What's all this about?
Good lord! Porsche has given us two scintillating new range-toppers for the 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster lines. The coupe's hot model is called the GT4 and the equivalent convertible is the Spyder. Both have 420hp and 420Nm.
I bet they have an uprated version of that 2.5 flat-four?
Wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Both have a normally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine. Mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. And a limited-slip differential.
YOU WHAT?!
Seriously. Porsche says this unit is closely related to the 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six you'd find in the rump of a 992 Carrera S, but we have more than a sneaking suspicion it's somehow descended from the stunning motor you'd find in the 991 GT3. Given it revs to 8,000rpm.
Oh my word! I am liking the sound of this - A LOT!
So are we. And you might like them even more, when you realise they have improved aerodynamics (with a fixed rear wing on the GT4 and an automatic one on the Spyder, both employing rear diffusers), ball-joint suspension links, a 30mm-lower Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) suspension system and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) with a mechanical rear limited-slip diff - all this chassis goodness coming from the GT department. High-power brakes are fitted, with the option of upgrading to Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), while the Boxster has ultra-high-performance tyres for the first time. Handy, because it can do 187mph flat out (its little lightweight fabric roof can withstand this pace, apparently) and 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds; Porsche's said nowt about the Cayman GT4's performance stats, which are likely similar, but it has revealed it will lap the Nordschleife in 7m 32s. HEAVENS TO BETSY!
Is that it for now?
Well, there's a Clubsport package available for the GT4, which adds a rear roll cage, a fire extinguisher and a six-point driver's harness. And the two cars are available to order now, from what looks like a very reasonable £73,405 for the 718 Spyder and £75,348 for the 718 GT4. And yes, that means that, once again, the Cayman is more expensive than the equivalent Boxster. Go figure.
Matt Robinson - 17 Jun 2019