718 Cayman

Make
Porsche
Segment
Coupe

Next July at the Goodwood Festival of Speed Porsche will unveil a car that will surely induce any driving purist to fork over a deposit: the 718 Cayman GT4. Why will Porsche fans instantly want this over perhaps, say, the all-new (turbocharged) 992 911? Because, as Car magazine has confirmed with Frank-Steffen Walliser, the newly appointed head of R&D at Porsche, it will not be turbocharged nor have an automatic gearbox.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 will be powered by a heavily revised naturally aspirated 3.8-liter flat-six good for 420 hp, up from 375 in the previous 718 Cayman GT4. The recently unveiled and track-only 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport has the same engine rated 419 hp and 313 lb-ft of torque.

Furthermore, the new road going GT4 will initially be offered solely with a six-speed manual. However, an optional dual-clutch gearbox will likely arrive in late 2020. Another added bonus to the revised 3.8 flat-six is that it'll come equipped with the most current de-smogging tech and yet output will be unaffected.

Thanks to our spy photographers, we've already seen nearly undisguised GT4 prototypes out testing. It's immediately clear this coupe is quite different than lower trim variants thanks to its large rear spoiler, side air intakes, bigger brakes, and modified front and rear. Previous rumors claimed the 3.8 flat-six was being replaced by the current 911 GT3's also naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, but this latest report all but confirms that is not the case.

For whatever reason(s), Porsche determined the existing 3.8 flat-six would be sufficient. We also think Porsche wanted to reserve the 4.0 solely for the 911 in order to maintain some exclusivity to the 911. Fortunately, the 3.8 flat-six is a fine engine. Car has learned the new 718 Cayman GT4 will sprint from 0 to 62 mph in four seconds flat and top speed will exceed 185 mph. These figures have yet to be confirmed but they do offer a pretty good idea.

The interior will also be stripped down as part of an effort to reduce as much weight as possible. Customers will still be treated to 918-style bucket seats and even GT4-specific digital instruments and improved infotainment.

Porsche typically keeps a tight lid on details for its upcoming models before they're unveiled, so it'll likely be a few more months until the 2020 718 Cayman GT4's official specs are announced.