BEAST MODE - PORSCHE'S 718 CAYMAN GT4 RS GETS 500 NORMALLY ASPIRATED HORSES
Porsche first introduced the Cayman S back in 2006 as a sort of hard-top version of their popular Boxster model and it was propelled forwards with a normally aspirated 3.2-litre lump that produced 206 kW (276hp) and have the smaller-than-911 Porsche some decent speed and handling. With the Porsche Cayman being more affordable than the 911 range of Porsches, it quickly gained popularity and turned into an almost instant classic of a roadster. The model showed no signs of slowing sales, and so more R&D was put into it and as a result, we've seen a few very tasty models released over the years. As with most things, the newest is usually the best, and in this case, the latest iteration of the Porsche Cayman is simply superb.
Porsche and performance go hand-in-hand, this is no secret. While the manufacturer has models that range from sporty to ridiculously fast, the Cayman was always more of a fun roadster than a properly fast streetcar. Was. The Porsche Cayman GT4 RS is all grown up, and it’s been given attention in all the right places to make it more of a focused weekend track toy, and way, way more fun on the streets.
The first thing that contributes to the Porsche Cayman being worthy of the GT4 and RS badges is the powerplant. This roadster has come a long way since its inception back in 2005/6 when a smidgen over 200kW was the power output on tap. As the body lines have been sharpened and trimmed over the years, the same treatment has taken place in the engine bay. There have been a few versions over the years that made good power, but this new normally aspirated flat 4.0-litre is a beast of a thing. The Porsche Cayman GT4 RS has a very impressive 500hp (368kW) on tap, which improves on the previous top-spec Cayman’s 420hp (309kW) by a fair margin.
Of course, being fast isn’t all about power, a proper suspension setup and the right weight in the right places and brakes that can safely and effectively scrub off speed is what drops lap times, and the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS has been nipped and tucked and tweaked resulting in some very interesting testing on the hallowed Nürburgring Nordschleife. Revving to 9 000rpm while cogs are swapped at a lightning-fast pace thanks to that brilliant Porsche PDK transmission, the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS is able to hit 100km/h in just 3.4-seconds whilst topping out at a healthy 315km/h. The PDK setup allows for manual shifting with a new level in the centre console if so desired, or drivers can stick to the flappy paddles on the steering. With Porsche’s test driver at the helm, this latest incarnation of the Cayman managed to drop a whopping 23.6-seconds from the previous 718 Cayman GT4’s Nürburgring Nordschleife lap time. Yes, that’s right, the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS lapped Nordschleife in just 7:09.300 minutes!