The new Cayman GTS 4.0 - Porsche couldn't be purer

Boxer engine, vacuum, hand switch - that's a cult sports car a la Porsche. Now the new 718 GTS 4.0 models go on a cult tour. Again with six cylinders and sharp as never before - that's our conclusion after two cool tours both on the race track and in the wild.

• Porsche is expanding the 718 series with two new models.
• Cayman and Boxster GTS 4.0 bring 400 HP to the road.
• The black front and rear lights are characteristic.

Back to the Future. The Porsche community was only really disturbed when the Boxster and Cayman removed two cylinders and installed turbochargers. A real fall from grace, the fan community oiled. Apparently so loud and long-lasting that they then had an insight at Porsche. In addition to the four-cylinder, purists can now also order a 4.0-liter, free-sucking boxer engine with six cylinders .

The Porsche Cayman does that

It was derived from an engine that already fired the 718 Spyder and the Cayman GT4. In the GTS models , it brings 400 hp to the road and develops a torque of 420 Nm. The full power is only available at 7000 tours, the maximum torque between 5000 and 6500 rpm. These are the inner values ​​that matter to the Porsche cult: high-revving naturally aspirated engines, linear and uncompromising in terms of power development. This means that the Cayman and Boxster GTS accelerate from 0 to 100 in 4.5 seconds , 0.4 seconds faster than the S models and only 0.1 seconds slower than the higher placed 718 Spyder.

Efficient engine in the Porsche Cayman

The engine is not only robust, but also efficient: for example, thanks to the adaptive cylinder control , which is derived from the engine of the Cayman GT4. It interrupts the injection process alternately on one of the two cylinder banks in the speed range between 1600 and 2500 rpm and with a maximum torque of 100 Nm. This means that the engine runs temporarily in three-cylinder operation, saving fuel and, above all, CO2 emissions . Porsche speaks of up to 11 grams per kilometer. Apart from a slightly different sound, the driver does not notice anything when the cylinders are switched on and off. Ideal for continuous gliding on the highway with speed limit.

The mid-engine sports car with the crisp six-speed manual control (the dual clutch transmission is coming at the end of the year) is also on the road with ease . Sporty, but comfortable like a GTS model at Porsche * has been supposed to be since its invention in 1963. In contrast to its predecessors, the forefather, the 904 Carrera GTS, had to be suitable for long distances.

The forefather of all GTS models was the 904 Carrera GTS (built in 1963). Even then it had to be suitable for long distances.

© Porsche

Porsche Cayman: Classic instruments with a catch

That is completely out of the question with the great-grandchildren. The two-seaters are indeed comfortable, the sports seating is reasonably comfortable , as good as it is despite their intended purpose. For the instruments, Porsche uses classic elements such as an analog tachometer and speedometer . With the central touch screen you are back on the cutting edge. Only the operation of the small display (7 inches) costs nerves. You have to aim very precisely with your fingers to hit the right tile when cornering briskly.

And his great-grandson: the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0. Author Rudolf Bögel was on the race track with him.

© Porsche

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Chassis and modes on the Porsche Cayman

Two chassis are available to the 718 buyer. The PASM with adaptive damper system and a lowering of 20 millimeters as standard. If you want it to be more comfortable, take the variant with 10 millimeters. We tried both alternatives on the Estoril circuit. And - given the choice - would also take the sharper version for road operation. The 718 simply drives a bit crisper and more dynamic.

The standard version also includes the Sport Chrono Package with the round drive switch directly on the steering wheel, which can be used to call up the various driving modes from Normal to Sport Plus. And the Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with mechanical rear axle lock. Sounds bulky, but is easy to explain. The PTV helps with steering. It brakes the rear wheel on the inside of the bend slightly and thus generates an additional angular momentum when turning into the bend. The vehicle looks much more agile. The mechanical cross lock on the rear axle, on the other hand, gives the outer wheel more driving force and thus improves traction.

Alcantara, wherever you look: The synthetic leather with the velvety surface is standard equipment on the GTS models.

© Porsche

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This is how the Porsche Cayman drives

These are real technical delicacies that are best enjoyed on a racetrack, for example in the Formula 1 corners of Estoril, very close to Lisbon. We swipe agile over the 4.35 km long course, the 718 GTS-Cayman whirls razor-sharp through the track, which Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher or David Coulthard have already made unsafe. The precise steering is particularly striking . No wonder, because it comes from the Porsche 911 Turbo. The steering gear is 10 percent more directly translated than in the previous models, you can feel it in such hairy left-right combinations as the Gancho, the hook. Thanks to high-tech hooks, you can hook like a rabbit.

All this is accentuated by the sports exhaust system, which has hardly lost any of its characteristics despite the installation of the Otto particle filter. As with the 718 Spyder, the two tailpipes have migrated outwards. They are black, like many other details that characterize the GTS models : The rear lower part, for example, the 20-inch light-alloy wheels in satin black, as well as the spoiler lip, front and rear headlights, are also darkly trimmed.

As with the 718 Spyder, the tailpipes of the 718 GTS models have slipped to the side from the center.

© Porsche

What does the Porsche Cayman cost?

The Cayman will cost 82,000 euros , the convertible is 2,000 euros more expensive. This puts the distance to the S models at an impressive 14,000 euros. But this is not so important, because the GTS series vehicles are already so generously equipped. And anyone who knows the Porsche price lists knows how quickly you can reach dizzying heights.

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Our conclusion on the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0

The GTS models 4.0 are a must for friends of the pure and original Porsche feeling. Gearshift, sound, engine and handling are reminiscent of the time when the 911 * was not yet as big, heavy and powerful as it is today.

Data sheet Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0

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Rudolf Bögel

Warning lights in the car and what they mean

To the photo gallery

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