Porsche Cayman - The Ultimate Guide

The first-generation Cayman (987) marked Porsche’s bold step into creating a dedicated mid-engine coupe, separate from the 911 and Boxster. Introduced for the 2006 model year, it was essentially a Boxster with a fixed roof and a slightly stiffer, more driver-focused chassis. This additional rigidity sharpened handling and gave the car an edge on track, making it a favorite among enthusiasts who wanted a more precise and balanced Porsche at a lower price point than the 911. The Cayman was positioned as a purist’s sports car, with a naturally aspirated flat-six mounted amidships, giving it near-perfect weight distribution and a character distinct from its rear-engined big brother.

Initially offered in standard and “S” trims, the 987 Cayman produced between 245 and 295 horsepower, depending on the variant, paired with either a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission or a Tiptronic automatic. Porsche enthusiasts immediately appreciated how approachable and communicative it felt, calling it one of the best-handling Porsches in decades. The 2009 facelift (987.2) brought direct fuel injection, new engine options, and the introduction of Porsche’s now-famous PDK dual-clutch transmission, which transformed the car’s speed and everyday usability.

The generation culminated in the Cayman R (2011), a lightweight special that shaved 121 pounds and added extra power, sharper suspension, and a more aggressive stance. This was Porsche’s way of proving that the Cayman wasn’t just an entry-level car — it was a serious sports machine that could stand toe-to-toe with the 911 on a twisty road. Today, the 987 is considered one of the best bargains in Porsche’s lineup, offering analog driving purity and gorgeous, compact proportions.

With the second-generation Cayman, Porsche refined the formula and brought the car to a new level of sophistication. The 981 generation arrived for 2013 with a completely redesigned chassis and a longer wheelbase, resulting in a more planted and balanced car that looked sleeker and more muscular. Porsche adopted extensive aluminum construction to shed weight, while also improving interior quality to align the Cayman more closely with the luxury feel of the 911. The cabin gained Porsche’s modern “rising center console” layout, better infotainment, and more customization options, making the car feel more premium and driver-focused.

The engine lineup carried over the naturally aspirated flat-six, now making 275 horsepower in the base Cayman and 325 horsepower in the Cayman S, with PDK-equipped cars reaching 60 mph in as little as 4.4 seconds. The 981 generation had a broader appeal — it was a car you could daily drive comfortably, but it still came alive on twisty back roads or the racetrack. The mid-cycle expansion of the lineup brought the Cayman GTS, a more aggressive and better-equipped model that sat between the S and the future GT4, giving buyers the best all-around version for spirited street driving.

Then, in 2015, Porsche finally gave enthusiasts what they’d been begging for: the Cayman GT4. Featuring a 3.8-liter engine from the 911 Carrera S, a lowered and track-tuned suspension, aggressive aero, and a manual transmission only, the GT4 was a revelation. It instantly became a collector’s favorite and showed what the mid-engine platform was capable of when Porsche pulled out all the stops. Many consider the 981 generation to be the sweet spot in the Cayman lineage — it kept the beloved flat-six sound, delivered a more polished design, and laid the groundwork for the performance explosion of the next generation.

The 982 generation, introduced in 2017, represented a dramatic shift for the Cayman, not just mechanically but philosophically. Porsche rebranded the car as the “718 Cayman” in honor of its 1950s four-cylinder race cars, signaling a return to forced induction. Out went the naturally aspirated flat-sixes in the base and S models, replaced by a pair of turbocharged flat-fours: a 2.0-liter with 300 hp for the base and a 2.5-liter with 350 hp for the Cayman S. This change delivered more torque and improved fuel efficiency, resulting in quicker 0–60 mph times, but it also changed the car’s personality. The sound and character of the flat-four proved polarizing, with some enthusiasts calling it too subdued compared to the wail of the old six.

That said, Porsche used the 982 as an opportunity to further sharpen the Cayman’s dynamics. The steering became even more precise, the chassis more capable, and the technology more advanced with the new PCM 4.0 infotainment system. The mid-cycle updates also added even more options, including the Cayman T, a lightweight, driver-focused model with standard PASM and Sport Chrono that brought back some of the stripped-down purity of the earlier Cayman R. The GTS models initially retained the turbo-four but were later upgraded to the glorious 4.0-liter flat-six, delighting purists and restoring the Cayman’s high-rev soundtrack.

