Malaysian fans of Porsche’s mid-engine offerings can rejoice, as the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS (from RM1.55 million) has arrived. As ever, ‘RS’ denotes a race-oriented approach, and this includes a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six engine – the one from the 911 GT3, no less – that revs as high as 9,000rpm and beats out the standard GT4 version by 79bhp for a maximum output of 493bhp. Combined with a kerb weight of 1,415kg and low-ratio dual-clutch transmission, it results in a 0-100km/h time of just 3.4 seconds – half a second faster than the standard GT4 – and a top speed of 315km/h.
Its lightweight nature is derived from the use of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic in body components such as bonnet and front wings, alongside the paring down of creature comforts via thinner carpets, less insulation lightweight glass, and things such as fabric door pulls instead of handles and nets for storage compartments – every gram counts in a racing machine. Add in a new fixed rear wing, 25 per cent more downforce, and other chassis modifications, and you have something that goes around the Nurburgring more than 23 seconds faster than the standard GT4 – and only a handful of seconds behind the 911 GT3.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS was officially unveiled at the opening of the new Porsche Centre Johor Bahru. The 5,412 sqm facility is the first 4S Porsche Centre in the country, and houses its own body and paint workshop. It brings Porsche’s global design language to Malaysia, including the ‘Porscheplatz’ concept – the showroom is an open, inviting area not only for clients to peruse cars or to configure their vehicle, but also to relax and socialise as well. “We want to go away from the cold point-of-sale. We want to give the customer a little bit more. It’s also to bind the community together, to get people into the showroom,” says Hannes Ruoff, Chief Executive Officer of Porsche Asia Pacific. “Community, experiences, the way you feel, the purpose behind things – it’s all getting more important. For us, it’s also the way forward.”
Christopher Hunter, Chief Executive Officer of Sime Darby Auto Performance, adds that the 175kW fast chargers in the centre’s parking lot are an essential part of one of Porsche’s key pillars of electric mobility. “Johor Bahru is key to our network development,” Hunter says. “By having a connection here, we actually connect up all the way through to Penang. You can stop at any Porsche Centre, north to south, to charge.”
