Introduced in 2005 as a hardtop coupe iteration of the ever-popular Porsche Boxster roadster, the Cayman gets all the same good stuff as its topless sibling, plus the added rigidity and aggressive looks of a fixed roof. The latest fourth-generation was introduced in 2016, dubbed the 718 after the racer Porsche built in the late ‘50s. Now, Porsche is adding a new GTS iteration for the 2018 model year, and although we’ve seen a Cayman GTS in the past, this is the first time the formula has been applied to the fourth-gen 718. Per usual, the upgrades include a marginal power increase, more standard equipment, blacked-out trim pieces, and high-end interior materials.

Update 02/12/2019: We've updated this review with images taken at the Chicago Auto Show. This time around, the 718 Cayman GTS was dressed in a luxurious yellow that will just tickle your soul. Check out our fresh batch of images in the gallery at the bottom of this page!

2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS
  • Engine/Motor: flat-4
  • Horsepower: 365 @ 6500
  • Torque: 317
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Official video

Exterior

Per Porsche tradition, the 718 Cayman GTS looks only marginally different next to non-GTS iterations. The basics are completely unchanged – you still get a two-door coupe that’s low, wide, and rounded. The 911-inspired front end gets teardrop-shaped headlight housings, each with a set of quad lighting elements. The profile leads the eye rearwards, with a swept-back, streamlined shape, plus a prominent intake added just ahead of the rear wheels. The tail is curvy and short, bulging at the sides with sizable hips that give the whole thing a forward-leaning, raked stance.

Basically, it’s a two-door coupe version of the two-door Boxster roadster. We think it looks good, albeit a bit predictable.

To help the GTS variant stand out, Porsche added a series of subtle, yet effective upgrades. Kicking it off is a redesigned front fascia, which the Stuttgart automaker has dubbed “Sport Design.” Basically, this encompasses a new lower half for the front bumper, gaining tweaked intakes and additional black components that seem to stretch from fender to fender. The result is a wider look for the GTS.

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The Cayman GTS looks wider than the standard Cayman thanks to a new front fascia.

The complement the new front fascia, Porsche also added a few updates to the tail, although differences here are a bit more difficult to pick out.

Finally, a slew of black accents were added front to back, and include black badging and insignia, as well as a tint added to the front turn signals and taillights. Finishing it off are matte-black wheels, sized at 20 inches in diameter at each of the four corners.

Interior

Step into the Cayman GTS’s interior, and you’ll find the traditional two-seat layout, just as you’d expect. The space is tight, hugging the passengers in the typical sports car fashion, while drivers grip a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel. Prominent handles can be found on the doors, while rounded air vents are on the dash. Adorning the center console is a digital infotainment screen, plus a plethora of buttons and switches to adjust the various onboard systems.

All pretty standard stuff, if we’re honest. However, much like the exterior, the GTS stands out thanks to a few choice upgrades. For starters, you’ll notice the Porsche chronometer placed high on the dash, a feature you’ll find on every Cayman GTS thanks to the standard Sport Chrono Package (more on that in the next section).

Further upgrades include a variety of black accents, plus standard Sport Seats Plus

sitters specifically engineered to provide ample lateral support while exploring the Cayman’s lofty cornering abilities. High on the seats, you’ll find the GTS logo embroidered into the seat headrest, while Alcantara adorns the seats’ center sections. Further Alcantara was added to the steering wheel, center console, and door armrest.

Options include the Navigation Module Package and Connect Plus Package, as well as the Porsche Track Precision App, which basically relays pertinent track data to your smartphone as part of the Sport Chrono Package.

Drivetrain

Mounted behind the cabin, the Cayman GTS comes equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter boxer flat-four engine, the same lump you get with the Cayman S. As an upgrade over the standard 2.0-liter flat-four in the base model Cayman, the S produces as much as 350 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, a sizeable increase over the base model’s 296 horsepower and 280 pound-feet. Properly motivated, the Cayman S can manage a run to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and a top speed of 177 mph.

The GTS sees a little more added on top thanks to a new intake plenum and update to the turbocharger. Displacement still comes in at 2.5 liters, but peak power is rated at 365 horses, 15 more than the S. Sending the power to the rear axle is a standard six-speed manual gearbox, although a seven-speed double-clutch automatic (popularly known as the “Porsche Doppelkupplung,” or PDK), is also offered as an available option.

Torque in the 718 Cayman GTS is rated at 317 pound-feet when equipped with a PDK, or 309 pound-feet with the manual transmission. Max torque hits at 1,900 rpm, lasting until 5,000 rpm with the PDK and 5,500 with the manual.

