Pampered Targa 4s, Sport Chrono Plus, Nav, Manual on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Porsche shows off Cayman GT4 Clubsport in new video

Amateur racers rejoiced last week when Porsche unveiled a track-ready version of the Cayman GT4 at the 2015 LA Auto Show. Now, the company is doing a bit of publicity for the new track car, featuring the race-ready Clubsport video in a stylish, 53-second video clip. There's not a lot to it, to be honest. We see the GT4 Clubsport, we hear it briefly, but that's about it. So if you were hoping that we'd finally get a look at the stripped down cabin, we're sorry to disappoint you. Still, it's good to see Porsche's newest track car in motion for the first time. For those that need a refresher, the GT4 Clubsport retains the standard car's 3.8-liter flat-six engine, but pairs it with the company's super-fast dual-clutch transmission. Combined with basic safety equipment – racing buckets, six-point harnesses, a full roll cage, and a fire suppression system – and suspension components from the company's other entry level racer, the 911 GT3 Cup, and you get a race-ready, mid-engined coupe for the reasonable sum of $165,000. Related Video:

Porsche ready to pick itself up after Le Mans failure

It's safe to say that things for Porsche didn't go quite as well at Le Mans this year as it might have hoped. After a sixteen-year gap, the winningest manufacturer in endurance racing history returned to the Circuit de la Sarthe this year hoping maybe not for outright victory in its first time back, but definitely a strong finish on which it could build on for next year. All the while it undoubtedly hoped its 911s would hold their own in the GT classes.
Unfortunately for Porsche, neither happened. After racing around the clock, and despite actually leading the festivities for some time, the best its 919 Hybrid could manage was an eleventh-place finish, lagging lamentably behind not only the other LMP1s (like the race-winning Audi) but also a handful of LMP2s. Meanwhile the LMGTE Pro and LMGTE Am titles went to the factory-backed teams of its arch-rivals Ferrari and Aston Martin, respectively.
Not a stellar result, in other words, but Porsche is taking it all in stride - accepting that it has a ways to go while congratulating its vanquishing rivals in the video below. It's good sportsmanship if we've ever seen it. Next year's race starts now.

Porsche planning Cayman GT4, 700-hp Turbo S e-Hybrids

The old wisdom when it came to the Porsche lineup was that the Boxster and Cayman needed to be kept in line so as not to encroach on even the lower end of the 911 range. But with the latest versions of the compact roadster and coupe, that logic has gone out the window. Especially with the introduction of the latest GTS models (pictured above). But that's not the end of the story. According to Motor Trend, Porsche is working on an even more powerful version of the Cayman that could carry the GT4 badge, positioning itself along the same lines as the 911 GT3 and GT2 – only, you know, smaller. Although our sources at Porsche would, predictably, neither confirm nor deny the report, MT has it that power could come from either a turbo-four or a more powerful flat-six, mated to the beefed-up DCT from the latest 911 GT3. A similar version of the Boxster could bring back the RS Spyder designation. That's not all Porsche is said to have in store, though. Based on the engineering that went into the 918 Spyder, Porsche could roll out a new range-topping model for the 911, Panamera and maybe even the Cayenne, packing a version of the 918's PHEV powertrain. Slotting in above the existing Turbo S variants of each model line, the new flagship models could pack 700 horsepower or more and be designated e-Hybrid in similar fashion as the 918.