Porsche Cayman GTS 2014 Review

The Porsche Boxster GTS is already a sublime all-weather sportscar, so where does that leave the Cayman GTS? Think of it as a harder, faster version of its topless brother – and there are a couple of numbers that reflect this fact.

Firstly, the Cayman is about two-and-a-half times as torsionally rigid as the Boxster (42,000Nm/degree v 17,000). It sounds like a huge disparity, and it stems from the fact that the chassis strengthening applied to the Boxster to compensate for the lack of a roof which has been retained for the Cayman. Consequently, the Cayman is stiffer even than the pricier and more potent 991-series 911 Coupe (30,400Nm/degree).

The tautness of the Cayman translates to razor-sharp dynamics, and Porsche says the GTS is capable of lapping the daunting 20.8km Nurburgring Nordschleife in 7min 53sec (versus 7min 56sec for the Boxster GTS). Anything that can circulate ‘The Green Hell’ in under eight minutes is a seriously quick device, so these are impressive lap times.

All the other stats bode well too. The GTS’s 3.4-litre flat-six has been uprated to put out 250kW (11kW more than the Cayman S), while torque is bumped up to a robust 380Nm. With the PDK transmission and the Sport Plus button pressed, this adds up to a 0-100km/h dash of 4.6sec and top whack of 283km/h (285km/h for the six-speed manual). Also notable is the 80-120km/h split of 2.9sec, which is arguably the most relevant figure as far as real-world driving is concerned.

The second-generation Cayman that launched a couple of years ago was already a highly capable and desirable package in standard or ‘S’ form, but the GTS upgrades (which come at a premium of $21,500) have made it an even more tantalising coupe, inching it that little bit closer to being a legitimate 911 chaser.

Porsche execs will argue till the cows come home about how the Cayman and 911 are targeted at different customers, and that the former will never be in danger of cannibalising sales of the rear-engined offering. However, if I was the one doing the buying, I’d have to say the Cayman GTS stacks up as the far more compelling proposition. It’s better balanced, more entertaining… and it even sounds better.

As per its similarly suffixed Boxster sibling, the Cayman GTS features Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) as standard, which broadens the car’s dynamic repertoire by enabling the suspension to be tailored to cruise-friendly or maximum-attack settings. Similarly, the Cayman GTS also sits 10mm lower than the lesser ‘S’ variant and scores 20-inch Carrera S rims, enhancing an already sound donor package.

Our first taste of the Cayman GTS is at the tight and technical Circuito Mallorca, which comprises a succession of hairpins, as well as a couple of faster sweepers that can be attacked in third and fourth gears respectively.

First impressions are of how playful yet non-threatening the car feels as you begin to get it dancing from one corner to the next. The steering is crisp and communicative, and the car has a nimbleness that makes it supremely easy to place on corner entry. In Sport Plus mode the electronic nannies also allow some leeway for sideways hooliganism.

Road cars often feel soft and underpowered on racetracks, but the Cayman GTS has enough reserves to make it an entertaining companion for track-day enthusiasts. The GTS is even more impressive in real-world conditions, where the accessibility and usability of its performance makes it a fantastic point-to-point device.

The flat-six is smooth and tractable, and the bespoke sports exhaust spits out a cracking bark when allowed to belt out its full repertoire in Sport Plus mode or via the exhaust button the centre console.

As with the Boxster GTS, the lashings of Alcantara and GTS logos in the cabin endow it with a suitably sporty ambience, and the exterior tweaks – new front fascia, restyled rear apron, blacked-out trim and smoked daytime running lights/taillights – also hit the mark. The 20-inch, 10-spoke alloys add further visual contrast to lesser Caymans (or should that be Caymen?) without appearing as though the car is trying too hard to look different.

Ride and refinement levels are never less than comfortable, and you could easily clock up several hundred kilometres in a day without winding up with a backache or jangled nerves. And should a twisty road present itself along the way, you’re in for a treat.

For my money, the Cayman GTS is the complete sportscar and, at priced $161,400, you’d have a very hard time convincing me to buy a 911 instead.

Now read the Porsche Boxster GTS review