FIRST DRIVE | The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is a raucous street fighter

Any GT-badged Porsche is a memorable driving experience, and when you add the RS letters it becomes even more of a bucket-list drive.

And so it is with the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, the new leader of the pack in Porsche’s junior sports car range, newly arrived in SA.

The Cayman has established itself as one of the sweetest rides through a twisty mountain pass, and the Rennsport (German for “racing”) treatment transforms the lithe car into a full-blown road and track machine for enthusiasts.

It is a car of outrageous charisma, and how could it not be, given it is powered by the spine-tingling six-cylinder 4.0l engine from Porsche’s 911 GT3?

Transplanted into the Cayman’s agile chassis, this mid-mounted engine gives the Cayman the snarling attitude that some felt it always deserved. Not that those who drove it ever considered the Cayman a Porsche “lite”, but it perhaps lacked that outright rottweiler personality with the bite to match its agility.

And what bite, with 368kW and 450Nm thrust to the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission. With launch control, the GT4 will romp to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 315km/h.

But it is the howl that hooks you. This high-revving flat-six (it redlines at 9,000rpm, ye gods) roars, barks and hisses in a complex cacophony that raises your gooseflesh and your heart rate.

Bringing the glorious noise into the cockpit with even more intensity are air scoops behind the driver and passenger windows, where the Cayman normally has small side windows. It creates a thrilling intake noise right next to the driver and passenger’s ears. It is a raucous experience, like being in the front row of a Rammstein concert.

This is the first time there has been an RS version of the Cayman and there is more to the car than the extra noise and the power hike from the standard GT4’s 309kW and 420Nm. It is a more hard-core car designed for maxed-out driving thrills and it harnesses the extra ponies with chassis and aerodynamic upgrades, and lightweight construction.

The 1,415kg two-seater weighs 35kg less than the GT4, and the kilos were lopped off by using carbon fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) for components such as the bonnet and front wings. Lightweight carpets, a rear window made of lightweight glass and less sound deadening material further contribute to the car’s diet, as do lightweight door panels with textile opening loops.

The cabin adopts a racy vibe with carbon fibre décor, Alcantara-bedecked armrests, and bucket seats. The three-spoke steering wheel has no buttons to distract the driver, except for the all-important gearshift paddles.

The large rear wing blocks some vision out of the rear-view mirror but helps the RS generate around 25% more downforce than the GT4, with the help of an adjustable front diffuser, aero-optimised underbody panelling, and distinctive vents on the front wheel arches.

The car sits 30mm lower than a regular Cayman on stiffened suspension, ball joints bind the chassis tightly to the body to deliver even more direct handling, and it rides on Michelin Cup 2 semi-slick 20-inch tyres — 245/35s up front and 295/30s at the rear.

All the tweaks add up to a car that has lapped the Nurburgring Nordschleife 23.6 seconds faster than a regular Cayman GT4.

Optionally available is a Clubsport package comprising a steel roll, six-point racing harness for the driver's side, as well as a fire extinguisher and bracket. Another extra-cost item is a Weissach package that adds a carbon-weave finish to various exterior components, titanium tailpipes, titanium roll cage, 20-inch forged magnesium wheels in place of the standard 20-inch aluminium versions, and a dashboard upholstered in suede-like Race-Tex material.

The red Cayman GT4 RS I drove in the Cape was the only demo unit in the country, with local customers to receive their cars in December priced at R2,556,000.

Much of my drive was in the rain, a less-than-ideal situation for a powerful rear-wheel-drive car wearing semi-slick tyres, but the car clung gamely to the slick surface and I had to really drive it by the scruff of the neck before setting the traction control light blinking. Road-clinging assistance is aided by Porsche Torque Vectoring which works with the rear differential lock by intelligently braking the rear wheels as circumstances dictate. 

Gradually, my confidence grew to attempt hard-attack accelerations, and the feared pirouettes never materialised; instead there was a brief chirp from the fat rear tyres before they found purchase and shot the car forward like a champagne cork.

The GT4 corners with typically nimble mid-engined balance and the steering is beautifully weighted. The PDK transmission is a thing of slick-shifting finesse that seems to read your mind. Tugging the paddles for manual gearshifts won’t make you any quicker but I regularly used them just to spend more time listening to that soul-stirring shriek at 9,000rpm — fuel consumption be damned. The standard steel brakes were exemplary too, but ceramic composite versions are optionally available.

Driving on bumps, the firm suspension can be pretty uncompromising — and a press of a button makes it firmer still — but the range-topping GT4 is not quite dancing on the edge of madness like a 911 GT3 with its even harder ride and ultra-sensitive steering.

The 911 GT3 seems at times like a bucking bronco daring you to stay in the saddle, and requires a skilled rodeo cowboy to tame it. In contrast, the Cayman GT4 RS is wild and charismatic, but still relatively forgiving and approachable, which is why it won’t necessarily cannibalise sales from the iconic 911 GT3.

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