Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Delivers 420 HP
Body parts are made with natural fibers
Porsche debuted the new 718 CaymanGT4 Clubsport today, and as you'd expect, it receives a healthy increase in horsepower. What is a little more unexpected is that it's made with natural fibers, and Porsche is offering two versions, one for amateur racers and another for top-level racers.
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The sports car packs a 3.8-liter flat-six good for 420 hp, up 35 hp from its predecessor introduced in late 2015. Torque comes in at 313 lb-ft. Like the old version, a six-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission routes power to the rear wheels. The 911 GT3 Cup lends its lightweight coil-over front suspension to the new GT4 Clubsport. Helping the car come to a stop are six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers clamping down on 15-inch steel rotors with racing brake pads.
The "Trackday" version is suitable for private track events, and it features a fixed shock absorber setup, air conditioning, a rescue hatch in the roof, handheld fire extinguisher, and an 80-liter safety fuel cell that complies with FIA regulations. "Competition" models are bred for more hardcore racing at national and international events. Their shock absorbers can be adjusted at three stages, and the FIA-compliant safety fuel tank has a bigger capacity of 115 liters for long-distance races. The "Competition" version also has a quick-release steering wheel adopted from the 911 GT3 R, an automatic fire extinguishing system, an integrated air jack system for quicker pit stops, and a brake balancing system that lets you adjust the brake bias between the front and rear axle. All models have a roll cage, six-point harness, and Recaro driver's race seat.
To achieve a weight of 2,910 pounds, the GT4 Clubsport makes use of an aluminum-steel composite chassis. Natural fiber composite materials help shed even more weight. The rear wing, as well as the doors, are made of a natural fiber mix sourced from agricultural by-products including flax and hemp fibers. Porsche claims similar advantages seen in carbon fiber when it comes to weight and stiffness.
The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is currently available for order. We don't expect Porsche will make many of them, as it delivered just more than 420 copies of the previous GT4 Clubsport.
Source: Porsche
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