While racing at Buttonwillow Raceway two weeks ago, I also instructed a student in a Cayman GT-4 and wanted to share some thoughts about the GT-4 on the track.
After recently driving a GT-4 on the street (
GT-4 Test Drive), it was fun to get a chance to be out on the track in the GT-4 (even as a right seat instructor). My student was relatively new to track driving with only one day of previous experience.
I’ll start by saying that the GT-4 is incredible. It has a wonderfully solid feel and everything about the car inspires huge confidence in the driver.
To cut to the chase, in the hands of a track newbie, the GT-4 laps times would have placed it solidly in the Spec Boxster field (albeit, somewhat towards the rear of the field). Sure, the GT-4’s 385hp evened out the playing field against the 201 hp 986, but the real equalizer was the electronic drivers aids – they were absolutely incredible (and possibly depressing at the same time, depending on your point of view).
During the first session, the student was gaining confidence and picking up the pace as he learned the line. Then he approached a turn way too fast and turned in way too early. I was thinking that this was probably going to result in the driver slamming on the brakes at turn entry and probably provoking the rear end to come around and we’d do a big slide or even spin. Instead, the car cleanly adjusted the line, bringing the rear end back expertly around, and the driver accelerated out of the turn successfully. I was a little bit in awe.
In the subsequent sessions, I learned that the electronic aids (enhanced PSM with ABS, ASR, ABD, EDTC, pre-filling of brake system, and brake assist) do an amazing job of making a new performance driver look like a much more experienced driver - repeatedly the car successfully managed the dynamics when we’d have been in the dirt in a 986.
As an instructor, I found this to be a double-edged sword: on one hand, the student was able to drive safer and go faster with the driver’s aids and in doing so, he had a n incredibly great time and learned what his car could do on a track.
On the other hand, he might not have learned as much as he could have because of repeatedly relying on the car for assistance. In other words, his driving was a bit sloppy and the car made up for it - but was he the better for it?
This brings to mind the question of what comprises a great high performance driving experience? Is it learning to heal and toe? Is it learning corner entry and exit technique? Is it learning threshold braking?
Or is it just about having a great time driving your car in a way that challenges your skills and provides a huge level of thrill and entertainment?
Or somewhere in the middle?
I can see both (all?) sides of this discussion, so the best answer that I will venture is that each of us has to answer that question for ourselves.