This isn't quite the last days of Rome, but you get the sense some car companies have kicked off their sandals and downed a flagon of wine. As the 2030 ban on traditional combustion cars looms (extended to 2035 for plug-in hybrids), the likes of Ferrari, Aston Martin and Porsche are gorging on petrol-powered profligacy while they still can. Frankly, as a car enthusiast, I'm all for it.

The Ferrari Daytona SP3 is the most hedonistic of them all: a targa-topped two-seater with an 840hp naturally aspirated V12. Then there's the forthcoming Aston Martin V12 Vantage, successor to perhaps the greatest Aston of the modern era. And finally, the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS: the first non-911 to get the 'Rennsport' treatment and the car I'm most excited about for 2022.

At its heart, the Cayman has the same howling 4.0-litre flat-six as the latest 911 GT3, albeit detuned a token 10hp to 500hp. It rides 30mm lower and bristles with angular aero - including an adjustable front splitter and GT3-style swan neck wing. Also, while not devoid of luxuries, the RS has been on a diet. The Porsche crest on the bonnet, for example, is now a sticker.

The results are a modest kerb weight of 1,415kg, 0-62mph in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 195mph. More significantly, the RS can lap the Nurburgring in 7 minutes, 4.5 seconds: some 23.6 seconds quicker than a standard GT4. If you want even more track pace, order your RS in race-ready Clubsport spec. Frank-Steffen Walliser, former head of Porsche Motorsport, describes it as "a real action hero".

At £108,370, the GT4 RS won't be cheap - and that's before you add options such as the Weissach package (£11,186) or 20-inch forged magnesium wheels (£10,521). You can also expect a long waiting list to buy one. Still, future classic status is assured, particularly as this Porsche, like many sports cars of late, may be the last of a dying breed.

(c) 2021 City A.M., source Newspaper