Just Like The Previous Car
The forthcoming successor to the original Cayman GT4 will stick with a naturally aspirated flat-six engine despite the arrival of a turbocharged flat-four in the Porsche 718 Cayman. The engine is expected to be a detuned version of the new 911 GT3鈥檚 4.0-litre flat-six, although power is expected to increase over the previous generation's 385hp. 405hp-plus is expected. 鈥淣atural aspiration is one of our main USPs,鈥?said Andreas Preuninger, head of GT car development at Porsche. 鈥淎t Motorsport, we think we can achieve throttle response and immediacy a little bit better with an atmospheric high-revving engine than any kind of turbo.鈥?He also confirmed there are no plans to create any four-cylinder GT cars. The bolstered performance means the car's 0-62mph time will be cut from the previous-gen car's 4.4sec while its 295kph top speed is also likely to rise, slightly. Autocar has speculated that the next Cayman GT4 will be powerful enough to wear the RS badge, which is reserved for Porsche鈥檚 most hardcore models. Preuninger dropped a broad hint that it will come with both manual and PDK gearbox options.
Despite the fact that Porsche's Cayman GT4 is no longer available through your local Porsche dealership, the nameplate and naturally aspirated engine continue to be offered as a track day toy or motorsport weapon. The GT4 Clubsport has been in competition for a few seasons now, and has proven quite competent in the hands of numerous privateers. With the death of the street GT4, and the Cayman's revamp as 718 already two years gone, the race car didn't relate to the street car visually. Porsche's new 718 GT4 Clubsport rectifies that malady with updated bodywork to be more in tune with current corporate design language. Aside from the visual update, the GT4 Clubsport receives a more powerful 3.8-liter naturally aspirated engine. The suspension is, again, taken directly from the GT3 Cup car at the front and a wildly track-modified Cayman rear setup. The racing brakes measure 380mm diameter worth of rotor on all four corners. Considering the GT4 Clubsport, as delivered, weighs just 2910 pounds, that should be more than enough brake to slow the car in rapid time. Unlike the prior GT4 Clubsport, the new model comes in two states of delivery. The Trackday version will cost 134,000 Euro, while the Competition model is an extra 23,000 Euros more. 鈥淭he new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport possesses significantly more racing genes than its successful predecessor,鈥?says Porsche鈥檚 head of motorsport Fritz Enzinger. 鈥淭he power of the engine has increased considerably. At the same time, we were able to increase the downforce and the cockpit is now even better suited to drivers鈥?needs.
Everyone鈥檚 aware that Porsche鈥檚 working on a new 911, but at the same time they鈥檙e also making the final adjustments to the 718 Cayman GT4. The most anticipated version of the car comes dangerously close to its larger and more expensive siblings in terms of performance. The 4.0-liter boxer unit produces 500 PS and 460 Nm of torque in the 911 GT3, and will probably put out about 100 PS less in the upcoming Porsche 718 Cayman GT4. That should be an improvement over the previous iteration and its 911 Carrera S-sourced 3.8-liter flat-six that was making 385 PS. Porsche will probably offer it with a choice of two transmissions: a six-speed manual and a dual-clutch automatic, just like the 911 GT3. The previous GT4 sped to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 295 km/h, so we expect its replacement to beat those figures. Visually, the 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 will be easily distinguishable from the rest of the range thanks to the aero package that鈥檚 partially visible in the following video. The footage shows a prototype of the car testing at Italy鈥檚 Monza track, and reveals the sonorous engine under heavy throttle once again, so you may want to turn up the volume before clicking play.
A new prototype of the forthcoming Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 has been spied testing at the Nurburgring and much like others snapped last year, it appears to be wearing its production-ready skin and inching towards its global premiere. The original Porsche Cayman GT4, introduced back in 2015, was a huge success for the German car manufacturer. However, the new 718 Cayman GT4 will launch with a six-speed manual and a PDK will only become available at a later date. It is believed that power will be sourced from either a 4.0-liter flat-six engine free of any kind of forced induction. Power for the previous-generation GT4 sat at 380 hp but this new model could have upwards of 420 hp. That may not be quite as much as the 911 GT3 but the mid-engine layout of the Cayman promises to make it an exceptional driver鈥檚 car. The 718 Cayman GT4 should weigh slightly less than other Cayman versions and could shed as much as 110 lbs (50 kg). The sprint from a standstill to 62 mph (100 km/h) should take roughly four seconds with the car running through to a top speed of around 185 mph (297 km/h). From a visual standpoint, the most obvious difference between the new GT4 and lesser Cayman models will be the rear wing. Sitting on a set of sky-high uprights, the wing is much larger than the previous GT4 and features larger endplates. Elsewhere, the car comes equipped with a revised rear diffuser where a pair of exhausts neatly stick out. Other alterations will include a tweaked front fascia with larger air intakes and a set of larger wheels.