Porsche has revealed the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport at the 2021 Los Angeles Auto Show. The mid-engined race car from Weissach is based on the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS road car which has also just been unveiled. The most significant change is the 4.0 litre six-cylinder boxer engine. This high-revving powerplant has been taken directly from the 911 GT3 Cup race car and develops 500 PS in the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport - 75 PS more than the previous GT4 Clubsport model.
In addition to many upgraded details, the focus in developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was on further improving overall performance. The standard 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) fitted to the car now uses all seven forward gears, rather than six. All gears feature shorter ratios than in the previous model. Depending on the track and series-specific regulations, the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport can achieve lap times that are over two percent quicker than the previous model. The homologated vehicle is track-ready ex factory and can be used in SRO racing series around the world without further modifications. The starting price of the vehicle is 196.000 Euro (229.000 Dollar), not including specific tax.
The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport continues this tradition and offers a further improvement in terms of its competitiveness. The 500 PS 4.0 litre six-cylinder boxer engine taken directly from the current 911 GT3 Cup racing car is almost 18 per cent more powerful than the 3.8 litre engine that was used in the previous model. Thanks to an optimised air intake, maximum power is achieved at 8,300 rpm - 800 rpm higher than the previous engine. The new engine revs up to 9,000 rpm. It develops 465 newton metres (Nm) at 6,000 rpm instead of the previous 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm. The result is a much wider usable speed band, which makes driving the car much easier for pro-racers and amateur drivers alike.
Excellent aerodynamics ensure that the precise and controllable handling of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport remains well-balanced even in fast curves. Front dive planes and an extended front spoiler lip increase downforce at the front axle. Wheel arch vents in the wings inspired by the 911 GT3 R and air curtains specifically designed to calm the air turbulence around the front wheels, while the fully enclosed underbody optimises air flow to the diffusor at the rear of the car. The swan neck rear wing has now been given a 20 millimetre long Gurney flap and an adjustment range extended by two additional stages.
The previous 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was the first ever series production race car to use body parts made of renewable natural-fibre composite material. In the case of the new GT4 RS Clubsport, even more extensive use of this material is made in the vehicle as a whole. In addition to the doors and the rear wing, the bonnet, the wings, the aerodynamic components at the front end and the steering wheel are now made of this material. The use of this flax-based fibre as an alternative to carbon fibre composite material can now be tested in motorsports for its use in road cars. Porsche has been using motorsports as a test bed for technology, processes and materials potentially capable of being used in road cars for over 70 years now.
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