Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 – Buyer’s Guide

Production of the Porsche 982 series was discontinued in 2025. This also marked the end of seven years of production of what was probably the most popular Cayman model. We are of course talking about the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 built between 2019 and 2025. We have compiled the strengths and weaknesses of the second GT4 model to provide potential buyers on the used market with important information before deciding on one of the sharp mid-engined sports cars. In our Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 buyer’s guide, we tell you exactly what you should look out for when buying a 982 from Porsche’s GT department!

What’s the difference between a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 (982), the 982 base Cayman and its predecessor based on the 981?

Calls for a genuine GT version were already loud from the launch of the first Cayman 987c generation. The chassis of the mid-engined Porsche was so good that many journalists even asked if it has more sporting potential than its big brother, the 911. In 2015, the Stuttgart-based company actually launched a genuine GT Porsche based on the entry-level platform with the 981 Cayman GT4. The sportiest of all Caymans with GT3 front axle and 3.8-liter 911 engine quickly became the darling of the sports car community with its 385 hp. It also became clear that the successor should also have a GT4 model.

The differences between the 981 and 982 series were minimal on the outside. Its dimensions hardly changed and the design was also only cautiously adapted. The most striking change concerned its rear end. While the rear headlights on the 981 continued the contour of the spoiler lip on the boot lid, the 982 had flatter lights. On the other hand, the design of the rear bumper was somewhat more jagged than that of its predecessor. In addition, the two exhaust tailpipes were no longer positioned in the middle, but moved to the outside.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 was the first model in the 982 series to feature a six-cylinder boxer engine.

All the more happened behind the scenes. The 982 generation Cayman and Cayman S were fitted with four-cylinder turbocharged boxer engines. Only with the introduction of the GT4 in June 2019 was there a Cayman with a six-cylinder engine again. This time, it was not an adopted 911 engine, but a development specifically for the Cayman. Based on the 3.0-liter bi-turbo engine from the 911 Carrera, the engineers in Zuffenhausen designed an independent 4.0-liter naturally aspirated engine that revved freely up to 8,000 rpm and delivered 420 hp peak power – 35 hp more than its predecessor.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Bodywork

Like virtually all modern Porsches, the 718 Cayman GT4 (982) is solidly constructed and manufactured. Like its predecessor, the 982 GT4 is exemplary in exterior quality and rust prevention. However, its nature as an exceptionally good sports car with great qualities on the racetrack almost inevitably leads to an increased risk of stone chips. Of course, this primarily affects cars that have been driven in a very sporty manner without stone chip protection film. Bumpers, hoods, mirror caps, side skirts, side air intakes and rear fenders are particularly at risk. However, windscreens and headlights should also be inspected carefully.

Speaking of headlights: It is now well documented in numerous forums that there are problems with the lights on the 982 from time to time. The 718 Cayman GT4 is no exception. The delamination of the UV coating, already known from the predecessor, has not been completely eradicated on the 982. It is worth taking the car to a specialist at an early stage. There are companies that can remedy incipient problems. After all, reconditioning the headlights is much cheaper than replacing them. Some users also complain about moisture in the headlights and taillights. Here too, specialists can provide a lasting remedy.

Due to its inherently very low chassis, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 often tends to bottom out. It sadly wasn’t available with a lift system. Scratch marks on the front spoiler lip are therefore the order of the day. Even relatively small inclines, for example in underground garages, can be too much for the GT4. When driving over kerbs on the racetrack, the underbody can also take a beating. A look from below therefore quickly reveals whether the car has been driven regularly on racetracks or not. Damage is not only unsightly and costly, but also reduces the downforce generated by the GT4.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Interior

Porsche carefully but effectively revised the already fantastic interior of the 981 in the 982. Minor problems such as leather peeling off door panels and dashboards, especially in very warm regions, are not known in the 718 Cayman GT4. The air vents are the main cause for complaint, though. They lack a bit of the high quality haptics they had in the 981 and there have been reports of them breaking.

To give the 718 Cayman GT4 a particularly sporty interior feel, Porsche was not stingy with Alcantara. The shifter, steering wheel, door panels and the lower part of the dashboard are all covered in the roughened fabric. Although it is basically robust, it can quickly look greasy and worn. Thorough cleaning and treatment with various brushes can help here. The leather on the seats is also sensitive and shows signs of wear relatively quickly from getting in and out of the car.

