The Magic of the Cayman GTS Formula

As I mentioned earlier, the Cayman was giving you ninety-nine point nine three percent of what a GT4 can give. The balance is there, the steering is the same, and it feels like the same car just with a tiny bit softer edge. This is where the GTS formula truly works its magic. On the track, the Cayman's 2.7-liter engine was able to deliver impressive performance, but when on the road, that extra refinement and smoothness made all the difference.

The Balance Between Track and Road

On the road, the Cayman GT4 was an absolute joy to drive. With the motor sport-designed six-cylinder engine in the back, it felt like I had a 911 at my disposal. The balance of the car was sublime, with each axle working against the cornering loads to provide a sense of front-end grip that was hard to match. But what really made the Cayman GT4 stand out was its ability to deliver on both track and road. Whether I was carving up the twisties or simply cruising through town, the Cayman felt at home.

The Sound of the Engine

One of the things that truly sets the Cayman GT4 apart from its rivals is the sound of its engine. When you open the roof, you're treated to a soundtrack that's unlike anything else in the market. The four-liter flat-six engine sounds like music, with a deep rumble and a note that's just perfect for driving on the road or track. It's an experience that I've only ever experienced in the 911 Speedster, and it's something that really adds to the overall sense of involvement.

Brakes and Chassis

The brakes on the Cayman GT4 are spot-on, with a level of feedback and progression that's hard to match. And while they're certainly not the most aggressive set of Brembos out there, they do provide a certain level of finesse that's essential for a car like this. The chassis itself is also well-sorted, with a level of compliance that makes it feel like I can really ride the bumps on the road without worrying about being uncomfortable.

A Cut-Price Alternative

So why should you consider the Cayman GT4 when you could have either the Boxster or Cayman GT4? Well, for starters, it's a lot cheaper. Priced at around sixty-five thousand pounds, it's ten thousand pounds less than both its rivals. And yet, it still delivers on almost every level. You get the same motor sport-designed six-cylinder engine, the same chassis, and the same handling that you'd expect from a car in this class.

The Perfect Sports Car?

So what does it mean to be a sports car? For me, it's about delivering performance, handling, and involvement on both track and road. And if I had to pick one car that truly delivers on all of these fronts, the Cayman GT4 would have to be at the top of my list. With its motor sport-designed engine, sublime balance, and feedback-rich chassis, this car is something special.

The Boxster and Cayman GTS: The Reminders

And then there's the old car – the one that was arguably the best most balanced model in the lineup. But, as I mentioned earlier, it was held back by a four-cylinder engine that just didn't have the same magic as its six-cylinder rival. So while it's certainly not without its charms, the Cayman GT4 is the car to beat if you want pure driving experience.

