Porsche revealed the long-awaited (and long-rumored) 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Powered by the engine of the 911 GT3, it’s a tribute to drivability and engineering clearly designed for maximum performance on the track and maximum enjoyment on a twisty road. meow.
Andreas Preuninger explains: “We don’t keep this car. We want to party with this car, we want to celebrate the naturally aspirated engine, horsepower and RPM because someday in future, it will switch to electric” director of Porsche’s GT model line. He is responsible for the great GT-branded cars that the German company has released in recent years and he has poured all his experience into the GT4 RS.
The space immediately behind the passengers is occupied by the naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine borrowed from 911 GT3. It makes 493 horsepower and 331 pound-feet of torque in this application. Porsche fans will immediately notice that those numbers are slightly lower than the GT3, which hit 502 and 346 respectively, so what happens? We went straight to the source to find out.
“The engine is purely GT3; it’s not decoupled. It makes about 10 hp less than the GT3 because we have a longer exhaust system now the engine isn’t in the rear, so we lose one horsepower due to back pressure,” Preuninger said. Decide so.
Porsche quotes a 3.2-second sprint from 0-60 mph – a figure that makes the RS about half a second faster than GT4 – and top speed is 196 mph. The engine turns the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic that is linked to a pair of steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, and engineers have made gearshifts shorter to improve acceleration. Want a stick? Porsche tells us that is not an opportunity.
“No, it doesn’t come with the manual. Why not? Because there’s no manual available that we can fit into the GT4 platform that can handle the engine RPM and torque. Nope. it’s not because we don’t want it, it’s that there’s nothing there .PDK is the way to go,” Preuninger pointed out.
To get more air into that new engine, the existing intakes directly behind the doors get a second set that fills in the area normally reserved for the small rear windows. It’s an eye-catching feature that also creates a one-of-a-kind experience in the cabin. Tweaking this feature is easier said than done; Prenndinger said to Automatic log that the first test cars were “dazzling” due to this setup. His team’s work paid off, and the end result was what he branded “the most powerful audio experience in a GT vehicle”, which was appreciated when his résumé including instant classics like the 911 GT2 RS.
There’s a lot of chassis tricks going on underneath the bodywork. The RS notably receives a specific suspension that can be adjusted and the various components connected to the body via couplings – which is a feature commonly found on racing cars as well as the new GT3.
It sounds – pardon the pun – like you’ll hear the GT4 RS before you see it, but it’s also not exactly subtle to look at. Rides on 20-inch center-locking wheels, it’s redesigned tights includes a GT3 swan-neck front and rear splitter. These add-ons aren’t just for show: they increase the downforce by about 25% compared to the 718 Cayman GT4. Porsche also equipped carbon fiber hood and fenders, along with thinner rear windows to keep the weight down to 3,227 pounds. That’s 49 pounds less than the automatic GT4 version.
Step inside and despite the Cayman’s ambition to dominate the track, you won’t feel like you’re in 24 hours Le Mans racer. Passengers benefit from all the convenience and technology features buyers expect in a car by 2021, including a touchscreen-based infotainment system with navigation, as well as air machine. The seats are fixed-groove carbon fiber seats with extremely strong reinforcement, but they are available in many other varieties. Porsches, including the regular GT3 and GT4. There are a few things that set the RS apart, including a tachometer with a 9,000 rpm red line and cloth sliding doors, but Porsche’s aim was to create a car that’s fun to drive on public roads.
All told, the GT4 RS is more than a sum of its parts. It recently patted the 20.8 km version of the Nürburgring at 7:09,300 and it circled the 20.6 km track at 7:04.511. For context, the GT4 RS is 23.6 seconds faster than the GT4 on the shorter track, which is a significant difference. True, not everyone lives near the ‘Ring, but this time argue that the GT4 RS is designed for serious performance.
“This car will make history,” concluded Preuninger.
Porsche will introduce the 718 Cayman GT4 RS 2022 at the 2021 version of the Los Angeles Auto Show. About $40,000 more than the regular GT4. The list of options will include the Weissach package, shown in these photos, which adds some carbon fiber parts (door mirror caps, air intakes and rear spoiler) and reveals a carbon fiber hood. instead of painting it. The Weissach can be further enhanced with magnesium wheels, including those painted in blue colour you see here.
Senior editor James Riswick contributed to this report.
