We have an ‘alligator’ in the house! The latest Porsche Cayman is the fourth generation model and it was launched in 2016. The addition of the 718 moniker was inspired by the Porsche 718 racecar which competed in Le Mans, Formula Two and Formula One between 1957 and 1962.
For the latest Porsche Cayman, turbocharged engines are used for the first time and these replaced the naturally-aspirated units used in the previous model. Like the 718 Boxster, the 718 Cayman is propelled by two 4-cylinder engines: 2-litre with 300 hp and 380 Nm and 2.5-litre (S) with 349 hp and 420 Nm, and two gearboxes are offered: 6-speed manual and 7-speed PDK. Against the clock, the coupe takes 4.9 seconds for the 0 to 100 km/h dash and top speed is 275 km/h.
Our model is a 718 Cayman with the 7-speed dual-clutch PDK transmission and 19-inch S wheels. The metallic silver paintwork is contrasted strikingly by the cabin’s red leather upholstery and trim. Among the features, the items that stand out are the full stainless steel twin-tract exhaust system with central tailpipe, Sound Package Plus audio system with eight speakers, bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime driving lights, LED taillights and indicators, ParkAssist (front and rear), Connect Plus with Apple CarPlay, 4G/LTE telephone module and wireless internet access, and Porsche Communication Management.
Check out what Car And Driver says about the Porsche Cayman.
On congested city streets where most of our test miles were accrued, the Cayman felt focused and eager to squirt through holes in traffic.
Deliciously perfect, rev-matched downshifts are a tug of the left paddle away.
As ever, the steering is utterly magical in its ability to transcribe road texture into palpable sensations in one’s fingertips.
Even at triple-digit speeds, the engine never, ever felt at a loss. Indeed, there were many times when we found ourselves shaking our heads, reminding ourselves that this is the base car.
