It’s been a few months since we last heard anything about the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, but Porsche is nonetheless busy fine-tuning it. The model is being prepared for its world premiere in November and was recently subjected to an official quick lap of the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
With development driver and brand ambassador Jorg Bergmeister behind the wheel, a lightly camouflaged prototype, equipped with a racing seat for extra safety and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, which will be optionally available, completed the 20.832-kilometer (12.944-mile) long course in 7:09.300.
Porsche says that the shorter lap of 20.6 km (12.8 miles), which used to serve as the benchmark until not long ago, was dealt with in 7:04.511, 23.6 seconds quicker than the 718 Cayman GT4.
For further reference, we will remind you that the 918 hypercar did a 6:57.00, and the Lamborghini Aventador SV unofficially ran the course in 6.59.73, FastestLaps reveals. The Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro, McLaren 720S, and Lexus LFA Nurburgring Edition did it in 7:04.63, 7:08.00, and 7:14.64 respectively, according to the quoted website.
“The 718 Cayman GT4 RS is an uncompromising driving machine. It feels as nimble as a go-kart on mountain roads, yet it is impressively stable and well-balanced on the racetrack,” said Bergmeister, who dedicated over 500 hours of testing and tuning as part of the super sports car’s development. “The GT4 RS is one of the sharpest cars Porsche has ever developed. And you really have had to experience the breathtaking noise it makes for yourself.”
When it finally arrives next month, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS will sit at the top of the 718 Cayman family. It will pack a naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six engine, shared with the non-RS model and 718 Boxster Spyder, though the numbers are yet unknown. Some expect it to produce up to 500 metric horsepower, which would give it a significant advantage over the 718 Cayman GT4, which has 420 hp available on tap, for a 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in 4.4 seconds and a 189 mph (304 kph) top speed.
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News