Cayman GT4 easy to love
FARO, Portugal — It is the flaw that makes the jewel, the marred franking that makes a stamp the philatelist’s dream. We are drawn to imperfection, and this new little monster from Porsche is not quite perfect — but that makes it excellent.
The Cayman is already the most likable car in the Porsche range, particularly in GTS trim. To this willing spirit, Stuttgart has spliced in elements of the 911 GT3 and worked the Carrera S’s 3.8-L flat six into an already tight engine bay; it is less a replacement for the old Cayman R than an entry-level model to complement the 911 GT3 and GT3 RS.
To essentially cram a 911’s engine into the middle of a Cayman, some compromises have been made. The block is reversed compared to the 911’s layout, and some machining was required to make it fit. Further, the intake manifold from the 911 doesn’t fit, so the GT4 uses Cayman pieces that restrict horsepower.
As a result, the GT4 makes 385 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque but, happily, it makes it in about the same way the muscle cars of the 1970s posted their power ratings. Which is to say: it actually produces quite a bit more.
Heading into the front straight during the morning’s track session, the GT4 pulled with what felt like more ferocity than a standard Carrera S.
Inside, there are some seats and a steering wheel, and for this one at least, that’s about it. The first car we clamber into has few options, apart from the no-credit delete of both navigation and radio — you make your own infotainment.
Some of the usual Porsche array of add-ons are available for the GT4, but it can’t really be turned into a luxury vehicle. Instead, options extend to fixed-back racing buckets and ceramic brakes.
The rocky hills of Portugal are dotted with widely spaced towns, houses built right up to the edge of the road and backyards filled with heavily laden citrus trees. Between them is nothing but gnarled trees and twisting tarmac, and it’s here that we encounter Walter Rohrl leading the way in his silver-grey GT4.
Rohrl is a rallying champion and Porsche’s senior test driver, and I am not. Thus, when Herr Rohrl spots us blitzing along in his rearview mirror, he simply picks up the pace and flickers out of view along the twisting tarmac.
And yet, for the mere mortal, the GT4 is a willing dance partner. The six-speed manual gearbox requires perhaps a larger percentage of your attention than Porsche’s telepathic PDK, but that merely increases the level of involvement for the driver.
Let the GT4 loose at a track and things get even better. The circuit at Portimao is a knot of blind crests, off-camber sweepers and second-gear hairpins, but the Cayman’s front end bites like its crocodilian namesake and the car snaps through the turns with easily managed fury. The enlarged flat-six has hearty torque from 4,500 r.p.m. and up.
With all this performance come a few annoyances. The Cayman GT4 is still as practical as the standard car, with reasonable front luggage space and a useful rear hatch. It’s also relatively easy to get into and out of, assuming you’ve remembered to slide the fixed back seats to the rear position (leave ’em too close to the steering wheel and it’s full-on Cirque du soleil).
However, it’s noisier and less comfortable than a well equipped GTS would be.
Further, the cabin of this little car fills with a persistent transmission whine and a noticeable roar from those ultra-sticky tires. Conversation at speed is a pain.
But you know what? I couldn’t care less. The GT4 is a little rough around the edges in places and demands a little something from its driver at real-world speeds, but it also somehow manages to flatter and fill you with confidence at the track. Priced at $96,500 in Canada, Porsche will sell every one it builds, and each one will be a complete delight — 95 per cent of the time.