2020 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4/Boxster Spyder

The mid-engined Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxster may not bask in the iconic sports car glory of their 911 brethren, but they make a strong case for themselves as being first-rate drivers cars. And with the debut of the 2020 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder, they become legitimate track stars too.

Our first drive in this dynamic duo was along the rain-soaked, narrow country byways of the Scottish highlands and around the nine roller-coaster curves of the Knockhill Racing Circuit.

Powering both cars is a naturally-aspirated 4-liter flat six, producing 414-hp and 309 lb-ft of torque. 0-to-60 flies by in 4-point-2 seconds.

The Spyder and GT4 now share the same motorsport-inspired chassis, including a front axle and suspension bits from the 911 GT3, with adjustable anti-roll bar, ride height, toe, and camber.  The result is nimble handling, precise steering and superb composure.

Rev-matching, optional ceramic composite brakes, a new sport exhaust and Porsche stability management give these baby GTs unrivaled performance potential.

“You’d think that driving a track like this in the rain in the Cayman GT4 would be a waste of time, but it really gives you a great feel for what the car will do, by itself, without much driver input, just being very careful with the gas, and the brakes and the steering… but, what a wonderfully balanced car. Gotta love the 8000 rpm redline, the naturally-aspirated 4-liter 6-cylinder, standard six-speed manual transmission… what a lovely, lovely car to drive on the track.”  

Porsche has massaged the airflow over the Cayman GT4’s fixed rear wing, underbody and diffuser to add 50-percent more downforce than the previous GT4, without increasing drag.

The Spyder features a pop-up rear wing, minimalist fabric roof and a classic double-hump streamlined rear deck for high-style top-down motoring.

Look for both cars next spring, starting at about $96,000 for the Spyder and $99,000 for the Cayman GT4.