All posts in “718 Cayman GT4 RS”

Top Gear Dives Into The New Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS

As part of the recent “Green Promise” that many car manufacturers are heading for, we all know that the most powerful, fastest, extreme, and best handling supercars and hypercars of the near and distant future will be electric. Bugatti Rimac has been formed as part of that promise, and Porsche has a major stake in the company through both its own investments and through its parent, Volkswagen Group.

Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS
Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS The new 2022 Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS with the Weissach Pack option

This is not to say, however, that Porsche is going to quietly shuffle their engines that run on recycled dinosaurs into the storage room, however, not at all. Instead, they’ve turned around and let the GT department, their skunkworks team, at Stuttgart go slightly (read: completely) insane. The result is a $145,000 USD Porsche Cayman that carries a 4.0L flat-six engine from a Type 992 GT3 with the wick turned up to 11, has exhausts with the bare minimum of baffles to pass road legality making it the loudest Cayman ever made, and can keep up with a Lotus Exige in terms of handling.

Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS
Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS Part of what makes the Cayman GT4 RS handle as well as it does is the specifically tuned aerodynamics that give it downforce without adding any more drag to the car

The new Cayman 718 GT4 RS, according to Porsche themselves at least, is not meant to be a track monster. It certainly can be, and there is a customer-spec version of the GT4 race car coming in the GT4 RS Clubsport, dedicated to track only use. This beast is meant to be an “experience,” a car that makes the driver become part of the machine, the two symbiotically working together to scream bloody murder out those nearly direct-port exhausts and catapult the car to the horizon as fast as possible.

Top Gear GT4 RS overview
Top Gear GT4 RS overview Regular GT4 on the right, GT4 RS on the left. Notice the far more aggressive diffuser, “hang down” wing, and larger exhaust exits

Sure, it can lap the Nurburgring’s famous Nordschleife track in 7 minutes and 4 seconds. Sure, it has unbelievably good handling and its aerodynamics are machined and tuned to precision German standards. But by letting the GT department off the leash, they’ve also made, as Top Gear describes it in the video below, a car that is steeped in the highest levels of “engineering nerdery.”

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Our take? While there are still petrol-powered engines around, Porsche should let the GT department off the leash more often, if this is what results from the German equivalent of going mental!

November 17, 2021 / Comments Off on Top Gear Dives Into The New Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS
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The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport

Porsche only just revealed the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS at the Los Angeles Auto Show, but there is even more news in their 718 range, simultaneous Porsche also unveiled their latest mid-engined race car, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, with the 4-Liter six-cylinder boxer engine taken directly from the 911 GT3 Cup race car, pumping out 500 PS in the 718 Clubsport version, an increase of 75 PS compared to the previous GT4 Clubsport edition.

Depending on the track and series-specific regulations, the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport can achieve lap times that are over two percent quicker than the previous model. The homologated vehicle is track-ready straight from the factory in Weissach and can be used in SRO racing series around the world without the need for additional modifications, pricing starts at 196.000 Euro or 229.000 Dollars, not including specific taxes.

“We have incorporated our experience of the last three years of running the previous GT4 Clubsport as well as customer wishes into the development of the new car,” said Michael Dreiser, Manager of Sales and Distribution at Porsche Motorsport. “Faster lap times combined with a further improvement in driveability offer our customers a competitive product for the upcoming racing seasons in GT4 class racing competitions around the world.”

The first Cayman GT4 Clubsport was introduced back in 2016 already based on the 981 generation, to offer customers a very competitive race car, in just two years a total of 421 were built, for 2019 a new model based on the 718 Cayman GT4 debuted, of which about 500 would find clients, mostly thanks to the low running costs of these GT4 race cars in the hands of customer teams.