The Value for Money

So what's the verdict? Is sixty-five thousand pounds too much money for a sports car? For me, the answer is no – not when you consider that this car delivers on almost every level. It's a bargain, and one that I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to own a car that truly understands the joys of driving.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enthese are the new porsche 7 1 8 GTS models the Cayman and the Boxster now I know what you're thinking they've given us the old ones by accident but this isn't your standard facelift in fact it's more of a heart transplant because out goes the unseat four-cylinder engine and in comes a new flat 6 well a same new it's actually the same unit used in the Cayman gt4 and the Boxster Spyder pretty tasty then so let's see how they get on first we're gonna have a little spin on the track in the Cayman don't forget to leave a like hit the subscribe button and turn on post notifications so you never miss out on another auto car upload it's a fairly hairy old track good test of any car what do we notice first well obviously it's the sound we know what we're here to test yes there's been some detailed improvements to the course of genetics for the GTS but essentially it's that engine and it's very taking off now so it's essentially the same engine that you'll find in became a GT 4 and a spider buck with 20 horsepower less and that's pretty much it there's the same amount of torque so it's 310 pounds for the torque same six-speed gearbox same dual mass flywheel same exhaust system it is to all intents and purposes a GT for engine and as a result Porsche blame not 62 in 4.5 seconds which is a tenth slower than a GT 4 which isn't much in terms of engine transmission you could be driving a GT 4 and the difference I know we've gone on about the four-cylinder engines and how they're not really in keeping with a Porsches character but you sort of get used to them and the moment you climb in this thing and hear that engine you know they've made the right decision to put this flat 6 in between the axles of this car I mean I reckon maybe in gear stuff the old car might be a smidgen quicker but you'd really have to be trying to know to see the throttle response here is just lovely like all proper naturally aspirated units you get out just as much acceleration as you squeeze with your right foot everything is so beautifully proportional and yes there's the noise I mean frankly it could be a second slower than the old car and you wouldn't care because when you over the throttle on this thing will rev out to seven seven up to the noise the rest of the car well essentially it's gt4 as well yes got the Rose jointed bits and some of the chassis stiffening but unless you are really really trying in this this maybe maybe a biscuit more understeer through really quick stuff but like so little difference you haven't quite got the outright grip because you don't have the wider tires or the Michelin cup twos but even here on track pushing on a bit it's more than enough grip and traction we've also got the 20 millimeter lower sport chassis all the other toys torque vectoring management so we've got the active limited slip differential we've got the active engine mounts we've got everything that the GT 4 has gone apart from us a few detail improvements is not quite as stiff brakes are a bit smaller this cars on the cast-iron brakes there is a carbon ceramic option but frankly we've been pushing on in a few ducks and drakes laps behind some committed instructors and they haven't wilted yet all the noise the six-speed manual the throw allegedly is slightly longer than in the GT 4 for more ease of use but again we're talking degrees of difference what a lovely things we add a heel and so up and down the box listen to that engine hold all the way out just seven old thousand rpm and it's the good bit it cost about ten thousand pounds less than a GT four and it's a serious production model so you can just go into your Porsche dealer and buy one it's probably ninety-nine point nine three percent of what a GT four offers put in a cheaper package okay so the Cayman was pretty handy around ester ill but we've come to expect that from mid-engine Porsches the GTS model however needs to be equally as adept on the road so let's get out there in the Boxster and find out what it's like right so for the Boxster GTS we've headed out on the road and this is where the GTS formula the magic really works because on the track as I said the Cayman was giving you ninety-nine point nine three percent of what a GT four can give the balance is there the steering is the same dispenses the same you know it feels like the same car just a tiny bit softer a tiny bit softer and that's where the tables are turned out on the road the extra sheen of smoothness refinement is what makes the GTS such a great compromise such a great road car and a good track car and again with the Boxster not only do you get that same four litre engine essentially the Spyder the GT four engine twenty less horsepower that's all four liter flat six you get the roof off and you get to hear it even more and oh it sounds absolutely wonderful we've missed this we've missed this in a caiman or a Boxster they 6-cylinder noise oh yes it's what it's all about the four cylinders were effective very effective but they're not a patch on this gearing still a tiny bit long very much a Porsche trait but other than that just spot-on listen to engine throttle response is immediate it probably doesn't punch quite as hard in the mid ranges as the and a half lead zipper that lovely linear throttle response is just beautiful or even shares what a noise and of course unlike the spider you don't have to faff around with the tent over your head the one that takes 14 hours to erect or put down simple push-button in this one roof down you've opened yourself up to that engine so good