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Current 718 Cayman Lineup

Where can you buy a mid-engined sportscar this sublime for under $100k? Nowhere, because the Porsche Cayman the only game in town. It doesn't matter though, because there is no way anybody else could make a car this good. The Cayman is unchanged for the 2022 model year with the exception of a few new colors to choose from and some addition customization features. As always, our pick is the 4.0 flat 6 engined GTS model, probably the most perfect sportscar on the planet. That is not to poo-poo the four-cylinder versions because they are great cars too. The latest addition to the lineup is the GT4 RS track-oriented variant. It gets the 4.0-liter flat-six from the GT3 so you know it is going to be a cracking car. The RS also spawns a full-race version named the GT4 RS Clubsport.

With the 982-generation Boxster/Cayman platform, Porsche went back in time to pull out the 718 name, a reminder that the sports car maker has been doing the small sports car thing for a long time. The 718 of course, is diminutive race car that won the Targa Florio race in 1959 and 1960. The marketing stunt was meant to evoke these past Porsche racing successes with light cars like the 718 that outmaneuvered competitors with larger and more powerful engines. The reason? Porsche got rid of the naturally aspirated flat-6 engines and instead would now have flat-4 turbocharged engines.
Searching for more muscle? The 718 Cayman S got a new 2.5L turbocharged boxer 4-cylinder. Power comes in at 345 bhp @ 6500 rpm and torque is a really strong 310 ft lbs @ 1900 rpm. For reference, the outgoing 981 Cayman S had 311 bhp and 265 ft lbs of torque. While we hate the drone of the turbo four cylinder, there is absolutely no doubt that is much more powerful and that performance numbers are much stronger. 0 – 60 mph is over in just 4.0 seconds and the quarter mile is finished in 11.9 seconds flat. Much faster than the outgoing model. But is it as engaging? No.
On 3 January 2019 the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport was unveiled in two variants, Competition and Trackday, with first customer cars delivered to customer teams ahead of the 2019 Roar Before the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona International Speedway. The race car is powered by a 3.8-litre naturally-aspirated flat-six engine producing 425 PS (419 bhp; 313 kW) at 7,500 rpm and 425 N⋅m (313 lb⋅ft) at 6,600 rpm connected to a 6-speed PDK gearbox. The kerb weight is 1,320 kg (2,910 lb). Both variants feature a welded-in roll cage, a six-point harness and race bucket seat, a selection of body parts made of natural-fibre composite materials and race suspension from the 911 GT3 Cup.
Similar to the 911 T, the 718 Cayman T is not the fastest, most luxurious or even the cheapest of all the 718 variants. However, the car is a unique combination of features and nuances that add up to more than the sum of its parts. The T-wins are the perfect car for somebody who knows exactly what they want, and wants nothing more than that - the purist’s car. The Cayman T is equipped with the base-model 718’s mid-mounted 2.0L flat-four turbocharged engine, which produces 296 bhp @ 6500 rpm and 280 ft lbs of torque. The Sport Chrono package is included as standard.
The 718 Porsche Cayman GT4 is everything you could possibly want in a sports car. The sublime combination of a legendary chassis and naturally aspirated 6-cylinder Porsche engine is accentuated by the emphasis that less is more when done right - and nobody does this better than Porsche’s GT division. No one will make the argument that these are objectively inexpensive cars, but for those in the market for an introductory dose of supercar sensory-overload, the GT4 checks all the boxes, and then some. Need a track car and daily driver in one package? Then the 718 Cayman GT4 may be the car for you. An absolute blast.
The 2021 Cayman GTS 4.0 is the perfect car. 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 is 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.
New for 2022 is the most exciting Cayman ever, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS. The GT4 RS is equipped with the same scintillating flat-six engine that powers the 911 GT3. It's a 4.0-liter unit that makes 493 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque in the GT4 RS. Porschephiles will notice that those figures are not quite as high as in the 911 GT3, which packs 502 hp and 346 lb-ft. Big numbers for a small, lightweight car. It is only available with a seven-speed dual-clutch to optimize lap times further. Nobody has driven it yet from the motoring public, but we eagerly await that day and will report back here.
The most significant change is the 4.0 litre six-cylinder boxer engine. This high-revving powerplant has been taken directly from the 911 GT3 Cup race car and develops 500 PS in the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport – 75 PS more than the previous GT4 Clubsport model. In addition to many upgraded details, the focus in developing the new 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport was on further improving overall performance. The standard 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) fitted to the car now uses all seven forward gears, rather than six.
Fresh colours and harmonious contrast packages characterise the new Porsche 718 Boxster Style Edition and 718 Cayman Style Edition sports cars. Available on the base model, this is a sweet package for the buyer looking to jazz up their base Cayman or Boxster and make them really special. Underlining Porsche’s commitment to ever more creative and vibrant bespoke finishes, the new models are characterized by special colors and matching contrasting elements. This is evident with the new color Ruby Star Neo, a modern interpretation of the color used on the 964 Carrera RS.

