No, I mean a 997. The sypder doesn't have a turbo or supercharger so that's just a "what if" discussion. Having driven a 997 turbo at barber recently I would surmise that there is no way in hell any boxster could keep up with it The power of the 997 turbo is ludicrous on the track. I would be surprised if the spyder could keep up with a 997S based on the way porsche is so particular in the way they segment the performance to protect sales of their more lucrative models.

 

Good question. I don't know...

Usually the GT3 is under rated. Being that a stock 996 3.6 liter motor puts down 275 to the wheels, I would be surprised if a 3.4 can put down 300 to the wheels. Maybe your dyno operator has a fancy for the little porsches and is fudging it

 

I don't know. The Boxster Spyder destroyed a 997TT at SOW. 3.6 seconds is a lifetime on that track. http://www.fastestlaps.com/track50.html
Surely the 997TT would equally destroy the Spyder in a standing mile. Adding a few corners is a game changer.

Consider Laguna Seca... a well known HP track with several long straights. The 997TT(6th) and GT3(7th) outrun a Cay S(14th) but the Cay S outruns the 997C2(19th).http://www.fastestlaps.com/track16.html The Boxster Spyder is known to be quicker than a Cay S under all conditions so it might run (10th) here similar to the R8??

Consider WSIR (the fastest track in the west). http://www.fastestlaps.com/track15.html WSIR favors high HP and balance. A GT3RS does very well here while the "fat girl" 997TT gets murdered with several big sweepers, posting lap times similar to my lil 2.5 pea shooter. It just depends on where you want to drive. Different tools for a different purpose.

 

I totally agree. Daytona and Sebring are my home tracks. There are three straights on Sebring that are the plague of boxsters. Forget about Daytona in a regular boxster. Not unless you enjoy holding your point by hand out the window

I like the new spyder enough to consider it. I'd like to see how it does on some fast tracks though. I've never driven Willow, but I have to believe the guy in the TT sucks at driving I ran Barber last week in both TT's and 997S's. I wasn't tracking lap times in the TT, but I am certain I was several seconds faster in the TT. And that is a fairly technical track. Don't let anybody fool you about the TT's weight. That car is a beast. Between the riddiculous power, AWD, giant tires, and electronic nannies... the TT is a force to be reckoned with if the right driver is behind the wheel.

I'm not overly impressed with the "Streets" performance times as that is pretty much a giant autox track from what I've heard

 

On our dyno a M97 3.4L makes ~267... the DFI 3.4 makes 300whp. The new engine is underrated.

 

So what does a stock 996 3.6 liter make on your dyno?

And what are you surmising the actual crank HP of the spyder is then? Porsche says 320 right?

 

~280 or so... stock.

 

Lap times around the world tell the story. The 997TT is a wonderful Grand Touring supercar but is a bit too portly to be an effective track weapon. It excels on tracks that are mostly straight lines and gets beat up everywhere else by Boxsters, Caymans, and 997C2s. The GT3 is effective everywhere... even at Streets of Willow.

Streets is often used as a test track by pro racing teams, Car and Driver, Motortrend, Edmunds, Excellence, and Speed Channel for one simple reason. It tests a car under all conditions. I doubt all the pro drivers that regularly test there including Steve Millen, Tommy Kendall, Kevin Roush, Wolf Henzler and others consider it a "giant AX track".

 

Turbos seem to do pretty well at Sebring.... And there are plenty of corners. I guess it depends on the size of the track as well as the straights.

I'm certain Streets is favored because of its location in So. Cal. It is a fairly small track. I've driven the "short course" at Sebring which is very similar to Streets. I didn't find it enjoyable and it was very hard on the brakes. Although I'm sure Streets is a good bench mark to test handling and brakes on various cars without hp being as much of a factor.

 

So what are you estimating that the spyder has for crank hp if your dyno says its making 300 to the wheels? Porsche says 320 but that can't be right.


I finally drove a spyder yesterday. It's a fun car. Very nimble. The weight savings is immediately apparently. Low speed power is excellent. It was a little anemic at highway speeds, but still capable.

 

Crank hp is a slippery slope... that is why we mostly quote WHP numbers as they are real. A 3.8L 997.1 engine makes between 305 and 308 on our dyno and that is 355 from porsche...

 

For a closer comparison VIR is probably similar to Sebring in terms of track size with one really long straight.
At VIR the 997 Turbo, 997C2S, and 987 Cay S turned identical times when driven by professional drivers on street tires. The 997 GT3 was 4 seconds faster.
http://www.fastestlaps.com/track20.html