What happens when you shoehorn Porsche’s 4,0-litre flat six from the 911 GT3 into a Cayman? A cardiologist on speed-dial is a good idea writes Peter Frost as he discovers the enthralling 718 GT4 RS.
The noise is bonkers, ears singing, I’m yelling across the cockpit, signalling the rev counter as it swings towards 9000 rpm. My deer-in-the-headlights companion points at his ears, can’t-hear-you, wide eyes glued to the rapidly approaching horizon. It’s all deliciously ironic. Ironic because it’s thanks to quiet electric that this 4.0-litre, flat six bellowing noisefest behind my left ear is happening at all; Caymans will be Eskom-powered by decade’s end and therefore not a threat to the internal combustion 911, so Zuffenhausen has decided to do the unthinkable – squeeze the 911’s primo engine into the littlest of its sportscars as a sort of farewell treat. Hurrahs all round, letters of congratulation.
Out on the Cape Swartland backroads the German missile hunkers down and gets on with the business of covering ground quickly. Porsche use the same routing for every launch, good for comparisons – and 718 GT4 RS is passing the bumpy Philadelphia road test with flying colours. A few months ago the 911 GT3 battled with the ruts and undulations, damping and springs certainly, but equally the positioning of the engine, with much of the mass at the rear. At middling speeds this mid-engined 718 is certainly more comfortable, arguably more liveable. That’s a surprise, and the first indication that the road-legal track-car reputation might not be entirely true. The second is the interior which, if you read the press reports, suggests it’s a paired down carbon cockpit along the lines of Porsche’s GT4 Clubsport racer. Not true either – other than the ergonomically fussy material door pulls and full bucket seats it’s largely standard Porsche fare, all the conveniences accounted for. Comprehensive infotainment, configurable digital dials ahead of the driver, jet-fighter centre console bristling with tech. Hewn from granite as ever, and a delight to use, especially the emotive touch points – steering wheel, paddles, gear lever, brakes.
The bumps give way to smooth blacktop, licence to open the taps. Change the suspension and gearbox from cultured to peccable, paddle down twice, carpet the throttle and behold the orchestration. The Porsche’s RennSport moniker traditionally signals a degree of cacophony, loud is expected. Except that the 911 is rear-engined, while this 718 is closer to you, mid-engined. Add an interior airbox at your left ear and air intakes where the rear three quarter windows used to be and it’s a bit like moving from the theatre gallery to the front row of a Motorhead gig. Tinnitus will be your best friend. Deafening, but fun. Enormous fun.
The Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS: Not your average Cayman
Beyond Franschhoek Pass, as is traditional, there’s time to consider the package, understand why the switchbacks were dispatched with such dexterity. Porsche gifted the car with not only that 911 GT3 engine, but also a raft of engineering upgrades and an aerodynamic promotion. Larger brakes, new dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars, revised cooling, carbon in the body, a new seven-speed PDK gearbox, the flywheel from the GT4 Clubsport racer and the GT3’s limited-slip differential are key upgrades. Aerodynamically, there’s that manually adjustable swan neck rear wing for improved downforce, distinctive air intakes on the bonnet and at the B-pillar and new wheel arches, all aimed at channelling airflow to aid cooling and reduce lift at speed.
Hermanus appears, one long traffic jam masquerading as a beach holiday, and it throws up a number of issues. Predictably, GT4 RS is not happiest in stop-start traffic, the new PDK box shunting up and down with some reluctance. The flat six takes on a rough quality too, not the barrel of bolts of other boulevarding supercars, but ill-tempered certainly. Still, it’s not all fraught stressfuls around town; there’s a console-operated front lift system for the nose, so speed bumps are less worrying than might otherwise be and it’s likely the only time you’ll turn on the exceptional Bose system, it being largely superfluous otherwise. But mostly town serves only to whet the appetite for more canyon shenanigans. Get the hell out of Dodge, it seems to say, go play in the hinterland.
Duly observed. The race home, car and driver now better acquainted, underlines why the internal combustion engine shouldn’t be allowed to die. The choreography of power, placement and noise is elemental, one informing the other. In a car such as the GT4 RS it’s entirely addictive. The mid-engined, rear wheel drive layout means that there’s excellent balance into and out of corners at all but ballistic speeds. Only when you’ve entirely overcooked it and lift off mid corner does the layout play to the undeniable physics – not enough weight fore or aft means a curious lightness and a sense of the whole car floating east or west, dealt with by a jab of throttle. GT4 RS’s steering, braking and that PDK are magnificent in hell mode, razor-sharp, lighting quick with plenty of feel and feedback. Fill up (15,0 L/100km, you’re going to need to fill up the tank every 400km), find another unheralded route, cue the orchestra.
Back home, decisions to make. Which is it to be, the conventional 718 GT4, the 911 GT3 or this beast? It’s all moot anyway – unless you have a spectacularly good relationship with Porsche there’s no way a limited number GT4 RS is heading your way, not new anyway. The 911 GT3 then, same engine, same hooligan ability. But what of the everyday comfort of the ‘ordinary’ 718 GT4? Only one solution. They’ll have to be tested again. Once more into the breach.
Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS Specifications
Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS (982)
Price: R2 606 000
Engine: mid-mounted, naturally aspirated, 3996cc boxer flat 6
Transmission: 7-speed automated dual-clutch PDK
Power: 368kW @8400 rpm
Torque: 450Nm @6750 rpm
Driven wheels: Rear
0-100kph: 3.4 seconds
Top speed: 300 km/h +
Fuel consumption: 12.3 L/100km (combined, official)
CO2 emissions: 281 g/km
Rivals: Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 718 GT4, Audi R8 Coupe V10