The line between sports car and racing car runs somewhere with the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS. It’s not just a souped-up Cayman, but probably the cheapest way to get the four-liter naturally aspirated boxer from the 911 GT3 – and use it for its purpose on race tracks. “Krone” engine editor Stephan Schätzl was (not only) on the Nordschleife with the GT4 RS – his impressions here in the video!
In order to be able to transplant the six-cylinder from the rear of the 911 GT3 into the narrow mid-engine Porsche, some effort was necessary. So they had to turn the engine around. The result: a new oil supply was necessary, as well as a new air supply and, above all, they had to redesign the entire exhaust system and accept much longer distances. All of this costs 10 hp of power. What remains is 500 hp at 8,400 rpm and a torque of 450 Nm at 6,750 rpm. The limiter comes into effect at 9000 rpm. The subtle look has a sensible rear wing with a swan neck suspension from the 911 GT3, a low front apron with a splitter and side blades, special numbered air inlets, an eye-catching diffuser at the rear – at a glance you could easily mistake this Porsche for a poser . But that is a misjudgment, despite superior head-turner qualities. Without air, everything is nothing. The splitter and wings can be adjusted four or three times and, in the most powerful position, provide 25 percent more downforce than on the Cayman GT4 without the RS addition. The smooth underbody creates a negative pressure with the diffuser, which practically sucks the car onto the ground. The slats called Louvers on the front fenders (similar to the GT3 RS) prevent excess pressure and thus lift from building up in the wheel arches. The so-called NACA air inlets on the carbon front hood were necessary because the brake discs have grown significantly compared to the GT4. Instead of 380 millimeters, they now measure 408 millimeters as standard, and the optional carbon ceramic brakes even measure 410 mm. The rear windows come from the GT3, they have a diameter of 380 millimeters in the standard version and 390 millimeters in diameter in carbon. But the worst thing in terms of air flow are the intake funnels that Porsche installed instead of the rear side windows and which lead directly into the airbox, right behind them Ears of driver and passenger. They cause a brutal roar as soon as you reach a certain speed and can definitely be a reason to cancel the standard navigation system. That doesn’t reduce the purchase price, but it does reduce the weight by six kilograms. Was it light? Speaking of weight: The GT4 RS is consistently designed for lightweight construction. The loops instead of door handles may be an indication of this. Overall, at 1415, it is exactly 35 kilograms lighter than the GT4 because: front hood and fenders made of CFRP, rear window made of lightweight glass, lack of a lot of insulation material, no privacy screen in the rear trunk, particularly thin carpets. The test car is here in the video However, it is heavier, specifically it weighs 1525 kilograms. The 90 instead of 54 liter tank and the club sport package including roll bar contribute to this. It also comes with the optional lift system, which raises the front axle by three centimeters at the push of a button – for underground parking ramps, thresholds and curbs. At the splitter this gives 4.5 centimeters more ground clearance (at the flattest point 15.5 instead of 11 centimeters.Lying low or flying low?The GT4 RS is three centimeters lower than the standard Cayman, it is 1.27 meters high. This means that It is 12 millimeters flatter than the 911 GT3. It is also three centimeters narrower and two centimeters shorter. Compared to the GT4, the chassis of the RS has been further tightened: the track is 6 mm wider at the front, 8 millimeters wider at the rear, and they also have that at the back Camber increased by a quarter of a degree. Track, camber and stabilizers are also adjustable for racetrack use. 20-inch forged aluminum wheels are standard, the ceramic brakes can be recognized by the yellow brake calipers. And by the holes, because the standard discs are not perforated, but lowered , so they have small dents. Optionally (in conjunction with the Weissach package) there are magnesium wheels that are a total of 10 kg lighter. The tires are wide, but then relatively narrow. 