SilverRSXJezus

Handlingwise, and as a platform in general.

There was a discussion on clubrsx in the vs forums...it got a bit off topic after a few pagfes or so, but here it is:
http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=403069

I am not very knowledgeable in all the details of those cars...so I was wondering what your opinions were on the 911 vs cayman debate. Is the 911 rear engine platform really dated and inferior to the cayman, or is that still a load of bollocks?

discuss.

Chris Stack

I would say the Cayman probably does have more potential right now. Part of the reason is because it is essentially new, while the 911 has been refined for 40+ years. It's hard to make huge new leaps in the 911's capability (kind of like it's hard to extract more performance from the S2000 engine because it is already quite advanced).

The main stumbling block for the Cayman is heat; it is very hard to pack a lot of power in the Cayman's engine bay and cool it effectively, without putting scoops and vents and everything everywhere.

I think most telling, however, is the fact that when Porsche goes racing with a 911 derivative like the GT1, they stick the engine in the middle, not the rear.

MDXLuvr

The mid engine platform is theorectically a more ideal platform but the 911 clearly has more research, aftermarket support, history, track data, experience etc etc.

At Porsche the 911 will always be the king.

dyhppy

laws of physics rule. that is why the 911 will not be king.

s2k08

handling wise it already beats the 911 but it could use a little more power


theres already a couple conversion kits out there to drop in the X51 motor...

Chris Stack

I think MDX means that Porsche won't upstage the 911 with a "lessor" model. I don't think he was passing judgement on one being better than the other.

nugemark

The Boxster has been around for some time too. The fact that the 911 has been around in one form or another for longer is irrelevant.

Heat is not anymore of an issue that putting the motor in the back.

Mid vs Rear is a long debate. There are advantages to both.

Chris Stack

The fact, in and of itself, that the 911 has been around forever is irrelevant, but the fact that the 911 has had 40 years of evolution and refining of the concept is not. In comparison, the 9 years the Boxster has been around is minimal. There is a HUGE knowledge base out there regarding all things 911; the Cayman is relatively unknown, especially since modifying the Boxster for a lot more power was relatively rare, compared to the number of people modding 911s.


In the 911, the engine is accessable from the outside through the rear of car, where various vents and intakes (and the tubo's intercooler) can be placed. The 987 platform has the engine fully encapsulated aside from the bottom. Don't take my word for it; I read that one of the problems some of the tuners are having is heat management when modifying the Cayman. This isn't something I made up on my own. I wish I could find the article, I think it was in Excellence or 911 and Porsche World.

Chris S

I thought the Carrera GT was king? It better be, as expen$ive as it is!

nugemark

The car has been through 10 generations. The current car -- shares zero with the first car. This "huge" knoweldgebase is about as relevant as Honda is to the U.S. space program.

I won't, it is clear from your posts that you have no idea what you are writing about, but you do like to pretend.