Dreams can come true... The new Track Day Toy - 718 Cayman GT4 RS

[TDT]

So after a couple of weeks…. The new menace…


If there was ever a car designed for me… I think this is it.


The specification includes everything you need, and nothing you don’t, for the intended purpose.
A1 Black over Silver wheels with Black Callipers.
IMO a case study for ‘less is definitely more’.

Non-WP - because I have always preferred the cleaner look, and then this budget is reserved for actual performance related mods and consumables as/when required.
Steel brakes, for me no point speccing PCCB only to take them off and put them in a box.

Other options:
Front axle lift, Extended Leather with arctic-grey, Clubsport - of course, Bose, Light design, Smokers package. PDLS +, Race-tex sunvisors, Illuminated door sills, seat mounted extinguisher (as it’s a bit smaller/neater) might change for firestick anyway. Door pulls and seatbelts in black.


Car has already been away for a few visual tweaks (that i have been hinting at) as well as full PPF and coating etc, and track day preparation in progress.

No update on driving impressions until i have validated the setup as they come all wrong from the factory anyway. Only thing to say is that even during early running in…. The car is rapid, and i cannot even open the taps yet.

I had my PEC day a few weeks back in a centre car, and forfeited handling circuit exercises in favour of essentially a 90min extended test drive on local A + B routes and a cruise for a few junctions on the M1.

Back to my car and I was very fortunate to be able to see the car as it landed at dealership and I was able to do the unwrapping myself ahead of PDI.



I also purchased 1L of the new C40-GT oil. £28.30inc

Allocation story is an interesting one and a long journey since before model launch.
At one point, I actually had 2 cars for a short while. But in the end - No strings, no games, no overs - pre- price rise.

The next iteration of the Track Day Toy is here, the new adventure has already begun…

 

[Yoda]

Great news and I am sure you will use it properly.

 

[ralphmusic]

enjoy the new journey.

 

[Greenman986S]

Drive it like you stole it

 

[MrDemon]

Very nice

 

[GT42023]

Stunning, enjoy it on the track.

 

[JohnCRS]

Does the P1 plate mean your objective is still a McLaren?

Not much more that can be said about your new car, but enjoy it. It is good to see another that is not being put away in a collection.

 

[TDT]

Does the P1 plate mean your objective is still a McLaren?

Not much more that can be said about your new car, but enjoy it. It is good to see another that is not being put away in a collection.

Lol - no P1 as you'd see on a grid formation.

TDT - Track Day Toy.

 

[TDT]

Running-In Update

Busy accumulating the miles during dry-ish breaks in the weather and the 4RS is quite simply a joy at the moment, the bonding process is going very well.

Huge sense of occasion… the drivetrain in the small chassis is so immediate, you can sense the energy just beneath the surface. You can feel it in the fibre of the car. RennSpaß indeed.

So far, Zero issue with noise on a longer distance cruise. Can easily ‘make progress’ and listen to my favourite automotive podcasts or listen back to David Rodigan Show.

Still getting used to engine response within the allowable running in rpm range. By the book it’s up to 7k for 1st 932mls/1500km…however I’m really trying to keep to 5.5-6k for the 1st 600mls, then then will start to extend over 7k -8k for the next 600mls.
Probably means I won’t get to use the full range until after RS day in March ‘25… but I’m in no rush… the car isn’t going anywhere, and I’m actually enjoying the process of learning the new engine and gearbox pairing. The acceleration is rabid, response feel like it’s wired to my synapses… It’s alive.

PASM Sport Chassis provides the best overall ride and control experience based upon the factory setup the car is currently wearing. I then back it off to ‘normal’ if the surface gets a more broken, as it lets the wheels be a bit more free.
My perspective is, of course, relative… coming from 981 GT4 -> 981 GT4 MR -> 718 GT4 MR and now into 4RS

Service duty preparations have begun…



Baseline Geo will be set at Center Gravity. Looking forward to having a proper look under the covers and taking some measurements.

 

[TDT]

At Goodwood a couple of weeks ago for the first venture onto track for the 4RS.
Was still in the running in window, only running up to 7k rpm, which I was very strict upon, despite how the car begs you to pushed more and more.

Dry with some sun. No understeer to speak of, but then again Goodwood has quite open turns, also I wasnt max attack.
No max revs or braking or G-loading. But still used all the camber.

I had a baseline setup done at Centre Gravity - oem hardware and just added little bit of shim to the front get to maximum allowable camber at the factory spring perch heights.

Aero set to medium front and rear.

I marked up the tyres and it’s pretty much all gone on the left.. so more camber required, seemed to use more on the rear also… my driving has been evolving.


I didnt overdrive the car or the tyres… no point just destroying them at this stage of the season, and this day was more about shaking down the car and starting to develop a feel for it.

Verdict so far:
Gearbox and ratios are spectacular. Car really can dig out of the corners on the rear. And let’s just say at this stage I was already able to show it as plenty fast enough.

