What can be more hardcore than the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4? A new big brother – the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. This will become the new top model of the 718 family when it makes its global debut in November. It will be the first 718 to carry the RS badge.
Although the launch is just two months away, the engineers want still more tests to be run and final testing and evaluation drives are being conducted on twisty mountain roads and on the racetrack.
Porsche has released some footage and information from these exercises with brand ambassador and development driver Jorg Bergmeister showing off the car’s dynamic potential on the 20.832-km Nurburgring-Nordschleife circuit. Driving a lightly disguised production car, he clocked a lap in 7:09.300 minutes. On the shorter lap, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS completed the lap, which had previously served as the benchmark, in 7:04.511 minutes – 23.6 seconds faster than its little brother.
To protect the driver, the mid-engined sportscar was equipped with a racing seat. The tyres fitted to the car were Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, which will be optionally available to customers.
“During development, we gave the 718 Cayman GT4 RS everything that characterizes a genuine RS: lightweight construction, more downforce, more power and, of course, an even higher level of responsiveness and feedback to driver inputs. The fantastic lap time of the Nordschleife is impressive proof of how clearly noticeable these improvements in driving dynamics are,” said Director GT Model Line, Andreas Preuninger. “Our customers can look forward to a pure driver’s car that makes a thrilling driving experience an absolute priority.”
“The 718 Cayman GT4 RS is an uncompromising driving machine. It feels as nimble as a go-kart on mountain roads, yet is impressively stable and well-balanced on the racetrack. Otherwise, such a lap time wouldn’t even be possible,” said Bergmeister, who has spent more than 500 hours driving the car as part of the development program. “The GT4 RS is one of the sharpest cars Porsche has ever developed. And you really have had to experience the breathtaking noise it makes for yourself,” he said.
More than two years after making its debut in Malaysia, the 718 Cayman has now been treated to a sporty new option package with the introduction of the new 718 Cayman SportDesign Series by Sime Darby Auto Performance (SDAP).
The series is available exclusively to 15 limited units, with 5 available in each of the following attractive exterior colours: Racing Yellow, Guards Red, and Carrara White Metallic. Furthermore, the extensive list of options provided as standard includes a number of features designed to immerse the driver and passenger in the full Porsche experience and offers a competitive price advantage for interested buyers. The highly exclusive car will be available for viewing across all Porsche Centres simultaneously.
“The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is aimed particularly at drivers who appreciate a vehicle that is suitable for everyday use but do not want to sacrifice sportiness,” said Christopher Hunter, (above) Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Auto Performance.
Design
The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series stands out from the 718 model line not only in terms of performance, but also in its visual design. The result is a subtle carbon fibre design for an extra element of individualisation. The new SportDesign Series also enhances the overall appearance, complemented by the SportDesign Package which has a unique front end with a newly designed front spoiler and rear apron. The contrasting black accents on the door handles and the centrally positioned black tailpipes from the standard sports exhaust system gives the SportDesign Series its contrasting sporty appearance.
LED main headlights including Porsche Dynamic Light System Plus (PDLS+) helps to ensure optimum visibility without hindering other road users. At the rear, the three-dimensional design of the taillights incorporating four-spot brake lights leaves a lasting impression. The vehicle rolls on the 20-inch wheels are available in either the Carrera S or Carrera Sport Wheel design. A forged one-piece alloy wheel in high gloss black completes the side view.
Interior
The accented colour of the exterior colour scheme, combined with the carbon decorative and black leather interior package makes the 718 Cayman SportDesign Series even more visually succinct. For an even greater driving experience, the car is equipped with 14-way power seats that include comfort memory foam for the driver and front passenger. To further complement the luxurious interior, a Bose Surround Sound System comes standard with 10 loudspeakers, offers a total output of 505 watts, and provides a sophisticated audio experience of the highest calibre.
Performance
For the ambitious drivers, the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is fitted as standard. This lowers the body of the 718 Cayman SportDesign by 10mm and offers for a sportier chassis tuning for greater agility. To further enhance vehicle performance, the Sport Chrono Package and PDK, the 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is able to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in just under four seconds.
