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Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge champion Brandon Hawkin to get his day on the track with a 718 Cayman GT4 Club Sport

Are esports really sports? They certainly require focus, stamina and a lot of hand-eye coordination, plus in the case of e-motorsports, foot coordination too, but most serious sports fans would probably rank them beside video games, which in fact they are. Still, esports are incredibly popular, which means that automakers would be missing out on a great opportunity to connect with their fans, especially automakers already involved in motorsports.

Porsche has a long history in motorsports, competing soon after the engineering company was founded in 1931. In fact, the car most historians credit as the first Porsche, the Type 64, which was based on the Volkswagen Beetle that Ferdinand Porsche designed, housing a 50-horsepower flat-four mounted in the rear, was solely meant for racing. That car was set to be entered in a Berlin to Rome race scheduled for September 1939, but for reasons you can probably guess the event was cancelled, and thus the car never saw the track until a restored example, brought back to life by the one and only Battista Farina of Pininfarina fame in 1947, went on to win the Alpine Rally in 1950 when driven by then-owner and Austrian motorcycle racer Otto Mathé. By then the new Porsche 356 was already in production and within a year was taking class victories, the first at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Fast forward through countless contests and numerous championships to the point that Porsche became the winningest brand at the annual Le Mans 24 Hours weekend, its 919 hybrid having become the circuit’s overall winner for three consecutive years from 2015 through 2017. Porsche contests many other sports car categories too, plus the performance brand is now deeply involved in Formula E, the FIA-sanctioned 100-percent electric racing series.

History’s race drivers would have benefited greatly from modern-day race simulators, or for that matter regular gaming consoles that racing fans use every day from the comfort of their homes. As it was this year, due to our health crisis professional drivers spent the first half of the year racing each other digitally, while Porsche Canada witnessed this trend and made it possible for fans to race each other in the same way via the Porsche Esports Sprint Challenge Canada one-make virtual race series.

Launched last May in concert with online games company iRacing.com, which is best known for its “Grand Prix Legends” and NASCAR 2003” games, the Esports Sprint Challenge Canada series pitted 30 virtual drivers at the wheel of one 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport car apiece, resulting in Lindsay, Ontario’s Brandon Hawkin winning every single race.

“The series was organized very professionally and it was a pleasure to race with everyone – what a fantastic experience,” said Hawkin. “It will be extremely memorable based on how competitive the series was with lots of track battles.”

While the series trophy would have probably been enough of an award, Hawkin was also given the opportunity to join Porsche Canada on the track for the Porsche Experience program, an opportunity of a lifetime for any performance car fan.

“Driving a Porsche on track is something I’ve wanted to do since I was a child,” continued Hawkin. “I’m so excited and thankful that I’ll now get that chance and join the Porsche Track Experience program!”

The series runner up was William Levesque, while Giovanni Romano took third. Both will receive consolation prizes along with the other 27 contestants, plus iRacing threw in some online game credits allowing those at the back of the pack to hone their skills.

“It was incredible to see the group of talented sim racers we have across Canada push each other in the virtual racing world,” said Marc Ouayoun, President and CEO, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. “Congratulations to all the competitors, especially to Brandon Hawkin, as he will have the chance to bring his skill sets to life at Porsche Track Experience in the very near future.”

To learn more about the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, check out our 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman Canada Prices page that shows Porsche factory leasing and financing rates from zero-percent. CarCostCanada provides members with rebate info and dealer invoice pricing too, both capable of saving you thousands during negotiations, while you can also download the free CarCostCanada app from the Google Store or Apple Store, allowing you to have all of our money-saving info at your fingertips when you need it most, at the dealership.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Porsche

CarCostCanada

Porsche develops special 3D-printed seats for 911 and 718 race customers

Porsche 3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat — Porsche’s new 3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat can potentially provide custom-fitted seating for road-going cars.

