A slow car may not exactly be a formula for racing success, even with a good driver behind the wheel. Thus, adrenaline-loving individuals tend to settle for cars with so much power that they could leave most vehicles on the road behind. Of course, power moves the wheels.
Power is important in making a car quick and fast, but isn’t all that matters. A Toyota AE86 moving faster than a more powerful Mazda RX-7 on the downhill might just be an Initial D drifting moment. In reality, underpowered vehicles may get ahead of their more potent rivals – simply because being fast has various elements to factor in.
Today’s automotive world is home to a good number of quick and fast cars, such as the Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS from Germany and the McLaren 720S from the United Kingdom. When compared to each other, though, there is a glaring difference between the Cayman 718 GT4 RS sports car and the 720S supercar – their power.
Interestingly, though, the Cayman 718 GT4 RS is faster than the more powerful McLaren 720S, and the reason is simpler than these complex machines.
Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS Is Ready For The Track
The Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS is actually the Cayman 718 GT4 in steroids, but comes with the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine powering the 911 GT3 Cup. In the Cayman 718 GT4 RS, this mill delivers 493 hp of max output and 331 lb-ft of peak torque. Sending power to the wheels is a standard Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK).
Porsche built the Cayman 718 GT4 RS on an adjustable and racetrack-ready chassis with an RS-specific damper set-up, modified spring and anti-roll bar rates. It also features large yet lightweight brakes for stopping power. Thanks to intelligent lightweight construction – use of light materials, reducing insulation and deleting a number of components – the Cayman 718 GT4 RS weighs just 3,227 lbs (curb).
As for its performance figures, the Cayman 718 GT4 RS can zoom from nil to 62 mph in 3.2 seconds and go as fast 196 mph.
McLaren 720S Has More Power, Higher Top Speed
Meanwhile, the McLaren 720S seemed the superior machine. Already regarded as a supercar, the 720S has the M480T 4.0-liter engine as its core. This mill offers 710 hp of max output at 7,500 rpm and 568 lb-ft of peak torque at 5,500 rpm. Delivering this amount of power to the wheels is a paddle-shifted seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The 720S greatly benefits from McLaren’s expertise in carbon fiber structures. With the McLaren Monocage II serving as the base platform and the extensive use of aluminum alloys in the chassis and for some body panels, the 720S is a bit lighter than the Cayman 718 GT4 RS at 3,128 lbs (curb).
Contributing to the dynamics of the 720S is McLaren’s Proactive Chassis Control, new suspension and the carmaker’s power-assisted, electro-hydraulic steering.
Compared to Cayman 718 GT4 RS, the 720S is quicker on the 0-62-mph sprint at 2.9 seconds and has a higher top speed at 212 mph. But being fast isn’t just about the quick sprint and the max speed, and perhaps a lap on one of the hardest circuits in the world -- such as the Nurburgring Nordschleife -- could provide a more real-world measure.
Cayman 718 GT4 RS Is Fast At Nurburgring
Located in northwest Germany, the Nurburgring is nearly 13 miles long. But it condenses all the world's roads in a single circuit, offering a diverse course that boasts more than 170 corners of varying lengths and a max elevation difference of 984 feet. It features varied sections of low speeds as well as extremely high speeds.
In early 2019, Germany's Sport Auto magazine had racer Christian Gebhardt drive a McLaren 720S at the Nurburgring. In this non-official test (not McLaren’s), the 720S completed the shorter flying lap (12.8 miles) in 7:08.34 minutes while wearing the standard Pirelli P Zero Corsa.
The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, despite nearly half as powerful as the 720S, was faster than the McLaren supercar. Porsche's development driver Jörg Bergmeister and a 718 Cayman GT4 RS lapped the Nurburgring in 7:04.511 minutes (flying lap). On the regular 12.94-mile lap, the sports car logged 7:09.300 minutes.
Downforce Spells The Speed Difference
What made the startling difference isn’t the never-ending power-versus-weight debate. After all, the more powerful McLaren 720S is a bit lighter than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Downforce is simply the reason why the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is faster than the 720S.
When a car generates downforce, it increases its aerodynamic grip on the road, thereby giving the driver greater control at the high speeds. This is especially noticeable during cornering, which means the car doesn’t have to slow down drastically just to maneuver through a corner.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS generates more downforce than the 720S, thanks to various aerodynamic elements. These elements include a new fixed rear wing with swan-neck attachment; vents on the front wheel arches; underbody paneling with connected rear diffuser; a multi-adjustable front diffuser; and a new front spoiler lip with flow-around side blades. The 720S also features several aero elements, such as an aerofoil-profile rear wing and a rear diffuser with thinner diffuser fences.
With more generated downforce, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS achieves greater cornering speed, making it faster in twisty roads and circuits than the 720S.
Source: Porsche, McLaren