re: Porsche 911...douche or classic?

No true Porschephile and not true petrol head (especially a track rat) will look down their nose at a Boxster and especially not a Cayman.

I have no use for a Boxster because if I happen to roll a car at the track I want a lid!

I have never driven a GT4 on the track but have driven a friends on US129 at Deals Gap (the car baws will know what that is). I have also tracked the Cayman in several varieties including the 718 which with sticky rubber is just as fast as the GT4.

The Cayman/Boxster chassis has always been wonderful but the 718 is otherworldly. Quite frankly it is about as good as it gets for a "useful" daily driver at the track. The Cayman is light on its feet, not Elise/Exige light but it feels like less mass than it is, partly due to the MR layout. It feels planted but not heavy and for what ever reason it begs me to trail brake which I suppose it is because of the low moment of inertia coaxing me to constantly rotate the chassis through the corner.

They are fun, they are quick and they beg to be driven fast.

That said I will always pick a 911 for the track. I grew up driving dirt tracks so my natural state is steering with my right foot. The dynamics of the modern water-cooled 911s give me just enough of that ability without causing me to burn down tires in Jeremy Clarkson plumes of smoke. Plus the low end grunt from a 997/991 Turbo is intoxicating and it just keeps pushing you and the brakes just keep begging you to cut 5 more feet off your braking point each time.

For me I just feel more comfortable in a 911, it suits my driving style. The Cayman/Boxster is an incredible car that only the ignorant dismiss and you will likely never see a person that owns a helmet look down on one.

If I had enough money to have multiple sports cars there is no question one would be a 718 Cayman, GT silver with a red interior.


ETA I meant to address this directly

"The Boxster just feels more responsive, better handling, and better balanced...maybe the finest handling car on earth and will slingshot around tight curves at crazy speed like its locked on a rollercoaster rail...effortlessly...when at least 9 of 10 other super cars would be wheels up in the ditch. "

While the feel is excellent don't get it twisted the 911 and all the "budget" supercars will have more mechanical grip with the same compound tire. My mid-corner and exit speeds were always higher in a 911.