The Most Hardcore Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS Finally Lands In America

Porsche has announced the latest Manthey-Racing Kit to be made available to US customers in the form of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS with Manthey Kit, an aerodynamically optimized tuning package from Porsche’s semi-in-house tuning arm that enabled the Cayman GT4 RS to lap the Nurburgring in 7:03.121 last year – almost as quick as a Rimac Nevera. While the performance specs might have left fans salivating in anticipation of its American landfall, the official price might just dry all that gob up. That’s because the Manthey-Racing Kit for the GT4 RS is officially priced at $53,946 (MSRP), excluding the cost of installation at an authorized Porsche Center and excluding the cost of the actual car, which has an MSRP of $160,700. And we know how dealers can be with hot GT Porsches.

Furthermore, you can add an extra $5,890 to the bill for a supplementary package that’s even more aerodynamically efficient, replacing the front fender louvers with more aggressive items and the rear ducktail spoiler with a large gurney flap – both fashioned from exposed carbon fiber – increasing rear-axle downforce by up to 4%. In total, if you can get away without dealer markups, you’re in for a $220,536 bill, just $20k shy of the price of a 911 GT3 RS.

I Don’t Care About The Price, Tell Me What I’m Getting

For starters, Manthey-Racing isn’t the sort of tuning outfit that dials up power outputs with crazy tunes, turbos, and water-meth injection kits. M-R typically works on the chassis and aero side of things to extract maximum on-track performance, meaning this isn’t a package that will yield much, if any, improvement on the road. But on a track like the Nürburgring, they’re worth 6.179 seconds compared to a stock GT4 RS. The kit comprises the following enhancements:

• Larger rear wing (3.4 inches wider) with reinforced carbon fiber engine cover
• Third available position for manually adjustable rear wing (4 vs. 3)
• Total downforce of 372 lbs at 124 mph (up from 196 lbs stock)
• Upgraded front air curtains and wheel arch Gurney flap
• New carbon underbody with diffusers
• Inverted coilover suspension with adjustable rebound and compression (toolless)
• 20% stiffer front springs
• Braided steel brake lines
• Carbon fiber aerodisc rear wheel covers

The suspension components are available in two versions, catering to cars equipped both with and without the factory nose-lift system, and the suspension has four positions of adjustment so drivers can tailor their on-track experience. Additionally, buyers can opt for tow straps designed for track use (and scene points).

Related

Manthey-Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Upgrades Unveiled

The road-biased GT3 is now available with a kit that enhances handling but retains the Touring’s more civilized characteristics.

What Else Can I Buy For The Same Money?

Shaving off just more than six seconds around the Green Hell means the complete package costs you an extra $9,684 per second. For track rats and Porschephiles, that’s possibly worth every cent, but for the rest of us, the upgrade cost alone could buy you a regular Cayman GT4 RS plus any one of the following with some change left:

Forget Value For Money, The Manthey-Racing Package Is About So Much More

Do any of these have the brand cachet associated with either Porsche or Manthey-Racing? No. And none of them give you the same feeling as a mid-engined Porsche from the brand’s GT department, nor do they give you the spine-tingling aural delight of a 493-horsepower naturally-aspirated flat-six singing to 9,000 rpm. Something like a GT4 RS with the Manthey-Racing Kit isn’t a car you buy as a value option; it’s the car you buy because you want nothing but the absolute best, and in the search for perfection around a racetrack, there’s arguably nothing better.

If you’re the type of well-heeled buyer who would appreciate this level of sophistication, the kit is now available to order through authorized US Porsche Centers, with installations beginning this summer. Members of the public can also experience a fully-equipped Cayman GT4 RS with the Manthey Kit at Porsche Experience Centers in Atlanta and Los Angeles through the various driving programs they offer.