The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport Has a More Powerful Engine and Many Other Enhancements
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Porsche has revealed its new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport that will be available to race in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge in 2022. The mid-engine racer, based on the Cayman GT4 RS road car, was unveiled this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Like the road car, the racing 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport is equipped with a 4.0-liter, six-cylinder boxer engine taken directly from the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup race car and produces 500 horsepower – 75 more than the previous GT4 Clubsport model. It has a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission, replacing the previous GT4 Clubsport’s six-speed gearbox.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport comes track-ready and will be distributed through Porsche Motorsport North America in the United States at a cost of $229,000 plus tax.
“We thrive on competition and will always push for improvements,” said Volker Holzmeyer, president and CEO of Porsche Motorsport North America. “This is what our customer teams expect of us and what we demand of ourselves at Porsche. Acting on their feedback, we’ve made the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport more capable than ever. It’s quicker, even more rewarding and confidence-inspiring to drive – exactly what drivers competing in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and SRO series need to be successful.”
Porsche first offered the Cayman GT4 Clubsport of the 981 generation in 2016, with the next-generation model – based on the 718 Cayman GT4 – debuting in 2019. The strong demand for these vehicles is due to their low running costs.
In addition to the stronger 4.0-liter engine (18 percent more powerful than its 3.8-liter predecessor), the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport achieves maximum power at 8,300 rpm – 800 rpm higher than previously. It results in a wider, more usable power band for the engine, improving drivability. The seven-speed transmission also features shorter gear ratios than on the GT4 Clubsport.
Revised damper technology on the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport offers optimized responsiveness and improved body control, significantly impacting handling. Two-way racing adjustable shock absorbers with improved valve characteristics, as well as adjustable double-blade anti-roll bars, front and rear, are among the updates. Ride height, camber and toe are also adjustable.
Special NACA ducts in the front lid feed air efficiently to the large race braking system with 380-millimeter, multi-piece rotors that are vented and slotted. The Porsche Stability Management-System is programmed specifically for the track and includes a switch for traction control, ABS (anti-lock braking system) and updated stability control.
The aerodynamics of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport have also been enhanced in great detail to increase downforce, calm air flow over the car and optimize air flow at the rear diffusor.
The previous 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was the first series production race car to use body panels made of sustainable natural-fiber composites. This material is used even more extensively on the new GT4 RS Clubsport. In addition to the doors and the rear wing, the front lid, fenders, aerodynamic components at the front and the steering wheel consist of this material. The use of this flax-based fiber as an alternative to carbon-fiber composite can be evaluated in racing for potential use in road cars.
“The GT4 Clubsport has a special place in my heart,” Holzmeyer said, “as I’ve been deeply involved with the car from the start, ever since it first began development. Therefore, it’s also a personal ambition for me to continuously improve it, to make it better and better.”