New Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 & 718 Spyder revealed

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder bring back the naturally-aspirated six-cylinder engine to the 718 range. Apart from that, the new models get updated aerodynamics, more features and come only with a manual gearbox. 

Meet the latest variants of the Porsche 718 range – the 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder. The good news is, apart from sharing the 718 badge, the new models are vastly different from the regular model. And the main talking point here has to be the return of a six-cylinder engine to the entry-level Porsche sports car. Plus, they are only available with a manual gearbox. A dream combination for Porsche purists, isn’t it?

Let’s start with the main highlight, which is the new six-cylinder boxer engine. It’s a 4.0-litre naturally aspirated unit that is roughly based on the engine of the new 911 – albeit without turbos. The engine develops 414bhp and delivers 420Nm of torque. The best part is that it revs all the way to 8,200rpm. The gearbox is a six-speed manual, which sends the drive to the rear wheels. With an able driver behind the wheel, both the models will hit 0-100km/h in 4.4 seconds. The 718 Spyder will have a top speed of 301km/h, while the GT4 will clock 304km/h.

Being the more aggressive version, the GT4 derivative gets a couple of visual as well as aerodynamics upgrade. This includes a large rear wing, a bigger rear diffuser and a single-chamber arch rear silencer. Thanks to all the updates, Porsche claims the downforce is up by 50 per cent as compared to the previous Cayman GT4. The Spyder, in comparison, gets a retractable rear spoiler.

In addition to this, both the models get Porsche’s GT chassis, Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) that lowers the ride height by 30mm, and a mechanical locking differential with torque vectoring on the rear axle. The GT4 will also be offered with a Clubsport package, which will add a rear steel roll bar, a hand-held fire extinguisher and a six-point seatbelt on the driver's side. Ceramic brakes are offered as optional extras, too.

Both the models are now on sale in Germany. The 718 Spyder is priced at 93,350 euros (Rs 73.82 lakh, before taxes), while the 718 Cayman GT4 is priced at 96,206 euros (Rs 75 lakh, without taxes). Expect Porsche India to announce the prices of these models for our market soon, but then they will come here in very, very limited numbers.

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