2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Performance

The 718 Cayman GT4 is no slouch, but it's not the fastest car this amount of money can buy. It gets from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds with the manual, and 3.7 seconds with the PDK. The 4.0-liter flat-six is good enough for a top speed of 188 mph in the manual (189 mph for the PDK). It produces an impressive 414 hp, directed exclusively to the rear axle. To aid in cornering and - if you're feeling like a hooligan - smokey drifts, the car comes with a mechanical limited-slip differential. The manual version also boasts an auto-blip function that can be enabled at the press of a button, which helps those who haven't yet mastered the art of the heel-and-toe downshift. If even that is too complicated for you, the seven-speed PDK eliminates any room for error when it comes to changing gears.

While only one engine is on offer for this special model, it's a lovely sounding, naturally aspirated, 4.0-liter flat-six boxer that develops 414 hp and 309 lb-ft (317 lb-ft in the PDK). As you'd expect, the throttle response is remarkable, and the Cayman GT4 feels sprightly, to say the least - launching from a dead stop or overtaking on the freeway. The crescendo of an uninhibited engine screaming to 8,000 rpm is unlike anything else, and Porsche has kept the love for the NA motor front and center on this car. See, the engine is borrowed from a 911 but with bigger cylinders and no turbocharger. Coupled with a short-throw six-speed manual, this car is the definition of engaging. You have to treat it like an old Civic VTEC, keeping the revs high and working the car hard to get the most out of it. Sure, it doesn't have the wave of torque that a similarly-sized turbo engine does, but it feels and sounds brilliant.

Some have argued that the GT4 needs more power because its chassis can handle more, but isn't it better to have a brilliantly composed chassis than an overpowering engine that you can never fully exploit? Speaking of exploiting the GT4's abilities to the maximum, the available seven-speed PDK dual-clutch is as brilliant here as it's always been. Shifting gears is instantaneous and near-telepathic while switching to manual mode for more control won't leave you frustrated in any way. The six-speed manual is still the more joyous to utilize, however, with the only complaint being that second gear is simply too tall, meaning you can often just sit in second instead of running between the second, third, and fourth ratios on a twisting back road. In terms of the mechanics, the master engineers at Porsche definitely got the whole package right.

The official EPA estimates for the 2022 Cayman GT4 are 17/23/19 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles for the manual and 18/24/20 mpg for the PDK. With a 16.9-gallon gas tank, this equates to between 321 and 338 miles of range with mixed driving.