For a lot of mid-engine Porsche followers, the Cayman GT4 RS has been a very long time coming. It arrives in climactic style, posing as the primary true Rennsport (RS) mannequin because the beginning of the midship coupe in 2005. It’s all the pieces followers have needed – a balls to the partitions Cayman that can chew at something in its path.
Porsche positive took its time with this one. It took practically three full life cycles for the coupe to get so far, and it’s presumably as hardcore because the Cayman will get. The lads over on the GT division pulled out all of the stops for what is basically a swansong for mid-engined Porsches (they are saying a swan sings most superbly earlier than it dies), as a result of what comes subsequent will likely be a silent tree hugger.
Whereas the brand new electrical “mid-engine” sports activities automobile is being developed, Andreas Preuninger and his impassioned staff of motorheads lastly bought collectively to reply the age-old query – what is going to a Cayman be like with a 911 GT3 engine? Will it even work, and might it presumably be higher than the GT4? Yeah, seems, simply slap on the RS badges and dial all the pieces as much as 11.
The lunacy that’s the engine and bespoke air consumption
Residing simply aft of the driving force’s seat is a 4.0 litre flat-six race automobile engine that redlines at a besieging 9,000 rpm, with all 500 PS peaking at 8,400 rpm and 450 Nm at 6,750 rpm. In a world the place 2.0 litre four-pot mills have the potential to make shut – if not as a lot – energy, the numbers do appear a little bit underwhelming. It’s, nonetheless, something however.
The NA mill has particular person throttle our bodies, making the GT4 RS some of the responsive automobiles I’ve ever pushed. It’s at all times on edge, energy on faucet, raring to go on a whim. You can carve corners with the entrance wheels or induce oversteer simply as simply – it’s as if the throttle pedal was calibrated with a micrometer. The sheer granularity and degree of precision is so medical, and utterly contingent in your proper foot. One of these enjoyable is one you simply can’t get sufficient of.
Talking of enjoyable, the sound. Oh, what a repair the 9,000 rpm and the induction noise deliver. In contrast to your typical tremendous sports activities automobile with a loud exhaust, it’s the cabin of the GT4 RS that will get bathed in mechanical cacophony.
You hear nearly too vividly the swoosh of the consumption, and the exact second when the VarioCam valves carry previous sure rev ranges. It’s like VTEC, however a thousand instances extra intimate and addictive. The play of noise from the ram air impact and vibrations from the six reciprocal pistons are sufficient to utterly isolate you from the surface world – you hear completely nothing else.
It’s deafening in each conceivable method. That’s the sort of escapism we’re speaking about, and it’s a lot rawer than a 911 GT3. Once you’re gunning it exhausting, you’ll must take care of all of the noise and vibration, plus lateral forces and the ferocity of its propulsion. All these may be exhausting to abdomen, nauseating even, for some. It’s additionally not fairly the automobile it is best to tackle a street journey, however you’ll need to, actual unhealthy.
Is it higher than the 911 GT3?
Purists will say that it’s, however Porsche will let you know to purchase each. Absolutely geared up, the GT4 RS prices tantalisingly near the 911 GT3, which is way extra refined of a machine, what with its double wishbone suspension, rear axle steering, wider tracks and a myriad of rear-engine advantages. Click on right here to look at how the 911 GT3 fares in opposition to the Cayman GT4 RS on the very limits.
It’s not higher than the 911 GT3 per se, neither is it quicker across the Nürburgring Nordschleife. As an alternative, the GT4 RS is a savagery that few are expert sufficient to check the boundaries of, but in addition not too intimidating of a beast to strategy. It does the century sprint in 3.4 seconds (the GT4 with PDK does it in 3.9 seconds, or 4.4 seconds with the handbook) and tops out at 315 km/h.
In contrast to the GT3, there isn’t any stick shift possibility right here. Rennsport is historically about most efficiency, plus the PDK is a a lot faster and exact shifter in any case. Right here, it makes use of a seven-speed PDK and never the eight-speeder from the 911 GT3, as a result of the latter is just too lengthy to be bodily mounted on the midship platform.
The gearing and axle ratios on the GT4 RS are derived from the 991.2 GT3 RS, so it has the shortest gear ratio of any Porsche GT automobile, ever. You can hit 116 km/h in second gear, and the needle factors shut to three,000 rpm while you’re cruising at 110 km/h.
