LIVING BEYOND THE EDGE

PORSCHE 718 CAYMAN GT4 4.0 Close your eyes and think of the best car you have ever driven. If you do not see a 718 Cayman GT4 in your mind’s eye, best you make a date for a test drive at your nearest Porsche dealership.

doesn’t sound quite as good as the 3.8-litre mill from the 2016 GT4. Be that as it may, it remains a fire-breathing engine that will set your pants on fire (figuratively speaking, of course) if you’re not careful.

As tame as the GT4 wants to be as a daily driver – with 309 kW on tap in a car that weighs barely 1,750 kg – it can be equally brutal when given stick, although, the manual car’s 4.4-second acceleration time from standstill to 100 km/h will not cause too much spinal stress (we’re eagerly awaiting the Porsche Doppeltkupplungsgetriebe version for that). Still, besides acceleration times, the GT4 comes into its own when it is thrown into a corner.

EXEMPLARY CONTROL

Both the Cayman GT4 and its 718 Spyder sibling share a front axle with the 991.2 GT3, widely considered one of the best handling sports cars. It also boasts a unique rear axle, stiffer chassis, and lower ride height than its model siblings. The fixed rear wing has a different shape over the previous GT4, while the rear diffuser houses a new exhaust system.

All told, the new GT4 raises the already brilliant 718 platform to new heights, improving not only straight-line speed, but also cornering ability.

The only thing that could possible improve on the formula would be the recently confirmed