is that engine that it's not difficult to overlook the chassis because you can't really bow out here on the road that little softer edge that the GTS has you really appreciate it bumps that you big cleansing your teeth over in a GT for this smothers it's firm and it's very controlled with the extra compliance in the chassis you can just lean on it that little bit harder it gives you a little more feeling on the road at st. as speeds steering is just bang on again with these Porsche electromechanical racks they filter out all the bits they don't think you need and just give you the information that they thinks vital and it's just perfect you're not distracted by kick kick back at all it's just gently letting you know what's going on rate of response is just perfect it's not twitch you're nervous you can just roll onto the chassis feel the force is building up balance is sublime each axle working against the cornering loads just through these corners just gives you options you can feel it wanting to move and steer it on the throttle you see a little stab of the throttle to get the the car pointing just so bags of front-end grip brakes are spot-on - as he'd expected Porsche this one's on the cast crafted iron standard option loads of feel loads of progression lots of bite and yes I say even with the 20 millimeter lowering of the chassis it's not uncomfortable you can really ride the bumps very rarely do you feel like your spine is about to go to the top of your head which can happen in a GT 4 because let's not forget those our track focus cars on this one this is much more much more usable day-in day-out I mean it's a cut-price spider basically ten thousand pounds less than a spider you get that engine you essentially get the same handling the same feelings and I'm gonna go out on a limb here as well with the roof off putting you closer to that four liter engine 400 horsepower pretty much 319 something give or take a few horsepower with the roof off you are up close and personal with it and it just adds like the 911 speedster like the spider it just adds an extra layer of involvement for sixty-five thousand pounds and a proper motorsport engine in the back I'm gonna go as far as to say its value for money good value for money and I know sixty-five thousand pounds is a lot of money but listen to it oh oh and again Oh lovely this could just be the perfect sports car there I've said it Oh lovely the Boxster and Cayman GTS really are remarkable pieces of kit now there's nothing really wrong with the old car in fact it was arguably the best most balanced model in the lineup but that chanting four-cylinder engine really robbed it of some magic now with that motorsport designed six cylinder in the back these cars are touching brilliance then you consider that they cost around ten thousand pounds less than both the Boxster Spyder and the Cayman gt4 and well you could just consider them the sports car bargains of the decade now don't forget we're here every week with news reviews group tests you name it so if you enjoyed this video give it a thumbs up subscribe and turn on post notifications so you never miss another auto car videothese are the new porsche 7 1 8 GTS models the Cayman and the Boxster now I know what you're thinking they've given us the old ones by accident but this isn't your standard facelift in fact it's more of a heart transplant because out goes the unseat four-cylinder engine and in comes a new flat 6 well a same new it's actually the same unit used in the Cayman gt4 and the Boxster Spyder pretty tasty then so let's see how they get on first we're gonna have a little spin on the track in the Cayman don't forget to leave a like hit the subscribe button and turn on post notifications so you never miss out on another auto car upload it's a fairly hairy old track good test of any car what do we notice first well obviously it's the sound we know what we're here to test yes there's been some detailed improvements to the course of genetics for the GTS but essentially it's that engine and it's very taking off now so it's essentially the same engine that you'll find in became a GT 4 and a spider buck with 20 horsepower less and that's pretty much it there's the same amount of torque so it's 310 pounds for the torque same six-speed gearbox same dual mass flywheel same exhaust system it is to all intents and purposes a GT for engine and as a result Porsche blame not 62 in 4.5 seconds which is a tenth slower than a GT 4 which isn't much in terms of engine transmission you could be driving a GT 4 and the difference I know we've gone on about the four-cylinder engines and how they're not really in keeping with a Porsches character but you sort of get used to them and the moment you climb in this thing and hear that engine you know they've made the right decision to put this flat 6 in between the axles of this car I mean I reckon maybe in gear stuff the old car might be a smidgen quicker but you'd really have to be trying to know to see the throttle response here is just lovely like all proper naturally aspirated units you get out just as much acceleration as you squeeze with your right foot everything is so beautifully proportional and yes there's the noise I mean frankly it could be a second slower than the old car and you wouldn't care because when you over the throttle on this thing will rev out to seven seven up to the noise the rest of the car well essentially it's gt4 as well yes got the Rose jointed bits and some of the chassis stiffening but unless you are really really trying in this this maybe maybe a biscuit more understeer through really quick stuff but like so little difference you haven't quite got the outright grip because you don't have the wider tires or the Michelin cup twos but even here on track pushing on a bit it's more than enough grip and traction we've also got the 20 millimeter lower sport chassis all the other toys torque vectoring