Using a 3D printer for parts production in the auto industry is hardly novel these days, but 3D printing exactly fitted customizable car seats is quite innovative, or will be as soon as they’re being done for Porsche road cars.

The automaker’s Porsche Tequipment division will be producing 40 prototype examples of its new “3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat” for some of its Europe-based series-production 911 and 718 race car clients to be delivered in May of this year, and after that it could very well transition into a new road car personalization program.

The prototype seats will be six-point seatbelt equipped race buckets the automaker refers to as “bodyform” seats, and after incorporating design changes brought about by its racecar clients’ feedback, will be making custom-fitted road car variants via its Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur division from the mid-point of 2021.

The road-going seats will be available in soft, medium and hard firmness levels as well as various colours, the latter allowing customers to match their cars’ interior to Porsche’s currently available “Special” colour schemes as well as their clients’ “Custom Colour” requests.

Colour aside, the new 3D-printed bodyform driver’s seat will also add a new design element inside, plus it will reduce the car’s curb weight, and even provide “passive climate control,” the latter feature thanks to the seat’s unique sandwich construction method.

The base support is made from expanded polypropylene (EPP), and this gets bonded to a “breathable comfort layer consisting of a mixture of polyurethane-based materials,” says Porsche. The outer skin is made out of “Racetex,” and boasts a perforation pattern that provides inherent climate control, while window panels expose the coloured lattice structure for a thoroughly new appearance.

“The seat is the interface between the human and the vehicle, and is thus important for precise, sporty handling,” said Michael Steiner, Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche. “That’s why personalized seat shells customized for the driver have been standard in race cars for a long time now. With the ‘3D-printed bodyform full-bucket seat’, we’re once again giving series-production customers the opportunity to experience technology carried over from motor sports.”

If you want custom-formed front seats for your Porsche, stay tuned to CarCostCanada, as we’ll have an update when they’re ready for personal road use.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Porsche

CarCostCanada

Porsche smashes Road America and Road Atlanta lap records with 911 GT2 RS

The 2019 Porsche 911 GT2 RS blasted past the previous Road America track record by nearly 2 seconds. (Photo: Porsche)

Only last fall the brilliant Porsche 911 GT2 RS MR set a street-legal lap record at the renowned Nürburgring Norschleife race track in Germany, which only remains bested by a modified version of the Stuttgart brand’s own 919 Hybrid EVO World Endurance Championship (WEC) racer, but now the globe’s winningest sports car manufacturer claims a new production car record-setting time on Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin’s ultra-challenging Road America track.

The 14-turn, 6.5-km racetrack combines long high-speed straight-ways, tight turns and a bevy of undulations, making it easy taking for most any Porsche 911, although when that 911 is a 2019 GT2 RS it’s game over for any competitors. As it is, Road America has yet to become popular for attempting track records, with the current title-holder being a GT2 RS privateer that managed an ultra-quick 2:17.04 lap time last year, so Porsche was really trying to beat itself, but when competition seems so scarce what’s there left to do? How about carving 1.87 seconds off the just noted lap time for a new record of 2:15.17 minutes? Not too shabby, and it only took 24 Hours of Daytona and Le Mans class winner David Donohue two laps to do it.

2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS — The GT3 RS can rev to 9,000 rpm, therefore delivering an entirely different kind of sports car experience than the GT2 RS. (Photo: Porsche)

As if that wasn’t good enough, Porsche doubled down on its RS track time with another outing, but this time with the less formidable 911 GT3 RS. Even though engine output is 200 horsepower less convincing, Donohue managed a surprisingly quick best-of-three 2:18.57-minute charge, the high-revving flat-six engine often passing right by its lofty 8,800-rpm redline during the process. The fact that the 911 GT3 RS’ track time remained so close to the GT2 RS record is a testament to its impressive handling, especially when factoring in Road America’s long high-speed straights and plentiful sharp corners.