It’s far more hardcore than the GT4. Right here’s why
In addition to having practically all its insulation gutted within the curiosity of weight discount (at 1,415 kg, it’s 35 kg lighter than a PDK-equipped GT4), the RS additionally rides firmer and makes extra downforce. Spring charges are twice as agency because the GT4, the MacPherson struts up entrance get bespoke ball joints, and the dampers are model-specific.
The rear axle camber has been elevated by 1 / 4 of a level, though this – together with the tracks and anti-roll bars – may be individually adjusted to swimsuit the driving force’s choice and racetrack.
Additionally manually adjustable are the entrance splitter and big swan neck rear wing. The latter options three angles of assault, and in its most aggressive state generates 25% extra downforce on the rear axle in comparison with the GT4, with out including drag. Like its race automobiles, there are NACA ducts on the bonnet to chill the bigger brakes (408 mm up entrance, 380 mm rears), and the entrance fenders are vented to assist the evacuation of air.
The results of all this fanatical engineering is a automobile that slaps the GT4 on the Inexperienced Hell (or Inexperienced Heaven, as termed by improvement driver and residing legend Jörg Bergmeister). It lapped the 20.6-km loop with a time of seven minutes 04.511 seconds, or roughly 23.6 seconds faster than the GT4. The automobile was bathroom normal, however ran on the non-obligatory Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. Cup 2 rubbers are normal.
What’s it prefer to drive off the circuit? Is it day by day drivable?
Certain it’s, to a point. Journey remains to be agency in its least aggressive settings, however the expertise may be wearying must you take it on an prolonged journey via rural roads. It’s a complete backroad bomber, although, and our solely want on the mountainside drive in Lisbon was for the roads to be barely wider. Helps that it’s additionally a large head-turner.
Creature comforts are minimal. You get full carbon-fibre race bucket seats as normal, Race-Tex-trimmed steering wheel with a yellow 12 o’ clock marker, door pull loops, a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Porsche Join, in addition to a manual-like GT-specific gear lever. No controls on the steering wheel right here, save for the shift paddles.
Choices which you could take into account embrace the 18-way energy adjustable seats and the Clubsport Package deal that provides a metal roll cage, six-point harness and handheld fireplace extinguisher.
There’s additionally the Weissach Package deal. That is the costliest, but most sought-after package deal. Go for this and also you’ll get a titanium roll cage (6 kg lighter than the metal cage!), Race-Tex upholstered dashboard, and Weissach embroidery on the headrests and a further emblem on the passenger sprint.
Different Weissach niceties embrace the attractive solid magnesium wheels with a centre hub (obtainable in 4 colors), Porsche 935-inspired titanium exhaust finishers, Porsche script etched onto the rear glass, and uncovered carbon-fibre exterior components. Oh, be sure to get the unique Porsche Design Chronograph as properly – it comes with a rotor that matches your magnesium wheels!
Verdict – a robust 10/10
You see, whether or not you prefer to admit it or not, Porsche makes a few of the finest driver’s automobiles the world has ever seen. The Cayman GT4 RS is Porsche GT in peak type; a method of telling the world that it’s bowing out of the inner combustion enviornment within the grandest of all measure.
We received’t know for positive if that is the tip of the street for an ICE-powered 718, however it higher rattling properly be recognized that Porsche gave the mid-engine all the pieces it’s got.
The GT4 RS may have simply been a limited-run finale (we wouldn’t put it previous them to launch a particular version sooner or later), however it’ll proceed being produced in Zuffenhausen for the following 2.5 years. As regular, anticipate demand to outstrip provide. If I have been you, I’d be on the cellphone with an SDAP gross sales rep, pronto. What’s that well-known saying once more? Purchase first, assume later? Yeah.
GALLERY: Porsche Cayman GT4 RS in Gentian Blue Metallic
GALLERY: Porsche Cayman GT4 RS in GT Silver Metallic
GALLERY: Porsche Cayman GT4 RS in Arctic Gray
GALLERY: Porsche Cayman GT4 RS in Racing Yellow
GALLERY: Porsche Cayman GT4 RS in Guards Purple
