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Porsche already considering even more hardcore Cayman GT4 RS?

We're not sure what kind of person would look at the new Porsche Cayman GT4 and say "that's not enough," but we're sure they're out there. And to satisfy just such a customer, Porsche could very well offer a GT4 RS version in the future. "This is just the beginning of the era. I would be interested in doing a Cayman GT4 RS version, but at the moment we didn't even talk about such a thing. If the customers call for something like this we could think about it." These are the words of Andreas Preuninger, speaking with Evo at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show this week. As head of Porsche's GT line, Preuninger and his team are responsible for creating hardcore track models like the 911 GT3, the new 911 GT3 RS and – for the first time – the new Cayman GT4. Clearly buoyed by the early success of the GT4, Prenuninger is already looking towards the next step. Considering that the existing model already packs a 3.8-liter flat six with 385 horsepower and the manual transmissions so many GT3 fans miss, we're not sure how much more they could get out of the Cayman – but we'll sure enjoy watching them try.

Car companies may need to start curbing model proliferation

Looking at the current automotive landscape, especially from German makers, you quickly get the impression that less definitely isn't more. BMW alone offers its 3 Series platform in practically every segment possible, including the regular sedan and 4 Series Gran Coupe, which would seem to be direct competitors. Porsche might be the winner, though, with 20 different variants of the 911 listed for sale on its US website. However, some of this model madness might be reaching an end as companies begin cutting back spending or shifting money to other priorities.
According to Yahoo Finance, the offerings from the German automakers are up 25 percent over the past three years to over 200 models in Europe. The peak is expected to come around 2018 at 230 separate vehicles, according to consulting company PwC.
Amazingly, BMW, which is among the poster children for this model explosion, might be changing its tune. "I'm sure there will be points in the future where we look at certain cars and say, 'Maybe we need to think differently now,'" said head of sales Ian Robertson in an interview, according to Yahoo Finance. The statement certainly sounds shocking coming from a company rumored to have 23 front-wheel-drive vehicles all using a single platform on the way.

McLaren rules out Porsche Cayman competitor

McLaren has gone downmarket with the introduction of its new Sports Series, but don't expect it to go any lower than that. So while the 570S goes up against the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 Turbo, the likes of the TT and Cayman can rest easy. Speaking with Autocar, McLaren designer Robert Melville ruled out the prospect of developing a sports car positioned lower than the Sports Series. Melville dismissed the idea of a Cayman rival from Woking as "a step too far" and "not exclusive enough" for McLaren. "You look at Ferrari. They are coming from very high end. [The 570S] is stretching us down to R8s and 911s and is as low as we'd want to come." The limit may be dictated, more than anything, by the building blocks. The newly introduced Sports Series adopts the same essential hard points as the higher-end Super Series (650S) and Ultimate Series (P1). Like its more expensive siblings, it features a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and bolted to the back of a carbon monocoque chassis. Only instead of selling for $265k like the 650S or over $1 million like the P1, the 570S will retail for under $190k. Volume is how the manufacturer aims to make up the difference. In fact McLaren stands to generate as much revenue (if not necessarily the same profit margin) selling 2,500 units in the Sports Series each year as it has producing all 375 examples of the P1. Making those same building blocks available at a lower price point – or developing an entirely new set – would be an entirely different proposition... one which McLaren is evidently less than keen to undertake. So while we can look forward to new versions of the Sports Series to follow – including Spider and GT variants soon to follow – more commonplace stablemate appears to be off the table. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 McLaren 570S: First Drive View 34 Photos News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Copyright 2015 AOL McLaren Porsche Performance Supercars mclaren 570s mclaren sports series