Both GT2 and GT3 RS models wore road-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R N0 production rubber, these optional for Canadian RS owners, while it should also be noted that the Road Atlanta event’s lap times and vehicle telemetry were recorded and validated by Racelogic.

Not to be satisfied with just two racetrack lap records, Porsche took this 911 GT2 RS to Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia only last month, and with Randy Pobst in the driver’s seat managed another record-setting time of just 1:24.88 minutes, which incidentally trumped the outgoing record-holding Corvette ZR1 by nearly two seconds, not to mention the previously mentioned Porsche 911 GT3 RS by 1.36 seconds.

So why is Porsche taking its RS models to all of these tracks to break records? Possibly it’s due to a new 2020 911 arriving later this year, and the need to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak. This said it’s not like a redesigned GT2 RS will be available immediately upon the new 911’s arrival, which means we’ll likely see plenty of additional racetrack records smashed soon.

Until that happens, enjoy some record-breaking videos below:

Porsche 911 GT2 RS sets production car lap record at Road America – David Donohue onboard camera (2:25):

911 GT3 RS completes Road America lap in just 2:18,57 minutes (2:28):

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Record Lap at Road Atlanta – Highlight Film with Randy Pobst Onboard Camera (2:18):

Porsche 911 GT2 RS sets production car lap record at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (1:39):

Onboard video of the 911 GT3 RS at the Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta (1:36):

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann

Photo credits: Porsche

CarCostCanada

Porsche wows CIAS attendees with new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport

2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport — Lighter and more potent thanks to a 425-hp H6, the new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is a formidable track weapon. (Photo: Porsche)

A significant coup for last month’s Canadian International Auto Show was the introduction of the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport, a car rooted in the legendary brand’s racing heritage. The track-only Cayman, which was revealed in January at the Daytona International Speedway, made its first official motor show appearance at the Toronto event.

The updated 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is now in its second generation, the first arriving on the motorsport scene in 2016 sans “718” script on the rear deck lid. Unlike the previous version, the new GT4 Clubsport can be had in two forms: first as a “Trackday” car set up for “ambitious amateur racing drivers,” and second as “a ‘Competition’ variant for national and international motor racing,” the latter to notably be used for this year’s GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series.

Ahead of pointing out differences, both 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport models receive an updated version of the old 3.8-litre flat-six “boxer” engine, now good for 425 horsepower at 7,800 rpm, a 40-horsepower improvement over the previous 2016 car, while torque is now 4 lb-ft greater, to 313 lb-ft at 6,600 rpm.

Of note, this is the first six-cylinder 718 Cayman application since the car’s 2017 model year debut, due to the current 982-generation only using a turbocharged four-cylinder in various states of tune, causing some pundits to question whether a road-worthy Cayman with a horizontally opposed six-cylinder positioned just ahead of its rear axle will bolster the 718 Cayman ranks.

That new GT4 Clubsport flat-six, which feeds on 98 octane Super Plus unleaded gasoline, packs a 12.5:1 compression ratio, integrated dry sump lubrication, racing-optimized engine and transmission water cooling with thermal management, four-valve technology with adjustable camshaft phasing and VarioCam Plus variable valve timing, a racing-optimized Continental SDI 9 electronic engine management system, plus more.

Where the previous GT4 Clubsport shifted gears through a short-throw six-speed manual transmission, the new 718 version will solely utilize Porsche’s dual-clutch PDK automated gearbox, albeit with only six forward gears instead of the usual seven. The new model also features a reinforced dual mass flywheel, a racing-optimized electronic control unit, a racing-optimized mechanical rear axle differential lock, plus an internal pressure oil lubrication system boasting active oil cooling.

Additional modifications over road-going 718 Caymans include implementation of the 911 GT3 Cup car’s lightweight spring-strut front suspension; front and rear height, camber and track adjustable dampers; fixed shock absorbers with the Trackday car, or three-way racing shocks with rebound and two-stage high- and low-speed compression adjustment for the Competition; front and rear forged suspension links with optimized stiffness, double shear mountings, and high-performance spherical bearings; a three-hole design anti-roll bar up front; an adjustable blade-type anti-roll bar in the back; and five-bolt wheel hubs.

