The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is simply sublime, but has Porsche shot itself in the foot making the Cayman 718 GTS 4.0 almost as good, while charging £11,000 less for it?

PROS:

+ Intoxicating engine

+ Most track-capable car you’ll find at this price

+ Surprisingly well-mannered on the road

CONS:

- Dated infotainment system

- Your gran will hate that spoiler 

- Er…pass 

Verdict: Believe the hype, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is probably the best car pound-for-pound you can buy today if you're in the market for a sportscar. Despite being a track weapon it’s just as fun to drive on the road, but be aware that the Cayman GTS 4.0 comes very close to being as good while costing £11,000 less. 

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2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 review: five-minute read

Every now and then comes a car that appears to do no wrong: award-magnet motors which decorate magazine covers and immediately take pole on the wish lists of car fans everywhere.

This is one of those cars. 

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is the pinnacle of the current generation of Cayman, and only the second Cayman GT4 ever made. It costs £76,530 which, when held against GT-badged 911’s, is flippin’ cheap. 

Some consider the GT4 to be peerless, and while it’s true there isn’t a version of the Alpine A110 or Toyota Supra – both natural enemies to the regular Cayman – which are all-around as capable on both track and road as the GT4, there is a car which could cause it some problems: the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0.

That’s right, the GT4’s real headache is another Porsche. Another Cayman, in fact. The GTS 4.0 is £11,000 cheaper than the GT4 and yet the two are very similar, on paper at least, which makes some people wonder whether it’s worth paying the extra. 

Not that you would know to look them side by side. There’s far less track day tinsel adorning the GTS than its pricier sibling, but on the GT4 it all serves a genuine purpose. The rear diffuser, chunky front splitter, giant spoiler and gulping air intakes: these aren’t for dramatic effect, they all create downforce and stability and keep the air flowing in the right places. 

For all the hype surrounding the GT4 you can still find some (mild) fault with it. Anyone expecting to find the same theatre of the exterior in the cabin will be sorely disappointed: it’s pretty much a standard Cayman aside from some GT4 badging and some extra-supportive sports seats. That’s not to say it looks bad, you just might want a bit more pazazz for the extra money you’re laying out. 

The infotainment system is getting a bit long in the tooth now too, and certainly isn’t up to the standard of the latest system Porsche is fitting to its cars, which is utterly superb. In the GT4 the screen looks a bit smeary in terms of resolution and it can get fiddly finding the menu you want. 

Now a few words about practicality: it’s not as bad as you might think. Because the GT4 is a mid-engined sportscar you actually get two small trunks, one at the front and one at the back. Together they add up to 405-litres of space which exceeds most hatchbacks. You’re obviously hampered by the fact it isn’t one big space, so the individual items need to be relatively small, but a weekend away for two people? No problem. 

There’s so much to love about this car but probably the most intoxicating part is the 4.0-litre flat-six naturally aspirated engine, which knocks out 420hp and 420Nm of torque. The key words in that sentence are ‘naturally aspirated’ as most of the 718 Cayman range use turbos to ramp the power up. 

For Porsche purists this is crucial, and it gives the GT4 a unique character compared to the rest of the range. The exception to this? The GTS 4.0, as the name suggests, uses the same 4.0-litre unit found in the GT4. 

There are some key differences though: the GTS is around 20hp down on power and revs to 7,800rpm, while the GT4 meets the limiter at 8,000rpm. Then again, the GTS is 15kg lighter than the GT4...see what we mean about Porsche creating a rival to its own superstar?

Cayman GT4 buyers have a choice of gearbox. When fitted with the sweeter-than-sweet six-speed manual ‘box the 0-62mph business is taken care of in 4.4-seconds, but opting for the seven-speed dual clutch PDK auto’ at a cost of a couple of grand nibbles it to 3.9-seconds.

Don’t be fooled by the headline figures, the manual is a much more involving experience and honestly, we cannot think of a better stick shift on the market today: it’s a sublimely crunchy little thing made all the better by the auto blip function which takes care of heel-toing for you. 

We were surprised by how well-mannered the GT4 is on the road. Looking at it you expect to have to phone a chiropractor every time you take it to the shops, and while there is obviously more chatter from the 20-inch wheels and suspension than you would find in standard Cayman, or even the GTS, you could daily this car quite happily. 

The engine, free from turbo power, comes alive around 5,000rpm, and when it does it screams to the redline, provoking shift after shift. It’s a phenomenal thing, and a rarity in today’s emissions-policed era, although some chunky petrol particulate filters do mute the sound a little. Even so, it still sounds better than hearing your lottery numbers being announced on the radio.  

You’re very aware, even on the road, that this is a sportscar. With the Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) dampers activated you’re just 82mm off the ground, which is 10mm lower than the GTS. 

The GT4 turns with alchemic accuracy and speed, and the nose is pushed around the apex thanks to power being sent to the rear wheels. Mid-corner balance is spot-on due to the fact the engine is in the right position for a sports car, there’s no disconcerting shift of weight and grip as you load up the power on the corner exit. Everything about the GT4 brings a smile to the face. 

The big question is, is the GT4 worth the extra £11,000 over the GTS? The GT4 is more powerful, will offer more grip when taken to its limits, and has a more accomplished suspension setup which is lifted from the GT3. But all of these things apply only to the hardest of hardcore track drivers.

Porsche reckons four out of five GT4 buyers will use it for track days, and that makes sense to us because if you only want a Cayman for highly enjoyable road driving you should go for the GTS - spend the money you save on some trick optional extras or hotels for weekend road trips. 

But even the handiest of track drivers won’t outgrow the GT4, it’s all the car you will ever need in that respect. And the fact that you can also drive it every day relatively comfortably means it is all the car you will ever need full stop. 

The best car pound-for-pound car on sale today? Probably. 

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