While the precise details around the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS are scarce, there’s no mistaking the scream of the naturally aspirated engine. Petrolheads have been treated to the full gamut of great Porsche engineering during final testing and evaluation drives of the GT4 RS – the first 718 to carry the RS badge – in a demonstration of the vehicle’s dynamics and potential both on twisty mountain roads and on the race track.
Not just any racetrack either, but the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife. And while many motoring critics cringe at the thought of ‘Ring’ lap times being the basis for whether or not a vehicle is a true performance benchmark in the sector, the addition of an RS badge to the back of any Porsche is enough to get the blood pumping and the lap times down in the process.
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Image: Porsche
Brand ambassador and development driver Jörg Bergmeister lapped the 20.832-kilometre Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit in a lightly disguised version of the production car- with a lap time of 7:09.300 minutes. For reference, this places the GT4 RS around the likes of the Ferrari 488 Pista (7:00:03), but still aways behind the ultimate 911 – the GT2 RS – that placed a production car record of 6:43:30.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS also completed the shorter 20.6 km lap, which had previously served as the benchmark, in 7:04.511 minutes – a whopping 23.6 seconds faster than its little brother, the 718 Cayman GT4. Production details are yet to be revealed but it’s worth mentioning that the Cayman utilised a set of ultra-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R, which will be optionally available on the model. This particular model in the video is clearly outfitted with a single racing seat, however, a notary confirmed the standard condition and weight of the car for official purposes.
“During development, we gave the 718 Cayman GT4 RS everything that characterises 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.
“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 driver, Jörg Bergmeister.
We look forward to providing further details about production runs and pricing for the Australian market as soon as they’re available. In the meantime, we highly recommend watching Matt Farah drive a modified 4.5-litre Cayman from DeMan Motorsport for some more naturally aspirated goodness – Linked here.
Image: Porsche
Image: Porsche
Image: Porsche
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