2017 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport: A New Track Stallion
The name Porsche is legendary in the motorsports world because the manufacturer earned its reputation by accumulating victories. As proof, it won its 17th title at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and acquired the FIA World Endurance Championship title thanks to the 919 Hybrid.
Porsche isn’t selfish when it comes to the science of racing, and shares it with thousands of drivers who can purchase a turnkey race car. The GT3 RS Cup version of their 911 and its predecessors racked up thousands of victories and are known for their speed, their reliability and their toughness. For slightly less than $300,000, you won’t find a better machine to compete in Sport and GT racing series.
A Cayman for the track
It’s now the mid-engine Cayman’s turn to benefit from the engineering talent of Porsche’s racing division. A few months after launching the Cayman GT4, built for driving enthusiasts on the track or on the street, here’s the Cayman GT4 Clubsport whose only objective – just like the GT3 and GT3 RS – is to help you win races.
Over in the U.S., it costs $165,000 USD to order the exclusive GT4 Clubsport at Porsche Motorsport North America (PMNA). Starting in the spring of 2016, they’ll deliver you a coupe that’s virtually ready to race in serious, professional calibre series, or in races organized by various Porsche clubs.
For the price, you get a Cayman that’s equipped with the same naturally aspirated, 3.8-litre flat-six as the roadgoing GT4, which develops 380 horsepower. However, in this case, the engine is matched to a PDK gearbox instead of its sister’s six-speed manual transmission. Gear changes can be performed with wheel-mounted paddle shifters, while at the rear, a locking differential takes care of funnelling all that power and torque to the pavement.
No compromises
This road-hugging coupe cannot be plated for road use. Its interior was also gutted to keep the car light and to allow room to install the necessary tools for track use. It includes an FIA-certified safety cage, a racing seat with a six-point safety belt and a central fire extinguisher. There are mounting points for a second seat in order to accommodate brave passengers.
The Motorsport division’s engineers obviously worked extensively on the suspension, the brakes and the wheels of this new thoroughbred. The front struts and lightweight transverse arms at the rear are borrowed from the 911 GT3 Cup. The brakes consist of big 380-mm steel discs at all four corners, pinched by one-piece, six-piston callipers.
The antilock braking system includes 12 different settings, while the stability control’s thresholds were adapted for the Michelin 25/64 front and 27/68 rear racing slicks, mounted on 18-inch forged alloy rims.
With all that, the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport weighs in at just 1,300 kg. Svelte, low, powerful and sharpened like a tool in every aspect, this Porsche is ready for any racing challenge. The company can even deliver it painted white so you can let your creativity run wild, but especially so you can easily stick on the names and brands of your sponsors, the name of the series and your racing number.
- Read our test of the Porsche Cayman GT4 and 911 GT3 RS
- Check out our complete coverage of the Los Angeles Auto Show