Despite the fact that Porsche’s Cayman GT4 is no longer available through your local Porsche dealership, the nameplate and naturally aspirated engine continue to be offered as a track day toy or motorsport weapon. The GT4 Clubsport has been in competition for a few seasons now, and has proven quite competent in the hands of numerous privateers. With the death of the street GT4, and the Cayman’s revamp as 718 already two years gone, the race car didn’t relate to the street car visually. Porsche’s new 718 GT4 Clubsport rectifies that malady with updated bodywork to be more in tune with current corporate design language.
Aside from the visual update, the GT4 Clubsport receives a more powerful 3.8-liter naturally aspirated engine. Instead of the 385 horsepower of the previous generation model, the new GT4 receives the “Powerkit” version of that same engine with a meaningful 425 horsepower on tap, despite the naturally aspirated Carrera GTS having been out of production for a couple of years now. As before, the transmission is a special 6-speed PDK unit with a mechanical differential lock. Interestingly, Porsche is quite proud of the fact that the wing mounts and doors are constructed from a “natural fiber” composite, but don’t indicate what the fiber is.
The suspension is, again, taken directly from the GT3 Cup car at the front and a wildly track-modified Cayman rear setup. The racing brakes measure 380mm diameter worth of rotor on all four corners. Considering the GT4 Clubsport, as delivered, weighs just 2910 pounds, that should be more than enough brake to slow the car in rapid time.
Unlike the prior GT4 Clubsport, the new model comes in two states of delivery. The first, called “Trackday”, is aimed at amateur drivers with less adjustability (The old racers adage of “If you give them something to adjust, they’ll adjust it wrong” applies), and retains the street car’s anti-lock braking, electronic stability control, and traction control. This model is sold with an air conditioning system, a rescue hatch in the roof, a handheld fire extinguisher, and a smaller fuel cell. This model, while not street legal, can be serviced at any Porsche Center. The other version, called “Competition”, is explicitly for racing, as the name implies. This version includes onboard air jacks, adjustable shock absorbers, adjustable brake bias, and a larger 115 liter fuel tank for endurance races. The fire suppression system on the Competition GT4 is automatic.
The Trackday version will cost 134,000 Euro, while the Competition model is an extra 23,000 Euros more.
“The new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport possesses significantly more racing genes than its successful predecessor,” says Porsche’s head of motorsport Fritz Enzinger. “The power of the engine has increased considerably. At the same time, we were able to increase the downforce and the cockpit is now even better suited to drivers’ needs. I’m confident that we can build on the excellent sales figures of the predecessor, of which we have delivered 421 cars.”
The new GT4 Clubsport will deliver to customers beginning in February, but some teams have already received theirs in order to prepare them for the season opening IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge ahead of the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Time for teams to get get to work on their new Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsports😍 pic.twitter.com/rxm4AP9vAD
— #IMSA (@IMSA) January 3, 2019
Technical description Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport (Type 982)
Concept
• Single-seater, near-standard production-based race car, not road homologated
Engine
• Aluminium six-cylinder mid-positioned boxer engine with rigid mounting
• 3,800 cc; stroke 77.5 mm, bore 102 mm
• Max. power: 313 kW (425 hp) at 7,500 rpm
• Max. rpm: 7,800 rpm
• Max. torque: 425 Nm at 6,600 rpm
• Compression ratio: 12.5:1
• Racing optimised water cooling with thermal management for engine and gearbox
• Four-valve technology with adjustable camshaft phasing and variable valve timing VarioCam Plus
• Fuel quality: Super Plus unleaded, minimum 98 octane
• Racing optimised electronic engine management (Continental SDI 9)
• Integrated dry sump lubrication
• 100-cell metal catalytic converter complying with DMSB specifications
Transmission
• Rear wheel drive
• 6-speed PDK gearbox with rigid suspension and electronic control unit optimised for racing
• Reinforced dual mass flywheel
• Internal pressure oil lubrication with active oil cooling
• Differential lock optimised for racing
Bodywork
• Lightweight body in aluminium-steel composite construction
