Porsche 718 Cayman review – design
Compact, well-proportioned shape is still very attractive, and the GT4 RS has the homologation look you'd expect
The Cayman might not have the iconic profile of its 911 sibling, but even from the briefest glance it’s instantly recognisable as a Porsche, and a decade and a half after the first Cayman was introduced the shape is also now a mainstay of the Porsche range.
When the 718 updates arrived, the Cayman took on arguably its most attractive form yet. Already a well-proportioned shape, the slightly squared-off details and neatly redesigned rear tail light arrangement gave it a unique character as well as an attractive shape. Importantly, it’s no slavish copy of a 911, but a distinctive car in its own right.
While little visually separates the Cayman and Cayman S, the Style Edition is more distinctive with a unique graphics package and matching painted wheels, along with colour coded badging. The GTS receives restyled bodywork with more definition to its bumpers and side skirts and separated tailpipes as on the GT4.
The GT4's deep front and rear aprons are more like those of the 911 GT3, as is the vent below the trailing edge of the front compartment, while you can’t fail to miss the enormous wing perched atop the rear deck. The side vents are also more prominent, while cars with the Clubsport pack will allow a sneak peek of the cage through the windows, too. The looks may differ only slightly from those of the old car, but the ‘racer for the road’ attitude is as strong as ever.
GT4 RS models build on this motorsport-like aesthetic with even more aggression, utilising bespoke carbonfibre panels to great effect with new grilles, slip vents and even a pair of bonnet-mounted NACA ducts. The taller rear wing has swan-neck mounts, just like those on a GT3, and the rear glass now no longer shows off a carpeted panel, but a visible engine cover that integrates the intakes that pick up air from the new high-mounted intake vents. Combine all these elements with those stunning new centre-lock wheels (Porsche’s familiar magnesium items are optional) and the RS looks and feels worth every bit of its price tag.
