THE ULTIMATE CAYMAN
Porsche’s mid-engined baby gets RS treatment, writes Thomas Falkiner
Ihave been fortunate enough to sample quite a few hot Porsche Cayman models in my time. The first was back in 2011 — now that’s a scary thought — with the launch of the lovely Cayman R: a lightly stripped-down and more focused version of the then 987 generation of Zuffenhausen’s midengined coupé. It was a real ripper of an automobile and one that even today remains a rapid, fun and engaging piece of kit.
Next on the cards was a trip to a little place called Le Mans in 2015, where I got to drive around the famous Bugatti Circuit in the first Cayman GT4 (the 981 generation for all you anoraks). It followed a similar recipe to the aforementioned R but offered added spice, courtesy of a larger and more powerful engine plus a few trick parts nicked from the mighty 991 GT3 (brakes and dampers, if memory serves correctly). Said GT3 also happened to be present at the track, although after several runs down the iconic Le Mans pit straight it was the GT4 that won my heart with its friendlier and more forgiving demeanour. While the GT3 demanded more caution and respect, the perfectly balanced GT4 allowed you to crank it right up to 11 from the first flying lap.
Five years later I got to sample the current generation 718 Cayman GT4. This version had adopted more GT3 parts and more muscle; an exercise that again left many scratching their heads as to why they should cough up extra for the dearer 911. Well, now there’s even more reason to question this, thanks to the arrival of the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS.
Without a doubt the most radical Cayman model ever cooked up by
Andreas Preuninger and the rest of the Porsche GT crew, the RS comes armed with the same 4.0l flat-six engine as you get in the latest 992 GT3. It produces slightly less power (something to do with a lengthier exhaust system) than it does in the 911, but a full 59kW more than the motor bolted into the “regular” GT4 manages. It also breathes through a unique intake system; one that drinks in air from bespoke carbon-fibre intakes mounted where one would normally find the Cayman’s rear quarter windows.
If this sounds impressive, there’s also the way it looks — with an exterior full of racing car chops including a CFRP frunk lid cut with NACA ducts, vented CFRP front wings, 20-inch forged aluminium wheels and a huge, fixed swan-neck rear spoiler that allows you to adjust how much downforce it produces. The front spoiler is also adjustable and when both are set for maximum attack the RS makes 25% more downforce than the standard GT4 – excellent for racetracks then.
Today, however, I will be winding my way through the Cape winelands so there’s no need for any aero tweaks.
Riding 30mm closer to the asphalt than your common garden 718 Cayman means that you kind of fall into the cabin of the
GT4 RS, which is every bit as motorsport-inspired as the sheet metal enshrouding it. This particular example is fitted with the optional (no cost) Clubsport package that throws in a steel roll-cage, a handheld fire extinguisher and pair of body-hugging bucket seats with a six-point harness for the driver (Porsche left in the traditional threepoint seatbelt for daily use). Usually this setup is a recipe for back pain but I’m happy to report that these chairs are remarkably comfortable. They also add to the sense of occasion — it’s like you’re sitting behind the wheel of a thoroughbred race car.
In essence this isn’t far from the truth. From the moment you twist the key fob, fire that slumbering mechanical animal behind you to life, you can feel Porsche’s GT division has built something truly special. The 718 Cayman GT4 chassis has always been a cracker but on the flagship RS it’s been dialled up to even loftier heights with a stiffer suspension setup that adopts the same spring and damper rates that featured on the 991 GT2 RS.
You’d think that this would result in a coccyx-shattering ride on anything but Agrade asphalt but, amazingly, the GT4 RS remains remarkably compliant over less than perfect surfaces; those Michelin Cup 2 R tyres never feel in danger of momentarily losing their grip on terra firma.
Supplemented by a wider front track and a smidge more rear camber, it’s a sports car that encourages you to push. Which, faced with the curvature of the Franschhoek pass, is exactly what I do.
This mega stretch of road is the perfect testbed, thanks to its intoxicating mixture of super-tight hairpins, fast sweepers and a few short straight sections where you can really get on the good foot. Although I don’t have enough column space to wax lyrical about this Cayman’s handling prowess in Evo Magazine-esque detail, I can tell you
that it’s simply phenomenal; slaying apexes and pounding through the curvy bits with a tactile accuracy that easily rivals any one of its GT-badged forebears.
While body roll is virtually nonexistent (especially with the dampers in the sport setting), the chassis and steering wheel telegraph every granular nuance of the car’s relationship with the bitumen beneath it. This does wonders for your confidence and encourages you to really go for it when the opportunity knocks. Complemented by masses of mechanical grip, immense stopping power courtesy a beefed-up brake package and the more forgiving nature of the amidships engine layout, the GT4 RS is consequently a relatively easy sportster to whip along at high speeds.
There is, however, a playful streak. If you’re feeling brave and have the talent, you can kill the ESC and delight in the way this Porsche fluidly pivots and pirouettes around its centre point when you get aggressive with the throttle. While you’d be taking liberties trying this in a GT3 (at least the last one I drove) on public roads, the GT4 RS feels infinitely more controllable when things start going a bit sideways.
They say you should save the best for last and this honour would go to the engine: a snorting, farting, popping, banging exploder of fuel and oxygen that steals the show with its monstrous shove and brain-melting soundtrack. If you thought that 4.0l boxer had reached its aural peak in the previous GT3 you’re in for a surprise - it sounds even better bolted into the GT4 RS. Not just because it’s closer to your body but because of those previously mentioned intake ports that literally sit centimetres away from your ears: magnificent air-suckers that amplify that frantic last charge from 8,000 to 9,000rpm to a yowling, feverous frenzy that cocks a middle finger to sound-diluting turbochargers and silent electric motors.
This one is paired with a seven-speed PDK gearbox (there’s no option of a manual) stacked with considerably shorter ratios than those found in the standard GT4. Aside from aiding in acceleration this revised unit also helps you squeeze the most from the motor, especially through the squiggly sections of your favourite driving road.
The tradeoff is higher revs at highway cruising speeds – an indicated 3,800rpm holding 140km/h in seventh – but that seems a small price to pay for a machine that will shake your cage like no other. The 718 Cayman GT4 RS isn’t just the best Cayman of all time but, dare I say it, one of the best Porsche GT products of the modern era: a creation that can stand proud next to any of its rear-engined brethren.