The new rims are single-piece forged light alloy wheels wearing a new “weight-optimized” design, and rolling on 25/64 front and 27/68 rear Michelin transportation rubber, while Michelin also supplies the slick/wet tires that measure 25/64-18 and 27/68-18 front and rear, too.

What’s more, behind those wheels and tires are racing-spec brakes that feature four multi-piece, ventilated and grooved steel discs measuring 380 millimetres in diameter, plus racing brake pads, aluminum mono-bloc six-piston front and four-piston rear racing calipers with “Anti Knock Back” piston springs, plus a brake booster with the Trackday version or brake balance adjustment via a balance bar system with the Competition model.

Despite the GT4 Clubsport’s factory-installed (FIA Art. 277 certified) safety cage, plus its 911 GT3-inspired front spoiler and sizeable fixed rear wing, which appear mostly carryover from the previous Clubsport, the race-spec Cayman weighs in at just 1,320 kilos, making it lighter than the outgoing model.

Mass in mind, the GT4 Clubsport’s body structure is comprised of aluminum-steel composite and therefore light in weight; while additional features include a hood and rear deck lid fastened in place via quick-release latches; an (FIA Art. 275a certified) escape hatch in the roof; an FT3 fuel safety cell that measures 80 litres with the Trackday or 115 litres with the Competition model, both featuring an FIA-compliant “Fuel Cut Off” safety valve; pre-installed mounting points for a three-piston air jack system for the Trackday, or a factory-installed three-piston air jack system with the Competition; and FIA-certified towing loops front and rear.

Also, a motorsport centre console with “enhanced functionality and adapted usability” gets added to the instrument panel, a six-point safety harness is included with its single Recaro race bucket driver’s seat, which also includes two-way fore and aft adjustments as well as an adjustable padding system, and lastly provisions are made for a safety net.

While safety is critical, and improving performance paramount for any new racing car, with Porsche having clearly claimed that its new 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport improves overall drivability and therefore should provide faster lap times than its predecessor, it’s surprising that Porsche also put time and effort into its environmental initiatives, not normally a key issue in this class of sports car. The end result is a production-first racecar technology that could potentially find more widespread use: natural-fibre composite body parts.

The 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport’s door skins and rear wing (specifically the wing flap, sideblades, and “swan neck” mounts) are actually formed from an organic fibre mix that’s sourced from agricultural by-products such as hemp or flax fibres. Porsche says the new age components weigh approximately the same as if made from carbon-fibre, while their strength is also similar.

Specific to each model, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trackday gets fixed shock absorbers, plus ABS, ESC, and traction control assistance systems for easier control at high speeds, the latter of which can all be deactivated. Improving comfort and safety respectively, the Trackday also includes air-conditioning and a handheld fire extinguisher, while it can be serviced at Porsche Centres throughout Canada.

You’ll need your own team of mechanics for the Competition model, however, and one of them will need to be well versed in three-stage shock adjustment, while you’ll need to figure out how to adjust the front/rear bias of the brake balance system yourself. Additionally, your pit stop team will be able to change the tires quickly thanks to its aforementioned integrated air jacks, and the larger safety fuel cell will make sure time off the track will be kept to a minimum.

Safety features not yet mentioned include an automated fire extinguishing system, and a quick release race steering wheel pulled from the 911 GT3 R.

Priced considerably higher than a street legal 718 Cayman, which starts at just $63,700, the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trackday model can be had for $216,500, whereas the same car with the Competition package starts at $242,000.

Interested parties should contact Porsche Motorsport North America in Carson, California, or alternatively your local Porsche retailer, which no doubt would be happy to put you in touch.

Story credits: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press

Photo credits: Porsche