This tradition is continued with the brand new 2022 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, the 4-Liter boxer engine replaces the previous 3.8-liter six-cylinder unit, and it is about 18% more powerful with its 500 PS at 8,300 rpm thanks to an optimized air intake, also note this new engine car sustain up to 9,000 rpm while it comes with a torque of 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm, resulting in a broad speed band, making the car easier to handle for amateur drivers, but still powerful enough for professional race car drivers.

Upgrades include the use of two-way adjustable shock absorbers with improved characteristics, in addition to adjustable sword-type anti-roll bars front and rear. Vehicle height, camber, and toe are also adjustable. Furthermore, three different spring rates for front and rear axles are now available. Special NACA ducts in the bonnet are designed to direct the airflow more efficiently to the large racing brake-ing system fitted with 380-millimeter steel brake discs.

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport comes with a further extended front spoiler lip compared to the road car for additional downforce, while vents on the wheel arches were inspired by the 911 GT3 R model and vertical fins on the front bumper create an air curtain for the front wheels, naturally, the entire underbody is closed for this race car and it doubles as an optimization for the rear diffuser.

The ‘hanging’ rear wing, also called swan neck, comes with a 20mm long Gurney flap, with an additional pair of adjustment ranges added for more personalization during racing.

November 17, 2021 / Comments Off on The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport
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Porsche x LA Auto Show: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Specs Revealed

Late last month, we brought you coverage of Porsche’s confirmation that there would be a GT4 RS model after all. Not a whole lot was known at that time, though what was presented to us was more than sufficient in painting the picture of just how great of a car it was shaping up to be. The most noteworthy fact was that it set a blistering lap time of 7:04.511 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. This is some 23.6 seconds quicker than the 718 Cayman GT4, suggesting that virtually no part of the car was spared the ‘RS’ treatment.

Now we know a lot more about the ‘how’ and the ‘why’, and Porsche has decided to provide those details to us as part of their participation in the 2021 LA Auto Show, alongside their unveiling of the new Taycan GTS models and the Panamera Platinum Edition. At the forefront of this is the GT4 RS’ engine. It was public knowledge that the powerplant would be a 4.0L naturally-aspirated flat-6 unit, likely a derivative (read: detuned version) of those used in current 992 GT3 and GT3 Touring. Porsche have certainly fulfilled these parameters. You can view a recording of the livestream event, below:

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What was much less expected or known, was how the confirmed power figures would tally up. There were some suggestions that based on the Nürburgring lap time, as much as 500 hp would be on tap for the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. At the time, that still felt a bit farfetched for a number of reasons, the most notable of that being it would mean the new range-topping 718 would be infringing too deep into 911 GT-level territory. However, that prediction has essentially come good, with the GT4 RS producing 493 hp (500 PS)—the same as a 991.1 GT3 RS.

It revs to 9,000 rpm and makes a bit less torque—331 lb-ft vs 346 lb-ft in the 992 GT3—which Porsche says is the result of a more complicated exhaust design, but that’s not likely to matter in the grand scheme of things. After all, the platform known best for its extraordinary balance and superb handling dynamics, is still good from a blistering 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds in its new RS-guise. That’s plenty quick. As we correctly predicted, the GT4 RS comes exclusively with a 7-speed PDK transmission, which further highlights the car’s race-bred intentions and stays true to the (modern) ‘GTx RS’ mantra.

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According to Dr. Frank Walliser—Vice President of 911 and 718 Product Lines—the GT4 RS will tip the scales at 3,120 lbs, making it around 49 lbs lighter than a similarly-equipped 718 GT4 with PDK. Much of the weight savings are the result of a healthy carbon fiber diet, with the front fenders, bonnet, door panels and other fixings now made from the good stuff. It will also sit 30 millimeters lower than a regular Cayman and now comes standard with a ball joint suspension system, replacing the rubber bushings used in previous models. The dampers, springs and sway bars have also been revised for more hardcore applications. All of these will afford the RS superior handling precision and a heightened connection with the tarmac.

