Porsche Cayman GT4 RS Laps Nurburgring in 7:03 With Factory Upgrade Pack From Manthey
It’s only one second off of the 918 Spyder hypercar.
The Porsche 718 Cayman may be junior to the 911, but that doesn't mean it can't carve out its own legend. In fact, the Cayman is becoming such a serious performance car that one just clocked a lap at the Nürburgring barely off the pace of the 918 Spyder hypercar—and even quicker than the last-gen 911 GT3.
Porsche announced Thursday that the 718 Cayman GT4 RS set a new best time at the 'Ring, notching a 7:03.121 with upgrades from Manthey Racing. You might know them from the 911 GT2 RS MR that claimed the track's production car record in 2021, or for being Porsche's works team in GT racing since 2013. Suffice it to say, Manthey knows what it's doing, which is why Porsche called on it to improve the already tremendous performance of the 493-horsepower Cayman GT4 RS.
Manthey overhauled the GT4 RS's aero for track use, fitting new air curtains a front-fender Gurney flap, and a carbon underbody with diffusers to cut lift. It widened the rear wing by 3.4 inches and fit larger side blades, and added a fourth adjustability setting versus the stock three. That wing's now mounted on a carbon fiber-reinforced engine cover, and further improves airflow with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) aerodiscs on the rear wheels. In all, rear downforce increases by 90%, from 196 pounds at 120 mph to 372.
To make use of that extra downforce, Manthey swapped its suspension for custom inverted-shock coilovers. They have adjustable rebound and compression, 20% stiffer spring rates, and they work with or without the car's optional front-end lift system. Braided steel brake lines round off the package, while optional racing pads, CFRP front fender vents, and a CFRP rear spoiler that boosts downforce by 4% will also be available. There'll be Manthey door sill lights and tow loops too, should either appeal.
All together, these mods make the Manthey-reworked Cayman six second quicker around the Nürburgring. That puts it just one second off the time of the 918 Spyder—with much more power and all-wheel drive, so the Cayman could've only made up the difference in the bends. In fact, it's so quick through the corners that it's well ahead of the 991.2 GT3's 7:12.7 from 2019. All this without changing tires, either; the Cayman's times were both recorded on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber.
As you've worked out by now, the Manthey Kit will be available to the public, and better yet: Porsche confirms it'll come to the United States. Price and ETA are TBD, but you can take comfort knowing we won't be left out of the best Cayman yet.
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