management so we've got the active limited slip differential we've got the active engine mounts we've got everything that the GT 4 has gone apart from us a few detail improvements is not quite as stiff brakes are a bit smaller this cars on the cast-iron brakes there is a carbon ceramic option but frankly we've been pushing on in a few ducks and drakes laps behind some committed instructors and they haven't wilted yet all the noise the six-speed manual the throw allegedly is slightly longer than in the GT 4 for more ease of use but again we're talking degrees of difference what a lovely things we add a heel and so up and down the box listen to that engine hold all the way out just seven old thousand rpm and it's the good bit it cost about ten thousand pounds less than a GT four and it's a serious production model so you can just go into your Porsche dealer and buy one it's probably ninety-nine point nine three percent of what a GT four offers put in a cheaper package okay so the Cayman was pretty handy around ester ill but we've come to expect that from mid-engine Porsches the GTS model however needs to be equally as adept on the road so let's get out there in the Boxster and find out what it's like right so for the Boxster GTS we've headed out on the road and this is where the GTS formula the magic really works because on the track as I said the Cayman was giving you ninety-nine point nine three percent of what a GT four can give the balance is there the steering is the same dispenses the same you know it feels like the same car just a tiny bit softer a tiny bit softer and that's where the tables are turned out on the road the extra sheen of smoothness refinement is what makes the GTS such a great compromise such a great road car and a good track car and again with the Boxster not only do you get that same four litre engine essentially the Spyder the GT four engine twenty less horsepower that's all four liter flat six you get the roof off and you get to hear it even more and oh it sounds absolutely wonderful we've missed this we've missed this in a caiman or a Boxster they 6-cylinder noise oh yes it's what it's all about the four cylinders were effective very effective but they're not a patch on this gearing still a tiny bit long very much a Porsche trait but other than that just spot-on listen to engine throttle response is immediate it probably doesn't punch quite as hard in the mid ranges as the and a half lead zipper that lovely linear throttle response is just beautiful or even shares what a noise and of course unlike the spider you don't have to faff around with the tent over your head the one that takes 14 hours to erect or put down simple push-button in this one roof down you've opened yourself up to that engine so good is that engine that it's not difficult to overlook the chassis because you can't really bow out here on the road that little softer edge that the GTS has you really appreciate it bumps that you big cleansing your teeth over in a GT for this smothers it's firm and it's very controlled with the extra compliance in the chassis you can just lean on it that little bit harder it gives you a little more feeling on the road at st. as speeds steering is just bang on again with these Porsche electromechanical racks they filter out all the bits they don't think you need and just give you the information that they thinks vital and it's just perfect you're not distracted by kick kick back at all it's just gently letting you know what's going on rate of response is just perfect it's not twitch you're nervous you can just roll onto the chassis feel the force is building up balance is sublime each axle working against the cornering loads just through these corners just gives you options you can feel it wanting to move and steer it on the throttle you see a little stab of the throttle to get the the car pointing just so bags of front-end grip brakes are spot-on - as he'd expected Porsche this one's on the cast crafted iron standard option loads of feel loads of progression lots of bite and yes I say even with the 20 millimeter lowering of the chassis it's not uncomfortable you can really ride the bumps very rarely do you feel like your spine is about to go to the top of your head which can happen in a GT 4 because let's not forget those our track focus cars on this one this is much more much more usable day-in day-out I mean it's a cut-price spider basically ten thousand pounds less than a spider you get that engine you essentially get the same handling the same feelings and I'm gonna go out on a limb here as well with the roof off putting you closer to that four liter engine 400 horsepower pretty much 319 something give or take a few horsepower with the roof off you are up close and personal with it and it just adds like the 911 speedster like the spider it just adds an extra layer of involvement for sixty-five thousand pounds and a proper motorsport engine in the back I'm gonna go as far as to say its value for money good value for money and I know sixty-five thousand pounds is a lot of money but listen to it oh oh and again Oh lovely this could just be the perfect sports car there I've said it Oh lovely the Boxster and Cayman GTS really are remarkable pieces of kit now there's nothing really wrong with the old car in fact it was arguably the best most balanced model in the lineup but that chanting four-cylinder engine really robbed it of some magic now with that motorsport designed six cylinder in the back these cars are touching brilliance then you consider that they cost around ten thousand pounds less than both the Boxster Spyder and the Cayman gt4 and well you could just consider them the sports car bargains of the decade now don't forget we're here every week with news reviews group tests you name it so if you enjoyed this video give it a thumbs up subscribe and turn on post notifications so you never miss another auto car video\n"