is Porsche's next GT race car a mid engine ?

[rfuerst911sc]

I just completed watching the 6 Hour WEC race from Bahrain. Great race by the way. Anyway during the telecast the announcers were speculating on what Porsche is going to do for a GT car next year and beyond. They talked as if the insider info is stating Porsche's next GT race car will in fact be mid engine. If that is accurate will Porsche support a Cayman full up GT race car ? Or are they going to make the 911 more of a mid engine car ? It sounds like Porsche will not have GT race cars in the WEC next year with Team Manthley going away ? Their WEC effort will return in 2017 ? Next years effort will be IMSA only ? Does anyone besides Porsche know what they are doing next year for GT racing ?

[David]

They announced a Cayman GT4 based race car a few months ago and I think they're showing it at whatever car show is going on now.

[David]

Here it is: A Race-Tuned Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Hits the LA Auto Show

[winders]

No, the Cayman GT4 Clubsport is not going to be the new mid-engine WEC GT car. Contrary to what a lot of peole like to think, the Cayman chassis is not better than the 911 chassis...even if it is mid-engined. The Cayman chassis does not have the suspension required to be competitive. It has front and rear McPherson strut suspension when it needs what the Current 911 RSR has which is double-wishbone suspension at front and multi-link suspension at rear.

Rumor has it that Porsche has asked for special dispensation to move the engine forward in the current 911 even though the production car will retain the rear engine layout.

[Jeff Alton]

I don't think they are talking about a Cayman GT4...

[winders]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

I don't think they are talking about a Cayman GT4...

My comments apply to any Cayman. The chassis is just plain wrong. There is no room for double-wishbone suspension at front and multi-link suspension at rear.

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by winders

My comments apply to any Cayman. The chassis is just plain wrong. There is no room for double-wishbone suspension at front and multi-link suspension at rear.

They made a double wishbone fit in the front of the 911 (I still haven't seen pictures of this) which has struts up there on the street car. 981 is basically the same up there so they can do it.

Multilink in back is more complicated, but if they are going to ask for a waiver to make a 911 midengine I would think they can put the multilink in the cayman easier than modifying the tub of the 911 for the engine position change. They have annointed the 911 as the racing model though...

[Jeff Alton]

Scott,

I wasn't referencing your comments, but was agreeing. Just saying, the talk about a mid engine factory entry is not about a cayman GT4, or any cayman for that matter...

Max, your are right, what they can fit in a 991 front chassis they can fit is a 981 front chassis...

Cheers

[Flieger]

Originally Posted by Jeff Alton

Scott,

I wasn't referencing your comments, but was agreeing. Just saying, the talk about a mid engine factory entry is not about a cayman GT4, or any cayman for that matter...

Max, your are right, what they can fit in a 991 front chassis they can fit is a 981 front chassis...

Cheers

I'd love to see some pictures of their setup. Anyone caught them with their pants down at an ALMS race?

I imagine it would look something like the BMW i8 (and a lot of other makes/models) with the very short upper arm going around the coilover. With the high mounted arm the load path doesn't change significantly so no extra reinforcement should be needed if someone wanted to do that on a street car and just retain the stock strength/rigidity vs. improving it like a race car. Maybe just welding part of the roll cage there?