See photos and read about the technical characteristics of the converted and tuned Porsche Cayman for circuit racing.
The Porsche Cayman, transformed in capable hands into the handsome Porsche 918 Spyder, is perhaps one of the most memorable Scandinavian tuned cars of 2014. He has probably heard of many who are at least in the least interested in races such as Scandinavia and Gatebil. But for the rest of the world, a tuned Porsche Cayman could go unnoticed.
The tuning project for this Porsche was carried out by Robin Jonasson. Robin and his father own Elite Projects. In their region, they have practically become Porsche specialists. They are able to perform tuning of any degree of complexity - from the task of slightly modifying the characteristics of basic modifications of road cars to creating something very non-standard. In fact, father and son brought two cars to the racing festival in Norway, but today our hero is a Porsche Cayman, indistinguishable from the 918 model.
Exterior of a tuned tuning Porsche Cayman
According to Robin, this Cayman is based on an entry-level two-seater. It's hard to believe in this, because in the conditions of the workshop it was also necessary to make the body from carbon fiber. When working with this material, the vacuum infusion method was used. This was the only way to carefully lay the carbon fiber layer by layer and get neat large one-piece front and rear parts of the body.
While sculpting the lines of a replica of the 918's body, one had to keep in mind the laws of aerodynamics. They play a decisive role in the finished racing car. The ventilation holes were to be made not just for "beauty", they were supposed to perform their direct functions and help cool the engine, brakes and other components of the system exposed to strong heating. In addition, the body structure must provide sufficient downforce on both sides of the Porsche. This is why the entire front section extends far below the bottom, expanding in both directions and allowing air to pass unhindered from below.
Porsche design also plays an important role. Due to the difference in the size of the rear and front discs, the car appears to be sitting even lower. The braking system is represented by front and rear brake calipers and perforated Porsche Turbo brake rotors. BBS Cup alloy wheels wrapped in Dunlop rubber are different - the front is 18 x 10 ", the rear is 18 x 13". The use of wider tires on the Cayman makes it even more similar to the 918 model. In addition, the streamlining of the body is improved.
From any angle, the carefully sculpted carbon fiber body looks menacing, and the front end has a truly inimitable look. Robin showed off the custom headlight housings. Shaped like the piercing eyes of a Porsche 918, each headlight has four high-intensity LEDs.
Suspension modification
When Robin removed the carbon fiber hood and the engine bay became visible, it became clear that aesthetics were far from the ultimate goal of the Elite Projects Cayman. A portion of its front section has been cut away and modified to accommodate a racing radiator and fuel tank. The front suspension of the 997 GT3 RSR also needed to increase the overall rigidity of the structure, and a Bilstein double-acting shock absorber kit was used to achieve the best performance and speed for the Porsche. By the way, these shock absorbers performed well in the 24-hour N? Rburgring race, showing everything they can do. Considering the fact that the carbon fiber body weighs only 30 kg, and the weight of the car is 1110 kg, the tuned Porsche Cayman had a truly inexhaustible potential, the main point to success was only engine power.
If the front of the car was modified, then the rear part remained unchanged and retained all its angles. The Porsche connoisseur will immediately recognize the taillights of the 991 model. They are deeply embedded in carbon and sit directly above massive grille air intakes designed to drain excess heat from the engine compartment.
Engine and transmission
It's hard to believe that the entire rear of the car is so light. And in it, by the way, is the engine. This is a 996 Turbo with a capacity of 480 hp, which, practically, was not touched by the hand of the master, therefore it retained its original appearance. It may not be the most powerful of the engines, but do not forget that the car as a whole is very light, it only has 1100 kg in it. But the torque of this engine is very serious - 656 Nm at maximum acceleration.
There is no doubt about how functional the side air intakes of the Porsche Cayman are; deep inside them are intercoolers that supply the maximum amount of intake air to the twin turbines. For the exhaust system in the style of the 918 Spyder, manifolds of a rather brutal look were used, as well as a catalytic converter of the exhaust gases.
The six-cylinder engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox (front-wheel drive transmission). The box has been opened and modified to ensure correct operation under conditions of increased power and high torque. Elite Projects has added a tubular structure and an adjustable anti-roll bar to the 997 GT3 RSR suspension.
The interior of a tuned sports car
The quality of a car can also be largely judged by its interior. It is with great pleasure that we note the well-made safety cage. It is welded from thick steel pipes. Robin did everything to his conscience, and the car is able to withstand the most serious load, since the pipes add significant torsional rigidity to the original chassis.
The inside of this Porsche Cayman is no less carbon fiber than the outside. A simple dashboard is connected to a 918-style console with a gear lever sticking out of it. Another addition is the Tilton sport-type brake adjuster.
Perhaps the only instrument needed in the cabin is a digital information display / data logger connected to the Emerald ECU. But this is one of those cars that is made according to a special Scandinavian recipe, which means that much here does not correspond to generally accepted standards.
Despite this fact, the resulting Cayman-Spyder is one of those cars that you can take off your hat to. Absolutely everything in this car is made at the highest level. That is why in 2014 it acquired the status of a landmark in the world of tuning.
