Tantric Six

IMPROVING ON GREATNESS IS A TOUGH GIG – EVEN FOR PORSCHE

- Georg Kacher

THE FIRST CAYMAN GT4 ARRIVED in 2015 as a near-perfect performance coupe, with the 3.8-litre naturally aspirated flat-six from a 911 Carrera S installed amidships – but it disappeared almost as quickly, demand quickly exceeding its limited supply. Now it is returning, with more power, more downforce, and the promise of a dual-clutch option – and, prior to the open slather press launch, MOTOR is the first outlet in the world to drive it.

Increasing the engine capacity 200cc boosts power 26kW to 309kW at 7600rpm, just 400rpm shy of the redline and 200rpm higher than before – in keeping with Porsche’s desire for the GT4 to be revved even harder to deliver. Although the previous 3.8-litre engine and the new 4.0-litre unit deliver an identical 420Nm, the oomph summit used to dwell at a slightly more relaxed 4750rpm, whereas it now kicks butt in the 5000-6800rpm bracket.

For now, the GT4 comes only with the six-speed manual gearbox, but next year the PDK transmission will become available and make the least expensive five-star Porsche complete. This will be a welcome addition because life is sadly not all about having fun in the twisties. More often than not, you’re stuck in traffic, pottering along at 30-80km/h or inching forward in stop-and-go increments, so why not dial in your favourite streaming service, stick the lever in Drive and indulge in a slo-mo waft until the road clears?

When defining the new GT4, Porsche thought long and hard about whether to cater exclusively for self-proclaimed purists. Late but not too late, they decided to offer the two-pedal dual-clutch arrangement in both GT4 models, starting in August 2020.