Porsche Cayman to outpace 911

Automatic variants of the manual-only Porsche Cayman GTS and GT4 and the Porsche Boxster Spyder and GTS have been confirmed for release in about six months.

And when the seven-speed dual-clutch PDK-equipped compact sports cars arrive in Australia, where the Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder arrive this month and the Cayman and Boxster GTS arrive mid-year, they will be quicker than the cheapest Porsche 911.

At the moment the latter is the 911 Carrera PDK, which is priced at $229,500 plus ORCs and claimed to hit 100km/h in 4.2 seconds.

A seven-speed manual transmission will become available in the latest 911 later this year, but if the US market is any guide it may not be available on the base Carrera variant and will be a no-cost (same price) option in the Carrera S, and it will make it slower.

The 309kW/420Nm 4.0-litre naturally-aspirated six-cylinder boxer-powered Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4 manual can reach 100km/h in a claimed 4.4 seconds.

But the self-shifting versions should lower that mark by more than half a second to as little as 3.9 seconds, based on the performance of other Porsche models.

Indeed, Porsche’s boxer engine development manager Markus Baumann told carsales at the launch of the 718 GTS 4.0 model in Lisbon this month that the GT4 PDK “will be the fastest Cayman we’ve ever produced”.

But he wouldn’t comment on the chances of Porsche producing an even hotter RS version of the Cayman, powered by a version of the new 9A2 big-bore atmo flat six fitted with racy technologies from the GT3 RS like titanium con-rods and a dry sump.

Notwithstanding its tendency to understate the acceleration of its performance models, Porsche has long been loath to produce a version of its smaller, cheaper mid-engined 718 model line that’s quicker than its flagship coupe, the 911.

But that will change with the GT4, the PDK version of which will be the first Cayman to out-pace the 911.

And given the old Cayman GTS (which was fitted with a 3.4-litre flat atmo six) could hit 100km/h in 4.6sec as a manual, 4.3sec in PDK form and 4.1sec with optional Sport Crono launch control, the new Cayman GTS 4.0 PDK should also be quicker than the 911 Carrera PDK with a 0-100km/h time of around four seconds. The manual does it in 4.5sec.

For the record, the quickest 718s are currently the 2.5-litre Cayman S and Boxster S turbo fours, both of which are claimed to hit 100km/h in 4.6sec (manual), 4.4sec (PDK) and 4.2sec (Sport Chrono), matching the slowest 911.

Also for the record, the base Cayman costs $116,000 in entry 2.0-litre form, rising to $146,200 for the Cayman S, $172,400 for the Cayman GTS and $207,000 for the Cayman GT4, while the 911 Carrera PDK costs $229,500.

As an aside, the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport race car is powered by a 313kW/425Nm 3.8-litre flat six matched to a six-speed PDK auto and is also rear-drive, but weighs at least 100kg less at 1320kg and pricing starts around $250K.

Watch this space on Monday (February 17) for our first drive of the latest Porsche Cayman GTS.

What’s coming from Porsche:
Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4 manual – March
Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS manual – mid-2020
Boxster Spyder and Cayman GT4 PDK – late 2020
Boxster GTS and Cayman GTS PDK – late 2020
Macan GTS – mid-2020
Cayman GT4 RS – TBC
911 Turbo and Turbo S – late 2020
911 Carrera manual – late 2020
911 GT3 RS – 2021
911 GT2 RS – 2021