Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 And Boxster Spyder 2019
Porsche has taken the covers off its new Cayman GT4 coupe and drop-top Boxster Spyder - a pair of hardcore models based on the German firm鈥檚 718-generation sports cars. Designed with a focus on driving thrills over comfort, the new models will feature a manual gearbox, with no mention of any automatic option in the pipeline. And driving fans may be pleased to learn that a flat-six motor will replace the turbocharged flat-four engines found in the standard 718 Cayman and Boxster, which were criticised for their lacklustre sound. Prices for the Boxster Spyder kick off at 拢73,405, while the Cayman GT4 is slightly more expensive at 拢75,348, PistonHeads reports. Porsche is known for offering buyers an extensive options list, so expect both of those figures to rise once a few extras have been added. Both models are available to order now. Porsche will offer a Clubsport package - adding a rear roll bar, a fire extinguisher and a six-point seatbelt for the driver - at a later date, says Auto Express. The performance-focused newcomers look similar to the entry-level sports cars on which they鈥檙e based, but are set apart by a few key design tweaks.
The Cayman GT4 gets a more aggressive front and rear bumper design than that of the previous-generation model. There鈥檚 also a small wing above the boot lid and a pair of exhausts that emerge from the diffuser at the bottom of the rear bumper. The Boxster Spyder gets a similar treatment, including the addition of more angular bumpers and a twin-exit exhaust system. However, as a drop-top, the Boxster Spyder鈥檚 engine cover extends from the back of the cabin to the small ducktail-esque wing. The roof is fastened in place manually and can be stored under the front bonnet when not in use. Both models are powered by a naturally aspirated 4.0-litre flat-six engine, as opposed to the turbocharged 2.0-litre flat-four motors that feature in the base-spec Cayman and Boxster. On paper, the engine looks identical to the motor that powers the hardcore 991-generation 911 GT3 RS. Instead, the engine that powers the track-honed 718 cars is a larger, naturally aspirated version of the turbo flat-six found in standard 911 Carrera models. The engine in the new models produces 414bhp and 310lb ft of torque, revving all the way to 8,000rpm, notes Autocar. Power is sent to the rear-wheels through a six-speed manual gearbox, to achieve a zero to 62mph time of 4.4 seconds in both models. Top speed comes in at 188mph on the Cayman GT4, and 187mph on the Boxster Spyder.
In sport, performance counts. It applies to the engine and it also applies to the brakes. The 718 models are therefore equipped with four-piston aluminium monobloc fixed calipers. On the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, the brake calipers come with a black finish - red on the S models. Brake disc diameters are 330 mm at the front and 299 mm at the rear. To make them tougher yet lighter and enable a more rapid response - even under extreme loads - the brake calipers have an enclosed monobloc construction. The pedal travel is short and the biting point precise. The brake discs are crossdrilled and internally vented, which helps to provide improved wet braking and optimum cooling. Proven in motorsport, the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB) is available as an option. On the 718 models, the cross-drilled ceramic brake discs of PCCB have a diameter of 350 mm at the front and rear - for even more formidable braking performance. PCCB features six-piston monobloc aluminium fixed brake calipers on the front axle and four-piston units at the rear - all painted in yellow - to provide braking forces that are considerably more powerful and, crucially, are exceptionally consistent. PCCB enables shorter braking distances in even the toughest road and race conditions. Safety under high-speed braking is also improved thanks to its excellent fading stability. Another advantage of PCCB is the extremely low weight of the ceramic brake discs, which are approximately 50 % lighter than standard discs of a similar design and size. This results in better roadholding and increased comfort, particularly on uneven roads, as well as greater agility and a further improvement in handling.
Perhaps the best thing about this latest round of spy shots for the refreshed Porsche Cayman GT4 is what we can鈥檛 see. In truth, we see pretty much everything, and as you鈥檇 come to expect from Porsche the changes are minimal. We spy slightly redesigned side air scoops, and the lower fascia is a touch more aggressive than the previous GT4. The rear fascia is definitely more aggressive with a tweaked diffuser and relocated exhaust outlets. The taillights are also different, and the wing seems even larger than before. There is one tiny bit of camouflage still left on the car, however, and it鈥檚 freaking hilarious. Take a close look up front and you鈥檒l see the smallest bit of black wrap that coincidently is in the exact spot one would find a Porsche crest. Clearly someone back at Stuttgart has seen a bit too much Superman because this Clark Kent attempt at disguising the car - especially when it still says Porsche on the back - is just plain funny. Amusing as it is, that鈥檚 not what we鈥檙e talking about with the bits we can鈥檛 see. Lurking beneath that rear cover is what should make this refreshed GT4 a bona fide superhero. Our sources still tell us the car will brandish a detuned version of the 4.0-liter flat-six from the 911 GT3. Those same sources have already confirmed the car will offer either a PDK gearbox or a manual transmission, and with at least 400 horsepower expected, the GT4 should be all kinds of giddy fun. As the striptease seems all but complete (save for that stubborn tape up front), it won鈥檛 be long before we get all the official information. We鈥檝e heard the Clubsport version will debut first in early 2019, so the road version should follow shortly thereafter.
The follow-up to the Cayman GT4 racer is finally here and Porsche has not only made it faster but greener, too. That鈥檚 because the 718 Cayman GT4 has body panels made out of natural fiber composites. These are just like the carbon composites that are de rigueur in fast cars, but trade the plastics for hemp and/or flax, just like your hippie uncle. The material is a little weaker than carbon fiber and can take on water and swell, but is much better for the planet and is still plenty strong. All of which means that the 718 Cayman GT4, with its hippie body panels and its single seat, weighs just 1,320 kg (2,910 lbs). And to get that weight moving, its 3.8-liter flat-six (paired to a 6-speed PDK) makes 425 hp, which is 40 more than the GT4 it replaces. The power all goes to the back wheels through a diff locker, so dirty power slides shouldn鈥檛 be an issue if you鈥檙e avoiding the rain because you鈥檙e afraid your body panels will swell. To slow you down, the 718 GT4 has 380 mm discs all around (those are 15% bigger than the road car鈥檚). And to keep you in your seat under hard braking, it has a six-point harness. You also get an 80-liter fuel cell, a handheld fire extinguisher, a rescue hatch in the roof, and ABS ESC and TC can all be turned off if you鈥檙e so inclined. 鈥淭he new Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport possesses significantly more racing genes than its successful predecessor,鈥?says Fritz Enzinger, Porsche鈥檚 head of motorsport. 鈥淭he power of the engine has increased considerably. And Enzinger isn鈥檛 kidding about the car鈥檚 success. Both the Clubsport and the Competition can be ordered right now and deliveries will begin in February, according to Porsche.