... vs Cayman GTS on the Track

[cmo_93]

So, today I got to do the Porsche Experience Center in Atlanta and it was AMAZING. This was my first chance to have some legit track time. Instructor was very cool and taught me a lot. I need a bunch of practice though.

My vehicle of choice was the Cayman GTS and the car was absolutely brilliant.

I have been working to properly track the M3 for a while and never have. One question I have after today, though, is this:

Does the M3 DCT perform as well as the Cayman GTS PDK on track? When I drove the Cayman GTS today, I literally never had to touch the paddles. The thing was just always in the right gear, always!..or atleast for my skill level at this time. Does the DCT in the M3 do this as well or should I be prepared to use the paddles more? I don't mind it, just curious...

Also, if anyone happens to have Cayman GTS track expereince as well as e92 M3 track time and can compare the two for me, that would be great...

Just curious about what to expect going into this because that Cayman made me want to jump ship. But, I haven't given the m3 a chance to wow me yet and I'm not good enough to push either to their limits yet.

[Transfer]

Who drives their DCT/PDK in auto mode on the track? I'm so confused and sad. What is the car world coming to?

[cmo_93]

Originally Posted by Transfer

Who drives their DCT/PDK in auto mode on the track? I'm so confused and sad. What is the car world coming to?

This is the way the instructor had me leave it. I was having a hard enough time learning my lines and braking so it helped out a bit being my first time. Plus this PDK was the one with the buttons and it just felt stupid the couple times I did bother with it.

Like I said though, I don't mind using my paddles on my DCT. Just curious if anyone has tried it.

[mreed]

I've driven a Cayman S on the track, but the instructor had me use the paddles. PDK in general is well regarded as "telepathic" and one step above DCT in being in the right gear, at the right time. With the DCT, I think you would be pretty darn close, but not as good as the PDK if you let it shift on it's own.

[cmo_93]

Originally Posted by mreed

I've driven a Cayman S on the track, but the instructor had me use the paddles. PDK in general is well regarded as "telepathic" and one step above DCT in being in the right gear, at the right time. With the DCT, I think you would be pretty darn close, but not as good as the PDK if you let it shift on it's own.

That's what I was thinking. I've gotten pretty good at listening to the M3 and working the paddles in spirited driving so hopefully that will help...

[dparm]

OP, I have driven a Cayman S on the track and I would say it is probably more capable than the M3, but it's not an enormous margin. The driving feel is very different.

[cmo_93]

Originally Posted by dparm

OP, I have driven a Cayman S on the track and I would say it is probably more capable than the M3, but it's not an enormous margin. The driving feel is very different.

Wow, really? I guess I hadn't looked much into the Cayman S. Didn't realize it was also better than the M3 on track.

I'll have to look more at them. Ideally, I would like to get my own skills up to par to even enjoy how well the m3 can be on track and then look into going with a better platform. After experiencing the track, I am sold on doing it a lot more often.

[dparm]

Originally Posted by cmo_93

Wow, really? I guess I hadn't looked much into the Cayman S. Didn't realize it was also better than the M3 on track.

I'll have to look more at them. Ideally, I would like to get my own skills up to par to even enjoy how well the m3 can be on track and then look into going with a better platform. After experiencing the track, I am sold on doing it a lot more often.

To be clear, I did not drive the Cayman S back to back with my M3 so it's hard for me to be 100% on it. I have driven both cars on the same track on non-consecutive sessions.

The Cayman's limits felt higher, but as you get closer to those limits it gets more nerve-wracking. The M3 instills more confidence near the limits, but I might be saying that merely because I have tracked it so many times now.

There was someone else on here who posted some hard-data of his Cayman S and M3 from Road Atlanta. Look in the track forum. The Cayman was faster in several areas of the course (and this was an older Cayman, mind you).

[arter]

I have had both ( e92 M3 and cayman GTS).
The M3 you need to use the paddles to be in the right gear at the right time on the track. The cayman, surprisingly, in sport + is perfect handling it itself. You could always do it yourself if you wanted.

Cayman is better in the curves and on tight courses, the M3 better in straights with its horsepower advantage.

[NBTBRV8]

Originally Posted by arter

I have had both ( e92 M3 and cayman GTS).
The M3 you need to use the paddles to be in the right gear at the right time on the track. The cayman, surprisingly, in sport + is perfect handling it itself. You could always do it yourself if you wanted.

Cayman is better in the curves and on tight courses, the M3 better in straights with its horsepower advantage.

[Jive]

Originally Posted by NBTBRV8

The E92 was holding back on the straightaway to let the E46 pass. I'm sure the GTS has a substantially higher exit speed in turns, but it won't out accelerate an E92 like that.

[NBTBRV8]

Originally Posted by Jive

The E92 was holding back on the straightaway to let the E46 pass. I'm sure the GTS has a substantially higher exit speed in turns, but it won't out accelerate an E92 like that.

Compare entry 122 to 210.

http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/hockenheim-short

[oolas3]

The Cayman GTS is about 12 seconds faster around the ring.

[rdoctor]

Dear God...please...whoever uploads these track videos....please don't run a music track over the car sounds...especially when it's an e92M3 I had to stop the video.

[GeorgeA]

Well, the 2009 997.2 911 was slower then the M3 on track.. The question is if the Cayman S is quicker than that car. Difference shouldn't be much

[Z K]

Many different variables... the biggest one is the driver.

Given a highly skilled driver behind the wheel of both cars, the Cayman S should be about the same as the M3 but with different strengths. The Cayman S is better at corners and the M3 will be faster down the long straights. Lap times should be about even. The GTS is faster than the S in every regard so it will be faster than the M3.

On the nurburgring, Sport Auto ran the Cayman S and the M3 within 1 second of each other:

8:04 Porsche Cayman S
8:05 BMW M3 E92

[MPerformance211]

Originally Posted by rdoctor

Dear God...please...whoever uploads these track videos....please don't run a music track over the car sounds...especially when it's an e92M3 I had to stop the video.

...and even more so when the music is absolute shit and sounds like something you would hear at a high school dance party.