Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS To Receive Manthey Treatment

While it appeared as though 100% of Porsche's efforts were placed on a rain-soaked Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend, that does not stop the brand from releasing nuggets of treats to keep festivities rolling elsewhere. 75 years of Porsche don't come easy, and it certainly makes sure that all celebrations run in a fast-flowing fashion - from regional roadshows to curated brand spaces.

But Porsche is aware of what lies within its nucleus, and knows exactly how to ignite this spark. It's a manufacturer of pure, engaging driving machines, and never once did it stray from this path. How engineers made the motorsports-derived 992-gen 911 GT3 RS road legal still defies logic. Similar sentiments can be applied on the Cayman GT4 RS.

Going a step further wouldn’t hurt - we’ve seen Manthey Racing associations on Porsches before. Former team owner and race driver Olaf Manthey set up a business near Nurburgring to race Porsche road cars - most notably in the Porsche Carrera Cup and in endurance races with the 911 GT3. The racing team received factory support from 1999, and the rest is history.

It’s this ground-up approach that bolstered Porsche’s appeal as a brand made for keen drivers, and we’d argue that no other associations are as intriguing when in-house engineers and a racing team join hands.

A Manthey Kit will be available for the 718 Cayman GT4 RS by the tail end of this year via Porsche Centres. It must be said that, despite how wild it looks, the manufacturer's warranty for a Manthey-kitted GT4 RS remains uninterrupted. And that’s perhaps the best possible seal of approval from Porsche for Manthey Racing. Let’s take a look at how this kit transforms the already manic Cayman GT4 RS into a serious track monster:

Sticks like glue

At the front of the car, flaps and new air curtains with a wheel arch Gurney flap and a new carbon underbody with diffusers improve downforce on the front end. The 85mm wider rear wing features a new wing blade and larger endplates, which increase the downforce on the rear axle. The bodywork of the rear engine cover is reinforced with a carbon-weave finish. Aerodiscs on the rear wheels reduce turbulence around the rear of the car. At 200 km/h, when the rear wing is set to Performance for track use, total downforce increases from 89 to 169kg.

Changes direction for fun

Porsche has developed a coilover suspension system with Manthey with an inverted set-up that can be adapted for the track. Spring struts can be adjusted to four different positions, and rebound and compression stages can also be adjusted without the need for tools. The chassis is available in two versions – for cars with and without a lift system on the front axle. Steel brake lines are also a standard component of the kit. This guarantees an exact pressure point, ensuring optimal braking power delivery.

Carbon-clad dream

The kit can optionally be extended with a specially designed CFRP rear spoiler attachment. The part, which is finished with carbon weave, is attached to the standard rear spoiler. In combination with the bigger rear wing, this further increases downforce on the rear axle by around four per cent. The car’s performance is visually underlined by the optional louvres (wheel arch vents) with a carbon-weave finish in the front wings. These match the look of a GT4 RS optioned with a Weissach package.

King of the Ring

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS with the Manthey Kit is able to complete the 20.8-kilometre Nürburgring Nordschleife at 18 degrees Celsius under an overcast sky in 7:03.121 minutes - 6.179 seconds faster than the series-production 718 Cayman GT4 RS did the previous year. Both cars were equipped with the optional Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tyres. The lap time was certified by a notary on site.

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