Porsche 718 GT4: The Track Cayman, From 981 GT4 to GT4 RS

In this article, we’ll explain the Porsche 718 GT4, the track-focused Cayman built by Porsche Motorsport. We’ll cover engine, manual vs PDK, GT4 RS, and pricing.

Porsche 718 GT4: The Track-Focused Cayman

The Porsche 718 GT4 is the version of the Cayman that Porsche finally let off the leash. For most of the Cayman’s life, the company kept the coupe below the 911 in power. The cheaper car would not embarrass the flagship. The GT4 is the model that removed that ceiling.

It is not a trim package. It is a focused driver’s car with a naturally aspirated flat-six and a fixed rear wing. It uses retuned suspension from the GT3 parts bin and bigger brakes. Its aero actually produces downforce. Many reviewers and owners rate it as the best-handling Porsche you can buy on a road.

Why Porsche Built It

The standard 718 Cayman moved to turbocharged flat-fours in 2016, and the enthusiast crowd hated losing the flat-six. The GT4 answered that complaint directly. It kept six cylinders, kept the linear power delivery, and added the hardware to back it up on a track.

The result was a car that sold out almost instantly and built a waiting list. Porsche learned that a hardcore, mid-engine Cayman with a manual is exactly what a large slice of its most loyal buyers wanted.

Who Builds the GT4

The GT4 comes from Porsche Motorsport, the same GT division in Weissach. It develops the 911 GT3, the GT3 RS, and the brand’s race cars. That is the same engineering team and the same philosophy applied to a different platform.

You feel that lineage everywhere. The steering, the brake feel, the way the chassis loads up in a corner all carry the GT-car signature. The badge says Cayman, but the bones are pure Porsche Motorsport.

718 GT4 Engine: 4.0 Liter Naturally Aspirated Flat-Six

The 718 GT4 runs a 4.0 liter naturally aspirated flat-six engine mounted ahead of the rear axle. It makes 414 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque, and it revs to 8,000 rpm. Porsche quotes the figures in the official 718 GT4 announcement on Porsche Newsroom.

The 4.0 Liter Flat-Six

This motor is shared in spirit with the 718 GTS 4.0. But the GT4 gets a sharper state of tune and the hardware to use it. It is closely related to the unit we cover in our flat-six engine guide. It keeps the car feeling alive long after a turbo motor has run out of interest.

Power builds in a clean, predictable line all the way to the top. There is no turbo step, no lag, and no sudden surge. You just press harder. The car keeps pulling. That is exactly what you want when leaning on the rear tires out of a corner.

The Sound and the Redline

The flat-six sound is a real part of the appeal. The 4.0 liter unit gets louder and harder as the needle climbs, and the last 1,500 rpm are where the car comes alive. An 8,000 rpm redline is rare in a modern road car, and it changes how you drive.

You short-shift a turbo car to stay in the torque. In the GT4 you do the opposite. You hold every gear, chase the redline, and let the engine do its best work right at the top.

Manual and PDK: Gearbox Options on the 718 GT4

Yes. This is one of the few new Porsches that still offers three pedals. For many buyers, the six-speed manual is the whole point. The 981 GT4 was manual only, and the 718 GT4 launched the same way before a PDK option arrived.

The Six-Speed Manual

The manual is the purist’s pick. It has an Auto Blip function that rev-matches your downshifts when you want the help. It also has a clean, mechanical shift action that suits road driving. Choosing the gearbox is the single biggest decision you make on a 718 GT4.

The manual also tends to hold its value better on the used market. Buyers who want the most engaging version of the car gravitate to it. Supply is limited. So a clean manual usually commands a premium over an equivalent PDK.

The PDK Option

Porsche added a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch option for the 2021 model year for buyers who wanted faster shifts and an easier life in traffic. The PDK is quicker on a track and more relaxed on a commute, and it trims the 0-60 time noticeably.

Neither choice is wrong. The manual is the emotional pick. The PDK is the fast one. Our PDK versus manual guide walks through the trade-offs in full. Decide how you will actually use the car, then pick the gearbox that fits.

718 GT4 Performance: 0-60, Top Speed, and Handling

Fast enough that the numbers undersell it. The 718 GT4 is not built to win a drag race against a turbo rival. It is built to be brilliant in a corner, and it carries speed far better than the headline sprint.

0-60 and Top Speed

The manual 718 GT4 covers 0 to 60 mph in about 4.2 seconds and runs on to roughly 188 mph. The PDK car is quicker off the line at around 3.7 seconds because the dual-clutch never fluffs a shift. The car feels faster than either figure because the engine revs so cleanly.

