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Porsche GT division rules out AWD, SUVs

Any German automaker worth its lap times needs a performance division. Mercedes has AMG, BMW has the M division, Audi has Quattro GmbH with its S and RS models... even Volkswagen has its R line of hot hatches. And though Porsche is a performance automaker unto itself, even it has a performance division. It's called Porsche GT, and though it's been branching outside the 911 range lately, don't expect it to wander too far. According to Car and Driver, which spoke recently with Porsche GT boss Andreas Preuninger and R&D chief Wolfgang Hatz, there are limits to what the division will do. And while those limits may have been broadened to include technologies like turbocharging and dual-clutch transmissions, they won't stretch as far as all-wheel drive. Take a look at the previous-generation 997 and what separated the 911 GT2 from the 911 Turbo was principally its all-wheel-drive system. Porsche GT isn't planning on doing a GT2 this time around – the new GT3 RS occupying that territory on its own – but the next generation (whether it wears the number 2 or 3) will likely go turbo along with most of the rest of the 911 family. The exclusion of all-wheel drive from the Porsche GT parts bin also means that the division won't be taking on the company's SUVs like the Cayenne and Macan. So the Cayenne GTS will be as extreme as it gets, taking on the likes of the BMW X5 M, Mercedes GL63 and Audi SQ5 without the help of Zuffenhausen's racing department. We can't expect the PDK to stick around though, so to speak. Though the new Cayman GT4 packs a manual transmission, the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS have dual-clutch gearboxes. Moving forward, Preuninger says they'll leave it up to prospective customers to decide which type of transmission they'll build into their most extreme performance models.

Porsche announces Cayman GT4 with 911 GT3 components

For years, there's been a debate among Porsche fans about which of its products is a better sports car, the 911 or the Cayman. It would only take a few sentences before those in the Cayman corner said that Porsche wouldn't make the Cayman as good as it could be for fear of overshadowing The Number One Son. We have a feeling these conversations are going to get a lot livelier with the introduction of the Cayman GT4, which pilfers lightly from the 911 Carrera S and heavily from the 911 GT3. On the outside, you can look to its front fascia, wheels, and fixed rear wing, and 30-millimmeter lower ride height for GT3 inspirations. Underneath, there's a 385-horsepower, 3.8-liter flat-six engine amidships, credited as being derived from the Carrera S. While there are those out there still lamenting the fact that the GT3 can only be had with a dual-clutch transmission, the Cayman GT4 "transmits its power solely through a six-speed manual transmission with dynamic gearbox mounts." Yeah. So take that. The extra power reduces the Cayman GT4's 0-to-60 mile per hour sprint to 4.2 seconds, a half second quicker than the 340-hp Cayman GTS, and bumps top speed up to 183 mph. An interesting nugget: Porsche says the Cayman GT4 runs the Nurburgring in seven minutes and 40 seconds, which it credits as the same time run by the 2011 911 GT3. Porsche has never offered a precise time for the current 911 GT3, saying only that it's "under 7:30," and Internet rumor (grab your salt lick) is that the not-yet-introduced GT3 RS has done a 7:20. We don't have all of its details yet – those will come closer to its introduction at the Geneva Motor Show next month – but we're told of a lot more 911 GT3 parts underneath, like the chassis that "consists almost entirely of components from the 911 GT3" and that all of its "technical aspects are based on the 911 GT3." If you want to take it further, the options sheet will include ceramic brakes and carbon fiber bucket seats. This new top-shelf Cayman gets to dealerships in the US in July with a starting price of $84,600 before a $995 destination charge. You'll find a few more bits of info in the press release below. A New Member of Porsche's GT Family The benchmark in its class: the Porsche Cayman GT4 Atlanta, Feb. 3, 2015 - Porsche's GT family is proud to announce the addition of an exciting new member: the Cayman GT4. This is the first Porsche GT sports car based on the Cayman and features components of the 911 GT3.

McLaren P1 vs Porsche 918 vs Ducati 1199 Superleggera in epic standing-mile drag race

We live in a high-tech supercar renaissance, with the Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1 and Ferrari LaFerrari all duking it out for performance supremacy. All three members of this power trio place the engine behind the driver and use some kind of hybrid assist. However, each one finds a slightly different way to make that setup work. While all of the tech is insanely cool, let's just admit that we are all really wondering which one is the quickest and which is the fastest. Autocar aims to find out in a new video pitting two of them against a surprise challenger in the standing mile.
Unfortunately, the race is missing the Ferrari, despite Autocar's best efforts. So instead, it has another limited-edition, high-performance vehicle from Italy in the form of the Ducati 1199 Superleggera. The bike has just two cylinders, but at 1.2-liters of displacement, it makes over 200 horsepower, and all that gumption is packaged into a magnesium monocoque body with carbon fiber bodywork to keep weight low. Granted, the cycle is going up against the 875-hp Porsche and 903-hp McLaren, but traction, aerodynamics and gearing all play a part in this fascinating video.
There's no sense in ruining the winner before watching, but Autocar teases that the finish is one of its closest drag races ever. Check out the video to find out just what that means.