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Porsche Cayman GT4: The Little Brother Goes Wild

by Frédérick Boucher-Gaulin
Porsche Cayman GT4
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Photo: Porsche

After teasing us with a digital reveal of its next mid-engine car, Porsche finally unveiled the Cayman GT4, which has been built to perform on the world’s greatest tracks, while still being road-legal. This new car will take its place as a little brother to the Porsche 911.

Fans of the brand think that Porsche limits the potential of the Cayman/Boxster duo to make sure it won’t overtake their halo car, the 911. If you share these beliefs, a quick look at the GT4’s equipment list should convince you of the contrary: developed at the brand’s development center in Weissach, the Cayman GT4 features a 3.8-litre flat-six engine pumping out 385 horsepower. Based on the engine found in the 911 Carrera S, this mill is 45 horsepower stronger than the one found in the 3.4-litre Cayman GTS. And, just like the 911 GT3, only one gearbox is available. But, where the GT3 is fitted with a PDK, the Cayman GT4 is only shipped with a six-speed manual.

The rest of the car will be as track-focused as the drivetrain; according to the manufacturer, some of the chassis’ components (like the suspension and the brakes) have been pilfered from the GT3’s parts bin. The car will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, eventually hitting 295 km/h. With the right driver, it can also lap the Nürburgring in 7 minutes 40 seconds, which is as fast as the last-generation 911 GT3 (or the last Ford GT, to put things into context).

The cockpit is focused on the driver, and nothing else. No buttons on the steering wheel, no useless information in the dashboard and nothing that can distract you from the road. The Cayman GT4 can be equipped with ceramic brakes, carbon fibre seats and the Sport Chrono package, which records your lap times and transfers them to your smartphone, where it can be analysed.

The Cayman GT4 starts at $96,500. Yes, it’s as much as a base-model 911, but the Cayman is not only faster, but it may also be much better to drive… We can’t wait to put it through its paces.

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