Porsche has finally unwrapped the Cayman GT4, the peak of its mid-engine sports coupe.
Headed to this year’s Geneva Motor Show, the Porsche Cayman GT4 is already making a name for itself by clocking a seriously impressive lap time of 7:40 around the Nürburgring Nordschleife. In case you’re a fan of numbers, that’s faster than the 911 GT3 from just four years ago.
The Porsche Cayman GT4.
Handout, Porsche
Rumour has it Porsche will move to turbocharged engines across the board in the very near future, so it’s refreshing to know the Cayman GT4 will develop 385 horsepower from a mid-mounted 3.8-litre flat-six derived from the 911 Carrera S. This lets the Cayman GT4 sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds before topping out at 294 km/h. It’s not faster than a Hellcat, but this will certainly do, Porsche.
Where Porsche fans and car enthusiasts alike decried the current 911 GT3 for going PDK-only, the Cayman GT4 will send its kick to the rear wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox. That’s right — a slick-shifting manual with three pedals is the only transmission option.
The Porsche Cayman GT4.
Handout, Porsche
The GT4 also sees a handful of bits from the 911 GT3, including a limited-slip differential, larger brakes, Porsche’s torque vectoring and stability control systems, and a suspension system that lets the GT4 sit 30 millimetres lower than the standard Cayman. It also looks the part, complete with 20-inch wheels, a new aero kit and a taller spoiler out back.
Being a Porsche, buyers can pile on the options. Even larger carbon-ceramic brakes are available, along with Porsche’s Sport Chrono Package with a Track Precision App and some snazzy-looking (and, not to mention, lightweight) carbon fibre composite racing seats.
The Porsche Cayman GT4.
Handout, Porsche
The best part? In the U.S., the Cayman GT4 will hit dealers this July with an $84,600 price tag. That seems like a lot of coin, but consider this: the Cayman GT4 offers very similar performance to the 911 Carrera and Carrera S — which start at $84,300 and $98,900, respectively — but in a smaller (and lighter) package.
