Porsche Made Perfect? Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder Reviewed
On the list of pros, the Spyder and Cayman GT4 hit almost every box, but when the tiniest problem makes the biggest impact, tread lightly.
The recipe for the “perfect sports car” is an elusive one. If any company has come close, it is likely the fanatics at Porsche. But which Porsche is the perfect one? The Cayman and Boxster have the more balanced mid-engine layout, but lack in power. The 911 has power in spades, but the rear seats and rear-engine design compromise the balance slightly. Of course, we now have more powerful and focused versions of the Cayman and Boxster, so maybe Porsche finally cracked the code. With more than 400 horsepower, from naturally aspirated flat-six engines, the Boxster Spyder and the Cayman GT4 could be the closest iteration of “perfect” to ever come from Porsche.
To see if these two adrenalin pushers are as magical as the spec sheet suggests, Throttle House put the pair of them to the test out in the Canadian country side. Did the engineers from Stuttgart create the ultimate in automotive bliss? It takes a full twenty minutes to really sort out all their feelings and thoughts, but the final conclusion from our duo of presenters is a simple “no.” As always, the devil is in the details, so let’s dive in.
On the list of pros, the Spyder and GT4 hit almost every box. The steering feel is the best you can manage with electric assistance. The suspension is as stiff as possible without being unbearable to provide razor sharp reflexes. The brakes bite hard, and the throttle inputs are instant. And of course, we have that glorious new engine. After years of seeing Porsche push turbochargers into more and more models, the Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder are a breath of fresh un-forced air.
Dumping the turbos gives the engine a better sound, and the lack or turbo lag makes the car feel even more alive. It also allows for a higher revs, which Porsche takes full advantage of. The 4.0-liter flat-six doesn’t tach out until you hit 8,000 rpm, and the audio in this video sounds like heaven. Even the interior design and comfort get high marks, with the only exception being the carbon race seats in the GT4.
So where do things go wrong? The fly in this particular bowl of petrol soup is the manual transmission, or rather the gearing of it. While the shifter and clutch are essentially flawless, the actual gear ratios inside the box are extremely long. With the expanded 8,000 rpm redline, this means that most of the engine is completely unusable on public roads. If you take second gear all the way to the rev-limiter, you will be cruising at a cop-baiting 85 mph. And you still have four gears left to go.
If you find yourself trying to max out a lap at your favorite track, the gearing is probably spot on. For everyday use that gearing means you are deprived of the noise and experience provided by that new motor. Is a sports car perfect if it is only perfect on a race track? That will be the real deciding factor here. For now though, it seems those of us who enjoy back roads instead track shenanigans still need to keep searching for our perfect Porsche.
