Porsche Debuts 4.6s Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers



Porsche Debuts 4.6s Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers

In perhaps the least-kept-secret of the last year, the Cayman and Boxster are officially available with a new top-level GTS trim level.

Porsche Boxster Cayman GTS gif

In addition to more focused dynamics and style all around, the GTS models pack 340-horsepower each. (Edit: the Boxster appears to have ten fewer ponies than the hardtop Cayman.)

Even so, this is a pretty substantial leap for the 911’s siblings, which until now have been capped well below this total — even in the Boxster and Cayman S.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 7

The larger displacement engine also will assist on two other Cayman and Boxster perceived shortcomings:

— low-rev torque

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 5

— the exhaust note’s deepness and guttural howl

Lack of torque and lack of howl have made the Boxster and Cayman seem a bit over-refined in the face of even the lowest-level 911 models.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 1

At full power, the GTS trims will now ensure more parity with the golden child of the Porsche sportscar family.

THe Cayman GTS will also be available with a 20MM ride height drop, reducing the already-low mid-engine machine down nearly an inch closer to the tracks it will thrive around.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 6

The Boster and Cayman are set to arrive in the UK in May, with US arrivals shortly after.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 2

Official Details Below from Porsche.

NEW PORSCHE CAYMAN GTS RESETS SPORTS COUPE BENCHMARK

19/03/14

  • Definitive mid-engine coupe with more power and greater dynamic virtuosity

  • 340 hp 3.4-litre flat six engine – 0-62 mph in 4.6 secs, 177 mph top speed

  • Porsche Active Suspension Management and Sport Chrono pack fitted as standard

  • Optional 20 mm lower sports chassis available for more focused on-track performance

  • Priced from £55,397 – available to order now, in Porsche Centres from May

The new Porsche Cayman GTS is the most powerful and fastest edition of the mid-engined coupe from the German sports car manufacturer to date. With an uprated engine and sharpened chassis responses, the Cayman GTS sets a new benchmark for sporting performance in its market.

Since its debut in 2005, the Cayman has earned a particular reputation as a driver’s car. At the heart of the two-seater beats a charismatic flat-six engine, positioned deep in the middle of the chassis to offer a low centre of gravity for a balanced and precise driving experience. Furthermore, the distinctive coupe styling confers a high level of torsional rigidity which further enhances the dynamic virtuosity.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 3

The six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine in the Cayman GTS is based on the 3.4-litre engine of the Cayman S. Specific fine tuning has delivered an additional 15 hp (11 kW), with the result that the Cayman GTS offers 340 hp (250 kW). The torque has also increased by ten newton metres to 380 Nm.

Further emphasising the distinctive character of the GTS is the Sport Chrono package and Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), fitted as standard. These offer the driver the opportunity to not only modify the damper stiffness, but also subtly change the throttle characteristics of the engine. In conjunction with the optional Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) seven-speed double-clutch transmission, the Launch Control function accessed via the Sport Plus button enables the Cayman GTS to accelerate from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, 0.3 secs quicker than a standard Cayman S with PDK.

Porsche Boxster Cayman GTS gif

With the standard manual six-speed transmission, a top speed of 177 mph is possible. The new GTS is also the first mid-engined Porsche coupe to be certified according to the Euro 6 emissions standard, and achieves an overall fuel consumption with PDK of 34.4 mpg Combined (31.4 mpg with manual transmission).

The dynamic engine mounts also offered as part of the Sport Chrono package enables the Cayman GTS to offer an impressive breadth of chassis responsiveness. Under acceleration, cornering or braking, the mountings between the body shell and engine stiffen automatically to reduce the effects of mass transfer during dynamic manoeuvres, further increasing agility.

Furthermore, the standard fit Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) enables the driver to switch between progressive sporting behaviour and long-distance comfort at the press of a button. Stylish black painted 20-inch diameter Carrera S alloy wheels riding on 235/35 tyres at the front and 265/35 tyres at the rear complete the chassis set-up.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 4

The Cayman GTS can also be specified with a new, optional sports chassis configuration that lowers the ride height by 20 mm, underlying the fact that at the heart of every Porsche is a race car suitable for both the circuit and everyday use.

The strong, individual character of the Cayman gains further independence with the GTS model. A distinctively styled front spoiler and black-finish Bi-Xenon headlights – with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS) as standard – are a subtle clue to the new model’s identity, which is confirmed from behind with exterior lettering in silky black gloss finish, and a re-styled lower rear apron.

Inside, bolstered sports seats and leather trim are standard. Like other Porsche GTS models, the sporting ambience of the interior is refined with Alcantara elements.

Porsche Boxster and Cayman GTS Range-Toppers Confirmed with 340HP and 4.6s 60-mph Sprint 8

The GTS lineage

The Porsche Cayman can trace its roots back to the legendary 904 Carrera GTS of the 1960s, which likewise was a mid-engined two-seater coupe. Since those days, the letters ‘GTS’  have stood for ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ and a promise of outstanding levels of Porsche performance.

With the new model, Porsche is extending the GTS principle to the Cayman. Like the Cayenne GTS and Panamera GTS already, this is a car that stands for superior driving dynamics in its market.

The combination of letters originates from the 904 Carrera GTS, a race car launched in 1963 that could also be registered for use on public roads. In the 1980s and 1990s, the 924 GTS and 928 GTS cultivated this principle. It was reborn in 2007 in the form of the Cayenne GTS, and was subsequently also implemented in the ‘Type 997’ 911 and most recently the Panamera.

Cayman GTS in the UK

The new Cayman GTS is available to order now priced from £55,397, and will be arriving in Porsche Centres in the UK and Ireland in May.

Standard equipment on the Cayman GTS includes Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), Sport Chrono package with dynamic engine mounts, black finish 20-inch diameter Carrera S alloy wheels, black finish Bi-Xenon headlights with Porsche Dynamic Lighting System, leather/Alcantara interior, Sports seats Plus with electric adjustment, air conditioning, CD audio system with seven-inch touch-screen, universal audio interface offering MP3 connectivity, automatic headlight activation, auto stop-start function, ‘Sport’ button, front electric windows, floor mats, top-tinted windscreen and a three-year warranty.

Customers will also be able to explore the potential of their new car, and further develop their own skills behind the wheel, by participating in a complimentary course at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone.

Porsche Boxster Cayman GTS Header gif