The Porsche Cayman, introduced as a hardtop version of the brand's highly successful Boxster is a car that has split opinions among Porsche fans since the first generation debuted in 2005. The mid-engine Cayman has undoubtedly established itself as a sharp driving tool while simultaneously providing a more attainable coupe Porsche for those who cannot afford the 911.
In 2016, Porsche introduced the first Cayman GT4, complete with the flat-six engine from a 911 along with a six-speed manual gearbox and trick suspension. The GT4 was the brainchild of those who developed the 911 GT3 and GT2 models at the time. The first model has become somewhat of an icon, with many considering it a better driver’s car than many a 911.
So, when Porsche introduced turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engines into the current generation 718 Cayman and Boxster models, many were puzzled, demanding the return of the flat-six. Porsche is renowned for listening to customer feedback and has responded accordingly by producing an all-new naturally aspirated engine which it has fitted to a new GT4 as well as a GTS model. I had a chance to sample the GT4 newcomer recently to see if this car captures the magic of the brand’s sporty models.
Styling
Looking resplendent in Gentian Blue Metallic (R11 740) the test car accentuated the GT4’s enhanced aesthetics which include larger front air intakes and extended front splitter while at the rear there's an extended rear diffuser and two wings along with dual-exit exhausts. The GT4 looks fantastic, providing just about enough understated sportiness with a few hints that this is one of the more special Porsche products on sale.
Interior and space
The back to basics nature of the GT4 means that the interior is a fuss-free environment with my press unit being fitted with the leather with Race-Tex interior trim with contrasting red stitching(R40 120) on the standard Sport Seats Plus while the general fit and finish are exemplary, with hardly a poor quality material or trim item in sight along with a Swiss watch-like solidity that makes you think that this car will last a very long time.
The Cayman, having its engine mounted behind the two occupant’s seats, has two storage areas, the traditional Porsche 'frunk' or ‘froot’ that provides 150-litres of storage up front as well as 270-litres at the rear, totalling 420-litres. This is sufficient for two people and was certainly enough for two overnight bags during a short weekend getaway.
Comfort and convenience
I quite literally hopped straight out of a GT3 RS into the GT4. After a few minutes to consider my glaring first world problems, I could not help but notice just how much better the GT4 is as a road car. I felt more confident and more comfortable in the GT4, likely because of the improved visibility afforded by the higher driving position, allowing my Hobbit-esque frame to negotiate the Johannesburg north traffic with greater ease.
In terms of standard comfort kit, I found the climate control, cruise control, Porsche PCM infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as the semi-digitised instrument cluster to be sufficient creature comforts. The GT4 is produced for driver engagement, meaning that less is more when it comes to equipment, I feel.
Related: Porsche 991.2 911 GT3 RS (2020) Review: Flacht of fancy
Performance
The mid-mounted 4.0-litre naturally aspirated engine in the GT4 is not related to the motorsport-derived unit in the 911 GT models but is a development of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre engine seen in various 911 models. The new engine produces 309 kW and 420 Nm and has a redline pegged at 8 000 r/min. For those chasing the raspy metallic screech of a GT3, you may be disappointed in the GT4.
That doesn’t mean that the GT4 isn't aurally pleasing though, it still sounds incredible while providing an instant throttle response and a large lump of low-down torque. Just make sure that you always switch the active exhaust button on to get the full-fat flat-six wail.
The six-speed manual gearbox is an older unit carried over for the GT4 project. There is a button-activated auto-blip function should you decided to heel-and-toe all by yourself. The gearbox has come under some scrutiny for its exceptionally long ratios. I tend to agree with this as this is a road car, meaning that if you're in the mood to experience the full rev-range, you'll be breaking the national limit before the end of third gear easily. Porsche claim a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds, which will prove challenging to replicate at altitude given the associated power loss. Top speed is claimed at 304 km/h, again demonstrating how long those gear ratios are.
The suspension is rather exceptional too, with the rose-jointed front-end having been taken from the 911 GT3 as are the suspension control arms and subframes. In true GT-car fashion, engineers have inverted the rear shock absorbers and have developed bespoke ball joints for stiffer chassis mounting. The car also comes with PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) which lowers the GT4 some 30mm versus a standard Cayman.
The GT4 is fitted with bespoke 20-inch alloy wheels shod with sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres that measure 245/35 R20 up front and 295/30 R20 at the rear. When up to temperature, the wide rubber, massive rear wing and potent rear diffuser make the rear-end of the GT4 seemingly stuck to the ground at speed unless you are aggressive with steering and throttle inputs. Once unstuck, there is a mechanical limited-slip differential and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) at the rear to help you deal with the slidey things that we all enjoy.
Fuel economy
Despite its 4.0-litre engine, the GT4 is not incredibly heavy on fuel. The long gearing comes into its own on the open road. A short weekend getaway with the GT4 allowed me to stretch its legs on the open road, returning a consumption figure of 9.6 L/100km, lower than the 10.9 L/100km claim.
The open-road frugality is also due in part to the engine's cylinder deactivation technology, allowing me to cruise on three cylinders as the engine alternated between the two cylinder banks. The fuel consumption increased dramatically when I found some twisty bits and when coming back into the urban environment though. It genuinely is not a guzzler though, which was impressive considering its displacement.
Pricing
As far as performance bargains go, the GT4 is most certainly not cheap, but at the same time, a list price of R1 853 740 does not exactly break the bank for a pukka analogue sports car when we consider the R3-million-plus price tag for 911 GT-cars.
Consider the fact that you can get the new Cayman GTS fitted with the same 4.0-litre flat-six, albeit with 294 kW and 420Nm along with the six-speed manual gearbox for R1 504 000. The GTS does without all the fancy suspension and cosmetics and will obviously not be as sharp a tool as the GT4, but it will not be a million miles off, that I can assure you.
Verdict
The more Porsche products I experience, particularly from its sportscar range, the more I get the sense that the entire company, from marketing to engineering and everything in-between, work as a harmonious whole to produce vehicles are memorable to drive. The GT4 provides an accessible, exploitable, and delightfully old school approach to performance motoring, with a splash of modern convenience. The GT4 is sports car heaven, and for those so inclined, there's a PDK version set to arrive in early 2021.
Recommended next:
