It’s been quite some time since the words Porsche and rallying could be found in the same sentence. The Porsche works team was occasionally involved in rallying throughout the 1960s to late 1970s, but now the German manufacturer has returned to the sport with a ‘rallified’ special vehicle for the ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
And what a vehicle!
(Image via Porsche).
It’s a Cayman GT4 Clubsport with a difference.
Aside from the unmissable rally lights on the bonnet, the Porsche also features underbody protection, WRC-spec impact-absorbing foam in the doors, and a full roll cage. As you’d expect from a performance-focused car, the inside is a tad spartan too. You’ll find much in there besides lightweight switches and hardcore racing seats. Pop the bonnet and you’ll be confronted with the Clubsport’s standard 385-horsepower, 3.8-litre flat six married to a six-speed PDK dual clutch transmission.
(Image via Porsche).
It kind of indicates to us that Porsche means business…
Driving the vehicle was Porsche works driver, and recent Pike Peak record annihilator, Romain Dumas. For the last twelve years the Le Mans winner has won the legendary Pikes Peak hill-climb a total of four times.
(Image via Porsche).
Like what you’ve seen? Well, if there’s enough interest Porsche have mooted the idea of actually producing and selling a version to customers.
“We’re looking forward to seeing how the rally world responds to our FIA R-GT concept study,” said Porsche’s Vice President of Motorsport and GT Cars, Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, “I would like to invite every interested driver and team principal to visit the service park and take a close look at our rally concept car. Based on the feedback and the interest from potential customers, we will then decide by the end of the year whether we’ll develop in the mid-term a competition car for near-standard rallying based on a future Porsche model.”
(Image via Porsche).
Let’s hope Porsche get enough positive feedback. We’d love to once again see Porsche’s slipping and sliding over rally courses across the world…
Until then… why not consider a career in motorsport?
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