At the top of the range, Porsche unleashed the Cayman GT4 and eventually the GT4 RS, which borrowed the screaming GT3 engine and became the ultimate expression of the mid-engine platform. With up to 493 horsepower and a Nürburgring lap time that rivaled Porsche’s halo cars, the GT4 RS showed that the Cayman had grown far beyond its role as the “junior” Porsche. As 2025 marks the end of internal combustion for the Cayman, the 982 generation stands as the most capable and diverse Cayman lineup ever — from efficient turbo-four daily drivers to track-day monsters with supercar levels of performance.

The Cayman S was first unveiled in 2005 and went on sale in late 2005 as a 2006 model year car. A year later, the base Cayman showed up as a 2007 model year car. Both the Cayman and second generation Boxster roadster shared their mid-engine platform and many components. The two cars share the same chassis, with the same wheelbase, width and tracks. Although the sheet metal is different, they share windscreen, doors, cabin and 40 percent of the other components, while the remaining components either come from 911 or are adapted from both cars. The suspension design is fundamentally the same as that of the Boxster with revised settings due to the stiffer chassis with the car's fixed roof. They were also assembled at the same place, Finland, by Valmet. Of course, the Cayman got a fixed roof which increased torsional rigidity by an astonishing 150 percent and lowers drag coefficient from the roadster's 0.30 to 0.29.

The Cayman S was powered by a 3.4-litre flat-six mated to a 6-speed manual transaxle, a 2.7-litre engine with a 5-speed transmission was standard for the base model. An electronically controlled 5-speed automatic (Tiptronic) was also available on the S and base models. The Boxster and Boxster S models received a facelift in 2008. Changes included an increase in engine displacement to 2.9-litre for the Boxster, incorporation of Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) for the Boxster S. Both models now came standard with a new 6-speed manual gearbox and were available with a 7-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) dual clutch gearbox. Cosmetic changes included new head and tail lights, larger front air intakes with incorporated day time running lights, and an altered lower rear end flanked by twin diffusers.

A facelift of the Porsche Cayman followed in February 2009. As with the Boxster, the base Cayman's engine displacement was increased to 2.9-litre while the Cayman S gained direct injection. Both the Cayman and Cayman S maintained a 7 kW (10 PS; 9 hp) power advantage over their roadster sibling, the Boxster. A limited slip differential was now a factory option. 

The 981 Cayman was – and remains – a benchmark car, and when it arrived as a 2013 model year car. It was getting closer to the 911 in terms of desirability and performance. The design was sleeker and more modern than the odd-looking earlier generation and it still looks great today. It got a longer wheelbase, wider tracks and lower overall height. The front and rear views of the 981 stay true to the Cayman with some distinct differences. The headlights become slightly sharper and more square. The air intakes up front are also sharper and somewhat more aggressive with new LED array daytime running lights filling the round fog lamp openings. In the rear there is a new wider aero wing that integrates into the taillights to deliver a smooth uninterrupted body line. 

Beyond these obvious differences in physical dimensions, the body of the 981 uses Porsche's newest weight savings design of mixed steel and aluminum construction. Aluminum makes up 44% of the 981's chassis, including the front and rear body, floors, doors, and front and rear trunk lids. Despite the fact that this body uses less steel than its predecessor, its torsional rigidity has been increased by 40% while chassis weight has gone done by 100 pounds, resulting in a gross vehicle weight loss of 66 pounds. The 981 sits on larger wheels than the 987 Cayman, with 18 inch wheels standard on the Cayman, 19 inch standard on the Cayman S and optional 20 inch wheels available on both. These wheels are fitted with new improved tires that provide 7% less rolling resistance than those available on a 2013 Cayman, resulting in better efficiency. Longer wheelbase, wider track, less weight, bigger wheels and higher torsional rigidity are sure to deliver improved driving performance.

