Purists rejoice! The naturally-aspirated 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4 with a 4.0-litre flat-six engine are now available to order in India, from Rs 1.6 crore (base, ex-showroom).
The 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4 are now packing some serious signature Porsche power. A newly-developed 4.0-litre flat-six sits in the middle, behind the driver, and drives the rear axle through a six-speed manual transmission, with a seven-speed PDK (Porsche Doppelkupplung or double-clutch) available as an option. The engine is not from the 911 GT3 with power turned down, rather, it’s an evolution of the new-generation motor from the 911 Carrera 3.0 Turbo models with larger cylinder dimensions taking displacement up.
The output from the 4.0 is is 420 hp at 7,600 rpm and 420 Nm of torque peaking between 5,000 and 6,800 rpm. Both weigh in at 1,420 kg, making for a power-to-weight ratio of 295.77 hp/tonne. That’s enough for both the soft-top convertible 718 Spyder and the fixed hard-top Cayman GT4 to get from zero to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and up to top speeds of 301 km/h and 304 km/h respectively. The 718 duo are both rated at 9.17 km/l and 249 g/km of CO2.
The new 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4 have immensely improved aerodynamics. The 718 Cayman GT4 generates up to 50% more downforce without affecting drag. The fixed rear wing produces around a fifth more downforce than its predecessor. The new 718 Spyder has a rear spoiler that automatically rises at 120 km/h and, thanks to the functional diffuser, is also the first Boxster to generate downforce over the rear axle.
Positioned above the black-badged, sportier GTS models which use a 400-hp version of the 4.0 six, the 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4, with their 20-hp bump up in power, make for even more exciting purist driver offerings. The prices for the 718 Spyder and Cayman GT4 are Rs 1.60 crore and Rs 1.63 crore (base, ex-showroom) respectively.
Ashish Kaul, Head of Sales at Porsche India, said, “Porsche India introduces two emotional and powerful models to the market, using a naturally aspirated powertrain that is based on the turbo engines in the current 911 Carrera model series. The 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder are about unrivalled driving fun and sheer emotions. They are the perfect sports car for those who like to push the limits and enjoy a racing pulse. We are very excited to offer these purist’s models to our customers here in India. With a limited allocation for our market, the 718 Cayman GT4 and 718 Spyder will be a rare and very special sight on our streets.”
The latest 718 Cayman we had a chance to have a go in was the GTS before the 4.0 upgrade. Earlier the victims of downsizing as well, the 718 GTS duo had 2.5-litre turbo flat-fours making 365 hp and 430 Nm. Click here to read about our first drive in the 718 Cayman GTS at the Porsche World Road Show held at the Buddh International Circuit earlier last year.