Clearly, the PDK is the faster option, and as such, acceleration with the seven-speed looks like 3.9 seconds to 60 mph – about a tenth of a second quicker than the S. Top speed is rated at 180 mph, 3 mph faster than the S.

Finally, the GTS comes standard with a sport exhaust, finished with black pipe tips to complement the rest of the black trim.

2015 Porsche Cayman GTS

Porsche 718 Cayman S

2018 Porsche Cayman GTS

Cylinder layout / number of cylinders

Boxer engine / 6

Boxer engine / 4

turbocharged flat-four

Displacement

3.4-liter

2.5 liter

2.5-liter

Engine layout

Mid-engine

Mid-engine

Mid-engine

Horsepower

340 HP @ 6,700 RPM

350 HP @ 6,500 RPM

365 HP @ 6,500 RPM

Torque

280 LB-FT

309 LB-FT

317 LB-FT

Top Track Speed

177 mph

177 MPH

180 MPH

0 - 60 mph

4.7 seconds

4.4 sec/4.2 sec (4.0 sec w/ Sport Chrono)

3.9 seconds


Chassis And Handling

While certainly quick, one of the Cayman’s biggest selling points is the way it handles. Indeed, with a mid-/rear-mounted engine and relatively low curb weight (roughly 3,000 pounds), not to mention Porsche’s reputation for building razor-sharp track toys, the Cayman GTS has the right stuff to be an absolute delight in the corners.

Making the most of it is the standard Porsche Torque Vectoring system, which throws in a mechanical rear-differential lock to keep the traction flowing. Buyers also get standard Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). Also note, the PASM lowers the car by 0.39 inches compared to the standard Cayman suspension set-up.

Finally, the Cayman GTS comes standard with the popular Sport Chrono Package, which enables a sportier drive mode perfectly suited for track driving. Features like Launch Control, faster gear changes, a sharper throttle response, and dynamic transmission mounts are all included.

Prices

Order books are open now for the 2018 Porsche 718 Cayman GTS, with first deliveries expected to arrive by March of 2018.

Pricing for the Cayman GTS is set $79,800, which is a little over $27,000 more than the standard model Cayman.

Competition

Jaguar F-Type

If you prefer a sports car with an extra dose of grand touring style, then Jag has what you need with the F-Type. Offering a variety of trim levels and price points, Jag’s best fit for the 718 Cayman would be the $80,000 R-Dynamic Coupe, which equips a front-mounted 3.0-liter V-6 that’s supercharged to produce 380 horsepower at the rear wheels. Not only does it look incredible, but it’s also got enough muscle to hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 161 mph.

Read our full review on the Jaguar F-Type.

BMW M4 Coupe

Slotting in as the Bavarian’s compact two-door performance machine, the M4 Coupe is a muscle-bound luxury sports car dripping in track-inspired styling cues. Even better, it’s got the goods under the hood to back the aesthetic, rocking 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque thanks to a turbocharged inline six-cylinder. And although pricing starts at $64,200, well below the sticker for the Cayman GTS, the M4’s long list of options is sure to pad the bottom line significantly.

Read our full review on the BMW M4 Coupe.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Sometimes, subtlety needs to take a back seat to raw, unbridled performance, and in circumstances such as those, the Bow Tie offers the Corvette Z06. Producing a whopping 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque from a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8, this all-American bruiser trounces the competition in terms of acceleration, hitting the 60-mph mark in just 3 seconds flat. Either a seven-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic routes the muscle rearwards, while mammoth grip comes courtesy of real working aero and wide Michelin tires. It’s even got carbon brakes to slow it down. And starting at just over $80,000, the Z06 won’t break the bank either.

Read our full review on the Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

Conclusion

At first glance, the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS might seem a bit too pricey for its own good. After all, this thing is nearly thirty grand more than standard model, which begs the question – is it really worth it to pay the equivalent of a brand new Dodge Challenger or Toyota 86 to get the GTS?

For many folks, the answer is an unequivocal yes. Sure, in terms of power, the GTS isn’t setting any sort of new benchmarks, and although an extra 15 horses over the S isn’t a lot, it’s good enough to optimize the rest of the equipment you get with the model. The active suspension, Sport Chrono Package, and torque vectoring system are all included with the GTS badges, which should go a long way in making this Cayman even more impressive in the corners.

And at the end of the day, that’s what Porsche’s customers really want. If a blistering 0-to-60 mph is more your speed, then the ‘Vette is where you should look.

Long story short, the Cayman GTS is worth it – just so long as you were originally planning on getting a little heavy-handed with that options list anyway.

References

Porsche 718

Read our full review on the new 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman.

Porsche Cayman

Read our full review on the previous 2015 Porsche Cayman GTS.

Porsche Boxster

Read our full review on the 2018 Porsche Boxster GTS.