Chassis, Brakes, and Aero

The chassis is where the GT4 earns its name. It sits lower and stiffer than a standard Cayman. It has fixed shock absorbers tuned by the GT team and bigger brakes. Its front suspension parts are borrowed from the 911 GT3. Carbon ceramic brakes are an option for hard track use.

The fixed rear wing and front splitter generate real downforce at speed, not just visual aggression. Porsche Stability Management stays on watch in the background. The system is calibrated to let a skilled driver work the car. It steps in afterward. The balance is the headline. The mid-engine layout puts the mass between the axles. The car turns in cleanly and rotates with the throttle.

GT4 Generations: 981 Cayman GT4 and 718 Cayman GT4

There are two road-going GT4 generations plus the extreme RS, and they are easy to tell apart once you know what changed. The original 981 GT4 set the template, and the 718 GT4 refined it with a bigger engine.

981 Cayman GT4 (2015 to 2016)

The first Cayman GT4 arrived on the 981 platform in 2015. It used a 3.8 liter flat-six taken from the 991 Carrera S. It was tuned to 385 horsepower and 309 lb-ft. It was paired exclusively with a six-speed manual. It borrowed front suspension components from the 911 GT3 and sat lower and stiffer than any Cayman before it.

The 981 GT4 was a turning point. It proved the demand for a hardcore Cayman and became an instant collector car. Manual only, naturally aspirated, and relatively rare, it has held its value strongly and remains a sought-after modern Porsche. It does 0-60 in about 4.2 seconds and tops out near 183 mph. For how the GT4 fits against the rest of the 981 lineup, base through GTS, see our Porsche 981 generation guide.

718 Cayman GT4 (2020 to 2024)

The 718 Cayman GT4 took everything that made the 981 special and improved on it. The engine grew to 4.0 liters and 414 horsepower, the aero got smarter, and from the 2021 model year you could finally have PDK. The naturally aspirated flat-six and the linear delivery the enthusiast crowd missed were firmly back.

This is the version most buyers shop for today. It is more usable than the RS and cheaper than a 911 GT3. A lot of testers rate it as the sweet spot of the whole GT range. If you want one car that does road and track without compromise, the standard 718 GT4 is the obvious pick.

718 GT4 RS: 493 hp, Nurburgring, and Hardcore Aero

The 718 GT4 RS took the concept to its limit. Porsche recorded a 7:04.511 lap on the 20.6 kilometer Nordschleife variant. It was about 23.6 seconds quicker than the standard GT4. The figures are on Porsche Newsroom. That is genuine supercar pace from a Cayman.

The 493 hp GT3 Engine

Porsche dropped in the 493 horsepower (500 PS) 4.0 liter flat-six from the 911 GT3. It has a 9,000 rpm redline. Intakes mounted behind the seats fill the cabin with induction noise. Peak power lands at 8,400 rpm, so you live near the top of the tach. It is PDK only, because the dual-clutch is faster around a lap.

The GT4 RS is the closest the mid-engine car has ever come to the 911 GT3. Our GT4 RS versus GT3 RS comparison covers them head to head. It is also far rarer and far more expensive than the standard GT4.

Swan-Neck Wing and Aero

The aero is much more aggressive than the standard GT4. The RS adds a swan-neck rear wing mounted from above, a deep front splitter, hood vents, and hood ducts. They plant the car at speed. The optional Weissach package strips weight with extra carbon parts.

This is not styling for the sake of it. The downforce is real and the car feels glued through fast corners, which is exactly the point of an RS badge. The trade-off is a harder ride and a louder cabin, so the RS is the track-day choice rather than the daily one.

718 GT4 Interior: Cabin, Seats, and Clubsport Pack

The cabin is classic Porsche GT car: focused, light on gimmicks, and built around the driver. It shares its basic architecture with the rest of the 718 range, then adds the touches that mark it as a GT model.

Cabin and Seats

You sit low behind an Alcantara-rimmed steering wheel, with the analog tachometer front and center where it belongs. Sport seats are standard, with lightweight carbon bucket seats available for buyers who plan to use the car hard.

The materials are honest. There is Alcantara on the wheel and the trim. There is contrast stitching and just enough screen. It lets you navigate and play music without burying the controls. It is a cabin that disappears once you are driving, which is the highest compliment you can pay a GT car interior.

The Clubsport Track Pack

Porsche offered an optional Clubsport package for the most serious owners. It adds a bolted-in roll cage behind the seats. It also adds a six point harness on the driver’s side. There is a handheld fire extinguisher and a battery cut-off. It is the bridge between a road car and a track-day weapon.

The factory also builds dedicated race versions of the car for one-make series. Those are stripped, caged, and built to a racing rulebook. They share their DNA with the road GT4 you can buy at a dealer.

