Porsche Reveals The 718 Cayman GT4 RS

Nov 24, 2021 4 min read
Porsche Reveals The 718 Cayman GT4 RS

Coming to a racetrack near you…


While some bemoan the fact the two top-selling Porsches are SUVs, they’re ignoring the fact the German automaker is also dialing up performance continuously. Case in point is the recent reveal of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS and 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport. Both push the 718 platform to new heights and undoubtedly will be instant collectables, with one intended solely for track use and the other something you can use to wow people while cruising down Main Street.

Check out a complete Porsche RS collection on display right now. Details here.

Porsche doesn’t just slap the RS badge on any vehicle. No, Rennsport is a holy name associated only with lightweight driver’s cars designed to carve up the road and/or track with unreal ferocity. The fact it’s finally been bestowed on the 718 Cayman GT4, a car which was already incredibly good to drive, should be enough to raise plenty of eyebrows.

Lightweighting is a key element of the Cayman GT4 RS, which tips the scale at just over 3,100 lbs. To shed weight, several parts like the hood and front wings are made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic. Porsche also installed lightweight door panels and carpets, plus it used lightweight glass for the rear window.

Powering this setup mid-ship is a naturally aspirated flat-six which revs to a lofty 9,000 rpm. Porsche tuned the engine to produce about an extra 79-horsepower versus what it makes in the Cayman GT4. Torque has also been dialed up about 14 lb.-ft. at its peak.

Just like any other modern RS model, Porsche is offering this car with only the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. Yes, we know it would be great to have a manual, but Porsche thinks being able to keep both hands on the steering wheel while wrangling this through a sweeping turn on the track is more important. At least the 0-62 time of 3.4 seconds is pretty damn impressive.

Under the skin are many more designs to allow the driver to capitalize on the aggressive setup of the Cayman GT4 RS. Ball joints attach the chassis to the body, something Porsche says tightens up handling. Model-specific shock absorbers and modified springs/anti-roll bars also help in that area.

Many aesthetic features which are also functional set the Cayman GT4 RS apart from the rest of the 718 lineup. Among them are the process air intakes positioned behind the driver and passenger windows, replacing the small quarter windows for greater airflow to the engine. NACA ducts in the hood send air to cool the brakes. Another prominent feature is the new rear wing with what Porsche calls a “swan-neck” attachment. The design was derived from the wing developed for the Porsche 911 RSR GT race car and has been used on the 911 GT3. That wing, combined with other aero improvements like the front spoiler lip, rear diffuser, etc. the car generates 25 percent more downforce than the GT4 when put into Performance mode.

Porsche is offering a Weissach package as well, which adds a carbon-weave finish to numerous body parts. Titanium exhaust finishers and fitted roll cage, Race-Tex material on the upper dash, and a large Porsche logo on the rear window are also included. For an extra cost, Porsche will allow you to swap the 20-inch forged aluminum wheels for 20-inch forged magnesium wheels.

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Porsche claims the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS laps the Nurburgring Nordschleife 23.6 seconds faster than the regular GT4. Depending on your opinion of the famous track being used as a gauge for overall performance, that might really mean something.

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