Normal chassis mode worked best for overall grip on that circuit.
It was commented that the 4RS it didnt look as planted as my 718 MR used look from those that were behind me - I was running is Sport PASM mode at that time though, so some further development required there anyway.

Dunlops are interesting! Lol

One more track event for the year to come. That one will be a bit of an acid test for PASM I think.

 

[badbiddy]

What sort of pace is Goodwood in a GT4RS at 7k rpm max? Low 1.20s ?

 

[TDT]

Yes mid 1.20s… I used to pull 1.23 in my Manual 718 MR, and I was running around a couple of secs off that with rev limiting, early braking and not leaning on the 4RS too hard for the first outing.

 

[TDT]

And so it begins…

On the Manthey alignment rig at JZM for full trackday configuration on OEM hardware as the baseline to start the 2025 season.

GT4 RS chassis is fully adjustable (Camber, Caster, Toe and ride height) and fully rose jointed from the factory; This makes the car highly configurable but also very sensitive to even small changes, giving a very direct response in all ways to the driver.



I did have an ‘is it straight’ alignment shortly after delivery and before my first couple of track events in the car at the end of last season. With only those mild setting and not pushing the car too hard due to running in schedule, I was using up all of the camber.

So now we have applied the max negative camber available from the OEM components, adding only shims and optimising the ride height.
No rear toe arms at this stage as the 4RS comes with revised length toe arms (vs GT4) from the factory anyway.
We were able to set rear toe to exactly where I had it on my previous car… without parts. So trying like that initially.

You couldn’t get close to this on normal GT4.
For info: Full kill GT4 RS MR doesn’t have special/adjustable rear toe arms included in the package.

So it depends on how you want the car to drive as to whether you get them.

 

[TDT]

MSV Porsche RS Day - Oulton Park.

Great event to shakedown the car following any off-season changes or preparation works, and also for starting to re-hone the driving skills.
Being so early in the year, there is always a slight risk with the weather conditions - however usually things turn out favourable.
This time we had a drying track and rising temperatures following overnight rain so the surface is clean and green with grip coming towards us.

1st time in the 718 GT4 RS at this circuit, so not representative pace and with a lot to relearn - new braking references due to quicker acceleration, different brake feel, managing PDK, and different chassis setup.
Car is 100% standard with just a track alignment with standard hardware. Dunlop Sport Race Maxx 2 N-rated as from the factory.
Net result - Already much faster than the 718 MR already at the same stage last year.

Not up to speed with the car yet, as this was the first day of the new season, but not much else quicker other than properly driven 992 RS once the circuit dried out.

Didn't feel held back by the suspension as such at this point. It might have looked more busy from the outside, as was commented upon to me - but I didn't have any issues in the car - it was just tons of fun. If I could nit-pick - maybe a touch more front spring rate would be good - which would help balance forces on braking and maybe settle the car a bit more overall - so reducing F/R ratio by stiffening front or reducing rear - but this is nit-picking at this stage.
I did find that I was 'favouring' the brakes a little - standard steels with OEM brakes, line and fluid. I'm sure they would be fine - but I've been so used to ST's over the last 2 years.
The steels have a load more feel - but I know with the upgraded ST based setup I'd trade off a little bit of feel for complete unburstability on braking lap after lap after lap. So something to be done in this area.
Cheap foam ear plugs in - just to take the edge off at max revs - great.
718 RS PDK is savage - I love it. ESC was off later in the day - car just thrives when driven hard.

 

[ralphmusic]

T,

Previously you said “Dunlops are interesting! Lol”.

Are you going to stay with them?

 

[TDT]

T,

Previously you said “Dunlops are interesting! Lol”.

Are you going to stay with them?

Hey Ralph - to be honest they were not holding me back or causing me any issues on the day, with a full track day setup on that car now, so I'll be running them until they are dead and then switch back to Cup 2 to try to understand any differences myself now that I can push properly - added to that, I think the Dunlops are actually the most expensive of the normal sport tier tyres before you get into Cup 2 R etc level.
I had heard anecdotally that Dunlop are the 'slowest' tyre also... but I haven't seen any data to back this up - so we'll see.

 

[MrDemon]

dunlops better at 30oc, cups better at 20oc

AO52 just better than both by 2 seconds a lap

Why even bother with cups these days, the cars are too stiff to run them and really made for R spec tyres now.
AT donny on my last track outing in my 4RS you get 3 fast laps on cups, so pretty dire at 30oc temps.

 

[TDT]

I'll have to take a look at availability closer to the time - but yes - stickier rubber is free lap time - and the car can support it.

 

[ralphmusic]

Hey Ralph - to be honest they were not holding me back or causing me any issues on the day, with a full track day setup on that car now, so I'll be running them until they are dead and then switch back to Cup 2 to try to understand any differences myself now that I can push properly - added to that, I think the Dunlops are actually the most expensive of the normal sport tier tyres before you get into Cup 2 R etc level.
I had heard anecdotally that Dunlop are the 'slowest' tyre also... but I haven't seen any data to back this up - so we'll see.

Thanks. I’m at Spa early April before the factory tour so good to get some “not lethal” feedback