For those who've owned both the 718 GT4 and 4RS, I'm curious about your impressions of how the cars compare on road and track.

We had a 981 GT4 and currently have a 4RS, and we're contemplating trading the 4RS for a 718 GT4. We don't really enjoy the 4RS on the road (too stiff and too loud at high revs, and lacking punch until the revs are high), so thinking that the GT4 might be more fun on the road and not a lot slower on track. And of course the GT4 is also a much lower price point.

 

What are your thoughts comparing the 981 GT4 to the 718 GT4RS?

 

Would you get a manual GT4 or pdk?

 

My thoughts here may not be super relevant to you since I'm still waiting on my 4RS (arriving in April), but I thought I'd chime in anyway.

I had a 981 GT4, and I enjoyed the hell out of it on track, but the few issues I had with it I expect to mostly be solved by the 4RS, specifically gearing and a slight lack of power at times, and I'm looking forward to the PDK on track... I already didn't really enjoy driving the GT4 on the street, though, because of how rough and low the ride was, and how careful I had to be with things like potholes and some speedbumps and driveways. I think the 4RS will be even worse in that regard, which makes your post not terribly encouraging (although I'm at least looking forward to having FALS). I'm not terribly worried about volume, though.

Still, I would not be getting either the GT4 or the 4RS if I intended to drive either very much on the street. I take this kinda car on the road only as much as necessary to gets some reps between my very occasional track days. I enjoy fun street cars, but that's what my Mach 1 is for.

 

Had a 981 GT4 and now have a 718 PDK GT4, 718 is softer easier on the street and I suspect same as the 981 on the track (have not had the 718 on the track yet).

 

718 GT4 is a more balanced car in terms of performance and handling and speed. Can be fast car with good power to grip ratio - and a broader operating window.

4RS is just more extreme. Much more power than grip/chassis, and maybe narrower/sharper operating window.
4RS is much faster on track when driven properly stock vs stock.

Just have to choose what you want. I hardly ever took my 718 GT4 out just for a drive, as it was just so accomplished it didnt thrill. On the road I was just impressed but it didnt have any theatre of itself. Less personality than my 981 GT4, but a technically better car.

4RS however just excites - tugs at the emotional strings. The engine and gearbox are masterpieces.
it actually feels like the proper spiritual successor to the 981 GT4 in terms of ‘bad boy’ attitude.

depends what else in in the stable. Maybe you dont need something like the 4RS if other stuff can cover that base. I thought a 992 3RS was imminent?

 

It must especially noticeable now that you have a Boxster GTS.

 

I'm not sure this is true.

Beyond that, it sounds like the GT4 may be a better fit for you. I was surprised by the GT4's mid range trq on the street. Excellent motor.

 

I always found the GT4 to be a bit underwhelming, I'd recommend a 991 GT3RS.

 

Has one of those already

 

Me too and why I decided to give the 4RS a shot.

 

unless its a manual, i cant imagine a gt4 being more fun than a gt4rs on the street

 

GT4 is a fantastic street/track car. Fitted with MCS 2 or 3 way coilovers, full exhaust, 19inch wheels and a tune the thing is really unbeatable combo daily/canyon/track car. Ive driven a 4RS and probably couldnt live in it like the GT4...

 

I liked the 981 GT4 as a road car up to 7 or 8 tenths, didn't like the handling above that, so I didn't like it as a track car. I liked the 991.1 GT3 much more than the 981 GT4 on track.

For the road, I just got a 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 (BGTS), and it's already my favorite sports car for the road that I've ever driven (have put about 300 miles on the car in the past few days). Compared to the BGTS, the 4RS isn't fun on the road - too stiff, too bouncy, lacks torque at lower revs, too loud at higher revs, back of the car is unstable under heavy braking. By comparison, the BGTS has excellent ride quality when driven calmly, but is a fun beast when driven with aggression - great handling, great brakes, plenty of power with nice low to mid rev torque (feels old school), and makes it a good sound with just the right volume level (my car has Soul aftermarket side pipes).

Our experience with the 4RS on track so far has been hit and miss. One weekend at the track, on a Saturday the car felt to bouncy and unstable with dampers on firm but felt good with dampers on soft. The next day on Sunday, the car felt unstable, hard to drive. The car seems very sensitive to setup and maybe state of the tires. I believe the 4RS is capable of greatness on the track with a good setup - many people attest to that - but, for my criteria, I don't think it can be a great road car when I compare it with the BGTS. For a drive on the road, I'll always reach for the keys of the BGTS before the 4RS.

I'm tempted to get manual, but since we have a manual Cayman R when we want to drive manual, and the GT4 would be mostly a track car, we'd go with PDK.

Correct, we have a 991.2 3RS and will take delivery of a 992 3RS in May if tariffs don't hike the price.

We (wife and I) want the best Cayman for the track that's also fun for the road. Given how great the BGTS is, I'm thinking that a 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 would make a great car for both road and track, and a 718 GT4 might/should make an even better track car while still being a lot more fun on the road than the 4RS.

 

Sell the 4RS. You’ve tried it, but had misgivings from the start.
Move it on, its not a fit for you.