The last time we saw something keep up with a Cayman GT4 on track, it was an M3 ‘Ring-Taxi’, which is a more powerful car than any hot hatchback.
Ford, however, will tell you that the Focus RS isn’t just “any hot hatch” and that it can keep up with just about anything as long as your expectations aren’t considerably unrealistic. Apart from these being two completely different cars, there are a few similarities in terms of power and torque figures.
The Porsche Cayman GT4 comes with 385 PS and 420 Nm (309 lb-ft) of torque, which results in a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 295 km/h (186 mph). The Focus RS, on the other hand, has less power at 350 PS, more torque at 470 Nm (346 lb-ft) and a lower top speed, rated at 266 km/h (165 mph). It will also hit 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds.
In terms of weight, the Porsche tips the scales at 1,415 kg (3,119 lbs) while the Focus weighs in at 1,599 (3,525 lbs). On paper, it’s not an enormous difference, but in real-world racing, you’ll feel it.
Another thing you need to keep in mind is that, the Porsche has a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, and the Ford, a front-engine, all-wheel drive setup.
It’s interesting how the Focus keeps up really well as soon as the cars pull away from a corner. It can do that because peak torque is available much quicker (2000 rpm vs 4750 on the Cayman) and the GT4 needs its naturally aspirated engine climbing the revs in order to start pulling away.