The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport mid-engined sports racing car is the racing version of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. Its 4.0-litre 368 kW (500 PS) flat-six engine has been adopted unchanged from the series production vehicle. The new entry-level club racer model is 55 kW (75 PS) more powerful than its predecessor, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The improvement of the overall performance of the vehicle compared to its predecessor was the focus of development, alongside many other detailed modifications. The standard Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK) now features seven forward ratios instead of six. The gearbox ratios are also shorter than on the previous model. Depending on the track and regulations, the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is a good two per cent faster around a lap than the previous model. The homologated vehicle is ready to race from the factory and can be used in the various SRO GT racing series around the world without further modifications. The basic price is 196,000 euros (229,000 US dollars) plus country-specific VAT.
Increased performance
“We have taken into account the experience and customer wishes of recent years in this significant advancement of the Clubsport model," says Michael Dreiser, Head of Sales at Porsche Motorsport. “The increased lap-time performance combined with the further improved driving quality will offer our customers a competitive product for worldwide use in the GT4 competitions over the next few years.” As early as 2016, Porsche offered a competitive racing car for this new customer sport format, with the 981-generation Cayman GT4 Clubsport. A total of 421 examples had been produced by 2018. In 2019, its successor made its debut, based on the 718 Cayman GT4. It has also developed into a remarkable success and approximately 500 examples have been produced so far. This high demand is also due to its comparatively low operating costs. The use of robust series production technology coupled with race-specific components significantly reduces costs for customer teams.
Racing cars for professionals and amateurs
The new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport continues this tradition and combines it with further improved competitiveness. The 368 kW (500 PS) six-cylinder 4.0-litre engine, borrowed from the current 911 GT3 Cup, exceeds the power of the previous model’s 3.8-litre engine by almost 18 per cent. Thanks to the optimised side air intake, the engine’s peak power now arrives at 8,300 rpm – 800 rpm higher than before. Meanwhile, the engine can rev all the way to 9,000 rpm. Maximum torque is now 465 Nm at 6,000 rpm instead of 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm. The effect of this is a much broader and more usable powerband. This makes it easier to get the most out of for professional and amateur drivers alike.
Extensive chassis options
The chassis modifications have also made the handling of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport more approachable. The suspension has been fundamentally reworked in order to optimise response and improve body control. This was a major step towards improving overall vehicle performance and driving quality.
The new features include two-way dampers with an improved characteristics curve and adjustable blade-type anti-roll bars at the front and rear. Ride height, camber and tracking can also be adjusted. In addition, three different spring rates are available for the front and rear axles. Special NACA intakes in the bonnet are particularly efficient at ventilating the generously dimensioned racing braking system with its 380 mm steel brake discs. The Porsche Stability Management system (PSM) has been given a special racing design with a switch for traction control (TC), ABS and refined ESC tuning.
The well-controlled handling of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport remains balanced even when cornering at high speeds thanks to more efficient aerodynamics. Front dive planes and an extended front spoiler lip increase downforce on the front axle. Meanwhile, 911 GT3 R-style wheelarch vents in the wings and special ‘air curtains’ calm the air turbulence around the front wheels, while the underbody trim optimises airflow to the functional diffuser at the rear. The swan-neck rear wing has a 20 mm Gurney flap and an adjustment range that has been extended by an extra two adjustment positions.
Body components made from sustainable natural fibre composite material
The first 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was the first series-produced racing car with body components made from sustainable natural fibre composite (NFC) material. The new GT4 RS Clubsport now uses even more of this material, including for its bonnet, wings, front aero detailing and new steering wheel, in addition to its doors and rear wing. The use of flax-based fibres as a possible alternative to carbon fibre composite materials can be tested on these components for potential future use in roadgoing series production cars. For more than 70 years, Porsche has been using motorsport as a test laboratory for technology, processes and materials that are later used in series production cars.
The equipment of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport meets all the basic requirements for immediate racing use. This starts with the welded-in safety cell and the Recaro racing bucket seat (which can be adjusted fore and aft), and ranges from six-point seatbelts that comply with the forthcoming 2023 standard to safety nets, an inbuilt fire-extinguishing system and a three-piston air jack system. The new safety foam in the driver’s door also complies with the international regulations of the SRO racing series. With a capacity of 115 litres, the FT3 safety tank is suitable for endurance racing. In addition, Porsche offers two different exhaust systems – allowing the GT4 RS Clubsport to race on tracks with stricter noise limits. Special pre-fittings on the vehicle, such as the holders for homologated additional headlights and appropriate openings in the front hood for quick refuelling, allow quick conversion to endurance racing at night.
