Ford Coyote V8 Power for a Porsche Cayman?

For decades, the crux of hot rod culture has been to shove a larger engine into a smaller package. In fact, the best application of this was perhaps the Shelby Cobra of the 1960s. Take a small and nimble European chassis and fit it with a big American V8 engine tuned to develop far more power than the original manufacturer ever intended. If you can make some clever engineering tweaks, hopefully the inherent handling ability of the chassis won’t be diminished too much to be functional.

This is exactly what Florida tuning shop PBH Performance had in mind when they mixed the best part of a new Mustang, the 5.0 liter “Coyote” V8 engine, and the best part of a 987 generation Porsche Cayman, the chassis. With the engine hewn from aluminum, the weight gain is minimal. And being that it is mounted amidships, the balance of the car is completely retained. It would appear that this car has also benefited from a set of lighter wheels and stickier tires. So, is this Cayman a modern day Cobra? I know I’d like the opportunity to test that theory.

If you still aren’t convinced, just check out these dyno numbers. Not only does the Coyote produce nearly 170 horsepower and 146 pounds feet of torque more than the Porsche flat-six engine, but the power curve is steeper. And, as you can hear in the video below, it has that glorious V8 rumble.

Has PBH Performance created a modern day Cobra, or a Frankenstein’s monster?

Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>

Via [Road & Track]