Apart from that, the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 offers an exceptionally high-quality cockpit with excellent ergonomics. Especially with the full carbon bucket seats, the seating position is hard to beat for dedicated drivers. The sports seats and adaptive sports seats also offer good lateral support and long-distance comfort. However, the bucket seats are rather sought after and are an advantage when reselling.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Features & Electrics

Electrics in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4, as is generally the case with the entire model series, are not entirely free of faults. Corroded or loosened ground straps sometimes cause all kinds of issues. In the worst case, the car simply won’t start anymore. In addition, some Cayman drivers complain about leakage currents that discharge the car’s battery within a few weeks. The cause is regularly a control module for the vehicle location system.

Not every 718 Cayman GT4 with PCM also had Apple CarPlay. Retrofitting is possible, but can quickly cost 1,500 euros at Porsche.

However, human error can also cause premature battery wear. If a charger is connected directly to the battery terminals, as is common in older vehicles, this could lead to problems. Due to the 718 Cayman GT4 having a battery management system that does not register the charging of the battery there might be issues. The correct solution would be either to charge via the 12V socket in the interior or to connect the charger to a ground point on the car rather than to the negative terminal of the battery.

One of the well-documented problems with the 718 in general is malfunctions in the air conditioning system. It can manifest itself in different ways, for example cold air on one side and hot air on the other, even though the same temperatures are set. It is therefore advisable to check the car’s history for previous work on the air conditioning system. Particularly in cars with extremely low mileage, it is possible that the fault has not yet been noticed.

Porsche Active Drivetrain Mounts (PADM) as a frequent source of errors

To enable greater driving stability during load changes and to minimize movements in the drivetrain, Porsche used the so-called Active Drivetrain Mounts in the 718 Cayman GT4. These can actively control the transmission mounts and make them harder or softer as required. Unfortunately, the sensors are often defective. In such cases, Porsche replaces the complete drivetrain mounts including sensors. Replacement can quickly cost several thousand euros. However, there are independent workshops that offer sensor replacement alone for around a quarter of the cost. Experienced hobby mechanics can also do the replacement themselves.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Engine

The newly developed six-cylinder boxer engine for the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 with a displacement of 4.0 liters and 420 hp is known for its extremely homogeneous power delivery and offers more than enough of it at any point in the rev range. With PDK, a sprint time of 3.9 seconds to 100 km/h and a top speed of over 300 km/h are possible. In terms of sound, however, the 982 GT4 is not everyone’s cup of tea. A modified exhaust system and a petrol particulate filter have significantly changed the acoustics compared to its predecessor. The sound is more bass-heavy and less high-pitched than the 981 Cayman GT4. So-called “over-axle pipes” change the character considerably and are a frequently installed modification.

The engine, based on the 9A2 Evo family, is generally considered pretty reliable. Until 2021, there were isolated cases of damage caused by faulty connecting rods. According to reports, Porsche replaced affected engines relatively unbureaucratically via a recall campaign. For vehicles that have either been driven a lot on the racetrack or will be in the future, it is also advisable to replace the camshaft adjuster bolts. The original screws used by Porsche can come loose or even shear off and lead to serious engine damage.

The engines in the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 are robust and offer more than enough power in every situation.

Apart from that, there are no systematic problems worth mentioning. The power units in the 718 Cayman GT4 are rightly regarded as relatively reliable sources of joy. Its power delivery is significantly more homogeneous than in its predecessor. There may be critics out there interpreting it as boring. But it ensures significantly more usable performance. However, you should be prepared for around 300 milliliters of oil consumption per 1,000 kilometers. Some drivers find the standard cylinder deactivation to reduce fuel consumption annoying. However, if the automatic start-stop system is switched off, it is also deactivated.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Transmission & Drivetrain

With the 982 Cayman GT4, customers had the choice between a 6-speed manual transmission and Porsche’s 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) from 2020. In the first model year, the GT4 was only available as a manual transmission, with auto-blip on downshifts as standard. There are sometimes problems with manual gearboxes when shifting up from gear one to gear two. It manifests itself in a scraping noise when shifting up at high revs. Replacing the shift cables can help.

However, the gear ratio caused more controversy. Many fans had hoped that Porsche would give the second GT4 a slightly closer gear ratio. But Porsche did not fulfill these wishes. Frank-Steffen Walliser, head of the model series at the time, stated that the space available in the transmission would not allow this. The first gear went up to 84 km/h, the second up to 137 km/h and in third gear up to 195 km/h were possible. The PDK version has a shorter gear ratio of around 10 to 15 km/h per gear and is therefore not affected to the same extent.

