Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS review

For its axles, the GT4 RS likewise mixes componentry from various GT and RS 911s. It retains MacPherson struts at both ends, although they are fully rose-jointed to the chassis for optimum feedback and wheel control. The car rides 30mm lower than a regular Cayman, and its coil springs are between 40% and 66% firmer even than those of a GT4 and feature helper springs at each end. The axle tracks are also wider and its PASM dampers and passive anti-roll bars have been uprated, the latter being manually adjustable, along with wheel camber and toe angle.

Lightweight door panels, lightweight glazing, lightweight ◊ ∆ carbonfibre bucket seats and carbonfibre-composite bodywork all save weight on the car, which comes in at a homologated 1415kg as claimed – some 35kg lighter than an equivalent Cayman GT4 PDK. The car could be lighter still, of course, allowing for optional carbon-ceramic brakes, magnesium wheels and various deleted interior fittings.

Our test car did without many of those optional lightweight touches but still weighed 1444kg fuelled and in running order. That’s 14kg heavier than the ‘992’ GT3 PDK we tested in 2021 but still light by modern Porsche GT car standards.

The car’s outright grip level, even on standard tyres, is very high, and its directional responsiveness and chassis composure at normal road speeds are both such that it can seem unchallenged by normal driving. Even so, it is by no means aloof or uninteresting.

The gentle, effortlessly checked pitch and roll that normally characterise a Cayman’s handling need really big track speeds to present themselves, but the GT4 RS’s steering and handling are so perfectly pin-sharp that you feel totally immersed in the car’s motive mystique in any case.

You hardly think about the mechanics of driving this car. It’s almost as if you guide it by impulse, as an extension of yourself, feeling plugged into the chassis by your synapses in the same way as you are to that incredible engine.

Comfort and isolation

The GT4 RS delivers greater touring comfort than you might expect. It isn’t quiet, but you would never criticise it for lacking refinement, and its rawness and buzzing mechanical feel are at the heart of its appeal. Apparently, that carbonfibre induction system used to be a lot noisier before steps were taken to reduce its harshness – at its worst, the noise was compared by those who experienced it to that of a chainsaw cutting through your temples.

Even in its finished state, with the car’s tacho needle approaching 9000rpm and the exhaust in ‘noisy’ mode, our decibel meter recorded 109dBA in the cabin – a figure the likes of which we had never recorded until we assessed the Caterham Seven 420 Cup a fortnight ago. A McLaren Senna makes 101dBA in cabin at maximum revs in third, the roofless Ariel Atom 4 only 105dBA.

Typical cruising noise levels are much lower and wouldn’t necessarily induce you to only ever drive the car with a full face helmet and ear plugs.

Track notes

The GT4 RS makes perfect sense on track where the chassis, which can feel so within itself on the road, hits a spectacular stride. Handling is perfectly balanced; it’s stable on a trailing throttle in a way that Caymans tend not to be, so you can attack braking zones hard, trail brake to apices and carry huge speed. Mid-corner grip and stability are titanic, with a progressive breakaway from the rear if you approach it gradually.

Handling is less forgiving if you approach the limits less judiciously, and the hardcore temperament needs quick, deliberate responses to stabilise it at times. But there’s still an exploitable character. New-found grip and precision has first-order pace and composure layered over the top of it.

The supreme powertrain plays its part. Such a linear delivery and a wide, high-rev range make it possible to take corners at close to 9000rpm when you might otherwise expect to need a higher ratio and lower revs.