Perfectly Balanced: Porsche 718 Cayman GTS (2020) Review
Such is the popularity of Porsche’s SUVs, the Cayenne and Macan, it’s easy to forget that at its heart the German brand’s speciality is sports cars.
The 718 Cayman GTS is the firm’s latest offering and a car that perfectly encapsulates why Porsche is at the top of its game.
GTS versions of Porsche’s models are often the sweet spot in the range, cherry-picking the best bits of equipment, design features and chassis technology from various other models in the lineup. Priced from £64,480, this 718 Cayman GTS isn’t cheap, but you can see, feel and hear where all of that money has been spent.
Key to the GTS’s success is the engine. It’s now powered by a 396bhp 4.0-litre six-cylinder engine that will deliver a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds. By today’s standards those numbers are nothing special – you can go quicker in a Mercedes A-Class hatchback. But there’s more to the Cayman than just performance stats.
Climb in and you’ll struggle to find a better driving position in any car; the steering wheel sits high and the seating position is low. The ideal setup for a sports car.
Fire up the engine and the 4.0-litre motor barks into life and settles at a bassy idle. Dip the clutch, knock it into first gear and the engine whips round to a sonorous 7,500rpm. The bellow from the exhaust is almost addictive. Because the engine isn’t turbocharged the power is delivered in a smooth and predictable way rather than in one great big serving at the bottom of the rev range.
The six-speed manual gearbox has a wonderfully precise and mechanical action to it, which encourages you to work your way up and down the gears as often as possible. Arrive at a corner and the Cayman changes direction with the balance and poise of a rhythmic gymnastic; everything feels so effortless and graceful.
It’s part of what makes the 718 Cayman GTS such a wonderful sports car; everything from the amount of power to its size is so perfectly judged. The Cayman may be the baby Porsche in the showroom but this 718 GTS is one of the best cars it sells.
