RE: Four-cylinder Cayman at the Nurburgring
Discussion
Total loss said:
So the Porsche 356 (Porsche's first production sports car)was powered by how many cylinders ? (ONLY 4 cyl) and didn't the 'purist's ' decry the 'new' 911 in '64 because it had a 6 cyl. engine ? read up on your history before turning your noses up at this one 
My point exactlyrenrut said:
How long before we start seeing Caymans with droning 4" exhausts like many an Impreza?
Droning? Really?I think Imprezas with after market exhausts (4" or otherwise) sound fantastic. The same goes for Sierra Cosworths, Escort RS Turbos and the like. I turned 40 this year, but if I still had my Subaru it would have one on it.
Zoon said:
Super/Hyper cars never had hybrid drive trains either but environmental pressures introduce new engineering challenges. Does it matter if a car no longer has a V10 engine if the performance/sound can be matched with less cylinders? Purists will say yes, but technology evolves for the better sometimes, sometimes not.
For me, Porsche offer quite an enthralling drive; and for a lot of car enthusiasts the noise an engine makes is quite a large part of that. It would be great if they could make them sound as good, but they won't.4 cylinder engines can sound good. I've yet to come across a 4 cylinder road engine which sounds better than the best sounding 6 cylinder engines IMO. I think you can get some 4 pots sounding nicer than 6 pots but on the whole a decent 6 pot does sound better.
Then there is the issue of the character of the engine, eagerness to rev etc which isn't quite as sharp with turbocharged engines on the whole. Yes, some turbo engines rev quite high (eg McLaren 650S) but....then a high revving NA engine will always rev that bit higher, be that bit more responsive and so on.
I've no doubt Porsche will do a very good job at it. Will the engine be as exciting in terms of noise and its desire to rev like some of their best 6 pots? Not a chance.
I think 4 pots work very well in lightweight, more stripped out road cars (eg Elise) yet Porsche typically have an air of quality and refinement about them, and 6 cylinders add to that experience IMO.
Zoon said:
Super/Hyper cars never had hybrid drive trains either but environmental pressures introduce new engineering challenges. Does it matter if a car no longer has a V10 engine if the performance/sound can be matched with less cylinders?
I don't see how it will be possible for any turbocharged motor to match the sound of an N/A V6/8/10 - and artifice is a big no-no for me. I'm all for a lighter, more nimble Boxster with lower limits, but turbocharging adds back some of the weight lost from removing cylinders (as you now need intercoolers, turbos, more radiators, etc) and removes character and response. Make it an NA screamer and I'd be interested. It probably won't happen because everyone wants power, torque and also low tax and fuel consumption - but you can't have your cake and eat it.For me the sound in the video was dull and generic - hopefully that's just a function of the recording equipment and compression but right now I'm far from enthused. I hope they can improve on it. The noise of a Porsche is usually unmistakeable, now it's going to be the same as nearly every recent 4-pot performance car you can care to mention - Clio RS200, MINI, A45, Golf R and all its stablemates, Focus ST, and so on all sound very similar. It's a depressing situation.
After producing the Macan and diesel/hybrid Cayenne, I can only get so annoyed at them doing a modern equivalent of the 914/4. That's not even the only four-cylinder Porsche sports car, which would be the 356 that they started with in the first place...
Is it defo going to be a boxer or could it be a 919-derived V4-T?
Is it defo going to be a boxer or could it be a 919-derived V4-T?
Sod the Porsche "brand", who really gives a toss, they arent going anywhere, they are a car company that exists to make money, it isnt a religion, Porsche do not have to do the same thing for ever because someone wrote it down 2000 years ago ffs !
Porsche are doing way, way better than they were doing in their "Heyday" of making air cooled 911's that everyone rattles on about like bloody Rain Man.
This will be a four cylinder, mid engined, Porsche coupe based on what is meant to be a legendary chassis and will have 300 plus horsepower, sort of similar to the power an early 911 Turbo had, but with less propensity to try and kill you at every given opportunity.
Porsche are doing way, way better than they were doing in their "Heyday" of making air cooled 911's that everyone rattles on about like bloody Rain Man.
This will be a four cylinder, mid engined, Porsche coupe based on what is meant to be a legendary chassis and will have 300 plus horsepower, sort of similar to the power an early 911 Turbo had, but with less propensity to try and kill you at every given opportunity.
RenesisEvo said:
I don't see how it will be possible for any turbocharged motor to match the sound of an N/A V6/8/10 - and artifice is a big no-no for me. I'm all for a lighter, more nimble Boxster with lower limits, but turbocharging adds back some of the weight lost from removing cylinders (as you now need intercoolers, turbos, more radiators, etc) and removes character and response. Make it an NA screamer and I'd be interested. It probably won't happen because everyone wants power, torque and also low tax and fuel consumption - but you can't have your cake and eat it.
For me the sound in the video was dull and generic - hopefully that's just a function of the recording equipment and compression but right now I'm far from enthused. I hope they can improve on it. The noise of a Porsche is usually unmistakeable, now it's going to be the same as nearly every recent 4-pot performance car you can care to mention - Clio RS200, MINI, A45, Golf R and all its stablemates, Focus ST, and so on all sound very similar. It's a depressing situation.
Unfortunately, I totally agree with your sentiments For me the sound in the video was dull and generic - hopefully that's just a function of the recording equipment and compression but right now I'm far from enthused. I hope they can improve on it. The noise of a Porsche is usually unmistakeable, now it's going to be the same as nearly every recent 4-pot performance car you can care to mention - Clio RS200, MINI, A45, Golf R and all its stablemates, Focus ST, and so on all sound very similar. It's a depressing situation.
It's not cylinder count snobbery, it's just that the 6 pots sound sublime!
dukebox9reg said:
Terminator X said:
Real shame to see the brand watered down. Profit above all else it seems.
TX.
Yes because Porsche have no history making 4 pot cars.......I think you'll find the 4s came before the 6's. TX.
You could argue that the 914 was the original boxster/cayman and that had 4 pots and a 6 pot.
I can't see how a 4 cylinder in these is really watering it down. At least its still a flat 4 rather than an inline.
TX.
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