Porsche Cayman Generations

Porsche had teased fans with the prospect of a coupe version of the Boxster roadster so it was no surprise when we first saw the Cayman S in 2005, created on the new second generation 987 Boxster platform. The Cayman was epic from day one. The second generation Cayman was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show. The Porsche 981 was the internal designation given to the third-generation of the Boxster and second generation of the Cayman. The 981 generation Cayman got a beautiful design update as well as revised engine and transmission specifications. The Boxster and Cayman get more upgrades and made the strong argument that the 911 is no longer the best sports car in the world. The Porsche 982 is the internal designation of the fourth generation Boxster (and third generation Cayman). The big news with the 718 is the switch to a new turbocharged flat-four engine and Porsche moving away from the naturally aspirated flat-6. Don't worry, Porsche relented in the end and gave us a naturally aspirated flat 6 eventually in the form of the Cayman GT4 and then GTS.

Porsche Cayman Models

Porsche All Cayman Models

Porsche Cayman (2nd Gen) (987) Models

The Cayman S was the first production Cayman model to be released to the public as a 2006 model year offering. It got a 3.4 liter flat six with the heads from the Carrera and the camshafts from the Carrera S. It was good for 295 horsepower and 251 ft-lb's. of torque. The 2007 Cayman delivered most of the Cayman S experience at a substantially lower cost. The chassis and body are nearly identical, with the primary differences being in the power train, brakes, wheels and some minor cosmetic elements. The engine was a mini version of the one in the Cayman S, but with a 2.7 liter displacement and 245 horsepower. Porsche was delivering a facelift and introduced a number of new technologies in 2009, as well as some cosmetic changes too. The body shell and shape remained the same, but the front and rear bumper covers were updated. The engines in the 2009 cars were all new and more advanced. The Cayman engine got a 200 cc boost in displacement bringing total displacement to 2.9 liters producing 265 bhp. The new Cayman S engine doesn't gain any displacement, but thanks to the fewer moving parts and the introduction of Direct Fuel Injection (DFI), this engine produces a hefty 25 more horsepower than the M97.21.

Porsche Cayman (2nd Gen) (987) Special Models

In the middle of 2008, Porsche introduced its first 987 Cayman limited edition car, the Design Edition 1. It was a Cayman S packaged with many exclusive cosmetic options intended to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Porsche Design. In late 2008, Porsche introduced the limited edition Cayman S Sport, a Cayman S packaged with many sport options and a new DME software map to work with the Porsche Sport Exhaust, boosting the car to 303 horsepower. The Cayman R was the highlight of the special edition 987 Cayman models and is arguably one of the best driving Porsche cars ever made. It was all about reducing weight while adding performance where possible. In all, Porsche cut 121 lbs. (55 kg) in weight and was also given more performance by adding power, suspension tuning and other performance upgrades that do not require weight be added back to the vehicle. With 330 brake horsepower and some tuned suspension and stiffer springs and dampers and the R was an absolute revelation to drive. The final special edition of the 987 Cayman era was the Limited Edition Cayman S Black which was combined many of the high performance benefits found only in the 2012 Cayman R with many other desirable options off the list.

Porsche Cayman (3rd Gen) (981) Models

The Cayman S benefitted from the same engine and running gear as Porsche's latest 3.4-litre version of the 911 while the base Cayman a 2.7-litre engine. The Cayman GTS was introduced in 2014 and it got a slightly more powerful engine, a new body kit, new 20-inch Carrera S wheels, new Bi-Xenon headlights, and a new sports exhaust system. In 2015, the ultimate track oriented version of the Cayman was launched and it was an instant hit. The Cayman GT4 had a revised and a slightly de-tuned version of the 3.8-litre flat-six engine from the 911 (991) Carrera S. The GT4 was available only with a 6 speed manual transmission and weighed 1,340 kg, and had a number of track-focused options and hardware changes.

Porsche Cayman (3rd Gen) (981) Special Models

On 6 October 2015, Porsche announced a racing version of the Cayman GT4 called the Cayman GT4 Clubsport. As opposed to the road going Cayman GT4, the Clubsport version is fitted with Porsche's PDK double clutch transmission. For testing purposes Porsche Motorsport built a few tarmac rally cars based on the Cayman 981 GT4 racing version. The Cayman rally car was the course car for the WRC (World Rally Championship) 2018 ADAC Rallye Deutschland. The FIA R-GT Cup was contested on tarmac rounds of the ERC and WRC, like the German WRC event.

Porsche 718 Cayman (4th Gen) (982) Models

The 718 Cayman was introduced in April 2016, and premiered at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The 718 featured two new horizontally-opposed flat-4 turbocharged engines at 2.0-litre (Boxster/Cayman) and 2.5-litre (Boxster S/Cayman S) displacement with increased torque and horsepower with lower fuel consumption. The S model turbocharger utilizes Variable Turbine Geometry (VTG) technology. The 718 T models were released for the 2020 model year as more sport-oriented versions of the base 718 models. Later in October 2017, the GTS models were announced with their 2.5-litre engines rated at 360 hp. Since 2020, the GTS 4.0 model has been offered for both 718 models. The new model features the 4.0-litre flat-6 from the Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder, however de-tuned to 394 hp.

Porsche 718 Cayman (4th Gen) (982) Special Models

Like with its predecessor, the Cayman gets a motorsport version. The car's name is again very long and rather confusing. The official marketing names are "718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Trackday version" and "718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport Competition version". Neither of them is street legal, something a "Clubsport" used to stand for in the past. The base version is called "Trackday" which used to be the synonym for club sport anyway. The 17% more expensive Competition variant is a real racer made for national and international racing events. Most of the cars will naturally be sold in the Competition trim as for a track day you typically want a street legal car. Many track day organizers demand a street legal car.

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