For some reason, this is the first time I've written a test drive article for GT4.The test drive this time was the 718 Cayman GT4.I've been riding the 718 Spider, which is a brother car, several times, but I would like to review mainly the differences.

718 Cayman GT4

GT4 is a grade developed by Porsche's GT division, and its origin is a little different from the regular model.

It is armed with special equipment such as adaptive GT sports suspension and GT brakes, a large front spoiler that is conscious of aerodynamics, and a rear diffuser.It looks different from the regular Cayman.

This vehicle is equipped with a club sports package and has a roll cage at the rear.

The maximum speed is 304km / h, 0-100km / h is 4.4 seconds, which completely surpasses the performance of the 996 generation GT3, and the lap time of the Nürburgring Nordschleife is 7 minutes 28 seconds, which is quite fast for this class. ..

Get into the bucket seat and adjust the seat position. I like this seat because it's still comfortable to sit on.The engine start sound is quite brave like the other grades of the 718 series.The tachometer needle jumps up to around 2000 rpm, which is always a Porsche starting ritual.

Engine shift feel

It's a right-hand drive MT car, so I'm a little confused because it's different from usual, but I step on the clutch and put it in 1st gear. The shift is very comfortable with a short stroke and goes into being sucked in.

It feels similar to the 991.2 GT3 touring shift feel, but the GT4 feels a little lighter.

There is torque from the bottom when starting, so there is no difficulty at all. As I felt with GTS4.0, I think that the recent Porsche MT has become really easy to drive and easy. It will be a level that even beginners can handle.

When you start running.It seems to be a GT grade, and mechanical noise sounds as it is.I don't think it's as good as the GT3, but it's still clearly bigger than a regular Cayman.

Engine noise, intake noise, gear noise, etc. are mixed to create a leshy atmosphere.

Press "AUTO BLIP" to enable automatic blipping when downshifting.

Blipping is not flashy and emphasizes speed and efficiency rather than directing

I noticed one difference from the spider here. In the case of the spider, the roof is open, so there is almost no noise echoing inside the car.

Instead, the exhaust noise is often heard.

Therefore, when you start running and the exhaust valve closes, it feels like it suddenly becomes quiet, but in the case of GT4, the ratio of mechanical noise in the car is large, so it is hard to feel the difference in volume change. Of course, you can see the difference in sound due to the opening and closing of the valve, but more than that.It's better to say that it's hard to notice because of the noise in the car.

Therefore, there is little discomfort in the sound, and it makes a certain amount of sound according to the speed and rotation, so it is more fun to drive.

The feeling of power is, of course, not much different from that of a spider. The 718 NA 6-cylinder engine has a solid rev feel, but it has solid strength and growth in revs, so I think it is a well-made engine.

However, theThere is no razor response and crazy high-speed growth that even scares like GT3So you shouldn't expect it to have the same feel as the GT3.

The maximum output is 420ps, so it depends on the road, but I think it's a feeling of power that you can enjoy by stepping on it. To be honest, the GT3's 500ps is not possible on public roads in Japan. If you run in 1st or 2nd speed all the time, you can enjoy turning it, but if you do that, there is too much response and power, and it is very jerky and difficult to drive.

By comparison.I think the power of GT4 is still exhausted.

handling

And what should be noted is the handling.

Handling is different from spider. No, it's quite different. First of all, the response at the beginning of turning the first steering is quite different. For example, 991 and 992 are different. The GT4 has the impression that the nose tries to enter the inn from a relatively early timing at the beginning of cutting, and there is little damage from the beginning of cutting to the start of movement.

By comparison.The spider is a little more tame and has a sensation of bending.

Of course, I think there is a difference between an open body and a closed body, but I felt that the seasoning was changed more than that.

I personally like this steering feel very much.It is supple, quick, and has little deviation from the driver's feeling.The GT3 feels like a more lacy, and the driver feels more rushed, but the GT4 feels like something between the spider and the GT3, with the best of both worlds. It would be nice to get it.

When I recall that this feeling is similar to something, it is close to the 981 type spider. I like that foot the best, but I thought the 718 GT4 had something pretty close to it.

The ride quality is not so good in the city, so I can't say anything about it, but it was quite good in the usual winding and it was a comfortable ride.When I asked the owner, he told me that he could ride at all, and I don't think it's as hard as GT3.

In addition, the brake has a firmer feeling than the normal model, and it is a type of brake that adjusts with pedaling force rather than stroke. I think this is almost the same as a spider. It's great and easy to control, and it works just fine.

Do you need GT4RS?

actuallyI have already made a reservation for the GT4 RS that was announced the other day.

I wasn't sure if the production quota would come around, and on the contrary, I made a reservation with a half-hearted feeling that I might not buy it if the number of production is too large.This test drive made me very interested in GT4.

That's how much I thought this GT4 was a good car because it was fun to drive. So, I would like to ride an RS that is a further tuned version of this. On the other hand, in reality, this ordinary GT4, which seems to be able to handle both daily life and sporty driving, may be the best without getting bored.

It was a car that made me think so.