The new interior has very little in common with the original.  We're dealing with a clean sheet of paper here and it looks great. The center console is higher with the sifter that's much closer to the steering wheel. The dash top is flatter, further away and the Sport Chrono stopwatch is recessed nicely into the dash top, eliminating the wart that drew so much criticism in the 987s. Controls are made up of many high quality push buttons logically located around the interior and able to give instant access without menus or drill downs, the way all sports cars controls should be. The door panels are new, modern, elegant and very Carrera GT. The door's storage pockets swing out now, replacing the armrest doors of the 987. They offer a bit less storage than the 987 door pockets, so a little storage has been added in front of the door pockets and on the sides of the center console. The steering wheel tilt and telescopic controls are now electric, making it possible for the wheel to move in and up during exit and for the system to memorize different driving positions.

The instrument cluster is similar to the 987 cluster in the fact that it displays 3 round gauges to the driver, but that's where the similarity ends.  The new 981 cluster has a color LCD display in the right and left sides making it possible to display far more information. For the first time since 1997, Porsche has given a sports car other than the 911 an oil pressure and oil temperature gauge, (though displayed digitally without an analog gauge), once again addressing complaints about prior versions.

The power train of the 2014 Caymans are probably the single biggest carry over item from the previous model. The 9A1 engine first appeared in 2009 and continued on into the new 981 Caymans. The biggest difference we see in the 981 is that the Cayman engine displacement has been reduced from 2.9 liters back down to 2.7 liters (like it was in 2007).  But before you cancel your order or jump to the S model take notice that the new smaller Cayman engine actually makes 10 horsepower more than the big brother it has replaced, producing 275 horsepower and propelling the new Cayman from 0-60 mph in as little as 5.1 seconds - actually faster than a 2006 Cayman S while delivering 32 mpg on the highway (when equipped with PDK and Sport Chrono Plus).

The Cayman S engine displacement is unchanged at 3.4 liters. Power is increased by 5 horsepower to 325, shooting the S from 0-60 mph in just 4.4 seconds while delivering as much as 30 miles per gallon (PDK & Sport Chrono+). There are two transmissions choices available in the 2014 Caymans, both carrying over from 2013.  The Cayman and Cayman S come standard with the 6 speed manual gearbox, which means the 5 speed manual has officially been retired. The 7 speed PDK is available as an option in either model.

Ever-stringent government fuel economy and CO2 emissions standards forced Porsche to downsize and turbocharge its entire range of engines. This meant that the marketing department leaned on the flat-four heritage of the 550 Spyder and 718 race cars, dubbing the internally-designated 982 Boxster and Cayman models as the 718. The MA2-based flat-fours of the base and S versions of the Cayman had more varied specifications than any of their predecessors. The 2.0-liter MA2/20 of the base model had a turbocharger with a conventional internal wastegate for boost control, while the 2.5-liter, 350-hp MA2/22 of the Cayman S had a variable turbine geometry turbocharger in addition to a conventional internal wastegate to reduce exhaust backpressure.

Porsche fans who missed the howl of a flat-six in a new mid-engined roadster collectively rejoiced with the introduction of the 718 Cayman GT4, which featured an MA2-derived, naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, which generated 414 hp and revved to 8,000 rpm. This drivetrain reverted to the three-point mounting system of previous six-cylinder Caymans. As expected the Cayman GT4 was an absolutely perfect track-focused car that could also do daily chores if needed. Perhaps the most exciting car in the 982 Cayman generation was the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0. The old GTS used a 2.5-liter turbocharged flat-4, and while it was a perfectly strong engine with lots of low-end torque, it lacked the personality and linear power delivery of a free-breathing flat-six. It didn't sound half as good, either. The GTS 4.0 was built to offer more performance and more grunt as well as a more aggressive design and all the good options included as standard. The new 4.0-liter engine was borrowed from the 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4, detuned to produce 394 horsepower and 309 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual is standard. The GTS 4.0 basically became the perfect daily sports car.

Porsche chassis engineers always find incremental improvements between generations of model lines, and the 982 was no exception. While the 982 was an evolution of the 981 Cayman design and shared most of its body and chassis construction and layout with its predecessor, there were optimizations in every area of the suspension system to improve response and feel. The 982 retained the three-link strut rear suspension design, which has been cited by the erstwhile Porsche engineer and 718/982 project manager August. Achleitner as one of the main engineering reasons that Porsche has never produced a true 911 rival based on the current mid-engine platform-there simply isn't room for a proper multi-link rear suspension design.