New 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 - everything you need to know
Porsche’s worst kept secret of 2018 - this is all you need to know about the new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
We all know it’s coming, but the £64,000 question (yes the original really was that cheap new) is what will the upcoming new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 actually be? We’re big fans of the first Cayman GT4 and so are you, judging by the sky-high second-hand prices, but the path that Porsche will tread with the 718 Cayman GT4 replacement is still not clear.
Where the Cayman/Boxster twins are concerned, there was always the feeling that Porsche has held them back for fear of showing up the 911. The old Porsche Cayman GT4 (and its Boxster Spyder counterpart) addressed this, as Porsche’s GT department finally used the sparkling chassis to full effect by instilling it with all the best components from Porsche’s catalogue.
> Click here for our look at the upcoming Porsche 718 Boxster Spyder
Unfortunately, the industry’s relentless hunger for engine downsizing hit the current 718 Boxster and Cayman particularly hard, as all models up until this point have been fitted with a turbocharged flat (both literally and figuratively, in this case), four-cylinder engine.
What can we expect with the 718 Cayman GT4? In this case we suspect that six-cylinders will make a welcome return to a mid-ship Porsche. In addition to this, the likelihood of it being the new turbocharged unit from the current 911 seems small, and a process of elimination leaves us at the likely conclusion of the next GT4 featuring the scintillating 4-litre flat-six, as used in the current 911 GT3. In terms of numbers, the Cayman GT4 will concede overall power and performance figures to the current 911 GT3, but shouldn’t be too far away.
The test car spotted in these spy images combines new dual exhaust outlets (a first for the Cayman/Boxster pairing) sat within a large diffuser, further pointing to a possible change in powertrain compared to the standard 718. The front apron is also more aggressive than before, balanced out by a large stacked wing on the rear deck. The same forged wheels from the previous GT4 also look to be fitted although this might change for the production car.
Thanks to the unobtainable status of Porsche GT products, the 718 Cayman GT4’s price-tag is unlikely to matter for most punters, but thanks to a closer alignment to the now £112k 911 GT3, we expect the price to rise above the £64k of the previous model. We'll be waiting to see, and importantly hear, more about the new GT4 and its Boxster Spyder cousin later this year, with a Geneva motor show 2019 reveal likely.
