With the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 now discontinued, Porsche Motorsport has had to find a successor for its hugely successful Cayman GT4 Clubsport racer. The answer is the all-new Porsche 911 GT4 R, marking the first time a car developed for global GT4 competition has been based on the iconic 911 platform.
Rather than starting from scratch, Porsche has used the current 911 Cup as the foundation for the GT4 R. Based on the road-going Type 992.2 911 GT3, the new race car benefits from a wider front and rear track, revised motorsport electronics and a more powerful drivetrain than its Cayman predecessor. The result is a machine designed to improve lap times, stability and drivability while remaining fully compliant with GT4 regulations.
The naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six is also derived from the 911 GT3, producing up to 512 hp and driving the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential dog-gearbox with paddle shifters and a four-disc racing clutch. As with all GT4 machinery, final output is governed by the category’s Balance of Performance regulations, with factory-delivered cars initially restricted to 424 hp through air restrictors before championship organisers apply their own performance balancing.
Although closely related to the 911 Cup, the GT4 R receives a number of chassis revisions to suit the category. Dual-adjustable dampers, three selectable spring rates and five-stud wheels replace the Cup car’s centre-locking arrangement, providing teams with greater flexibility when setting the car up for different circuits. Extensive use of natural fibre-reinforced composite panels for the doors, engine cover, aerodynamic components and sections of the cockpit also helps reduce weight while supporting Porsche’s wider sustainability ambitions.
The cockpit features a 10.3-inch colour display, integrated data logger and GPS system to aid race analysis, while adjustable ballast allows the car to meet different Balance of Performance classifications.
Scheduled to make its competition debut in 2027, the Porsche 911 GT4 R is priced at US$375,500 for the United States market.
