Car of the week: October 2nd – Porsche Cayman GTS

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Mail
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Porsche Cayman GTS.

    Available from:

    Ali and Sons Abu Dhabi: 02 6193911
    Al Nabooda Automobiles Dubai: 04 3213911

    The quintessential Porsche always has been and, for me, always will be the 911 Carrera but it now shares its stable with a car that is so good that it offers a serious money-saving alternative.

    The Cayman S has always been an excellent car but now there is a GTS version which ups the ante on the power front and when you examine all the important specifications there is not much to choose between this little beauty and the base model of the 911.

    The Cayman GTS has a 0-100kmh time of 4.8 seconds while the 911 gets there in 4.6 seconds – 4.4 seconds with a sports chrono package. The Cayman has 340bhp, that’s 15bhp more than the Cayman S, while the 911 is slightly more powerful with 350bhp.

    The top speed of the Cayman is 283kmh which is just 4kmh slower than the entry level 911. You will pay Dh270,400 for the Cayman GTS with PDK while the 911 will set you back Dh356,790. The 911 is still the superior car, which should always be the case in my humble opinion, but only just and this Cayman is one seriously good bit of kit.

    The GTS is a stunning, aggressive looking car and comes with the best of all the options that are available for the S, plus that power hike.

    It sits on 20-inch Carrera S or, on our car, optional Turbo wheels, has subtle design tweaks  at the front end with deep, black air intakes, GTS specific smoked day running lights, black apron at the front and back and centre-mounted black double exhausts. And just to stress that this is not an ordinary Cayman the GTS logo features on the door sills.

    The interior has a generous helping of carbon and alcantara leather which lines the roof, lower section of the dashboard, the doors and middle of the seats which adds a sporty and luxurious feel to the cabin. The letters GTS are also embroidered onto the seat headrests.

    The instrument cluster is typical Porsche with a red GTS rev counter. The Porsche Communication Management infotainment system is cutting edge and operates through a 7-inch touch screen. A three-spoke, multi-functional sports steering wheel with manual gear shifters also comes as standard. 

    The car is powered by the excellent flat-six 3.4 litre engine which is fantastically responsive, particularly when the car is driven in Sport or Sport Plus mode, with the power being delivered to the back wheels via Porsche’s brilliant PDK double clutch automatic gearbox. 

    The Cayman GTS is all about intensified performance and comes with the sports chrono package as standard. It is mid-engined so it is well balanced, has active sports suspension and with torque vectoring and the Sport and Sport Plus driving modes the car’s handling is agile, precise and utterly engaging. 

    The GTS has incredibly supportive sports seats and because it is compact it delivers a truly intimate driving experience and the noise that comes from that engine as you push through the gears is superb. 
    Our test car was provided by Ali and Sons, Abu Dhabi’s exclusive Porsche dealership.  Driving it was pure pleasure and in yellow it certainly turned heads. 

    The question some will ask is whether it is worth spending more on the GTS when the extras you get as standard on this car, apart from the smallish power adjustment, are available as options on the S. 

    Whether you spec up the S or go for this is a personal decision but, for me, the GTS is much more than just being a fully loaded S.  

    Attention to detail specific to this car has given the GTS a personality of its own and takes the Cayman to a new level of excellence. Choosing between a Cayman and the base 911 Carrera has never been so difficult.

    Verdict
    Rightly or wrongly, I have always seen the Cayman, rather than the Boxster, as the poor man’s 911 but this car has changed my opinion. The GTS has its own appeal. It is superbly designed, great fun to drive and given the choice I would find it tempting to save myself a considerable amount of money by buying this car rather than the base 911.

    Rating- 9/10

    Recommended