718 GT4 vs 911 GT3: Mid-Engine Agility vs Raw Power

The 718 GT4 and the 911 GT3 share a development team and a philosophy, but they sit a tier apart. The GT3 has more power, a higher limit, and the badge that carries the history. On a track, with a good driver, it is the faster car.

On a road the gap narrows and often reverses. The GT4’s mid-engine balance makes it feel more agile at legal speeds, and it costs significantly less. Many owners who have driven both keep the GT4 for exactly that reason. It is not the faster car, but it is the one that flatters a real-world driver. If you mostly drive on public roads, the cheaper, lighter, more playful Cayman may genuinely be the better buy.

718 GT4 Pricing: Used Values and What to Budget

All three GT4 variants hold value well because supply is limited and demand is high. This is not a car that depreciates like a normal sports coupe, so expect to pay strong money for a clean one.

Used Prices by Model

A used 981 GT4 typically starts around 90,000 US dollars and climbs for low-mileage cars. A 718 GT4 sits north of 100,000 dollars depending on gearbox, mileage, and specification, with manual cars often commanding a premium. The GT4 RS is a different market entirely, with clean examples often running well above 200,000 dollars, far over the original list price.

The pattern is consistent across all three. Manuals beat PDKs on the standard cars, and low mileage beats high mileage. Documented history beats a bargain with gaps. The RS sits in its own bracket because production was limited and demand was intense.

What to Check Before Buying

Buy on history, not on color. Get a Porsche specialist pre-purchase inspection, confirm the service record is complete, and check for evidence of track use and accident repair. A GT4 that has been tracked is not automatically a bad buy, but it should be priced accordingly and inspected closely.

Treat any allocation car or genuinely low-mileage example as the investment it has become. These cars are collectible, so condition and paperwork drive the value more than they would on an ordinary used sports car.

718 GT4 Reliability and Running Costs

The 4.0 liter flat-six is a strong, modern engine without the early intermediate shaft worries that haunt older Porsches. Keep on top of oil changes and use the car properly. Warm it up before you lean on it. It will hold up well. The bigger ownership costs are tires, brakes, and consumables, because this is a car built to be driven hard.

Budget for those running costs up front and the GT4 is no more fragile than any other modern Porsche sports car. As a usable, naturally aspirated, manual-available mid-engine Porsche, it is highly rewarding. Values have stayed firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine is in the Porsche 718 GT4?

The Porsche 718 GT4 uses a 4.0 liter naturally aspirated flat-six producing 414 horsepower and 309 lb-ft of torque, revving to 8,000 rpm. It is closely related to the engine in the 718 GTS 4.0. The hotter GT4 RS uses the 493 hp version from the 911 GT3.

Does the Porsche 718 GT4 come with a manual?

Yes, the Porsche 718 GT4 comes with a six-speed manual, and a PDK option arrived for the 2021 model year. The hardcore 718 GT4 RS is PDK only, because the dual-clutch is faster on a track.

Is the 718 GT4 faster than the 911 GT3?

No, the Porsche 718 GT4 is not faster than the 911 GT3 on a track. The GT3 has more power and a higher limit. On a road, many drivers prefer the 718 GT4 for its mid-engine balance and lower price. It feels just as engaging at legal speeds. Priorities, not simple superiority, separate the two cars.

What is the difference between the GT4 and the GT4 RS?

The GT4 RS has 493 hp, a 9,000-rpm flat-six, and more aggressive aero than the GT4. It is far more extreme and track-focused than the standard 414 hp GT4, and it is PDK only.

How much does a Porsche 718 GT4 cost?

A used 718 GT4 typically sits north of 100,000 US dollars, depending on gearbox, mileage, and spec. Manual cars often command a premium. The earlier 981 GT4 trades from around 90,000 dollars, and the limited GT4 RS often runs well above 200,000 dollars.

How fast is the 718 GT4 RS at the Nurburgring?

Porsche recorded a 7:04.511 lap on the 20.6 kilometer Nordschleife variant, which is about 23.6 seconds quicker than the standard 718 GT4. That is genuine supercar pace from a mid-engine Cayman.

Images: Green 718 GT4 by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0. Blue 718 GT4 by Charles from Port Chester, CC BY 2.0. White 718 GT4 rear by Charles from Port Chester, CC BY 2.0. Yellow 981 Cayman GT4 by Edvvc, CC BY 2.0. Red 718 GT4 rear by MrWalkr, CC BY-SA 4.0. Purple 718 Cayman GT4 RS by MrWalkr, CC BY-SA 4.0. Black 718 Cayman GT4 RS by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0. White GT4 RS rear by Tokumeigakarinoaoshima, CC BY-SA 4.0. 718 GT4 interior by Sokrates 399, CC BY-SA 4.0. 718 GT4 race car by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0. Red 718 GT4 by Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.