2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport
Some of you may remember back when the Porsche Cayman first came out people made the same jokes about it as they did with the Boxster. But that鈥檚 missing the point. 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport is not meant to be an alternative for the top dog road car. It is a through and through track car, built for those who want a no-compromise racing car they can have a lot of fun with over the weekend. So yes, it鈥檚 a toy, essentially. But as far as toys go, it鈥檚 a good one. The new Cayman GT4 is also wiser and more 鈥渟ustainable鈥?in Porsche鈥檚 own words. That is fantastic, since the kind of people who can afford to spend top dollar on a track toy are usually the type who like to show off everything, even moral fiber. So next time you get together with your Cheshire motoring club mates for a track day, you can boast that your Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 features body parts made of natural-fibre composite material.
Granted, they are limited to the doors and the rear wing, and no, the engine is not a hybrid or anything. In fact, the 3.8 liter flat-six is even beefier than before with an extra 40 horsepower. But the very phrase 鈥渘atural-fibre鈥?has a nice, environmental tone about it. And that鈥檚 enough for most people. The 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport comes in two 鈥淭rackday鈥?and 鈥淐ompetition鈥?variants. The former is for the more novice gentleman driver, whereas the latter is aimed at the more experienced drivers. That is why the Trackday costs 134,000 EUR, and the Competition 157,000 EUR. They share a 425 horsepower flat-six engine, Porsche dual-clutch gearbox with six gears and mechanical rear axle differential lock. What 鈥淐lubsport鈥?models represent is the true essence of Porsche. If you are a real Porsche aficionado you should steer clear of the road-going sports model. Just get a Cayenne or a Panamera for daily driving, and a Cayman GT4 or a track version of the 911 for driving fun. A regular Cayman is like a fine cigarette, whereas this Clubsport model is a full Churchill-sized Cuban cigar paired with a double espresso!
It wasn鈥檛 by much, however, and once the engine is into its stride there鈥檚 a broad spread of power to match its rivals鈥? But the Porsche puts clear ground between itself and the TT in corners. The 718鈥檚 steering is a lovely weight and works perfectly with the chassis - and at least the engine鈥檚 extra torque allows better access to the car鈥檚 delicious balance. There鈥檚 so much grip available - more than with the Alpine - that the 718 feels a little more serious as a result. That鈥檚 not a negative, just a difference in personality between the two models. The damping is as brilliant as the A110鈥檚. Normal mode is best for B-roads, with some compliance and extra travel allowed to soak up sizeable ruts well even on 20-inch wheels. Sport mode tautens things up and is maybe a little too much in some situations, but in either setting the Cayman鈥檚 focus is resolute.
It鈥檚 a great driver鈥檚 car that balances performance and engagement with comfort and usability. Storage is okay and visibility is good as well. It鈥檚 easy to manoeuvre and you don鈥檛 have to make compromises to use the 718 Cayman every day. We鈥檇 like a little more kit as standard, though. Safety equipment is more limited, too, because you get six airbags and that鈥檚 about it. Bi-xenon headlights are fitted as standard, but you can add adaptive LED units for 拢1,397. You can also specify adaptive cruise control for 拢1,094, which includes collision warning and autonomous emergency braking. You might want to add parking sensors given it鈥檚 a low-slung sports car, but visibility is actually good. Rear sensors are 拢362, or it鈥檚 拢1,086 for them all round plus a reversing camera. The 718 was actually the least efficient car on test, but even its result of 31.8mpg was impressive. But the Alpine again showed why a lower weight can be a benefit; it managed 33.6mpg, which equates to annual fuel bills of 拢1,958. Expect that cost to rise the more you explore the performance, though. In Pure trim the A110 is fabulous.
Everything stems from its light weight, including efficiency and low running costs. Despite its modest power output, performance is great and the gearbox isn鈥檛 a hindrance, despite it being the weakest point. This car isn鈥檛 that practical, but the chassis is so sweet and the set-up so totally rewarding that it just edges ahead here, despite flaws in other areas. It nails what a small sports car should offer. The 718 was so close to beating the A110 again, not least thanks to its brilliant manual gearbox and incredibly capable chassis. The engineering has true depth that鈥檚 felt through the steering and damping, but it鈥檚 the engine that still grates, even if the rest of the package is dynamically brilliant. Items such as the infotainment are also showing their age, but make no mistake, this standard 718 Cayman is still a fantastic sports car. Updates to the TT S aren鈥檛 extensive enough to elevate it from third place against incredibly tough competition. There鈥檚 no denying its accessible, storming all-weather performance, while the tech, cabin and efficiency are all strong, too. With two small back seats, it鈥檚 also the most practical model. But these cars are about thrills and involvement, and the TT doesn鈥檛 deliver the highs of its extremely talented rivals here. Is it worth waiting for this model? It might be pricier, but the Toyota Supra promises huge performance from its straight six (0-62mph in 4.3 seconds) and a driving experience with poise and balance that should rival our test trio. It鈥檒l be usable, too.