Porsche Trades the Cayman for a 911 in Its Latest GT4 R Race Car

Porsche lifted the curtain this week, with a clear message for its customer racing community. The new 911 GT4 R replaces the long-running Cayman-based GT4 models and becomes the first car in this category to wear the iconic 911 shape. Built on the same foundation as the current 911 Cup, the car arrives in time for the 2027 season and carries a starting price of $375,500 in the United States, including delivery.

The shift away from the mid-engine Cayman chassis makes a lot of sense, considering that Porsche has discontinued producing gas-powered 718s and has already invested heavily in the 992.2-generation 911 Cup vehicle. Now, teams and drivers are looking at a single platform to climb the ranks, with the potential to move from the Porsche one-make series to the GT4 R and then to the GT3 R without having to relearn an entirely new car layout or support network, and let’s be honest, the rear-engine balance and wider track give the new car a much more stable feel on track than the old Cayman version.

The new car is powered by a 4.0-liter flat-six boxer engine, which is identical to the one used in the 911 GT3, but has been tuned during Cup development. In its unrestricted form, it produces a strong 520 PS (513 horsepower) at 8,400 rpm and 470 Nm of torque at 6,150 rpm, with a redline of 8,750 rpm. Of course, most race series now limit power to 430 PS thanks to factory-installed 53.7-millimeter air restrictors. The power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential dog-ring gearbox with paddle shifters and a four-disc racing clutch, which is all linked together by a limited slip differential.

The chassis retains the 911 Cup’s steel structure and integrated roll cage while being modified to comply with GT4 regulations. They’ve also begun to use natural fiber-reinforced plastic on the doors, engine cover, aerodynamic components, and even some interior trim to decrease weight without losing strength. With an overall weight of roughly 1,515 kg (3,340 pounds), ballast plates can be used to achieve specified series minimums if necessary. The front and rear track widths are slightly larger than the original Cayman GT4, and the car comes with 18-inch forged wheels with a five-bolt layout, rather than center-lock hubs.

The suspension setup remains highly flexible, with dual-adjustable dampers paired with three different spring rates, allowing you to tune the car to the circuit and the driver’s preferences. The brakes have huge two-piece steel rotors (380mm in diameter), six-piston front calipers, and four-piston rear units. What about aerodynamics? They’ve simply built straight on the Cup package, with a manually adjustable rear wing with eleven settings on swan-neck mounts, additional cooling apertures on the nose, functional vents on the fenders, and side skirts with splitters to help manage airflow underneath the car. Finally, a small ducktail feature provides some rear treatment.

Inside the cockpit, you are kept focused on the road because the entire setup is designed to put you in the zone. A big 10.3-inch color display in front of you, accompanied by a built-in data logger and a very precise GPS system, allows you to examine your performance after each session. Everything is wrapped in natural fiber inside panels, which adds a nice touch. You also have air jacks and ventilation ready in case you need to shift your vehicle into the fast lane.

Porsche intended the 911 to compete in GT4 America, the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Grand Sport class, and their own one-make series, such as the Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the Sprint Challenge. Since 2016, more than 1,500 Cayman-based GT4s have raced, earning Porsche numerous factory titles and driver victories. The new 911 aims to build on that success while also giving drivers a clearer path up Porsche’s customer motorsport ladder. Deliveries are slated to begin in late 2026, as teams currently running 911 Cup cars will notice a plethora of shared parts and setup expertise that has already been dialed in from their current cars, resulting in lower running costs and a speedier development period upfront.
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