Michael Accardi 
Ah, Porsche people, have you met many of them? They’re a baffling automotive subgroup obsessed with customizing their valve stems and the orientation of their center caps. They’re prone to ignore and accept oil leaks as “part of the experience” and they’re also willing to shell out an exorbitant amount of money for the pleasure of pretending they can drive better than you. Which brings us to the point: Porsche just unveiled the brand new 2023 718 Cayman GT4 RS.
Porsche people are peeing themselves with glee as the newest addition to the RS family takes the slightly redesigned 4.0L flat-six from the 992 Porsche 911 GT3, and stuffs it up into the belly of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. In order to make the 9,000-rpm sewing machine compliant with the Cayman GT4, a new dry-sump oiling tank was designed.
The package is rated for 493 hp and 331 lb-ft of twist, which is a slight drop from the 911 GT3’s rated 502 hp and 346 lb-ft. Apparently, the power bleed is due to the increased length of the over-axle exhaust pipes compared to the short stacks used in the rear-engined 911. Power is run through a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission.
2023 C8 Corvette Z06 Customers Are Laughing
By comparison, the freshly announced 2023 C8 Corvette Z06 makes use of GM’s all-new 5.5L DOHC LT6 V8 engine, which spins a flat-plane crankshaft all the way to 8,600 RPM and delivers 670 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Porsche people also love to talk about motorsports prominence also, but the LT6 in the C8 Corvette Z06 is heavily based on the same engine as the one that just powered the Corvette C8.R to the 2020 and 2021 IMSA GTLM championships.
The GT4 RS gets stiffer springs, new adaptive Bilstein dampers, with spherical bearings used in place of conventional rubber bushings. The suspension offers a greater range of camber and toe adjustability, which is nice, becuase the regular GT4’s rear geometry is quite hamstrung by the non-adjustable stock toe links. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires are available with the Z07 Package, as are Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes. MagneRide adaptive suspension is also present and accounted for, as is the highest downforce of any Corvette tested at speed.
In typical Porsche fashion the GT4 RS weighs some 50 pounds less than a PDK-equipped regular GT4, thanks to plastic front fenders and hood, and lightweight glass in the rear window. The car clocks in at 3,227 lbs, but of course you can opt for the Weissach pack which nets even greater weight savings and forged wheels for an additional five-figures tacked onto the GT4 RS’ $143,050 MSRP.
Compare that to the 3,434 lb dry weight of the dimensionally larger C8 Corvette Z06 when equipped with the carbon fiber wheels. Remember, the C8 Corvette sports a 9.4-inch-longer wheelbase and 5.2-inch-wider body than the base GT4. It will also have two more cylinders, and despite all of this, is likely cost half of this party piece of pomp.
It’ll be exciting to see how these two mid-engine super coupes stack up against one another once both reach customers. Pricing for the Z06 is believed to be pegged around the $85,000 mark, before adding options – or roughly where the C7 Z06 with the Z07 package left us. Depending on how Porsche customers option their GT4 RS, it’s entirely feasible that you could buy two C8 Corvette Z06 supercars for the same price as one Cayman GT4 RS.
