The Nurburgring Nordschleife represents the pinnacle of record-setting. Cars come from around the world to prove their worth around the 14-mile circuit, sometimes just for bragging rights. The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS is one of those cars that recently conquered the ‘Ring for a blistering lap time. It’s not the fastest car around the circuit by a wide margin, but the Porsche’s lap time sets a precedent for the 718. 

The ‘Ring’s lap times have been called into question before. The cars that set the fastest laps are sometimes purpose-built race cars, given road-legal status, which can spell inconsistency. However, for production cars that were always legal, the times can be trusted. 

The Porsche 718 GT4 RS is a middle-grade Porsche

Porsche’s 718 Cayman GT4 RS doesn’t have official specs yet, but the base Cayman GT4 starts at $101,000 with a 400-hp 4-liter flat-six atop 3,208 pounds curb weight. We can expect the RS variant to exceed the base GT4’s capabilities. Rumors abound regarding the supposed horsepower figure being close to 500, but we’ll have to wait and see to know for sure. 

The 718 Cayman GT4 RS is in the top 15 fastest cars around the ‘Ring.

Porsche’s 718 Cayman GT4 RS lapped the ‘Ring in 7:04 20.6km layout, making it the fastest 718 around the circuit. The car was completely stock, except for the omitted audio and communication system. Its lap placed it a few seconds down on the 2017 Dodge Viper ACR and about a tenth up on the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro. The next fastest Porsche around the ‘Ring was the 911 GT3 RS on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, and it ran a 6:58. 

The Porsche whips around corners like it’s dancing

Jorg Bergmeister was at the helm of the GT4 RS and exhibited superb car control. The car is tail-happy, which is immediate but never loses its composure. Watching Jorg’s hands, you can see the car wants to turn even when it’s in a straight line but doesn’t give any grief. It’s patient, and when the next corner comes up, the car whips around like it’s dancing. Under braking, the tail end doesn’t swing out, and Jorg keeps it on rails with the throttle. The amount of grip is staggering thanks to big sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. The 718 is clearly one of the best-handling cars on the market.

The Porsche 718 GT4 RS: built for racing

RS models get the complete race-spec treatment. Carbon fiber fenders, aluminum doors, a magnesium hood, more power, and slippery aerodynamics contribute to the RS’ ability to wrestle a race track into submission. RS models also get more power from a built motor with forged internals, massive six-piston brakes, and a dual-clutch transmission for smooth power and fast shifting. If this 718 GT4 RS is anything like its predecessor, there’s not much anyone else can do to stop it.