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Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport delivers track-only thrills for $165K

Among the cars on display in Los Angeles, production and concept cars are normal. Racers, though, are rather rare. And race-specific models that can be had for less than $200,000 are more or less unheard of. Don't tell that to Porsche, though, because the German automaker has introduced the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport for the relatively reasonable sum of $165,000. For that supercar-worthy price, you'll be getting a number of race-derived parts. As we covered in our preview post, that will include a strong roster of safety equipment, including a full roll cage and six-point harnesses that will keep you pinned in a purposeful racing bucket. The standard 18.5-gallon fuel tank can be replaced with an optional 26.5-gallon setup, while a central fire extinguisher keeps things from getting too hot out on the track. Mechanically, the Clubsport adjusts the Cayman GT4 formula for the track. The road car's 3.8-liter flat-six engine is still mounted amidships, but it's paired with super-quick, six-speed dual-clutch transmission, the critically acclaimed PDK. It's the suspension, though, that sees the most dramatic changes, as Porsche has pressed the front and rear strut suspension from the 911 GT3 Cup into duty for the GT4 Clubsport. The new system is lighter, and contributes to the track star's 2,866-pound curb weight. That's nearly a 100-pound drop over the road car. A set of four 15-inch steel rotors clamped by six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units in the rear should deliver stopping power as impressive as the cornering and acceleration. Amateur racers interested in the new coupe can purchase it directly from Porsche Motorsports North America for competition in the 2016 racing season. Homologation is still being hammered out, but Porsche expects the GT4 Clubsport to be certified for the "VLN Long Distance Championship Nurburgring, the Ultra 94 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, the PCA Club Racing Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trophy East as well as for other club-level competition events around the world." Read on for the official press release. New Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport for the racetrack World premiere in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Porsche has added a new sports car for amateur and club racing to its Motorsports fleet: The Cayman GT4 Clubsport celebrated its world premiere today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Ferrari IPO may turn out to be good news for enthusiasts

Sergio Marchionne's strategy to spin off Ferrari from FCA and make the Italian automaker a publicly traded company has been met with ire from a vocal contingent of enthusiasts ever since rumors about the plan began to surface a few years ago. Some of these particularly pessimistic automotive pundits have voiced fears that with stockholders in the mix, it would not only spell the demise of the exclusive Italian supercar maker as we know it, but would in fact "ruin" the company. Call me dense, but I fail to see what the issue is. That isn't to say that I don't understand what's causing the fear. When profitability becomes a higher priority for a brand that's historically relied on exclusivity to keep its products in the highest echelons of desirability, there's a high potential for internal philosophical conflict. And then there are concerns about the sorts of products that Ferrari might develop that aren't the high-performance sports cars that the brand is known for. But individuals with those apprehensions seem to forget that Ferrari has already lent its name to a multitude of things that are not LaFerraris, 488 GTBs, or F12 Berlinettas, including clothing, headphones, and even laptops. But let's assume for a moment that the core anxiety is about future vehicles – including the unspeakable notion that Ferrari might develop an SUV. Why wouldn't Ferrari build an SUV, especially after seeing how incredibly successful that endeavor has been for Porsche? I think it's likely that Ferrari will put engineers to task creating some sort of crossover or high-rolling cruiser with room for the whole family at some point in the near future. And why wouldn't it, after seeing how incredibly successful that endeavor has been for Porsche? After all, the Cayenne accounted for more US sales in 2013 than the Boxster, Cayman, 911, and 918 combined, and it only gave up about a thousand units of sales last year to make room for the Macan crossover, the latter of which Porsche sold nearly as many of as it did Boxsters and Caymans. People want these vehicles, and they're willing to pay quite a bit of money for them. If we use Porsche's recent trajectory as a foreshadowing metric for what's in store for Ferrari, the future actually looks pretty good. After all, those SUV sales keep plenty of cash in Porsche's coffers for the low-volume projects that we enthusiasts love, like the 918 Spyder and the 911 GT3 RS.

2016 Porsche Boxster Spyder marks the return of something great [w/video]

Welcome back, Porsche Boxster Spyder. We absolutely adored the previous version – a roadster focused solely on driver enjoyment and simplistic perfection. Heck, we didn't even care that it had cloth loops for door handles. And this new model looks to (somehow) offer even more to love. Let's start with that engine: the 3.8-liter flat-six tuned to produce 375 horsepower and mated exclusively to a manual transmission, which powers the Spyder to 60 miles per hour in 4.3 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 180 mph. But power isn't the only thing that makes the Spyder package so great. It uses brakes from the 911 Carrera S, is the lightest Boxster in the range, sits 20 millimeters lower to the ground than the standard car, and still features the manually operated cloth roof from the previous car. And it looks fantastic. Fan-freaking-tastic. Inside, there's a whole lot of nothing, and that's just fine with us. Want a radio? That'll be extra. Air conditioning? Open your wallet for that, too. Seems odd in a car that'll start at $82,100 when it goes on sale later this year. But once again, this Boxster Spyder is a tactile sports car whose only mission is to offer outstanding driving dynamics – comfort options are optional, but not necessary. We can't wait to get our hands on this one. New York International Auto Show 2015: World Premiere of the Boxster Spyder New top model in Boxster family Atlanta. Porsche is highlighting the 2015 convertible season by celebrating the world premiere of the new Boxster Spyder. This pure sports car will make its debut at the New York International Auto Show. The new top model of the Boxster range retains the unique and unmistakable character of the previous Spyder, which has already attained cult status. For example, the classic roadster top is still opened and closed by hand, and the Boxster Spyder is only available with a manual transmission, benefiting both weight savings and driver enjoyment. Staying true to roadster DNA, the Boxster Spyder offers a traditional sports-car driving experience combined with truly exceptional performance. This includes a firm sport suspension with a 20-mm lower ride height, brakes taken from the 911 Carrera S, more direct steering, and a 3.8-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine with an output of 375 hp, culminating in a genuine sports car experience with outstanding driving dynamics. It is the lightest model of the current Boxster line, and the most powerful Boxster to date.