• Welded-in roll cage, certified according to FIA Art. 277
• Front bonnet with quick release fasteners
• Rear hood with quick release fasteners
• Fixed rear wing with “swan neck” mount made of natural-fibre composite materials, including the sideblades, black aluminium wing supports with integrated carbon fibre Gurney flap
• Driver and co-driver doors of natural-fibre composite materials
• Roof including escape hatch, certified according to FIA Art. 275a
• Recaro race bucket seat with longitudinal adjustment and padding system, adjustable to the individual needs of the drivers (in accordance with FIA Standard 8862/2009 – the latest FIA requirements)
• Three-piston air jack system (“Competition”)
• Pre-installed mounting points for three-piston air jack system (“Trackday”)
• Provision for safety net
• FIA-certified towing loops, front and rear
• Motorsport centre console with enhanced functionality and adapted usability
• Six-point safety harness
• 115-litre FT3 safety fuel cell with “Fuel Cut Off” safety valve complying with FIA regulations (“Competition”)
• 80-litre FT3 safety fuel cell with “Fuel Cut Off” safety valve complying with FIA regulations (“Trackday”)
Suspension
Front axle:
• MacPherson suspension strut, adjustable in height, camber and track
• Forged suspension links: optimised stiffness, double shear mounting, high-performance spherical bearings
• 5-bolt wheel hubs
• Racing 3-way shock absorbers with rebound and 2-stage compression adjustment, high and low speed (“Competition”)
• Fixed shock absorbers (“Trackday”)
• Electromechanical power steering with variable steering ratio
• Anti-roll bar, 3-hole design
Rear axle:
• MacPherson suspension strut, adjustable in height, camber and track
• Forged suspension links: optimised stiffness, double shear mounting, high-performance spherical bearings
• 5-bolt wheel hubs
• Racing 3-way shock absorbers with rebound and 2-stage compression adjustment, high and low speed (“Competition”)
• Fixed shock absorbers (“Trackday”)
• Adjustable blade-type anti-roll bar
Brake system
Front axle:
• Aluminium, mono-bloc six-piston racing callipers with “Anti Knock Back” piston springs
• Steel brake discs, multi-piece, ventilated and grooved, 380 mm diameter
• Racing brake pads
• Brake balance adjustment via a balance bar system (“Competition”)
• Brake booster (“Trackday”)
Rear axle:
• Aluminium, mono-bloc four-piston racing callipers with “Anti Knock Back” piston springs
• Steel brake discs, multi-piece, ventilated and grooved, 380 mm diameter
• Racing brake pads
• Brake balance adjustment via a balance bar system (“Competition”)
• Brake booster (“Trackday”)
Electrics
• COSWORTH instrument cluster ICD with integrated data logger
• Upgraded fault diagnosis with PIWIS motorsport tester
• Porsche Track Precision Race App
• Integrated lap trigger via GPS signal
• Electronic throttle system
• Lightweight lithium-ion (LiFePo) battery, 60 Ah, leak-proof, mounted in passenger footwell (“Competition”)
• Battery 12 V, 70 Ah (AGM), leak-proof, mounted in passenger footwell (“Trackday”)
• Emergency cut-off switch in cockpit and outside left of the windscreen
• Driving stability system PSM (Porsche Stability Management) with ABS, traction Control (TC) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC), able to be completely deactivated
• Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)
• Central fire extinguishing system in accordance with FIA regulations (“Competition”)
• Handheld fire extinguisher (“Trackday”)
• Air conditioning
• Electric wing mirror adjustment
• Multifunctional CFRP motorsport steering wheel with pit speed limiter and quick release coupling (“Competition”)
• Multifunctional motorsport steering wheel with pit speed limiter (“Trackday”)
• Centre console with map switch to adjust the ABS, ESC, TC and switch between preset tyre circumferences
Weight/dimensions
• Total weight: 1,320 kg
• Total length: 4,456 mm
• Total width: 1,778 mm
• Total height: 1,238 mm
• Wheelbase: 2,456 mm
Rims/Tyres
Front axle:
• One-piece light-alloy forged wheels in new weight-optimised rim design, 9J x 18 offset 28 with 5-bolt mounting
• Delivered with Michelin transportation tyres, dimension: 25/64-18
• Michelin slick/wet tyres, dimension: 25/64-18
Rear axle:
• One-piece light-alloy forged wheel in new weight-optimised rim design, 10.5J x 18.5 offset 53 with 5-bolt mounting
• Delivered with Michelin transportation tyres, dimension: 27/68-18
• Michelin slick/wet tyres, dimension: 27/68-18
Colours
• Water-based paint
• Exterior: white C9A
• Interior: white filler-coat, without lacquer
Delivery
Starting in February 2019
