, S, and GT2.

Both H4 engines share block and cylinder design, bore/stroke, valve size, valve-gear and pistons (in principle; some special metallurgy, forged or hardened bits on the GT2, etc.), EFI, and DME with their H6 counterpart. This symmetry is by design, must make for big efficiencies in development and manufacturing.

But given the 3.8 in GT2 RS is over 700hp (two-thirds of which is 467), then 400+ appears easily within reach of the 2.5 with mods like the big new VTG turbo in the GT2. Alas, not in the upcoming GT4 but perhaps in the soon-to-follow facelift 982? Remember, the 981 GT4 was matched in performance within a year by the current 982 S...

 

[JakiChan]

They were running around the SF Bay Area last weekend for sure. Multiple videos posted to a Facebook group I belong to (Bay Are Car Spotters) had a couple of what were believed to be 992s, a 718 GT4, and a 718 Sypder.

And yes, I’m also bummed if it’s an NA six simply because, with all of the drama around the turbo 4 I’d prefer for nothing to come along to cause people to question Porsche’s commitment. You KNOW they’re gonna say “See! Even Porsche knows turbo 4s suck!”

That being said...still happy with my CS.

 

[porkey]

They were running around the SF Bay Area last weekend for sure. Multiple videos posted to a Facebook group I belong to (Bay Are Car Spotters) had a couple of what were believed to be 992s, a 718 GT4, and a 718 Sypder.

And yes, I’m also bummed if it’s an NA six simply because, with all of the drama around the turbo 4 I’d prefer for nothing to come along to cause people to question Porsche’s commitment. You KNOW they’re gonna say “See! Even Porsche knows turbo 4s suck!”

That being said...still happy with my CS. /forum/images/718forum/smilies/tango_face_smile.png

...I understand what you're saying but it really isn't a lack of commitment to the 718 and its turbo 4, (which certainly does not "suck"), but rather a commitment to BOTH the GT3 and GT4 obtaining power from a NA flat six (I consider the turbo GT2 in a separate class). This commitment to the GT3 and GT4, regardless of the 718's turbo 4 or the 911's twin turbo 6, is best summarized in a quote from Porsche GT boss, Andreas Preuninger, "at motorsport we think we can achieve throttle response and immediacy a little bit better with an atmospheric high-revving engine than any kind of turbo". How long will that last, only time will tell. But I appreciate being able to continue to experience and own (2019), a traditional NA flat 6 in the phenomenal mid engine Cayman platform and I applaud Porsche for offering it as long as they can, but I feel the days for such an offering are coming to an end. I suspect you may get your wish in the not too distant future.

 

[Chris NZ]

That's not how a normally aspirated six 6 will be perceived though. It will certainly provide fuel to the naysayers who are yet to accept a Porsche with a turbocharged flat four. It's also worth noting that the baby cars below the GT3 all have a flat six (albeit tubocharged) engine so it makes sense for the engine in a GT3 to be a flat six. Similarly the baby cars below a 718 GT4 have a flat four configuration so a flat four makes sense.

 

[OldJedi]

I share the sentiment, would have preferred to see the new GT4 as an expression of the overall 718 package -- chassis plus H4 turbo. Somehow dropping the big n/a 4.0 in there now feels more like an LT conversion (Chevy small block V8 hybrid) than it did in previous GT4....

But 3.0 liters doesn't align with the current 9A2 all-turbo engine architecture shared between 718 and 911.

The 2.0 is two-thirds longitudinally (four of six cylinders) of the 3.0 in 991.2 Carrera, S, and GTS.q
The 2.5 is two-thirds of the 3.8 in 991.2 Turbo, S, and GT2.

Both H4 engines share block and cylinder design, bore/stroke, valve size, valve-gear and pistons (in principle; some special metallurgy, forged or hardened bits on the GT2, etc.), EFI, and DME with their H6 counterpart. This symmetry is by design, must make for big efficiencies in development and manufacturing.

But given the 3.8 in GT2 RS is over 700hp (two-thirds of which is 467), then 400+ appears easily within reach of the 2.5 with mods like the big new VTG turbo in the GT2. Alas, not in the upcoming GT4 but perhaps in the soon-to-follow facelift 982? Remember, the 981 GT4 was matched in performance within a year by the current 982 S...

Thanks for the above information. I did not know the 2.0 and 2.5 were 2/3 thirds of the 3.0 and 3.8 engines respectively. Soooo.... using your information, what if they used 2/3rds of the 4.0 engine in the GT4? I know this would be a NA H4 engine, but it would probably be easier to just use a NA F6 engine like the last GT4.

But like you said if they continue to use the GT2RS engine as the foundation, getting 400HP would not be that difficult. It would have the bottom end torque that the 981 GT4 did not have plus more horsepower. Because it is coming from the GT division, their thoughts and requirements are probably much different than my thoughts. Thanks again for the information.