In the absence of a new internal-combustion 718 Cayman anytime soon, Porsche is bringing its flagship model to the entry level of global sports car racing. Since the inception of the GT4 rule set in the mid 2000s, Porsche has been represented in the popular global class by a Cayman or 718 of some sort. This option was so popular for teams that it eventually spawned a Cayman and 718 GT4 road car, but the demise of the lesser internal-combustion sports car has left Porsche without a road-relevant machine to race in the GT4 class.
Fortunately, it has a legend on the bench ready to come in and pinch hit. This is the 911 GT4 R, a new model joining the 911 racing family for the first time. As the name implies, it is a 911 built for the GT4 racing rule set. That slots it a class lower than the GT3 R that competes in marquee endurance races at Le Mans, Daytona, and the Nürburgring, putting it more in line with the 911 Cup spec racer revealed back in August of last year.
View Price on AmazonMax output is identical to the 911 Cup with which it shares its naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, at 512 horsepower. The power similarity is no coincidence, either; Porsche says that the 911 GT4 R "builds on the technical foundation of the current 911 Cup." In delivery form, the car comes with an air restrictor that brings it down to a more typical GT4-class output of 424 hp. Since the GT4 class has some specific regulations absent from spec racers, there are a few other differences from the 911 Cup.
Not only are wheels one inch narrower, they're mounted with a typical five-lug pattern rather than the center-locking setup seen on the car designed for Carrera Cup racing. The adjustable rear wing is lower, and more subtle, too. The GT4 lap record at Laguna Seca is five seconds off the best lap ever put in by a 911 Cup car, and eight seconds off the GT3 record.
Expect to see the 911 GT4 R racing in IMSA's Michelin Pilot Challenge, SRO's GT4 America, and dozens of other series across the world in the years to come. Porsche says that it has built more than 1500 Cayman-based racers over the years, so the 911 GT4 R should be produced in fairly high volumes over its lifetime. If you want one, it'll cost you $375,500 here in the U.S., but that includes import and delivery.
Source: roadandtrack.com
