Currently reading: Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport previews upcoming road car

Porsche’s motorsport-spec 718 Cayman retains 3.8-litre flat-six and provides a glimpse at road-going GT4 coming later this year

Porsche has revealed the new 718 Cayman GT4 in race-ready Clubsport spec, giving the world a big hint at what we can expect from the next GT4 road car, due towards the end of this year.

The GT4 Clubsport, built to spec by Porsche Motorsport for race teams globally, it said to be the first production racing car to feature natural-fibre composite body parts.  The lightweight material, similar to carbon fibre, is used in the doors and in the car’s rear wing, means the car is 130kg lighter than a Porsche Cayman GTS.

The news that will delight purists most is that the GT4 Clubsport retains the old version’s 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six, rather than moving to the turbocharged four-cylinder unit found in all current 718 Caymans. Here it produces 425bhp, 40 more than before, and puts its power down through a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox and a mechanical rear axle differential lock. 

P19 0016

It’s not clear yet whether the road-going GT4 will feature the same power output, or be offered, as before, with a manual gearbox option as well. But head of GT car development Andreas Preuninger confirmed to Autocar last year that the flat-six would be retained in this year’s GT4. 

The GT4 Clubsport features front suspension taken from the 911 GT3 Cup car, alongside 380mm race-spec steel brakes all-round. The single-seat interior is stripped back to the bare minimum, with luxuries thrown out in favour of a welded-in roll cage, pared-back switchgear and a racing seat with a six point harness.

The only UK offering comes in Competition spec, priced from £130,000 plus VAT and not homologated for road use. It gets three-stage adjustable shock absorbers, a 115-litre endurance fuel tank, adjustable brake bias, an integrated air jack and a quick-release racing wheel. 

Read more: 

Porsche Cayman GT4 - have you heard? It's really rather good

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Peter Cavellini 3 January 2019

Silly money...again!

  Reads like a Car that’ll tread on the Toes of its bigger Brothers?

FMS 3 January 2019

Peter Cavellini wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

  Reads like a Car that’ll tread on the Toes of its bigger Brothers?

 

Bigger brothers?...and exactly what would they be?. Name the Porsche models that in your opinion, will suffer by way of reduced sales, as a direct result of this car being made available and explain why they are direct competitors in terms of market segment, typical customer type, etc, etc.

Peter Cavellini 4 January 2019

Size matters....

 If you can get the same performance, handling in a smaller package, be cheaper maybe, what does it matter if it’s in 911, 918 Porsche, I’d guess certain models sell better around the Globe, Porsche seems like other brands to be filling a niche with a “GT” model, these Cars do what it says on the Tin, but up until recently they had nothing radical, in Porsche like, no the idea I poported was a lesser model treading on the Toes of supposed to be more powerful, faster Cars, if a Cayman can out performance an entry level 911 for instance and the Cayman is cheaper, your going to think about aren’t you?, and Porsche certainly don’t want there entry level 911 sales going down.

xxxx 4 January 2019

Size matters, as does number of seats

Peter Cavellini wrote:

 If you can get the same performance, handling in a smaller package, be cheaper maybe, what does it matter if it’s in 911, 918 Porsche, .....

It matters to those you occasionally wish to seat 4

FMS 4 January 2019

Peter Cavellini wrote:

Peter Cavellini wrote:

 If you can get the same performance, handling in a smaller package, be cheaper maybe, what does it matter if it’s in 911, 918 Porsche, I’d guess certain models sell better around the Globe, Porsche seems like other brands to be filling a niche with a “GT” model, these Cars do what it says on the Tin, but up until recently they had nothing radical, in Porsche like, no the idea I poported was a lesser model treading on the Toes of supposed to be more powerful, faster Cars, if a Cayman can out performance an entry level 911 for instance and the Cayman is cheaper, your going to think about aren’t you?, and Porsche certainly don’t want there entry level 911 sales going down.

 

Nope.

 

The 911 was, is and perhaps always will be the iconic pinnacle of the Porsche brand. Prospective customers will not consider any other brand, never mind any other Porsche model, no matter how much cheaper, faster, better equipped, given the above facts.

xansamaff 4 January 2019

FMS wrote:

FMS wrote:

 

Nope.

The 911 was, is and perhaps always will be the iconic pinnacle of the Porsche brand. Prospective customers will not consider any other brand, never mind any other Porsche model, no matter how much cheaper, faster, better equipped, given the above facts.

What a bizarre tone. I don't doubt that the 911 is the "iconic Pinnacle" of the Porsche brand but i also dont doubt that many people will buy a Porsche without your proposed pre-requisite of being ultimately principalled in the provenance of every single nut and bolt (I also suspect that availability of the GT4 might render this whole argument a bit irrelevant but thats by the by) Im more inclined to nod my head to Peter's post than yours especially on the price I worked with someone who had a fully loaded Cayman GTS - what a sound that thing made when you were lucky enough to be around when he took it into the multi-storey car park near the office. Pretty much everyone though it was a 911 (another matter that im sure annoys the purists) his reason for buying it over a 911? it "looked nicer" more money than sense but what a car rumoured to have cost him over £80K which is just sneaking into 911 territory but i assume that wouldnt include the lairy rear-wing, ceramic breaks and sports exhaust this one had.. id definitely have one instead of the 911 for the same price but im a philistine..

Boris9119 4 January 2019

All Valid Posts in my Opinion

Not sure there's a right or wrong post here. I have a 2016 GT4. This week I was at my local P dealer moaning about not getting a GT3 slot (again) and in the showroom was a 718 Boxster at $108k! The GT4 was only $91k with buckets and extras. But I bought my Cayman instead of a 911 S, GTS because it appealed to me more and I am a died in the wool 911 guy. Not all 911's are better than a Cayman/Boxster in my opinion. Some are, some are not. I agree my car is artificially neutered, long ratios, slightly restricted output and no PDK. These restrictions ensured it was slower than 911. If that mattered to me I guess I would have bought 911. Carrera T is another neutered offeering (Litchfield showed what it should/could be) but then who would pay Porsche $30k more for a GTS? My advice, don't listen to journalists, don't listen to Porsche, think carefully about what you really want in your car and choose accordingly. In all honesty, whether a Cayman, Boxster or 911, manual or PDK, your getting the best of the best ever produced. Please don't quote me about "73RS". Driven one, marvelous as it is, these modern Porsches run rings around it in all aspects save nostalgia.