Akrapovic exhaust for 718 Cayman GT4
Latest, greatest Cayman too quiet for you? Akrapovic can help with that
As Dan found out when he measured the latest GT4 against the previous one, while newer is clearly faster than older, it’s definitely a little quieter despite the larger 4.0-litre motor in its midriff. That’s almost certainly thanks to the new and more restrictive filters slotted into its pipework, demanded by global emissions limits - something Akrapovic has attempted to address with its latest offering: a titanium ‘slip on line’ exhaust developed specifically for the 718 generation.
The freer-flowing pipework delivers on the performance front, allowing the GT4’s naturally aspirated flat-six to produce an additional 5.9hp and 7.7lb ft of torque at its peaks, which equates to 390hp at 6,400rpm and 321lb ft at 5,740rpm. It also removes 3.6kg from powertrain, or 21.6 per cent of the weight contributed to the car’s total mass by the exhaust system, bringing the car’s weight balance even closer to centre by a modest degree. Best of all, it gives the motor the clearer lungs needed to project an even coarser and racier tone than its less restricted predecessor. In the video it sounds epic.
The fully titanium exhaust system (you can have a link pipe set, too - although this requires a mandatory remap) which uses three silencers, is said to provide its boost thanks to improved gas-flow dynamics, reduced back pressure, and “a more linear power curve”. Akrapovic says the power gains are most noticeable in the mid-range, with no impact on the car’s explosive top-end character. Perfect. The system uses a dual-mode exhaust flap, so you can quieten it down when necessary, and enjoy the full resonance of a GT3-derived Porsche flat-six everywhere else.
Litchfield, UK supplier for Akrapovic parts, told PH that the part would cost £4,951 including VAT, and that a 15 per cent discount is being offered to trade buyers to make the offer all the more appealing. The firm orders in the part from Slovenia on demand, but for those wanting their GT4 upgrade right now, it already offers (and stocks) a UK-developed “high-end stainless steel” alternative, from £3,594 including VAT. The pipework’s different material gives it a slightly different tone to the Akrapovic one. Suffice to say if you’re lucky enough to have a GT4, you’re not lacking a solution to the GT4's most noticeable issue.
The problem all exhaust guys are having is drone at lower revs. Porsche solved it by making the exhaust very, very restrictive via silencing. Open up the breathing and some drone appears. Akra seem to have gone down the route of minimal drone, which will mean more silencing along with less noise and less increase in power. There is no magic bullet to fix the sound of the 718 GT4, there are compromises to be made with every option.
I'm more than happy with my reasonably priced 9m solution, I just keep the revs up!
The problem all exhaust guys are having is drone at lower revs. Porsche solved it by making the exhaust very, very restrictive via silencing. Open up the breathing and some drone appears. Akra seem to have gone down the route of minimal drone, which will mean more silencing along with less noise and less increase in power. There is no magic bullet to fix the sound of the 718 GT4, there are compromises to be made with every option.
I'm more than happy with my reasonably priced 9m solution, I just keep the revs up!
I think the 9m option is the top of my list, not sure when I'll get around to it though, no rush. For the money you'd be paying with the Akra option, as had already been pointed out, you'd expect it to at least not be cock eyed, but the tailpipes don't line up from the back!
https://www.litchfieldmotors.com/blog/porsche-718-...
As someone mentioned above, drone is a common problem now, exacerbated by a) turbochargers (turning the individual pulsations into mushy flat tones) b) particulate filters and c) big exhaust pipe diameters, the latter required to ensure the turbochargers don't have excessive backpressure (less efficiency ---> less power). It's can be a real balancing act. You have to consider at at idle and low engine speed, the frequencies emitted by the engine are quite low, 30-40Hz, to which our ears are insensitive (hence huge bass possible at night clubs - try the same SPL at 4kHz and see what happens) and worse still, can align with the resonant modes of the interior, making a horrible boom or drone much worse, and can make cruising unbearable. That marks out the difference between a good aftermarket exhaust and a great one - the best designs consider a much broader set of criteria than just 'more noise and more power'.
I can't help but wonder if they'd sell a lot more of them if they just made them from stainless instead. That being said, even stainless exhausts seem mega money now. I remember buying one about 15 years ago and it was £300. When I had my Megane 265, I looked into one and it was about £1k for one from a respectable manufacturer, and that didn't even include a catalyst, it was just cat back. Silly, silly money.
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