Mid-engine coupe. Three generations. The car that quietly became the enthusiast's choice.
How it came to exist
The Cayman launched in 2005 as a 2006 model, after Porsche had been selling the Boxster for nine years. The car was a hardtop coupe version of the existing Boxster platform. The chassis, the engine, the suspension, the interior, the dashboard, and most of the bodywork were shared with the contemporary Boxster S. The differences came in the roof structure (now a fixed steel roof instead of a soft top), the rear hatch (now a hatchback rather than a soft cabriolet cover), and the overall body lines.
The decision to produce a Cayman was commercial. Porsche had identified buyers who wanted the mid-engine handling of the Boxster but preferred a closed coupe to a roadster. The development cost of the Cayman was low because the platform was already designed and amortized. The Cayman could be priced just above the Boxster S, generating margin without much incremental engineering cost.
The original Cayman, 987
The first-generation Cayman (987) launched with the 3.4 liter flat-six producing 295 horsepower. The Cayman S used a 3.4 liter engine; the base Cayman used a 2.7 liter version. Manual transmission was standard. The optional Tiptronic automatic was available. Top speed was approximately 275 km/h.
The chassis dynamics were widely praised in period reviews. The Cayman handled more neutrally than the contemporary 911. The mid-engine layout gave the car balance that the rear-engine 911 could not produce. The chassis was significantly stiffer than the Boxster because of the fixed steel roof.
Sales were strong but not dramatic. The Cayman sold approximately 30,000 units in its first three model years, less than the Boxster but enough to establish the model in the lineup. The car was positioned at a price slightly above the Boxster but well below the 911.
The 981 generation
The 981-generation Cayman launched in 2013. New platform, new bodywork, refined engines. The base Cayman used a 2.7 liter engine producing 271 horsepower. The Cayman S used a 3.4 liter producing 321 horsepower. Both engines were naturally aspirated.
The 981 Cayman GT4 launched in 2015 as a track-focused variant. The car used the 3.8 liter engine from the 991.1 911 Carrera S, producing 385 horsepower. The chassis was lowered, the suspension was stiffened, the body was widened, and the car was equipped with a fixed rear wing, a front splitter, and ducting that fed brake cooling air to the front rotors.
The 981 GT4 was the moment when the Cayman became seriously considered as an enthusiast's choice. Independent reviews placed the chassis dynamics ahead of contemporary 911s. The car was widely considered the best-handling Porsche in production.
The 982 / 718 Cayman
The 982-generation Cayman launched in 2016, renamed 718 Cayman as a callback to the historic 718 racing car. The car launched with turbocharged four-cylinder engines, controversial at the time and still controversial in 2026. The 2.0 liter base and 2.5 liter S engines produced 296 and 345 horsepower respectively.
The four-cylinder engines proved competent in performance but were criticized by Porsche enthusiasts for the lack of the flat-six character. The engine note was distinctively four-cylinder, lacking the smoothness of the previous six-cylinder Caymans. Sales were initially strong, but the long-term market response was mixed.
Porsche responded in 2019 by launching the 718 Cayman GT4 with the 4.0 liter naturally aspirated flat-six. The same engine appeared in the 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 in 2020 and the 718 Cayman Spyder. The six-cylinder option was now available across the higher trim levels of the 718.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS launched in 2021 as a 2022 model. The car uses the 4.0 liter naturally aspirated flat-six from the contemporary 992 GT3 RS, producing 493 horsepower. PDK transmission only.
The chassis is aggressively reworked. Lower ride height, stiffer springs, revised geometry. Active aerodynamics with a center-mounted rear wing and adjustable front splitter. Carbon-fiber bodywork. Lightweight glass. The result is a car that produces more downforce than the 991 GT3 RS while weighing approximately 1,415 kilograms.
The 718 Cayman GT4 RS has been widely reviewed as the most highly-rated production Porsche driving experience available. The chassis dynamics, the naturally-aspirated engine character, and the analog driving feel are all praised. The car is considered by many reviewers to handle better than the contemporary 992 GT3.
What this means
The Cayman is the mid-engine sports car that Porsche almost did not build, that was initially dismissed as a marketing exercise, and that has quietly become the enthusiast's preferred chassis. The 981 GT4, the 982 GT4 (manual), and the 982 GT4 RS represent three of the most highly-rated Porsche driving experiences of the modern era.
The Cayman now sits in the same conversation as the 911 GT3 for buyers who care about driving over status. The Cayman is generally cheaper, handles better in many measures, and provides more analog driving feel. The 911 GT3 has the heritage and the brand identity. The Cayman has the engineering.
For air-cooled enthusiasts who consider buying a modern Porsche, the Cayman GT4 generation is the answer that gets considered most seriously. The 981 GT4 in particular, with its naturally aspirated 3.8 liter flat-six, is sometimes called "the air-cooled spirit in a modern chassis." The description is not literal but the reasoning behind it is sound.