Porsche Cayman GT4: The Mid-Engine Sweet Spot for People Who Actually Drive

The Cayman GT4 family tree: what’s in the “GT4” orbit?

1) Cayman GT4 (original, 981 generation)

Porsche introduced the Cayman GT4 in 2015, positioning it as the bridge between everyday drivability and track intent—“GT sports cars” as Porsche calls it.

2) 718 Cayman GT4 (982 generation)

The 718-era GT4 continued the theme with a naturally aspirated flat-six and serious chassis upgrades. In the U.S., this version is now effectively the “recent classic” because…

3) 718 Cayman GT4 RS (the current GT4 headline act)

On Porsche’s U.S. site, the 718 Cayman GT4 RS is the top track-focused Cayman currently promoted, with headline numbers of 493 hp, 0–60 mph in 3.2 seconds, and 196 mph top track speed (with summer tires).

4) GT4 Clubsport (race car, not a road car)

If you see “GT4” in motorsport, that’s usually the Clubsport customer racing car—built for series racing, not street registration (Porsche even highlights it on the GT4 RS page).

Official Site: Porsche

The broader Cayman line-up (and where GT4 fits in)

In the U.S. market, Porsche positions the Cayman range in tiers: base models, “S,” the six-cylinder GTS 4.0, and then the track-focused GT4 RS. Porsche’s model hub lists the 718 family and calls out the GTS 4.0’s 394 hp 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine.

A key recent change: the “regular” GT4 trim got dropped

Car and Driver notes that for the 2025 Cayman lineup, Porsche dropped the track-focused GT4 trim (while the GT4 RS remained). So today, in many buyer conversations, you’re comparing used/new-old-stock GT4 versus newer GT4 RS, or choosing a GTS 4.0 as the daily-friendly six-cylinder alternative.

Why customers choose a Cayman GT4 (or GT4 RS) over other Porsches

1) The mid-engine layout makes it feel “telepathic”

A Cayman rotates differently than a 911. With the engine near the center, the car tends to feel neutral and balanced, especially mid-corner. If you’re the kind of driver who values precision more than theatrics, that mid-engine calm is addictive.

2) It’s the “right size” sports car

Modern performance cars keep getting bigger. A Cayman still feels compact—easy to place on a tight road, easy to trust on a track, and less intimidating at the limit than many higher-powered machines.

3) GT hardware without the GT3 price bracket (usually)

Historically, GT4 models offered a lot of the GT experience—brakes, aero, suspension philosophy—without jumping all the way into 911 GT3 pricing (especially when the regular GT4 was available new).

4) It’s a better daily than people expect

Yes, it’s firm. Yes, it wants good tires. But the Cayman has two trunks (front and rear), good visibility, and a cabin that’s comfortable enough for real miles—particularly in non-RS trims.

A buyer-friendly line-up breakdown: “which Cayman GT4 vibe is yours?”

Cayman GT4 (and 718 GT4): the “pure manual hero” era

The original Cayman GT4 was famously manual-focused (and that identity carried into the 718 GT4 years). If your dream is three pedals, a naturally aspirated flat-six soundtrack, and a car that feels mechanical in the best way, this is the branch.

For context on the later 718 GT4’s output: a 2020 718 Cayman GT4 spec listing shows 414 hp (with torque around 309 lb-ft).

718 Cayman GT4 RS: the “race engine energy” branch

The GT4 RS is the Cayman turned into something borderline unreasonable—in a great way. Porsche’s U.S. page leads with the big numbers: 493 hp, 3.2 seconds to 60, 196 mph top speed. It’s also deeply tied to motorsport positioning—Porsche literally shares space on the page with the Clubsport race car.

If the regular GT4 is the car you’d drive to a track day, the GT4 RS is the car that makes you start looking up lap timers you don’t even own yet.

Interior and exterior: what you’re really buying

Exterior: function-first styling

A GT4 Cayman wears its purpose:

• A more aggressive front fascia designed for cooling and aero
• A fixed rear wing and a stance that looks like it’s already loaded up in a corner
• Center-exit exhaust vibe (depending on model year/trim), big brakes, and wheels that mean business

The visual difference between a “regular” Cayman and a GT4/GT4 RS is usually immediate: the GT cars look lower, wider, and more aero-committed.

Interior: sport-first, but still Porsche

GT4 interiors are driver-centric—supportive seats, simple layout, excellent ergonomics. On GT-focused trims, you’ll often find:

• Sport buckets (optional or standard depending on spec)
• Lightweight materials (especially in RS trims)
• A cabin that prioritizes holding you in place over luxury fluff

The RS leans harder into lightweight intent and “race car feel,” while the non-RS GT4 tends to strike a friendlier balance for daily use.

Does the Cayman GT4 come as a convertible?

No. The Cayman is Porsche’s hard-roof mid-engine coupe.

But Porsche offers a close philosophical counterpart in the Boxster/Spyder family: if you want the mid-engine experience with open-air driving, the Boxster is the convertible platform, and historically the Spyder variants have served as the “open-top purist” version of the same idea.

So the short answer: Cayman GT4 = coupe only. If you want a factory convertible that’s in the same neighborhood, you’re looking at Boxster/Spyder variants rather than a “convertible Cayman GT4.”

U.S. market vs Europe: what’s different, and why?

Europe: regulations changed the availability story fast

In 2024, multiple outlets reported that Porsche stopped selling the 718 Boxster and Cayman in Europe due to new EU cybersecurity regulations, which would have required costly platform updates.

So Europe’s Cayman story became less about “which trim do you want?” and more about “what’s still legal to sell and register under the newest rules?”

U.S. (and other markets): longer runway, different regulatory pressures

In the U.S., Porsche continued offering 718 models in the lineup and on its consumer site while Europe faced the cybersecurity-driven stop-sale situation.

Reuters also reported that Porsche planned to end production of combustion versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman on a lifecycle basis (while continuing its broader electrification plan), highlighting how the end-of-cycle timing differs by region and strategy.

Why the markets diverge (in practical terms)

• Regulatory triggers: Europe’s cybersecurity compliance timelines created a sharper cliff for certain models.
• Taxation and emissions pressure: European buyers often face CO₂-based taxation and stricter fleet-emissions realities, which can steer demand toward different trims and option choices.
• Demand mix: The U.S. market has historically been very strong for enthusiast trims, but also for “daily sports car” specs—where a Cayman S or GTS can make more sense than a winged track special.

Why pick a Cayman GT4 over “other options”?

Here are the most common real-world reasons:

Choose a Cayman GT4 (non-RS) if you want:

• The most “analog” modern Cayman experience (especially if you find a manual GT4)
• A car that’s track-capable but still friendly for weekend drives
• A value sweet spot versus RS-level pricing

Choose a Cayman GT4 RS if you want:

• The most hardcore Cayman Porsche sells—493 hp and a sharper motorsport edge
• A car that feels like it was built with lap times in mind first
• Maximum “specialness” and collectability appeal in the Cayman family

Choose a Cayman GTS 4.0 if you want:

• Six-cylinder character with more daily comfort
• A slightly less intense look and feel than GT cars
• A sports car you’ll happily use all the time (Porsche lists 394 hp for the GTS 4.0)

The Cayman GT4 take-away

The Cayman GT4 is the Porsche for people who care about balance and feedback more than bragging rights. The RS version turns that into a near-race-car experience, while the earlier GT4s captured a “purist” moment that’s getting harder to find as regulations and product cycles evolve.