We Might See Hotter Porsche Cayman GT4 “RS”

As you probably know by now, the newly released Porsche Cayman GT4 offers arguably the best value for money of any sports car currently on sale. With 420 horsepower (313 kW) on tap, it certainly isn’t a snail on the road. But, could there be a more powerful, faster version of Porsche’s mid-engine sportscar, a GT4 RS perhaps? Well, if a recent interview done by carsales.com.au is anything to go by, it is definitely a possibility.

The Australian website had a chat with Porsche’s engine development manager of the Cayman’s six-cylinder boxer engine, Markus Baumann, and he indicated that there is definitely more that can come from the 4.0-litre engine.  

“Yes. We could of course get more power. When we take the technologies from the GT3, like the titanium con-rods, or the dry sump … when you apply those technologies to this 9A2 engine it can create much more horsepower than 420hp [309kW],” said Baumann. “We have those technologies already developed and we could easily bring them together [in 9A2],” he said.

Power is not the only thing that could be increased. Despite the new GT4’s 8000 rpm redline, Baumann said it could rev even higher. “You have two possibilities. Either decrease the friction, the ventilation losses in the crankcase – that’s what a dry sump does – or go to higher engine speeds to create more power.”

However, while a “GT4 RS” is certainly possible, Porsche also have to play their cards right when positioning the GT4 in relation to its older sibling, the 911, at the moment. “For now I think for this car 420hp is enough power. Right now, for strategy reasons, we need to keep a little bit of distance to the 911 GT3 of course,” Baumann added

At the moment, the Cayman GT4 is offered only with a manual gearbox, with a PDK option available in 2020. If Porsche do indeed decide to make a GT4 RS, or whatever they may call it, 2021 is probably the earliest we’ll see it. We can only hope that the Porsche big-wigs give it the green light at this stage though.