The Porsche Cayman was conceived of as a more attainable alternative to the flagship Porsche 911, a car that would deliver almost all of the driving pleasure as its big brother at a fraction of the cost. Recently, however, the Cayman has been making a name for itself outside of the 911’s shadow, with auto journalists fawning over its telepathic steering, high-performing gearbox choices, and balanced, mid-engine dynamics. With the introduction of the Cayman S and the recent Cayman GTS, it’s become clear that Porsche intends the Cayman to be as much of a performance car as the 911. Now, rumors abound about a super-performance Porsche Cayman GT4, which will sport a twin turbo flat-six that puts down impressive numbers.
This Porsche Cayman will use a twin turbo variant of the 911 Carrera S’s familiar 3.8-liter flat-six, supposedly producing 450 horsepower and similar torque numbers. An aero package featuring a massive rear wing and an aggressive front splitter will grace the Cayman GT4, as will twin center exhaust pipes, in keeping with the 911 GT3’s. Transmission choices remain unclear, as the current 911 GT3 is only available with the PDK gearbox. The performance-oriented Cayman GT4 may follow suit.
With the newly-announced Porsche Cayman GTS rocketing from 0-60 in the low 4-second range, expect the Cayman GT4 to slot in the high 3-second range on its way to a top speed well in the 180 mph range. To aid its track performance, the German automaker will be giving the GT4 significantly larger brakes and a greatly revised suspension setup over the standard Porsche Cayman. All of the performance goodies available on lower-spec Caymans, such as the Sport Chrono package and PASM, will likely be standard on the Cayman GT4. In addition, like the 987 Cayman R, the GT4 will have a very Spartan interior for weight-saving purposes, something that will pay dividends on the track.
Several spy shots of the Cayman GT4 have already surfaced, and a launch may come in late or early 2015. To keep the GT4 out of high-end Porsche 911 territory, it will most likely cost around $130,000, slotting it somewhere in between the 911 Carrera 4S and Turbo. Despite the similarities in running gear and in performance data between the 911 and Cayman, the 911 will remain the more dynamic, focused vehicle of the pair, allowing it to maintain its niche among sports car enthusiasts.
Please enjoy this TFLcar.com review of the 2012 Porsche Cayman R.
Frank caught automotive fever early in life. Hailing from a long line of car fanatics, he was able to recite the year and model of every car that passed him by age five. His passion and love for the automobile have only grown since then. When not thinking about cars, he is reading, writing, learning, or dreaming about them. His area of expertise is in the realm of German and Italian cars, of which Porsche is a favorite. Frank currently resides in the heart of NASCAR country in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his family. He enjoys driving exotic cars in the beautiful Carolina weather.
