The 981 generation Porsche Cayman It has a fantastic chassis with one of the most communicative steering systems around. When it first came out I considered the 981 generation Cayman GT4 the best road car ever produced by Porsche. Porsche was apparently afraid to cannibalize its iconic 911 when it released the 981 GT4, so the car came with a lean 3.8-liter with 395 horsepower. Carrera S engine built into what many believe is a better platform than the 911. What about the driver who yearns for a ridiculous amount of power from their existing mid-engined Porsche?
Fortunately, BGB Motorsports has a solution with a 4.2-litre engine configuration that maximizes the potential of the 981 GT4, using the ‘build not buy’ approach for every customer’s car. No stranger to reviewing Porsche projects like A singer, sharkworksand Gunther Werks, I wanted to see what BGB was doing. The day I arrived in Florida to drive the BGB Cayman, SpaceX had a launch scheduled at Cape Canaveral, which was a sign of things to come.
(Full disclosure: BGB Motorsports Group invited me to a private track event at Daytona International Speedway, covered my flight and hotel, and only needed me to bring my helmet and some semblance of driving ability. )
Build a Wicked Cayman
Ormond Beach, Florida-based BGB Motorsports is a name you might recognize their manually swapped 991 generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS, created when Porsche only offered the GT3 with a dual-clutch automatic transmission. In addition to badass customer projects, BGB competes in IMSA’s Michelin Pilot Challenge series with a Porsche Cayman, so the workshop’s knowledge of the platform is deep. BGB offers its customers many options to unlock the potential of the Cayman, regardless of the engine it was delivered with.
BGB Motorsports Group owner John Tecce described this Cayman project as a road-going version of The Porsche GT4 Clubsport driver. A bored and stroked 4.2-liter engine packs Carrillo rods and upgraded Mahle pistons, with Porsche’s X51 cams and crank from the 4.0 liter of the 911 GT3 motor. In this configuration, the upgraded 4.2-liter produces over 500 horsepower and nearly 500 lb-ft of peak torque on a plateau of 4,000 to 6,500 rpm. Compared to Porsche GT and high-speed racing engines, this 4.2’s powerband is more street usable, delivering significantly more torque than a GT3. BGB also fitted a PDK gearbox which was not offered in the factory 981 GT4s and updated the ECU.
Porsche’s PASM dampers have been replaced with fully programmable Active Suspension coilovers with a DSC controller. Porsche’s original steel brake discs have been upgraded to stronger PFC discs, with a twin master cylinder from a Clubsport controlling Porsche’s original red calipers. Forged wheels and Michelin Cup 2 tires are fitted for road service, with a set of Clubsport wheels and slicks for track days. Taller uprights are fitted to the Cayman’s tail to give more efficient airflow to the large rear spoiler.
The carpet, insulation and radio are gone, but the door panels, windows and air conditioning are retained to preserve day-to-day comfort. The trunk and rear cargo area lose their trim to reduce weight while accommodating a roll cage and window-fed carbon fiber airbox designed by BGB. Racing buckets and harnesses are installed, and a racing steering wheel features buttons for activating engine modes and PSM settings, in addition to radio and pit limiter buttons. BGB got a few of its customers on board over the weekend, with various street-friendly interiors employed by the drivers, showing that you don’t have to go too hard. The Cayman you see here had nearly $60,000 invested in the powertrain, but you can opt for a milder setup if you want.
Evaluation of the complete package
Ripping up Daytona’s 12-turn, 3.6-mile road course was awesome, flexing the BGB Motorsports Cayman’s raw power around the banked tri-oval at speed while testing its handling abilities through tight horseshoe turns and the fast baffles. With considerable track experience, I could quickly feel the enhancements to the Cayman GT4’s capabilities.
This 4.2-liter Cayman exhibited astonishing midrange torque, pushing me quickly from the exit of the tight left infield 1 to the bend and into the International Horseshoe. The maintenance throttle was essential to keep the 981 pointed in the right direction; On my first flying lap, I mistakenly punched the pedal hard and kicked the rear end. A quick swipe of countersteer and I was off in an instant, leaning heavily on the upgraded brakes as I approached the next hairpin. Steering feedback through the slick tires was positive and direct, and upgraded front uprights and struts enhanced the already excellent 981 setup, creating a surprisingly supple and grippy machine.
Along 31-degree turns, I buried the go pedal with a thrust a SpaceX Falcon 9 would appreciate. Rather than the high-pitched screech of the factory Porsche, a thunderous roar blew through the Cargraphic exhaust, alerting folks in neighboring counties to the presence of a very fast Cayman. As I eclipsed 155 MPH in the Daytona’s straight back, the upgraded dual master cylinder setup provided smoother, longer brake pedal travel with fantastic feedback, delivering a feel I’d expect from a car roadster rather than a track monster, giving me almost too much confidence as I dove into the bus stop. NASCAR Turn 3’s long sprint to the tri-oval start/finish line had me peaking at over 170 MPH, allowing me to brush aside track-prepped GT3s on the straights while laying down lap times in the mid-range of 1:50.
This Cayman was uncorked
Lap after lap, I pushed the limits of this Cayman and finished each session with a devilish chuckle. Although raw and powerful, the improved Cayman is remarkably easy to manage in trained hands. With loads of grip from fantastic suspension and sticky rubber, the 4.2-liter BGB Cayman nicely balanced a stupid amount of power in one of Porsche’s best chassis.
Porsche has finally taken care of its Cayman complex, introducing it a brand new 718 Cayman GT4 RS fitted with the fantastic 4.0-litre flat-six previously reserved for the 911 GT3. Acquiring a 4.0-liter GT4 RS will set you back around $140,000 with no options, and that’s if you’re lucky enough to get a dealer’s allowance (and avoid ridiculous markups). BGB is offering Cayman owners a chance to take a cheaper used 981 and turn it into an absolute rocket ship.
0 Comments