245 at the front, 295 at the rear. This probably costs the most performance compared to the GT3. The front axle comes from the previous model of the 911 GT3, the 991.2. The main springs have so-called helper springs that keep them in tension when they are actually relieved. Adaptive dampers are standard. Ball joints at all connection points in the chassis ensure a particularly tight connection to the body. The mechanical limited-slip differential from the manual GT3 is located on the rear axle (the automatic one has an electronically controlled one), supported by torque vectoring through targeted braking interventions. Starting, accelerator and go! In a wonderfully classic way, you insert the ignition key into the lock on the left and turn it. The boxer speaks up slightly hoarsely. If you press the exhaust button, you get a deep bass. This means you can roll through city streets fairly comfortably and without making any noise. The sound remains harmless up to around 3000 rpm, but above that it gets really loud. Every burst of gas goes straight into our ears. But we’re not there yet. In the meantime, we are still enjoying the adaptive dampers, which are not really comfortable even in the harmless position, but do support stress-free driving. If you drive sportily, they harden on their own, but it’s best to set them directly to sport if necessary. In everyday life, it’s generally too impractical and uncomfortable, so you need to be able to suffer. Public roads are not the right profession for the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS; it craves racetracks and uses roads as connecting stages. Also quickly. It runs at a maximum speed of 315 km/h, sprinting to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds and sprinting to 200 km/h in 10.9 seconds. The everyday consumption in the test was an average of twelve and a half liters – that’s even less than the WLTP consumption of 13.2 l/100 km. Important: Order the large tank (90 liters) as well, because you won’t get far with 54 liters. Especially since around 30 liters rush through the pipes during racetrack operation.Heavenly in the Green HellWhen you roll onto the asphalt of a racetrack – in this case the Nordschleife of the Nürburgring – it is almost as if something clicked into place. Click! Here the RS is in its element. Here he is allowed to scream, here they want him to scream. The engine accelerates evenly and relentlessly and hangs on the gas so smoothly that you feel like you can control each of the six throttle valves individually (there is also a central throttle valve, but it usually remains open). You are always amazed by the lightness of the engine You’re so surprised when you rev up that you end up in the limiter because you forget to pull the paddle or the gear lever in time. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission shifts in a flash, slamming into gears as the next curve races towards you. The ceramic brakes are anchors, but they are very easy to control; they don’t let up, at least not before the driver’s attention. The steering provides an incredible feeling for every centimeter, every notch, every crack in the asphalt, but it doesn’t get restless when you drive wildly over the curbs. You just feel exactly what is happening. Something about going barefoot. The car steers precisely, the tires follow the driver’s wishes, and pure traction comes from behind when accelerating. Intervention only in an emergency Porsche’s maxim of setting up cars so well that electronic helpers don’t have to intervene works. And they take the driver seriously. Therefore you don’t even have to switch off DSC and traction control (there is a button for each). The systems actually only regulate when it is really necessary, i.e. when you have made a mistake or simply overdone it (which is also a mistake). Confidence increases every lap, the GT4 provides so much security because it has nothing in it leaves it unclear. This makes it relatively easy to drive quickly. Moral maturity is required, because the GT4 RS cannot overcome physics either. It lies like a board, as if it really sucks itself onto the asphalt. You have to experience it once if you think you have a sporty sedan in your garage. After a drive in this Porsche you might reconsider your assessment.Driving quoteWhat a car! The GT4 RS is not a poser, but rather tough, uncompromising and really fast. Of course you can pose with him, but he’s actually too good for that. The fact that it lacks 10 hp and 20 Newton meters compared to the GT3 is a gift. On the Nordschleife he was just 10 seconds short (record time: 7:09.300 minutes for the 20.832 kilometer route). But 50,000 euros for the base price. You still can’t call it a bargain – but it’s a lot of car, a lot of fun and a lot of racetrack potential for the money. Because that’s exactly what it’s made for, this mid-engine sports car with rear-wheel drive. It offers the best conditions for ambitious drivers who want to improve on track days and driving training. If you don’t get faster, you can’t use the car as an excuse. Unless he doesn’t understand his instructor on the radio.Why?Extremely strong driving characteristicsImpressive steeringLinear, powerful engineWhy not?If you don’t want to go to the race trackOr maybe……order the club sport version straight away – and really race
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