“It's more than the layout or the tires alone; it's the fine-tuning magic that Porsche's engineers conjure during the development process. The Cayman is a sublime mix of heady handling and a relatively relaxed ride.” - Car and Driver
The baby Porsche with a turbocharged 2.0L flat-4 engine making 300 hp and 280 lb-ft torque, engine replaces a flat-6 you’d find in the Porsche 911s. The Cayman S gets a larger displacement turbocharger mated to a 2.5L engine, which takes the horsepower to 350, while the Cayman GTS utilizes a variable geometry turbocharger to churn out 365 hp.
Although the flat-4 is an efficient and balanced engine, the grating noise it makes doesn’t meet the refinement you expect from a Porsche. The 6-speed manual is quick and precise, however, not as sharp as the 911. The optional 7-speed dual clutch transmission on the Cayman S gets you steering mounted shift paddles along with the bump in acceleration times.
Models
|
Porsche 718 Cayman coupe
|
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray w/1LT coupe
|
Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 coupe
|
Dodge Challenger R/T ScatPack coupe
|
BMW M2 Competition
|
Chevrolet Camaro SS
|
Ford Mustang GT
|
MSRP
|
$56,900
|
$56,590
|
$55,895
|
$41,390
|
$58,900
|
$41,995
|
$35,355
|
Engine
|
2.0L flat-4
|
6.2L V8 Gas
|
3.0L V6 Twin Turbo Premium Unleaded
|
6.4L V8 Premium Unleaded
|
Twin Turbo Premium Unleaded I-6, 3.0 L
|
Gas V8, 6.2L
|
Premium Unlead 5.0L V8
|
Transmission
|
6 Speed manual
|
7 Speed manual
|
7 Speed automatic
|
6 Speed manual
|
6-Speed Manual
|
6-Speed Manual
|
6-speed Manual
|
Horsepower
|
300 hp@ 6500rpm
|
455 hp@ 6000rpm
|
400 hp@ 6400rpm
|
485 hp@ 6100rpm
|
405 hp @5230 rpm
|
455 hp @ 6000 rpm
|
460 hp @ 7000 rpm
|
Torque
|
280 ft-lbs
|
460 ft-lbs@ 4600rpm
|
350 ft-lbs@ 1600rpm
|
475 ft-lbs@ 4100rpm
|
406 lb.-ft. @ 2350 rpm
|
455 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm
|
420 lb.-ft. @ 4600 rpm
|
However, the tiny 2.0L flat-4 engine compared to the 6-cylinder and 8-cylinder engines you can find in the rivals at the similar price point make 400+ horsepower. The Cayman’s arch nemesis the BMW M2 Competition with the twin turbo 3.0L inline-6 engine makes 405 hp and sounds monumental.
Acceleration
The 300 hp engine gets your coupe to 60 in 4.9 seconds from a standstill and through the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds. The Cayman S is much faster taking just 4.1 seconds to 60 mph. The Cayman GTS takes that number down to 3.9 seconds in the mile-a-minute sprint.
Models
|
Porsche 718 Cayman coupe
|
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray w/1LT coupe
|
Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 coupe
|
Dodge Challenger R/T ScatPack coupe
|
BMW M2 Competition
|
Chevrolet Camaro SS
|
Ford Mustang GT
|
0-60 MPH
|
4.9 sec
|
3.7 sec
|
4.5 sec
|
3.8 sec
|
4.2 sec
|
3.9 sec*
|
4.6 sec
|
Quarter mile
|
12.4 sec
|
11.2 sec
|
13.3 sec
|
11.7 sec
|
12.5 sec @ 113 mph
|
12.3 sec @ 118 mph*
|
NA
|
Engine
|
2.0L flat-4
|
6.2L V8 Gas
|
3.0L V6 Twin Turbo Premium Unleaded
|
6.4L V8 Premium Unleaded
|
3.0 Liter
|
6.2 Liter
|
5.0 Liters
|
Emission
(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
|
N/A
|
9.3
|
8.0
|
10.3
|
8.4
|
TBD
|
TDB
|
The Corvette with its massive V8 makes it to 60 in a blistering 3.7 seconds, followed by another V8 powered beast, the Challenger R/T Scat Pack taking 3.8 seconds. The Camaro SS ties with the Cayman GTS taking 3.9 seconds, while the Porsche’s arch-nemesis, the M2 Competition takes 4.2 seconds.
Ride and Handling
The stunning stability and virtually zero body roll through twisty mountain roads, kudos to the low centre of mass from the flat-4 engine and massive grip from the tires, puts the Cayman far ahead of the competition in terms of driving dynamics. The electromechanical steering lifted from the 911 turbo, has been fine tuned to forge a telepathic connection with the driver..
In the city the ride is relatively relaxed and controlled, the throttle response is predictable yet precise. However, if you’re looking forward to test the limits, you’d want to spec your ride with the multi-mode Porsche Active Suspension Management system on the Cayman S and GTS, which offers a low-riding Sport-spec mode, as well as a revised Sport Chrono Package and Porsche Torque Vectoring.
Braking
The brakes are larger than ever before, with 11.8-inch discs on both the front and rear, they deliver powerful stopping force. Weighing less than 3000 lbs, the Porsche’s work like a charm not only on tracks but also city streets. The brake pedal is extremely precise and direct, much like the steering.
Model
|
Porsche 718 Cayman coupe
|
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray w/1LT coupe
|
Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 coupe
|
Dodge Challenger R/T ScatPack coupe
|
BMW M2 Competition
|
Chevrolet Camaro SS
|
Ford Mustang GT
|
Brake Front (in.)
|
11.8
|
13.3
|
14
|
14.2
|
15.7
|
13.6
|
13.9
|
Brake Rear (in.)
|
11.8
|
12.6
|
13.8
|
13.8
|
15
|
13.3
|
13
|
Curb Weight (lbs.)
|
2944
|
3298
|
3882
|
4234
|
3600
|
3685
|
3705
|
60-0 MPH (ft.)
|
146 (70-0)
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
108
|
NA
|
149
|
NA
|
The M2 Competition has huge 15.7-inch brakes up front and 15s at the back, but the curb weight is also much more than the Cayman. The Corvette Stingray also is one of the lighter coupes but still gets bigger brakes to go along with the V8. The Dodge Challenger is one of the heaviest coupes and needs the huge brakes it gets.