A differential with a shorter final drive for more driving pleasure?

This gear ratio, which is more reminiscent of a motorcycle, is a recurring theme in the scene. When second gear is enough to exceed the speed limit on most of the world’s highways, there is little opportunity to really enjoy the car’s high-revving nature. This dulls the driving experience for some drivers more, some less. In any case, however, this makes redlining even second a gear an experience, which can get you into all sorts of trouble, if you’re doing it away from the racetrack.

RPM Technik, one of the UK’s leading Porsche specialists have developed a solution to shorten the final drive on the manual GT4 (and Spyders) to give them a more lively nature. As Ollie Preston RPM Technik’s Technical Director says “The GT4 is a wonderful Porsche and with our bespoke crown wheel and pinion set, the gearing is lowered by 14%. This really revitalises that slightly missing spiciness from the engine. Given we have done over 30 conversions now, GT4 owners obviously agree!” Find out more at RPM Techniks website.

The GT4 is a wonderful Porsche and with our bespoke crown wheel and pinion set, the gearing is lowered by 14%. This really revitalises that slightly missing spiciness from the engine.

Ollie Preston, RPM Technik Technical Director

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Suspension & Brakes

Ever since the first generation of the Porsche Cayman, it has been regarded as an absolute handling marvel within the Porsche family. It therefore came as something of a surprise that the 718 Cayman GT4 had a relatively marked tendency to understeer close to the limit. This could be remedied with adjustments to the suspension geometry. Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM) is standard equipment in the 718 Cayman GT4 and is 30 millimeters lower than in the regular Cayman. The PASM dampers are a proven quantity and are generally well suited even for tough racetrack use.

The braking performance in the GT4 initially caused some irritation as well. In both configurations, i.e. with steel brakes or Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB), it didn’t offer a lot of bite when cold. As a result, the 718 Cayman GT4 initially stood out in comparative tests with other sports cars due to its weaker braking values. It only achieved maximum deceleration values when the braking system and, above all, the tires reached higher temperatures.

At least with steel brakes, changing to brake pads with a higher coefficient of friction has proven to achieve better braking performance. However, we have to put things into perspective at this point. We are still talking about braking distances of less than 35 meters from 100 km/h to a standstill. For sporty country road drivers, this is therefore a negligible issue. Incidentally, the PCCB brakes in the 718 Cayman GT4 are even relatively stable on the racetrack.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Buyer’s Guide – Conclusion

Despite Porsche’s announcement that it will once again offer the Boxster and Cayman with a combustion engine in the future, the 718 Cayman GT4 remains an absolutely stable value recommendation. Prices settled at around 110,000 to 115,000 euros in 2025. It would be advisable to check whether all official Porsche recalls have been carried out. Porsche’s own Approved Used Car Warranty is also a welcome safety net.

While in the past Porsche 718 Cayman GT4s with PDK were sometimes several thousand euros more expensive than comparable manual cars, this delta has now almost closed. Surcharges are mostly paid for cars with the Chrono Package and bucket seats. If you are not planning to drive your GT4 regularly on racetracks anyway, you could save some money by purchasing a car with sports seats instead of full bucket seats.

Naturally, a premium is paid for GT4s in PTS colors. Here, the range is very limited and prices are usually several tens of thousands of euros higher than comparable models in regular colors. In contrast, prices for the special edition 718 Cayman GT4 Sports Cup Edition are hardly ever higher. For the standard colors, prices for GT4 in white or grey are on average between five and seven percent higher than for black or red.

There is a Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 to suit everyone

The second Porsche Cayman GT4 may have been a facelift on the outside, but under the hood it has been refined in all areas. It may be said to offer a less raw or maybe even less exciting driving experience than the 981, but for those who want to drive a lot, being more civilized is actually an advantage. The option of ordering it with PDK also ensures that virtually everyone can find the right Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 for them. In a way, the 420 hp Cayman is the jack of all trades among Porsche’s GT models.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is very close to being the ideal sports car. Slightly more cultivated and faster than the 981 Cayman GT4 and not as extreme as the 911 GT3, the GT4 cuts a fine figure everywhere – whether on the Nürburgring or in front of the casino in Monte Carlo. A clear recommendation to buy!

Richard Lindhorst, Elferspot