Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS overview, first drive: worth, efficiency, design, options – Introduction

Driving the 718 Cayman GT4 RS out on the street is a bit like carrying a licenced gun round. It’s authorized, however there’s a trace of nervousness clouding over you always. It’s a street automobile tailored for observe use that places out 500hp through the rear wheels, will get all of the aero assist a automobile can get and, with a redline of 9,000rpm for the naturally aspirated engine, a soundtrack to die for. The proper recipe then? Or is it too good to be true?

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS: exterior design

By way of design, the RS is a no-nonsense observe automobile with the first intention of going quick. Therefore, the aero performs an enormous position. It has the bulbous fenders true to a Porsche, however they’re carbon fibre and have ducts that assist relieve stress from the wheel effectively. The bonnet, too, is carbon fibre, which on the Weissach pack is in an uncovered guise, and will get two NACA ducts for airflow that assist cool the brakes.

Aerodynamics play an enormous position within the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, making it a no-nonsense observe automobile.

The entrance splitter may be manually adjusted for 2 settings and has winglets that channel air across the automobile. And in true RS trend, the Porsche crest on the bonnet is a sticker and never an precise badge. Over to the aspect, as normal, the GT4 RS will get 20-inch cast aluminium wheels with Michelin PilotSport Cup 2 tyres, however on the Weissach pack, you get the choice of magnesium wheels (Rs 30 lakh) that assist shed 10kg general.

The Weissach pack grants you the elective magnesium wheels that assist shed 10kg general.

There’s extra aero within the type of air ducts behind the doorways, which by the way, are susceptible to gather particles from the street. Up high, the Weissach pack additionally will get you carbon scoops for the air intakes which might be immediately related to the airbox of the mid-mounted engine. On the rear, the spotlight is the carbon-fibre swan-neck spoiler, which can be adjustable, and answerable for 25 % extra downforce.

The swan-neck carbon-fibre rear spoiler presents 25 % of further downforce.

Low down, there’s a diffuser for extra aero, and one other Weissach unique are titanium suggestions for the exhaust. The choices record on the GT4 RS, like each Porsche, is in depth and, to many people, extraordinarily costly as effectively. The Shark Blue paint on the automobile seen here’s a Rs 6.8 lakh possibility, and you’ll go fairly berserk speccing the automobile up on the Porsche configurator on the official web site.

Porsche 718 cayman GT4 RS: inside, options

The Weissach pack additionally contributes on the within with a number of Race-Tex or Alcantara on the highest of the dashboard. Shaving weight is important, therefore there may be in depth use of carbon fibre. The bucket seats are one-piece carbon fibre with guide alter for legroom and electrical alter for peak. There’s additionally a six-point harness as an possibility on the Weissach pack, together with a regular three-point seatbelt for observe use and hearth extinguishers (Rs 70,000 possibility) underneath the passenger seat, though it’s a bit intrusive and eats into leg house of the passenger.

One-piece carbon fibre bucket seats useful however not snug.

By way of structure, it’s a easy one with the centre console consisting of all of the switchgear and a touchscreen that will get Apple CarPlay. It isn’t essentially the most fashionable unit, one thing that exhibits as quickly as you have interaction the low-resolution reversing digital camera. Nonetheless, the supply of bodily switches as a substitute of a smudgy glass panel is a plus. The driving force’s cockpit is quite easy too with a chunky Race Tex-wrapped steering wheel that options solely a yellow centre band and no media controls within the curiosity of minimising distractions.

You possibly can add extra drama by opening the exhaust valves.

A giant tachometer within the centre with a speedo on the left and a color MID on the correct completes the instrument binnacle. As a part of the Weissach pack, there may be additionally a lighter titanium roll cage sandwiched between the motive force and the engine. After all, do you have to need to, you may spec up the interiors too with choices like a Rs 2.4 lakh BOSE audio system, though it is going to be sinister to hearken to anything given how the GT4 RS sounds. By way of practicality, there’s a frunk and a trunk, each of that are ok for smooth baggage and may pack in solely absolutely the necessities.

Porsche 718 cayman GT4 RS: engine, efficiency

The star on the GT4 RS, undoubtedly, is the engine. A 500hp, 4.0-litre flat-six naturally aspirated petrol engine shared with the 911 GT3. Sure, on the GT3 it makes 510hp, however for the GT4 RS, Porsche has flipped the engine 180 levels and adjusted the house across the gearbox housing and exhaust manifold, thus growing some exhaust again stress resulting in the 10hp loss. Nonetheless, it’s lighter than a GT3 at 1,415 kg and has a greater energy to weight ratio, which makes up for the ability loss.

The 4.0-litre, NA, flat-six engine with 500hp is shared with the 911 GT3.

