Porsche Cayman GT4 brings track thrills to the road

Porsche has announced its most extreme Cayman ever; with 380bhp, racecar aero and a stiffer chassis.

Porsche has once again smudged the line between the racetrack and the road with its most extreme Cayman ever. Called the Cayman GT4, its pitched as a smaller sister car to the full-blown 911 GT3 and aimed squarely at buyers who regularly take their cars to track days, but like to drive home in them afterwards.

The exterior has been suitably enhanced with a huge fixed rear wing, deep front bumper with a trio of inlets and a larger rear diffuser. Porsche claims the bodykit doesn’t just reduce lift, but generates positive downforce at high speeds. Carbon-ceramic brakes are on the options list, but the 20-inch wheels you see here are standard, plus the suspension is stiffened and lowered by 30mm.

At the heart of the GT4 is a 380bhp 3.8-litre flat-six derived from the 911 Carrera S’ engine. That an increase in capacity of 0.2-litres and a 45bhp bump over the next most potent Cayman, the GTS. Maximum power is produced at a heady 7,4000rpm, while (unlike the PDK-only 911 GT3) the only transmission option is a six-speed manual.

Performance has taken a giant leap with 0-62mph dispatched in just 4.4 seconds and top speed raised to 183mph – that’s 0.5 seconds and 6mph faster than the GTS. However, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions back-pedal to 27.4mpg and 238g/km.

Standard equipment includes more deeply sculpted sports seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara, a smaller GT4-specific steering wheel, Porsche Torque Vectoring with a rear limited slip differential and a sports exhaust. Porsche has left some creature comforts in, too, including a DAB radio and climate control. Options include even thinner shell-back carbon-fibre seats and a Sport Chrono Pack with a ‘Track Precision’ app.