Porsche: Cayman Base Coupe 2-door on 2040-cars

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Porsche Cayman GT4 spot has us reaching for our driving gloves

We've got to hand it to Porsche for finally unleashing the potential of the Cayman, and not worrying about it infringing on 911 territory. The latest Cayman is, by all accounts, a superb sports car in its own right, gets even better as the Cayman S and that much more so in GTS spec. But the new Cayman GT4 takes things to a whole other level with a 3.8-liter flat six driving 385 horsepower to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual. Old school is what it is, and certifiably off the leash. We brought you the full skinny on the new GT4 late last night when it surfaced, but now Porsche has released a video clip highlighting what makes its new pocket rocket look so great. It's got Nurburgring graffiti, intimidated neighbors, barking fluffy dogs, gape-jawed children, and of course footage of the Cayman GT4 itself doing what it was designed to do. All we need now is to get our driving gloves on its Alcantara steering wheel and ball-shaped shifter.

Porsche reportedly working on new turbocharged flat-four boxer engine?

These days, we've seen just about every automaker dropping cylinders in an effort to appease tightening fuel economy and emission standards - and Porsche is no exception. Nearly three years after introducing an all-new V6 powerplant under the front hood of its Panamera sedan (launched with a range of V8 engines) comes word that Porsche is working on an all-new turbocharged flat-four boxer to replace the flat-six engines mid-mounted in its Cayman and Boxster models.
Specifics have yet to be learned, but reports say the engine is a derivative of the current 3.8-liter six (shown above) found under the rear decklid of the Carrera S, yet with two fewer cylinders. Fitted with a turbocharger, direct-injection and the automaker's VarioCam Plus, the new all-aluminum 2.5-liter flat-four will likely develop upwards of 350 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. Redline should be about 7,500 rpm. Initial indications say that Porsche will only offer the new engine with its seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic, tuned to take advantage of the low-end torque, but a traditional six-speed manual gearbox has not been ruled out. Despite the loss of two cylinders, enthusiasts will likely embrace the new engine as it promises to be lighter, more fuel efficient and more powerful than the 2.7-liter and 3.4-liter sixes in the Cayman/Boxster today.
Even though Porsche has been using Volkswagen Group engines for years (e.g., Cayenne V6, Cayenne Diesel and upcoming Macan), all indications are that the new flat-four will not be shared. Instead, it will be kept in-house for the automaker's sports cars and possible future fitment in an entry-level 911.

Auto journalist ordered to pay big money for blowing up Porsche 917 engine [UPDATE]

Racecars blow engines all the time, but a Porsche 917 isn't just a run-of-the-mill racecar. British automotive writer Mark Hales reportedly borrowed a 917 from 82-year-old former Formula One racer David Piper for a magazine article, and mechanical tragedy ensued. Nobody is arguing that the engine failed after being spun to 8,200 rpm. However, Hales was warned not to exceed 7,000 rpm, says owner Piper, and the affair landed in English courts with Piper seeking £50,000 - over $79,000 US - in reimbursement funds for an engine rebuild and loss of use of the car while it was being repaired. Judge Simon Brown ruled in favor of car owner Piper, putting Hales on the hook for £110,000 ($174,000) including legal fees - a whole lot of money in any language.
Hales says the Porsche suffered a mechanical fault while lapping that allowed it to slip out of gear and over-rev. Piper wasn't convinced, and sought to have the repair paid for by the guy who broke the racer, saying "If you bend it, you mend it." It's not like Hales is a novice driver, having seat time in both professional and amateur races over 30 years, notching about 150 wins, but even the best drivers sometimes miss a shift, and that's what Piper contended happened to his car.
According to reports, Hales has had to sell most of his valuables to pay his lawyers and is now facing bankruptcy with the ruling against him. Members of the Pistonheads website are trying to coordinate a collection to help him out, as well.