The new Cayman has arrived!  Just in time to make anyone who ordered the Boxster Spyder or Cayman GT4 feel like a fool?

Not really.  This new generation has new styling, all-new cabin tech and a vastly changed powertrain duo.

Swapping to standard twin-turbo four power for the Cayman means this will be a very changed Porsche versus its flat-six predecessors.  Pace is way up across the board, and pricing is sharply down.  The entry price in Euros is now below the 718 Boxster for the first time, unlike the previous hardtop premium that made no sense.

But justifying a bite-size Porsche with a turbo four will make a $60 US entry price even harder to swallow than it was before. Luckily, the engine is a boxer layout still.  Phew!  An I4TT 2.0T would be almost too much to handle.

In addition to boxer burble, some sleek 918-lite styling all around and that fresh cabin touchscreen will keep the Cayman relevant for years to come.

The only main thing that makes no sense?

The 718 prefix.

Why?

Unless there is an 818 with a flat six on the way … the additional badge is just pig lipstick for this sales-lot wallflower. 

We can’t help but think the 718 Cayman should start from $40k versus $60k, as expected versus Euro/Dollar exchange rates.  And $75k for the Cayman S?  Plus ~$5k for the Sport Chrono package?  The $80k Cayman joke continues, we’re sorry to report.  No Cayman seems worth that.  But then again, this 911 C2S with $140k-ish pricing also seems ambitious to a poor auto hack.

Luckily for all, Miami Blue will be optional.  SueWeeeeeee!

Despite being the finest photoreal fakes money can buy, Porsche has hidden the major style advancement of the new 718 Cayman: the quad LEDs.  On the standard Cayman, quad LEDs from the Panamera make their presence felt.  Outer PDLS+ style quad LED accents are even more advanced on the Cayman S.  Check out the renders we prepared to look at the headlight DRLs on.  A slight window tint too, just for good measure.

2017 Porsche 718 CAYMAN

Press Release 25/04/2016

Mid-engine sport coupé supplements 718 series as an entry-level model

Four-cylinder turbo for power when cornering – the new Porsche 718 Cayman

Stuttgart. The fourth, redeveloped generation of the mid-engine sport coupé has a more striking, athletic and efficient appearance. Just a few weeks after the debut of the new 718 Boxster, the new 718 Cayman is extending the new model series. For the first time, the hard-top is priced below the roadster – in a similar way to the 911 models. 718 Cayman pricing starts at 51,623 euros in Germany, and the 718 Cayman S costs from 64,118 euros, each including VAT and country-specific features.

The same new four-cylinder flat engines with turbocharging as in the 718 Boxster are being deployed in the 718 Cayman. As a result, coupé and roadster have an identical engine output for the first time. The entry-level version starts with 220 kW (300 hp) from two litres of displacement. The S model delivers 257 kW (350 hp) with a displacement of 2.5 litres. This represents 18 kW (25 hp) more power compared to the predecessor models with an NEDC fuel consumption of 8.1 to 5.7 litres per 100 kilometres.

The tremendous torque of the new engines in the 718 Cayman promises driving fun and agility even at low revs. The two-litre engine of the 718 Cayman achieves a torque of up to 380 Nm (plus 90 Nm), which is available between 1,950 rpm and 4,500 rpm. The 2.5-litre engine of the 718 Cayman S features a turbocharger with variable turbine geometry (VTG), a technology hitherto used exclusively in the 911 Turbo. In the 718 Cayman S, the VTG charger additionally has a wastegate for the first time. It delivers up to 420 Nm (an extra 50 Nm) to the crankshaft at engine speeds between 1,900 and 4,500 rpm. For the driver this means even better torque in all engine speed ranges. The 718 Cayman with PDK and optional Sport Chrono Package sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds. The 718 Cayman S completes this sprint in 4.2 seconds. The top speed of the 718 Cayman is 275 km/h, and the 718 Cayman S can reach a speed of 285 km/h.

New chassis tuning for greater precision and more lateral stability

In terms of their driving dynamics, the new 718 Cayman models follow in the tracks of the classic 718 cars. Thanks to their outstanding agility, the historic mid-engine sports cars won numerous races in the 1950s and 1960s such as the Targa Florio and Le Mans. Lateral rigidity and wheel tracking have been improved in the completely retuned chassis of the 718 Cayman; springs and stabilisers have been designed to be firmer and the tuning of the shock absorbers has been revised. The steering, which has been configured to be ten per cent more direct, enhances agility and driving fun. The rear wheels, which are one-half of an inch wider, in combination with the redeveloped tyres result in an increased lateral force potential and hence in greater cornering stability.

Driving dynamics options such as the Sport Chrono Package and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV) allow the sporty character of the 718 Cayman to be further customised. Another available option is PASM with a ten-millimetre lowering of the ride height and additionally in the S model PASM sport suspension with a 20-millimetre lowering of the ride height for the first time. As in the other Porsche sports cars, the Sport Chrono Package can be adjusted via the programme switch on the steering wheel. Supplementing the previous settings of “Normal”, “Sport” and “Sport Plus” is the “Individual” programme, which is able to call up previously programmed individual settings for various systems.

On account of the car’s greater driving performance capabilities, stronger brake systems are now in use with 330-millimetre brake discs in front and 299-millimetre discs at the rear. The 718 Cayman now has the brake system that was previously used in the Cayman S. The 718 Cayman S, on the other hand, uses the four-piston callipers of the 911 Carrera combined with six-millimetre thicker brake discs.

Distinctive design for a more muscular appearance

The new 718 Cayman has been further developed as comprehensively in its design as in its technology. The taut proportions, prominent air intakes at the front and sides and low side profile underscore the boost in dynamics. The nose has a much sharper profile, which gives the front end a wider and more masculine appearance. The ultra-slim front lights above the air intakes, which contain the parking lights and indicators, further reinforce this impression. Rounding off the front end of the 718 Cayman, are the significantly larger cooling air intakes and bi-xenon headlights in their new design with integrated LED daytime running lights. LED headlights with four-point daytime running lights are available as a new option. Viewed from the side, the new sport coupé reveals its striking wings and side sills. The redesigned rear has a much wider look due to the accent strip in high-gloss black with integrated Porsche badge between the tail lights. The tail lights have been completely redesigned and are distinguished by the three-dimensional technology and four brake spots that appear to float freely.

Redesigned interior and PCM as standard

Inside, revisions are visible for both the 718 Cayman and the 718 Boxster. The upper part of the dash panel including air vents is new. The new sport steering wheel in the 918 Spyder design as well as the extensive connectivity options have now been added to the 718 cockpit along with the Porsche Communication Management (PCM) as a standard feature. Mobile phone preparation, audio interfaces and the 150-watt Sound Package Plus are all part of this standard. Options are available to extend the PCM. The Connect module, for example, includes special extensions for smartphones, such as the USB port, Apple CarPlay and Porsche Car Connect. Another available option is the navigation module with voice control, which makes it easy to input driving destinations. If the Connect Plus module is selected, this can be extended with real-time traffic information. Drivers can also make use of additional comprehensive services via their smartphone, which include the Porsche Connect App and Porsche Car Connect App.

The 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S can be ordered now. The European market launch begins at the end of September 2016.