At a glance, the biggest differences between the GT4 RS and the other models are ones that are visually telling, with the swan-neck rear wing being the most eye catching of its features. The rest of the body gets the typical RS workout, with streamlined underbody panels, a more aggressive (and adjustable) front splitter, a larger rear diffuser, side blades and huge air intakes, all forming part of this new equation. These of course, are all completely functional changes as well, with the GT4 RS able to produce up to 25% more downforce than the GT4, while also improving engine and brake cooling.

The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is also responsible for a few important ‘firsts’ in the history of the Cayman. Besides being the platform’s inaugural RS representative, it’ll also be the first time the Weissach Package is offered for the model, following the trend made popular by the most recent GT3 RS and GT2 RS. The Weissach Package for the GT4 RS will use the same formula which incorporates exposed carbon fiber exterior panels, titanium exhaust tips, magnesium wheels and a roll cage (in jurisdictions where it’s legal to have one from the factory). Center-lock wheels are also a debutant feature on the Cayman, via the RS.

Compared to other trims, there isn’t a significant list of other notable options to pick from—notwithstanding front-axle lift, and a unique Porsche Design watch—because the RS already comes comprehensively equipped, as anyone buying a car with the badge should expect. I was also pretty bang on with my prediction in terms of pricing, with the base MSRP of the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS sitting at $141,700 USD. Waiting lists are already looking long, relative to the number of allocations being given, so you should get your name in the hat now, if you’re interested in picking up Porsche’s latest—and arguably, their most impressive—RS model.

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November 17, 2021 / Comments Off on Porsche x LA Auto Show: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Specs Revealed
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Officially Confirmed: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS

Porsche has confirmed under no uncertain terms that there will be a 718 Cayman GT4 RS model. This comes after many months of testing camouflaged mule cars (with accompanied spy shots) which had long hinted that the GT4 RS was going to be a real thing – we finally know that this will indeed be the case. Porsche has stated that they are in the process of wrapping up the final stages of testing.

As part of the first phase of this official news, Porsche has released the first sans-camo photographs of the car. Beyond that, not much is really known about the car – that information will be revealed in November, when the car is scheduled to have its full unveiling ceremony. However, we do know one very important thing for sure: it set a blistering lap time of 7:04.511 at the Nürburgring Nordschleife. This is some 23.6 seconds quicker than the 718 Cayman GT4, suggesting that virtually no part of the car was spared the ‘RS’ treatment.

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The GT4 RS will come equipped with a 4.0L naturally-aspirated flat-6, though Porsche has not yet provided any horsepower figures. Besides being obviously more than that of the GT4, many media outlets are predicting that it could make as much as 500 hp, especially considering the measurable difference in their ‘Green Hell’ lap times. Other telling differences can spotted visually, with the GT4 RS being subject to the customary aerodynamic transformation. This includes a more aggressive front splitter, front fender vents, and a swan-neck rear wing (similar to that of the 992 GT3).

As the ultimate performance model in the 718 range, the GT4 RS will likely follow suit with other existing ‘RS’ models and come exclusively with the PDK transmission. Those who would prefer to opt for a manual transmission will probably have to look at the regular GT4, or wait for Porsche to release some sort of 911R-equivalency for the GT4 RS. On similar grounds, the possibility of a Boxster Spyder RS is also highly unlikely.

Lastly, pricing; yes, we’re still waiting for more details on this subject as well, and it could be a particularly tricky one to predict in the meantime. Needless to say, the GT4 RS is not only well within 911 territory, but it is also just steps away from infringing on the latest GT3. It’s obviously not going to be priced the same as the latter – that would be marketing suicide – but it may as well come pretty close. It’ll be somewhere between the price of a GT4 ($100,200 USD) and GT3 ($161,100 USD), likely on the higher end. Our guess would be a base price of around $140,000 USD. We look forward to providing more details as they become available.

October 20, 2021 / Comments Off on Officially Confirmed: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
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