Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS
Race-spec elements turn GT4 into an even more focused sports car
IT might seem bizarre to even suggest that Porsche’s most extreme 718 looks like good value, but at £113,700, it undercuts the starting price of the M4 CSL by £14,525. Add the optional Weissach pack, which includes a titanium roll cage, six-point seatbelts, and carbon finishes for various parts inside and out – most notably the bonnet and side intakes – and the price climbs to £124,886.
Design & engineering
IN isolation, the Cayman GT4 is already a fascinating engineering spectacle, but upgrading it to full-blown RS spec lifts things to almost race car-like extremes.
From the off, the RS sheds 35kg from the GT4, courtesy of a bonnet and wings that are made from carbon fibre-reinforced plastic, a lightweight rear window and less sound insulation inside. That means there’s a kerbweight of 1,490kg, which is a significant 135kg less than its rival here. Opt for the magnesium wheels – a £10,521 extra – and you can knock another 10kg off that number.
The new exterior panels form part of an extreme aerodynamic package. A deep front splitter, air intakes in place of the usual rear windows and the striking swan-neck wing contribute to a 25 per cent increase in downforce when compared with the GT4.
The GT4’s big brother, the 911 GT3, gets an advanced double-wishbone suspension system up front, but that’s not present here. However, the MacPherson strut layout all-round features motorsport-spec rose joints in place of every bushing – sacrificing a little refinement for greater precision.
As you’d expect from Porsche, the engine is a flat six – but while it matches the GT4’s 4.0-litre capacity, it’s unrelated to that unit. Instead, the RS uses the same motor as the 911 GT3, detuned slightly to make 493bhp at a heady 8,400 rpm, plus 450Nm at 6,750rpm. Both figures – especially torque – are down on the M4 CSL’s, but the Cayman’s lower kerbweight means a power-to-weight ratio of 348bhp per tonne – 14bhp per tonne more than the BMW.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed gearbox, which can be controlled with paddles behind the wheel. Alternatively, shifts can be operated by pulling the dashboard shifter – pulling back to shift up, forwards to shift down – and whose design mimics the shape of a manual gearlever.
The rest of the cabin feels truly exciting, too. It’s stripped back just enough to give you a hint of the performance; the steering wheel is simple and lovely to hold, and the seats hold you firmly in place.
Wherever you look, then, the specs of the
GT4 RS read like those of a race car.
Driving
WITH that in mind, it’s no surprise to discover that it often feels like a race car, too. It takes all of 20 yards of driving the Porsche to reveal just how much more focused it is than the CSL. It’s as if a layer of cotton wool has been lifted off all of the major controls; everything, from the steering to the body control, are superbly taut and free of slack, bristling with precision and feedback.
At low speeds, the GT4 RS’s ride is busy – perhaps too much so for some – and there’s not a huge
amount of travel in the suspension, so below 20mph, occupants are jostled about. Cambers in the road are followed gently, too, but without any unpleasant tugging of the wheel – just enough to make the car feel alive.
Raise the speed, and it’s as if the Porsche’s suspension relaxes, and everything starts to flow beautifully. The specific spring, damping and anti-roll bar settings for the RS work together to leave absolutely no doubt about what reserves of grip and traction are still to be exploited. The answer is almost always plenty, once the tyres warm up. The balance is sublime; it feels neither clumsy over the front axle nor twitchy towards the back, and the steering feels much more natural than the BMW ’s.
Unlike the M4, which feels incredibly effective but ultimately leaves you feeling a little detached from the action, the GT4 RS makes you work for its performance, and ultimately leaves you feeling like your ability makes the difference.
Practicality
STORAGE is certainly more of an issue in the Cayman than it is in the M4. Still, it’s more than good enough for a long weekend or track day. The front boot holds a modest 125 litres, while Porsche says that the space behind the seats holds another 136 litres. There’s not too much storage elsewhere, but there are pop-out cup-holders in the dash, and a storage bin between the front seats large enough for a smartphone.
Those seats hold you in beautifully, but if you’re a shorter driver, squeezing in between the sloping door pillar and the heavily bolstered seat is quite tricky.
Ownership
PORSCHE was rated the best manufacturer in our 2022 Driver Power owners’ satisfaction survey – a brilliant result that is highlighted even more by the fact that BMW owners ranked the brand just 15th overall.
An unlimited-mileage warranty also beats its rival here; the M4 comes with 60,000 miles of cover. Both warranties last for three years.
Running costs
IF you’re lucky enough to be on the waiting list for either of these cars, we’d encourage you to keep hold of them for a very long time, because they are both going to be highly sought after by collectors.
After three years, the BMW is expected to hold on to 58. 2 per cent of its original value, while the Porsche is predicted to maintain 65.9 per cent. Despite the big difference in price between the two initially, the Porsche’s stronger residuals mean that it’ll be worth more than its rival in three years.