Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS (2022): prices, info and official photos
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS (2022) – Never before used by the Cayman, the fiercest of house labels masterfully closes volume 2 of the adventures of the small thermal coupe, before its upcoming conversion to electricity. The euphoria before the tears?
While the first generation (2005 to 2013) was content with 330 hp at the top of its range (Cayman R), to avoid overshadowing the legendary 911, the current Cayman did not hesitate to shake up the hierarchy by launching, in 2019, a GT4 variant developing 420 hp. Happiness never comes alone, she had the privilege of returning to a flat 6-cylinder block, when the rest of the 718 range has been content with 4-cylinders, since 2016.
All fangs out
And at the end of the year, when we thought the Cayman was satisfied, the latter opens its mouth wide to swallow neither more nor less than the 4.0 l naturally aspirated engine of the 911 GT3, although deflated by 10 hp (500 hp) and 20 Nm of torque (450 Nm), out of politeness. Because, chrono in hand, the GT4 RS does not have to be ashamed of the performances accomplished by its elder, by accelerating as strongly from 0 to 100 km/h (3.4 s), in particular thanks to its lower weight of 20 kg ( 1,415 kg). 35 kg are even saved on the scale, compared to the 718 GT4, by using various parts made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), such as the bonnet or the front fenders, while the rear window is melted in a lightened glass. Its engineers have also taken care to reduce the insulation trim or to replace the interior door opening controls with textile straps, when nets serve as a pocket to save a few grams.
The song of the Swan ?
In terms of style, this model plays the aerodynamic one-upmanship by piercing its bonnet, its front fenders, and even its air intake quarter panels. These improve the flow of admission while promising to wake up the cabin with a particular sound. But the centerpiece of this board is its fixed rear wing supported by gooseneck masts cast in aluminium. Less spectacular, but just as effective is the lowering of its ground clearance by 30 mm, combined with a streamlined underbody and front and rear diffusers to optimize heading stability. In Performance mode, reserved for circuit driving because it is not homologated for the road, the downforce is increased by 25% compared to the 718 Cayman GT4. Its running gear has also been optimized, particularly at the level of the ball joints to improve directional precision, without forgetting the strengthening of the springs or the stiffening of the stabilizer bars.
It's all in the pack
The experience can be exacerbated by obtaining, for a fee, the Weissach pack, named after the brand's R&D center, located not far from Stuttgart. A carbon finish is then invited on various bodywork elements, while the titanium exhaust outlets pay homage to those of the Porsche 935. We also note that the 20” aluminum rims give way to models forged in the magnesium. A material also allocated to the bolted roll bar which completes the racing atmosphere in the cabin, although this GT4 RS was not developed to impress the gallery. Proof of this is the 23.6s improvement in lap time, compared to the GT4, on the 20.6 km Nürburgring track.
No manual gearbox
Diabolical efficiency that fans of the 911 can however blame the Cayman, he who snubs the manual transmission to focus exclusively on the 7-speed PDK dual-clutch box. But let's not spoil our pleasure. This ultimate version is undoubtedly the last thermal representative of the 718 Cayman/Boxster duo, which will be fully electrified by 2024, unlike the 911 icon, faithful to fossil fuels for many more years.
Price Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
As usual, since the official reveal of this Porsche novelty, it is possible to place an order, before the first deliveries scheduled for the second quarter of 2022. This 718 Cayman GT4 RS claims at least 144,485 €.
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