The 718 Cayman SportDesign Series is priced at RM625,000 and exclusively limited to only 15 units. As with all vehicles sold by Sime Darby Auto Performance, it comes with a four-year warranty and free maintenance package for peace-of-mind ownership. The stated price includes all applicable duties, except registration fee, road tax and insurance. Specifications and prices are subject to change without prior notice.
718 Cayman: combined fuel consumption 7.0 l/100 km, urban 9.1 l/100 km, non-urban 5.8 l/100 km; CO2 emissions 160 g/km
Three years after the premiere of the first Cayman GT4 Clubsport, Porsche now unveils its successor: The new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport represents a consequent further development of the successful model from Weissach. For the first time, the near-standard mid-engine racer comes in two versions ex-works: the “Trackday” model for ambitious amateur racing drivers and the “Competition” variant for national and international motor racing.
In developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, the focus was put not only on further improved driveability and faster lap times but also on the sustainable use of raw materials. The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is the first ever production race car to feature body parts made of natural-fibre composite material. The driver and co-driver doors and the rear wing are made of an organic fibre mix, which are sourced primarily from agricultural by-products such as flax or hemp fibres and feature similar properties to carbon fibre in terms of weight and stiffness.
Powering the 718 GT4 Clubsport is a 3.8-litre flat-six engine producing 313 kW (425 hp). Compared to its predecessor, this represents a 40-hp increase in performance. The power is transferred to the rear wheels via a Porsche dual-clutch gearbox with six gears and mechanical rear axle differential lock. The lightweight spring-strut front suspension is taken from its big 911 GT3 Cup brother. The impressive racing brake system features steel brake discs all round measuring 380 millimetres in diameter. Tipping the scales at 1,320 kilograms, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, delivered ex-works with a welded-in safety cage, a racing bucket seat as well as a six-point harness, is a real lightweight.
The basis “Trackday” version is aimed at amateur drivers who want to take part in private track and clubsport events without major effort and outlay. The vehicle features a fixed shock absorber setup. The ABS, ESC and traction control assistance systems ensure forgiving handling at the limit and can be deactivated. Also delivered ex-works is the air-conditioning system, a rescue hatch in the roof, a handheld fire-extinguisher and an 80-litre FT3 safety fuel cell. The non-road-homologated vehicle can be serviced at all Porsche Centres.
The “Competition” model features a raft of details relevant for racing. The shock absorbers can be adjusted in three stages. The safety fuel tank with a capacity of 115 litres is suitable for long-distance events. Thanks to a brake balance system, the balance bias can be infinitely adjusted between the front and rear axle. An integrated air jack system guarantees fast pit stops. The quick-release racing steering wheel adopted from the 911 GT3 R ensures a range of adjustment options for the individual needs of the drivers. An automatic fire extinguishing system adds another safety feature for the racetrack.
“The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport possesses significantly more racing genes than its successful predecessor,” says Porsche’s head of motorsport Fritz Enzinger. “The power of the engine has increased considerably. At the same time, we were able to increase the downforce and the cockpit is now even better suited to drivers’ needs. I’m confident that we can build on the excellent sales figures of the predecessor, of which we have delivered 421 cars.”
Concept
• Single-seater, near-standard production-based race car, not road homologated
Engine
• Aluminium six-cylinder mid-positioned boxer engine with rigid mounting
• 3,800 cc; stroke 77.5 mm, bore 102 mm
• Max. power: 313 kW (425 hp) at 7,500 rpm
• Max. rpm: 7,800 rpm
• Max. torque: 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm
• Compression ratio: 12.5:1
• Racing optimised water cooling with thermal management for engine and gearbox
• Four-valve technology with adjustable camshaft phasing and variable valve timing VarioCam Plus
• Fuel quality: Super Plus unleaded, minimum 98 octane
• Racing optimised electronic engine management (Continental SDI 9)
• Integrated dry sump lubrication
• 100-cell metal catalytic converter complying with DMSB specifications
Transmission
• Rear wheel drive
• 6-speed PDK gearbox with rigid suspension and electronic control unit optimised for racing
• Reinforced dual mass flywheel
• Internal pressure oil lubrication with active oil cooling
• Differential lock optimised for racing