Mated to a 7-speed PDK gearbox, the GT4 RS is, in fact, outfitted with ‘launch management’ that catapults it from 0-100kph in 3.4 secs, and tops out at a supercar-rivalling 315kph. Nonetheless, greater than the numbers, it’s the sensation from behind the wheel that’s most spectacular, together with the primal screams of the engine that redlines at 9,000rpm. As you’ll anticipate of a naturally aspirated engine, energy supply is quick and it has a powerful pull all through the rev vary with no lag or flat spots in anyway. What additionally compliments the efficiency is the superfast PDK. Positive, it may not have the allure of the 6-speed guide from the 718 Spyder, however for a race automobile, it’s simply excellent.

With launch management, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS can go from 0-100kph in 3.4 seconds.

In comparison with the Spyder Hormazd drove, the gearing on the RS is shorter and meaning you may eke out a bit extra from the engine, and listen to much more of that high-pitched symphony. There’s additionally a Sport mode for the PDK in case you need even faster and harsh shifts, though it’s finest reserved for hardcore laps across the observe. That stated, to up the motive force engagement, you may select to make use of the paddle shifters which might be fantastically responsive, or the drive selector that’s impressed by the 911 GT3. Slot it in guide mode and it’ll flip right into a sequential gearbox that’s extremely fast.

Really feel and suggestions from the electromechanical steering intently matches to that of a hyrdraulic unit.

There aren’t any drive modes on provide, however you may belief Porsche to arrange the automobile for you with essentially the most excellent settings. Present the GT4 RS some corners and you’ll instantly discover out what the hype is about. The massively communicative electromechanical steering is effectively calibrated and is the closest by way of really feel and suggestions to a hydraulic unit. In corners, the nostril darts in with each motion of the steering, however it additionally has simply the correct quantity of wiggle room to make it a bit extra pure, and isn’t hyper-accurate like on some supercars.

The chassis is retuned, and it has excellent steadiness and weight distribution from the mid-engined, RWD structure, all of which permits it to carve corners with surgical precision. Not shocking then that the RS is a full 23 seconds sooner than the usual GT4 across the Nurburgring. Serving to it additional is a wider observe for higher stability, stiffened coil springs with RS-specific spring charges and retuned dampers. In its normal setting, the suspension is agency sufficient, however you may, on the press of a button, make it stiffer and shave off a few tenths out on the observe.

Nostril elevate perform is a Rs 5.3 lakh elective further.

Within the metropolis although, it interprets right into a back-breaking trip and agony. The set-up is simply too agency for on a regular basis use and until you might be on easy asphalt, you’ll really feel each bump and crack within the street. Pair that with the one-piece race seats which might be unforgiving by way of consolation and you would need to suppose lengthy and exhausting earlier than taking it out on a Sunday cruise across the metropolis. The one button that helps its case in on a regular basis driving is the nostril elevate. It’s a Rs 5.3 lakh elective further, however its necessity makes it obligatory for India. The front-axle elevate system raises the automobile by 30mm, which could not sound like lots, however is the distinction between scraping and never scraping. Nonetheless, there isn’t a substitute for crab crawling over velocity bumps because the rear finish is sort of low too.

Get it previous all that and onto a winding ribbon of tarmac, and there may be little that may match the GT4’s prowess. The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s grip the street like a agency handshake, the stiff suspension crops the automobile as firmly as attainable and the engine makes positive it’s not there too lengthy. The check automobile additionally had the Rs 16 lakh elective carbon ceramic brakes that anchor down the automobile with a powerful chunk. Positive they may look like an expensive possibility, however they’re much more efficient and provide higher longevity in comparison with metal discs.

Porsche 718 cayman GT4 RS: worth and verdict

For all its deserves, the GT4 RS comes at a value – Rs 2.54 crore (ex-showroom, India). Add on the Weissach pack, nose-lift, carbon ceramic brakes and different choices, and it gained’t be lengthy earlier than you enter 911 territory. For that worth, you might want to be extraordinarily critical and dedicated to what it’s. A pure-bred race automobile that deserves observe time. Sadly, the one race tracks that may convey out the true nature of the GT4 RS are the Buddh Worldwide Circuit (BIC) within the north and Madras Motor Race Monitor (MMRT) and Kari Motor Speedway within the south.

If you happen to stay near any of those or are prepared to bear the price of transport, then there are only a few automobiles on the planet that may give you the extent of efficiency the GT4 RS can. Porsche isn’t limiting manufacturing, however there’s a ready record that requires some critical pull to get on. Nonetheless, should you can afford it, try to bag one, as a result of the Caymans after it will have electrification meddling in. And whereas they is perhaps fast, it’s secure to imagine, they gained’t really feel anyplace close to as electrifying because the RS.

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2023 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS video overview