How Does the New 718 GT4 Stack Up Against a GT2 RS and GT3 RS?
Does GT3 suspension, 50% more downforce, and a 414 HP 4.0L flat-six give the 718 GT4 a fighting chance against its bigger brothers?Â
As you might imagine from our previous coverage on our sister site 6 Speed Online of the upcoming GT4, we are very excited to see its release later this year. Most journalists who have driven the car have stated that they expect it will be a big hit among Porsche enthusiasts around the world.
However, we were curious about a couple of things in relation to the new Cayman 718 GT4. Well, it has “GT” in the name and Porsche doesn’t put that title on just any car. How would this Cayman stack up against its bigger and more powerful GT brothers, the 997.2 GT3 RS and the 991.2 GT2, two of the fastest and most impressive vehicles Porsche has ever made. We will remind you, that at heart, the GT4 is not meant to be a lap-time crusher with all the frills detached. Rather, it is meant to be a raw, visceral driving experience that is more than capable to turn a faster lap time. Thanks to Autocar on YouTube, we get to see these three amazing vehicles go head to head. Let’s get into the details.
The video starts off with the head honcho of the bunch, the GT2 RS. By far the fastest of all of these cars, its 700+ HP and loads of downforce make for speed and grip at every corner. The host not only describes it as insanely capable, but playful and easy to adjust in a way you would not expect of a car of its caliber.
The next up is the GT3 RS, which is immediately recognizable by its intoxicating 8,500 RPM naturally-aspirated exhaust note when bouncing off the limiter. While they state that the GT3 RS doesn’t feel quite as sharp or refined as the GT2 RS, that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to experience. Its more of an fine analog tool than its successor, but the more that you give it the more it rewards you.
Now the real question. How does the 718 GT4 stack to these giants? Well, the host initially states that the 4.0L flat-six powered GT4 engine simply doesn’t feel as refined as the other GTs. Although the GT4 feels light on its feet and very capable, it simply isn’t as special as the other GTs. Obviously, the Cayman is a mid-engined car, so its driving dynamics are quite different than the rear-engined 911s. Not to mention, its also loads cheaper than the other GTs.
Is Porsche still holding back on the Cayman because they don’t want internal competition within the company? Are they scared that the 718 might have the capability to perform at the level of a 911? Will we ever see an RS badge on a GT4? We’ll have to wait and see.